It's a Sin and We Know It's Wrong Quiz

Answer: The Dark End of the Street

The title of this quiz came from "The Dark End of the Street":

"I know time is gonna take its toll
We have to pay for the love we stole
It's a sin, and we know it's wrong
Oh, but our love keeps coming on strong"

It was written by Dan Penn and Chips Moman in 1966; apparently they were trying to write "...the best cheating song ever" and they might just have made it.

This was a signature song for James Carr, the R&B singer, first released by him in 1967. It got into the top ten on the Billboard R&B charts, and on to the Hot 100. But it's been covered by so many other artists that a person can be familiar with several different versions without having ever heard the original.

My own personal favourite cover is from Richard and Linda Thompson from their album "Pour Down Like Silver".

Answer: Runaround Sue

"Here's my story, it's sad but true
It's about a girl that I once knew
She took my love, then ran around
With every single guy in town"

"Runaround Sue" was a 1961 Billboard Hot 100 Number One for Dion, not long after he split from the Belmonts. It's another song that has been covered by dozens of people, the most notable over probably Leif Garrett's from 1977, which got into the Hot 100's Top Twenty. Reports vary as to whether the song was about Dion's wife, whose name was Susan.

And you may be interested to know that Dion has continued recording well into his 80s, moving on to the Blues - I've got a few of the albums and they're pretty darn good. At the time this quiz was written, he was one of the few people pictured on The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band" cover who was still alive.

Answer: Before He Cheats

"Right now, he's probably slow dancing
With a bleach-blonde tramp and
she's probably getting frisky
Right now, he's probably buying her
Some fruity little drink
'cause she can't shoot a whiskey"

Oooh, there's a burn.

"Before He Cheats" was a smash hit for Carrie Underwood, off her first studio album "Some Hearts" in 2005. The song started getting radio airtime before it was even released as a single, and it didn't stop for quite some time, breaking a bunch of records for chart longevity and sales.

The video is kind of a hoot, with streets lights exploding in Underwood's wake as she walks down the street after destroying the cheater's car. Echoes of another, cinematic, Carrie.

Answer: The Married Men

"Oh the married men
the married men
never would have had a good time again
if it wasn't for the married men"

"The Married Men" was first recorded in 1979 on The Roches' first, self titled album. Like most of the other songs on the album, it was written by Maggie Roche. The song was covered by Phoebe Snow later that year on her album "Against the Grain". The link between the artists was most likely Paul Simon - The Roches had done some vocal work for him on his "There Goes Rhymin' Simon" album a few years earlier, while Snow worked on his "Still crazy After All These Years".

If you've never heard of The Roches, they made a medium sized splash among those interested in indie music in the late seventies, early eighties. Their first album made it onto the Billboard Hot 200 Albums, and while they never did much in the way of sales after that, a lot of us loved them quietly. Maggie Roche died in 2017.

Answer: Long Black Veil

"She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
Nobody knows, nobody sees
Nobody knows but me"

"Long Black Veil", was written in 1959 by Danny Dill and Marijohn Wilkin, even though it sounds like it should be a centuries-old folk song. The first recording was by Lefty Frizzell and it's his version that is in the Library of Congress.

The version that plays in my head is the Johnny Cash one from his "At Folsom Prison" album from 1968, but it's been covered a lot. I'm surprised to see that it never appeared on a Grateful Dead album though both Jerry Garcia and Phil Lesh recorded it at various times.

Answer: Matty Groves

Now, "Matty Groves" actually *is* a centuries-old folk song, with the earliest known version dating from 1613, though it is possibly considerably older than that. It is what is known as a Child Ballad - a song collected by Francis Child in the mid-1800s - under the title "Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard". Although it is English in origin (or possibly Scottish) it had mostly died out in Britain by the time folklorists started collecting these things, so the versions we have are mostly from Appalachia and New England in the United States.

As the story goes, our hero is approached by the wife of a local lord:

"Come home with me little Matty Groves
Come home with me tonight
Come home with me little Matty Groves
And sleep with me 'til light"

He demurs, but she persuades him, saying that her husband is away. A servant overhears, however, and runs off to tell the lord. Things do not go well for poor Matty, or for the lady.

The version I know, and have quoted here, is from Fairport Convention's 1969 album "Liege and Lief".

Answer: Me and Mrs Jones

"Me and Mrs. Jones
We got a thing goin' on
We both know that it's wrong
But it's much too strong
To let it go now"

Billy Paul's 1972 version of "Me and Mrs Jones" is the definitive one - it went to the top of both Billboard's Hot 100 and R&B Singles charts. And deserved it, in my opinion - he is in great voice for this.

It was written by Gamble and Huff, with Cary Gilbert. They were responsible for much of the distinctive "Philly sound", in the '70s. Some of their songs include "Love Train", "If You Don't Know Me by Now" and "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)".

Answer: Whoever's in New England

"But when whoever's in New England's through with you
And Boston finds better things to do
You know it's not too late
'cause you'll always have a place to come back to
When whoever's in New England's through with you"

"Whoever's in New England" was on Reba McEntire album of the same name, from 1986. It spent some time on the top of Billboard's Hot Country chart, and was McEntire's first music video. It also inspired an answer song, "Stay", from the band Sugarland, which I strongly considered using in this quiz.

Answer: Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?

"And whose lips have you been kissin'?
And whose ear did you make a wish in?
Is she the one that you've been missin', baby?
Well, whose bed have your boots been under?"

"Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under" was written by Shania Twain and producer Mutt Lange, her husband at the time. It was her first hit of many, and was on her 1995 album, "The Woman in Me". It went to Number One on the Country charts in her home country of Canada.

Answer: Careless Whisper

"I should've known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you, oh"

"Careless Whisper" came out on Wham!'s second album, 1984's "Make It Big". Who it was actually "by" is a little complicated. Though it was written by George Michael with Andrew Ridgeley (that is, Wham!), it was released as a single crediting George Michael - he was transitioning to solo status at the time and that was felt to be the best way. And in the US, to complicate matters further, it was released as "Wham! featuring George Michael".

There was difficulty getting the saxophone part right, which delayed the song from being released on Wham!'s first album; it took a lot for George Michael to be satisfied with what he was getting, from some very good sax players. In the end, looks like that was the right approach - the song was a huge hit, and the sax was a big part of that.

Answer: Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town

"You've painted up your lips and rolled and curled your tinted hair
Ruby, are you contemplating going out somewhere?
The shadow on the wall tells me the sun is going down
Oh, Ruby, don't take your love to town"

This song about a vet who was paralyzed in "that old crazy Asian war" was written by Mel Tillis in 1966, who, in addition to his own respectable career, wrote for many other artists. It was recorded by several people, Tillis included, and then Kenny Rogers and the First Edition released it on their 1969 album of the same name. It was a big hit for them and got into the Top Ten on the Billboard Hot 100. They're probably the band most people think of when they remember the song, though, like quite a few other songs in this quiz, it's been covered by a lot of people.

Answer: Lyin' Eyes

"So she tells him she must go out for the evening
To comfort an old friend who's feelin' down
But he knows where she's goin' as she's leavin'
She is headed for the cheatin' side of town"

"Lyin' Eyes" was written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey, and was released on Eagles' 1975 album, "One of These Nights". It got to Number Two on the Hot 100, and to the Top Ten on the Billboard Country chart, which was far from usual for a rock band at the time (though, to be fair, Eagles were pretty Country-flavoured at this point and well connected within the Southern California Country-Rock scene).

I will admit that though I'm an Eagles fan from the time I bought their first album on vinyl way back when it came out, I think this is one of their worst songs.

Answer: Always True to You in My Fashion

"I could never curl my lip
To a dazzlin' diamond clip,
Though the clip meant "let 'er rip,"
I'd not say "Nay!"
But I'm always true to you, darlin', in my fashion,
Yes, I'm always true to you, darlin', in my way."

"Always True to You in My Fashion" was written by Cole Porter for 1948's "Kiss Me, Kate". The lyrics - full of then-topical references and witty wordplay - make it clear that the singer's concept of "true" is not exactly the conventional one.

The song has become something of a standard. Its inclusion on a collection of Jazz standards was my introduction to Blossom Dearie, for which I am forever grateful. Her version has just the right air of insouciant charm.

Answer: Don't Let the Teardrops Rust Your Shining Heart

"I used to drive all night for you
While the children were asleep
And as the dawn broke on your room
Back into my house I'd creep"

"Don't Let the Teardrops Rust Your Shining Heart" first appeared on jazz/pop group Everything But the Girl's 1986 album, "Baby, the Stars Shine Bright". It was written by the duo's Ben Watt. It was covered in 1993 by the Canadian jazz singer Holly Cole, with her trio, on their album "Don't Smoke in Bed".

It's probably the least famous song in this quiz, but if you like a modern jazz vocal, do yourself a favour and give it a listen.

Answer: You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man)

"You've come to tell me something you say I ought to know
He don't love me anymore and I'll have to let him go
You say you're gonna take him, oh but I don't think you can
'Cause you ain't woman enough to take my man"

"You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man)" from Loretta Lynn was released as a single in 1966, and on the album "You Ain't Woman Enough" later that year. It was produced by Owen Bradley, which is always a good sign, and hit Number Two on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.

It's been covered by several Country artists, but also by some less obvious choices, such as The Grateful Dead, Tina Turner, and Paramore.