Delicious Decades In Songs Trivia Quiz

Answer: 1950s/1960s

Released in 1958 by the American rock and roll band The Champs, "Tequila" is an instrumental track with a Latin flavor. It is built around an upbeat saxophone riff and a mambo beat. Because it has no verse or chorus, the lyrics consist entirely of the word "Tequila!" spoke three times throughout the song.

It was recorded purely as an unplanned 'B' side to fill space on a record, but radio DJs ended up loving it so much more than the main track ("Train to Nowhere") that it shot all the way to #1 on the Billboard charts and went on to win a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance in 1959.

Answer: 1950s/1960s

"Green Onions", a bluesy soul instrumental, was released in 1962 by Booker T. & the M.G.'s. The song is built around a Hammond organ groove and a guitar riff. It doesn't have any lyrics at all. It is one of the songs that defines the Memphis sound of Stax Records in the 1960s.

What about that title? The organist Booker T. Jones originally wanted to name the track "Funky Onions", but the record label felt the word "funky" was too controversial for radio at the time, so they compromised on "Green Onions" instead.

Answer: 1950s/1960s

Released in 1962 by the teenage R&B singer Dee Dee Sharp, "Mashed Potato Time" is an upbeat dance track created specifically to capitalize on the dance craze sweeping American teenage dance places at the time. The song is literally about going out to the local dance spot to do the steps, complete with lyrics that call out other popular songs of the era like "Please Mr. Postman".

The song is titled after the Mashed Potato dance move that was made famous by James Brown and used in his concerts regularly. Dee Dee Sharp's song about that dance helped her reach number one on the US Billboard R&B chart in 1962.

Answer: 1950s/1960s

"Sugar, Sugar" is s bubblegum pop hit recorded by The Archies in 1969. Ironically, the group was a fictional band created for Saturday morning animated cartoons. The song is a straightforward (but catchy) love tune that uses sweet treats (specifically sugar and honey) as metaphors for how a crush on someone can feel.

Why a cartoon band? Music executive Don Kirshner turned to this medium after getting frustrated with real-life musicians (specifically The Monkees) arguing about things. When he came home, disgruntled, he saw his son reading the comics and began the idea. The gamble paid off as "Sugar, Sugar" became the number one song of the entire year on Billboard's 1969 Year-End chart.

Answer: 1970s/1980s

Singer-songwriter Don McLean released "American Pie" in 1971. It is an epic folk-rock song that is over eight minutes in length. At its core, the song is a tribute to the tragic 1959 plane crash that killed early rock legends Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper, an event McLean famously dubbed "the day the music died". It is also a commentary on how rock and roll changed in the years since his death with cryptic imagery and characters symbolizing real musicians.

For nearly 50 years, it held the Guinness World Record for the longest song ever to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with its length of 8 minutes and 36 seconds. It was so long that, at the time, the original 7-inch vinyl release had to be split across both sides of the record, requiring listeners to flip the disc halfway through to hear the full track.

Answer: 1970s/1980s

Released in 1978 on his "Son of a Son of a Sailor" album, "Cheeseburger in Paradise" is a tropical rock anthem by Jimmy Buffett that celebrates the pure joy of biting into a greasy, perfectly made burger after a strict health food diet. The lyrics detail a guy who has been living on fruits, veggies, and rice, craving nothing more than a medium-rare patty topped with Heinz 57, lettuce, tomato, and a big slice of cheese.

Buffett wrote that he was inspired by a real adventure when he was sailing through the Caribbean and hit severe weather, damaging his boat and leaving the crew stranded on canned rations. When they finally managed to limp into port, the very first thing he found was a restaurant serving freshly cooked cheeseburgers, inspiring him to write the track.

Answer: 1970s/1980s

Released in 1978 as the debut single by new wave legends The B-52's, "Rock Lobster" is an energetic and silly surf-punk anthem. It has guitar riffs, catchy organ melodies, and vocalists Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, and Cindy Wilson shouting wild sea creature noises. The lyrics are about a crazy beach party where partygoers run into sea monsters, giant clams, and a mysterious rock-and-rolling lobster.

The song directly inspired John Lennon to come out of musical retirement. When he heard "Rock Lobster" at a nightclub in 1979, he was so thrilled to hear Yoko Ono's experimental vocal style being embraced by a popular new wave band that he went to work on his final album, "Double Fantasy".

Answer: 1970s/1980s

Prince's album "Around the World in a Day" was released in 1985 and contained the song entitled "Raspberry Beret". It is a mid-tempo song about a youthful summer romance. The story follows a teenager working a boring, part-time job "over at Mr. McGee's five-and-dime" who falls one day for a woman wearing her signature raspberry colored beret, a hat he claims that "if it was warm out, she wouldn't wear much more".

Prince actually wrote and recorded an early version of "Raspberry Beret" back in 1982. He ended up shelving it for three years, then reworked it with acoustic guitars and string arrangements, and turned it into a major crossover smash hit.

Answer: 1990s/2000s

Released in 1995 as an alternative rock hit by The Presidents of the United States of America, "Peaches" is a quirky song celebrating the simple joy of being in the country and eating fruit. The lighthearted lyrics describe sitting under a peach tree, squishing the fruit, and daydreaming about nature and love.

The lead singer Chris Ballew says one of the ways he was inspired to write the song was by a real life experience when he had a crush on a girl. He sat waiting under a peach tree outside her house for hours and crushed fallen fruit in his hands. He mixed this physical feeling with his personal desire for the woman.

Answer: 1990s/2000s

Released in 2008 as the lead single from Weezer's "Red Album," "Pork and Beans" is a rebellious rock anthem all about staying true to yourself and refusing to conform to trendy expectations. Frontman Rivers Cuomo wrote the song after his record label executives told him he needed to write more commercial, radio-friendly hits, declaring in the lyrics that he'll eat his pork and beans with candy, wear whatever he wants, and never change who he is to please an executive.

The song's music video became a massive viral hit by uniting dozens of the internet's earliest legendary stars to recreate their viral moments alongside the band.The video won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards.

Answer: 1990s/2000s

The lead single for Moby's album "Play", "Honey" was released in 1998. It is an energetic electronic track by Moby that blends modern techno breakbeats with traditional Southern blues. Built entirely around a looped vocal sample of a 1960 folk recording by Bessie Jones, the song features her repeating lines about her "honey", creating a tune that bridges classic roots music with modern electronic production.

A cool fact about "Honey" (and the entire album) is that Moby made music history by licensing every single track on the record to movies, TV shows, and commercials; "Honey" alone was featured in spots for Volkswagen and Nordstrom.

Answer: 1990s/2000s

Released in late 2008 from her album "Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics", "Chocolate High" is a smooth soul duet by India.Arie featuring Musiq Soulchild. The song uses rich, sweet confectionery metaphors to compare a deep and intoxicating romantic connection to the irresistible rush of indulging in fine chocolate.

The song earned a Grammy Award nomination in 2010 for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, marking a reunion for the two artists who had previously toured together and shared a close musical chemistry for years.