My Favorite Songs of the 1970s - Part 1 Quiz

Answer: Green

Joe Raposo wrote "Bein' Green", also known as "It's Not Easy Bein' Green". Jim Henson first performed it as Kermit the Frog on "Sesame Street." At first, Kermit isn't happy that he is green because so many other things are green, and he doesn't stand out. By the end of the song, however, he realizes green is a good color to be and does not want to change.

Hensen performed the song multiple times on "Sesame Street" up to his death in 1990. Steve Whitmire, who took over Kermit, has also performed the song multiple times since 1990. "Bein' Green" has also been covered by other artists such as Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, Van Morrison, and Ray Charles.

Answer: Free

Andy Fraser and Paul Rodgers wrote "All Right Now" in 1970. Free recorded the song on their album "Fire and Water" and also released it as a single. It reached number two on the UK charts and number four on the US charts.

The song has been covered by many artists, including Christina Aguilera, Rod Stewart, Bad Company, and Van Halen.

Answer: Company

Stephen Sondheim wrote "Being Alive" for his musical "Company." The musical opened on Broadway on April 26, 1970. Dean Jones originated the role of Robert "Bobby" and was the first to perform the song. It is the final number of the show. "Being Alive" was actually the fourth song tried for the finale number before Sondheim was satisfied.

The song has been covered by several people, including Larry Kert (who replaced Jones in the original run), Neil Patrick Harris, Bernadette Peters, and Lea Salonga. In a 1980 episode of "Taxi" called "Alex Jumps Out of a Plane," Judd Hirsch as Alex performed the song as well.

Answer: The Aristocats

Floyd Huddleston and Al Rinker wrote the jazz song "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat." Thomas O'Malley takes Duchess and her kittens to return to their home after Edgar tries to abandon them so he can inherit their owner's money. Along the way, they meet Thomas' friend Scat Cat, a jazz musician. Scat Cat (voiced by Scatman Cruthers) and his alley cat friends perform "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat."

At the end of the movie, the lady who owns Duchess and the kittens has also adopted Thomas O'Malley. She also started a home in the mansion for alley cats. Scatman and his alley cats are the first to move in. They reprise "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat," with even the non-cat animals joining in to sing.

Brian Setzer, Jamie Cullum, Charles Perry, and others have covered the song.

Answer: Ray Stevens

Ray Stevens wrote and performed the song "Everything is Beautiful" in 1970. At the beginning of the song, the children's chorus sings the hymn, "Jesus Loves the Little Children." The song won two Grammy Awards: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (Stevens) and Best Inspirational Performance (Jake Hess). The song also topped the US Adult Contemporary chart. "Billboard" ranked it number 12 for all the songs in 1970.

The song teaches tolerance and anti-racism. It includes the line, "We shouldn't care about the length of his hair or the color of his skin."

The song has been covered by other artists, including Jody Wayne, Jim Nabors, Dolly Parton & Willie Nelson, and Bing Crosby.

Answer: Jesus Christ Superstar

Andrew Lloyd Webber (composer) and Tim Rice (lyricist) wrote the song "Everything's Alright" for the 1971 Broadway musical "Jesus Christ Superstar." The song was first sung on the 1970 concept album by Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdalene. She also played the role in the original Broadway cast and again in the 1973 movie adaptation. "Everything's Alright" was released as a single from the concept album and reached 92 on the "Billboard Hot 100."

The song has been covered by several people, including John Farnham, Kate Ceberano & John Stevens, John Legend & Sara Bareilles, Mel C, Tim Minchin, & Ben Forster, and Zubin Varla.

Answer: Feliz Navidad

Jose Feliciano wrote and recorded the song "Feliz Navidad" in 1970. The song is mostly in English with the Spanish Christmas greeting "Feliz Navidad, prospero ano y felicidad," being repeated. Feliciano recorded the song in only ten minutes. In 2010, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The song, which has only 19 words in it, has become one of the most popular Christmas songs ever. Ironically, when it was first released, and for the first 20 years after, the song did not chart. It first charted in 1998, reaching number 18 on the US Adult Contemporary chart.

The song has been covered by several artists such as Boney M, The Wiggles, the David Crowder Band, and Michael Buble.

Answer: Forever

Dennis Wilson and Gregg Jakobson wrote "Forever," which the Beach Boys recorded in 1970 on their "Sunflower" album. Dennis' brother and fellow Beach Boy Brian helped with the song's arrangement. Brian referred to the song as "a rock and roll prayer."

John Stamos, as Uncle Jesse, has performed the song multiple times on "Full House." Stamos, who is friends with the Beach Boys and has also toured with them at various times, recorded the song with them when they rerecorded it in 1992 for their "Summertime in Paradise" album. He also performed it in 2016 on an episode of "Fuller House."

The song has also been covered by artists such as American Spring, Kenadi Dodds, Kayla Williams, and Matthew Hartz & Nat Copeland.

Answer: Confusion

Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong wrote "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" in 1970. The song reached number two on the charts in the US, and number seven in the UK. The song lists problems that affect the world, such as crime and drugs, referring to all these problems as "a ball of confusion."

The song has been covered by artists such as the nuns in "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit," Tina Turner, Anthrax, Tesla, and The Neville Brothers.

Answer: Rain

John Fogerty wrote "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" in 1970. Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) released the song as a single and on their album "Pendulum." The song reached number one in Canada. In the US, it reached number eight on the charts. According to Fogerty, the song was about "the impending breakup of CCR." The group broke up two years later.

The song has been covered by other artists such as Rod Stewart, Bonnie Tyler, Arthur Gunn, and Juan Gabriel.

Answer: Mary Magdalene

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice wrote "I Don't Know How to Love Him" for "Jesus Christ Superstar." The ballad was first sung by Yvonne Elliman on the concept album in 1970. She then played the role of Mary Magdalene on Broadway in 1971. The music was actually from a 1967 song called "Kansas Morning," and David Land (Webber and Rice's agent) purchased the rights to the song.

Elliman was confused when she first heard the song due to its romantic nature. She thought that Mary Magdalene was actually the Virgin Mary, and the mother of Jesus. She recorded the song in only one take. They did not originally release the song as a single, but then in 1971 Helen Reddy covered it, which eventually reached number 13 on the charts. They decided to release Elliman's version, which reached number 28 on the charts. This was one of the few times different versions of the same song charted at the same time.

Later in the show, the song "Judas's Death" includes a reprise of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" sung by Judas Iscariot (originally done by Murray Head on the concept album). In the reprise, Judas confesses that Jesus is not a king, just a man, and he doesn't know "why he moves me," and also wonders, "Does He love me too?"

The song has been covered many times by artists such as Claire Moore, Karen Wyman, and Bujoura.

Answer: Jackson 5

Berry Gordy, Hal Davis, Bob West, and Willie Hutch wrote "I'll Be There" in 1970. It was first recorded by the Jackson 5, with Michael Jackson on lead vocals. The song was a single and on their album "Third Album." The song became their fourth number-one hit. They were the first black male group to have four consecutive number-one hits. They were also the first group to have their first four singles all reach number one. In 2011, their version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

The song has since been covered by various artists, including Mariah Carey, Tariq Trotter, Ladies of Soul, and Connie Talbot.

Answer: Bullfrog

Hoyt Axton wrote "Joy to the World," and Three Dog Night first recorded it in 1970. To not confuse it with the Christmas carol, it is often referred to by its first line, "Jeremiah was a bullfrog." It was released on their first album, "Naturally." In 1971, they released the song as a single and topped the charts.

The group itself had mixed reactions to the song. Some members felt it was too silly to record. Others felt that was exactly what they needed. Axton and his mother, Mae Axton, became the first mother and son to each have a number one hit. His mother co-wrote "Heartbreak Hotel," made famous by Elvis Presley.

The song has been covered by artists such as Little Richard, Conway Twitty, and Lynn Anderson.

Answer: Bobby Sherman

Tom Bahler wrote "Julie, Do Ya Love Me?" which was first recorded by Bobby Sherman in 1970. That same year, White Plains, a British pop group, also recorded the song. The Sherman version reached number five on the "Billboard Hot 100" and peaked at number two on the "Easy Listening" chart in the US. The White Plains version reached number eight on the "UK Singles Chart.

Aside from White Plains, the song has not really had any major covers done. Occasionally, retro-pop groups or tribute groups might perform it as part of a medley of songs.

Answer: The Beatles

Paul McCartney wrote "Let It Be," and the Beatles recorded the song for their "Let It Be" album. It was also released as a single. The song was sung by Paul McCartney as well. The song reached number one on the "Billboard Hot 100" in the US. It was also the last single the Beatles did before McCartney announced he was leaving the band.

There are two origins given for how the song came to be. According to McCartney, he had a dream about his mother, Mary Patricia McCartney, who passed away when he was only fourteen. Mal Evans, the Beatles' road manager, said the song came from a vision Paul had while in India. Evans appeared in the vision and kept saying, "Let it be. Let it be."

Artists such as Ferry Aid, Dolly Parton, Aretha Franklin, and Bill Withers have covered the song.