Welcome To My Jukebox (#3) Trivia Quiz

Answer: On Broadway

The version on my juke box is George Benson's from 1978, although The Drifters did it first (1963) and arguably better. Benson's "Boardwalk" spent eight weeks on the U.S. Billboard Pop chart, hitting number nine. "Lady Blue" is on the flip side. Benson was hotter than hot from 1976-1981, then just seemed to disappear. Or so I thought.

A look at his website shows he's released an album a year for several years.

Answer: Party Doll (1957)

Buddy Knox's 1957 hit "Party Doll" got away with a phrase that would be prohibited -- or at least strongly discouraged -- in just a few short years. For example, "Under the Boardwalk" by The Drifters ('64) was released with two lyrical versions in the chorus: (1) "We'll be falling in love under the boardwalk," and (2) "We'll be making love under the boardwalk."

Geeze, the would-be censors got all over The Everly Brothers for the mere suggestion that some hanky panky MIGHT have occurred when a couple "both fell sound asleep" at the drive-in ("Wake Up Little Susie" also in '57), but there was absolutely no hoo-hah whatsoever with blatant references to a "party doll" and singing out loud "I'll make love to you"? Sounds like some censors were sleepin'!

Notwithstanding the sexual innuendo, "Party Doll" is a pretty rockin' little tune. Oh, the not-so-famous, hard-to-believe-it-wasn't-a-hit ditty called "Hula Love" is on the "B" side of "Party Doll."

Answer: I'd Really Love to See You Tonight

This excellent song by England Dan and John Ford Coley hit the pop charts in the fall of 1976, peaking at Number Two (U.S. Billboard). To me, it captures the essence of a broken relationship that still holds sweet memories and a fondness for the former lover.

England Dan is Dan Seals, brother to Jim Seals, of the duo Seals and (Dash) Croft, who had several more hit songs in the '70s.

"I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" popped up in the movie "The Long Kiss Goodnight" with Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson, creating very amusing misheard lyrics dialog. Jackson, a lowlife private detective, sings along with the radio: "I'm not talkin' 'bout the linen..." Geena, an amnesiac who has hired the detective, corrects him, "The song's not about linen. It's "I'm not talkin' bout movin' in...' " ("You idiot!" is the subtext.) Makes me laugh out loud every time I watch this movie.

Answer: The Great Pretender

The Platters were the perfect transitional group, meshing the late '40s/early '50s harmonized sounds of groups like the Ink Spots with the soul groups of the '60s, like the Four Tops and the Temptations.

The Platters, comprising four men and one woman, had 22 Top 40 hits between 1955 and 1967, although personnel changed over the years. "The Great Pretender" was one of four number one hits for the group; the flip side ("Only You") reached number five in the fall/early winter of 1955.

All of the choices above were by The Platters, except "It's Only Make Believe," which was a number one hit for Conway Twitty in 1958.

Answer: call me

Diana Ross went solo in 1970 with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," reaching number one on both Billboard's (US) Pop chart and R & B chart. Her version is on my juke box, but Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell did it oh-so-well three years earlier. Ross's version may have charted higher because when she sang it, it sounded like a good-bye letter to the other two Supremes, whom she had just left for her solo turn in the studio, the concert arena, and even on film. The break-up of The Supremes was a jolt for a lot of us; I can only imagine what it was like for Florence and Mary.

This song by one artist or another has been used in several films: "Bridget Jones' Diary 2," "The 40 Year-Old Virgin," "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit," "Remember the Titans," and "Stepmom," to name a few.

Answer: Think

The flip song of "Think" is "I Never Loved a Man (The Way That I Love You)," which reached number nine on Billboard's (US) Pop chart in 1967, ahead of "Think," number seven in '68.

There is no such thing as a bad Aretha song, in this quiz author's opinion. Her incredible string of hits include 14 gold records out of 33 Top 40 hits.

Aretha was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1987). It is said her arrival on the R & B and Pop charts led to the addition of a new category of Grammy: Best Female R & B Vocal, added in 1967, which she walked off with for eight straight years!

Answer: Soul Man

I can't get enough of Sam & Dave. This song reached number two on the pop chart (Billboard US) and stayed there for three weeks in the fall of 1967. It's been most notably covered by The Blues Brothers (1979).

Sam is Sam Moore; Dave was Dave Prater, who died following a car accident in 1988. Sam and Dave were each solo artists before they met in Miami in 1961 and began their duo career -- with Isaac Hayes writing songs for them. That's not too shabby a start! In fact, Isaac (and David Porter) wrote both "Soul Man" and the tune on the flip side: "When Something is Wrong With My Baby," which has been covered by the likes of Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville, and Booker T and the MGs.

Answer: Wipe Out

One of the best trivia questions ever: Whose laughter can be heard on "Wipe Out"? The answer, according to Surfari member Bob Berryhill, was this: "My dad broke a plaster board up close to the mic [to imitate the sound of a breaking surfboard], and Dale Snellen did the maniacal laugh." Snellen was a local photographer and the new manager of the band. Hope you get some mileage out of that tidbit.

The Surfaris scored twice with this classic garage band song. In 1963 it reached number two on (US) Billboard's Top 40, and in 1966 it was rereleased and climbed to number 16 on the same chart.

The Surfaris were five guys from Glendora, CA. The "B" side, as it turns out, was "Surfer Joe," recorded first. "Wipe Out" was supposed to be the "B" side of that record.

I can't say this song is one of my favorite pieces of music, but as it's such a hallmark of rock and roll, its presence on my jukebox is essentially de rigueur.

Answer: I Want You Back

"I Want You Back" was the first of the Jackson Five's four number ones on the Motown label. It premiered in December, 1969, and spent sixteen weeks on the chart -- but only one week at number one. The flip side is "ABC" which also reached number one, in March of '70.
The J5 left Motown (or Motown left them -- in Detroit, when Barry Gordy moved Motown to LA) in 1975-76 and they began recording for Epic Records as The Jacksons. They formally disbanded in 1990.

Michael, Jermaine, Tito, Marlon, Jackie (Randy replaced Jermaine in '75) were just five of the talented children of Joe and Katherine Jackson.

Answer: ride

Holy Revolver, Beatleman! "Got To Get You Into My Life" was a charted (number seven) single hit on the Capitol Records label in 1976, six years AFTER the MopTops broke up. How'd that happen?

Beatles 45s are hard to come by unless you were fortunate enough to take good care of yours and not let people party at your house when you weren't home... Anyway, this one is a strange combo. On the flip side of the frenetic love song "Got To Get You Into My Life" is "Helter Skelter," from "The White Album", unfortunately a song now remembered more for its connection to the Charles Manson family and the Tate-LaBianca murders than for its musical ingenuity. Prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi wrote a book, "Helter Skelter," in which he revealed that "family" head Charles Manson believed the song was warning of or encouraging a race war here in the U.S., and that the Beatles had sent him a personal message to prepare for and carry it out.

Gotta go now. I've got blisters on my fingers.