Sounds Of The Sixties Rewound Part 40 Quiz

Answer: The Supremes

"Baby Love" was written by the Holland-Dozier-Holland Motown team and was one of 14 US top ten hits for The Supremes. The song topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

Answer: The Shangri‐Las

After "Leader Of The Pack", The Shangri-Las were on a high, but in 1965 "Give Him A Great Big Kiss" only made number 18 in the US.

Answer: The Marvelettes

A 22-year-old Marvin Gaye played drums on the 1961 recording of "Please Mr. Postman". It reached number one on the Hot 100. It was to be the sole chart-topper for the Michigan quintet.

The song was covered dozens of times, including by The Beatles, while the Austrian MonaLisa Twins taped a stomping version during their two-year residency at the Fab Four's Cavern Club haunt.

File this under songs that topped the charts by more than one artist. In 1975 The Carpenters' cover reached the number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

Bonus II: In the UK, "With a Little Help From My Friends" topped the charts with versions by three artists: Joe Cocker, Wet Wet Wet, and Sam & Mark.

Answer: The Yardbirds

In 1965, The Yardbirds took "For Your Love" to number three in the UK and number six in the USA. The song was written by Graham Gouldman, who was later to find success as bassist and songwriter with 10CC.

The Yardbirds beforehand had been known for their blues-inspired music, and the pop-orientated "For Your Love" did not please Eric Clapton, who quit the group.

Years later, Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty, told 'The Guardian' newspaper:" Eric had these R&B mod songs he wanted us to do. Him leaving was a relief. Eric would be sitting in the van not talking to anyone. You'd think he's so moody, he's such a pain, we're fed up with this."

Speaking of Eric Clapton, if you were to consult a list of the 'best guitarists' you would find his name there. Similarly, if you were to consult a list of the 'biggest jerks' in music, you would find his name there: lauded for his guitar mastery, loathed for his right wing political views.

Answer: The Righteous Brothers

"(You're My) Soul And Inspiration" was written in the Brill Building, New York's famous 'factory' of songwriting, by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.
In 1966 it topped the US Hot 100 and reached number 15 in the UK.

Answer: Glen Campbell

LA's celebrated Wrecking Crew formed the backbone of the musical inspiration of "Wichita Lineman", with Carol Caye delivering that iconic bass line.

Jimmy Webb wrote the song after seeing a telephone engineer working on a remote overhead line in Oklahoma. (Yes, Wichita is in Kansas.) Bob Dylan called it "the greatest song ever written"

It reached number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and, spent two weeks at at the top of the Country chart. It also topped the Canadian pop charts and made number seven in the UK.

In 2022, 'Smooth Radio' in the UK put "Wichita Lineman" at the top of their list of "Glen Campbell's 10 greatest songs ever, ranked".

Answer: The Troggs

"I feel it in my fingers,
I feel it in my toes.."
was there ever a more absurd lyric absurd to describe falling in love? And yet, somehow it worked.

Reg Presley, lead singer of The Troggs, wrote "Love Is All Around" and it was a UK number five and US number seven in 1967. In 1994, the British band Wet, Wet, Wet covered this for the movie "Four Weddings And A Funeral". It was a number one in the UK for 15 straight weeks.

Speaking of absurd lyrics, you'll find lists all over the internet. One of my favourites:

"I don't want to see a ghost,
It's a sight I fear the most,
I'd rather have a piece of toast,
And watch the evening news" - Des'ree.
(Don't get me started on "Wiggle Wiggle" by Bob Dylan.)

Answer: The Move

In 1968, "Blackberry Way" was a UK number one for The Move. Lead singer Roy Wood wrote this, and admitted he may have been inspired by "Penny Lane" by The Beatles. "I suppose it could have been. We were all very influenced by what The Beatles were doing because they were the best songwriters around," he said.

The Move were big in the UK, but failed to crack the USA - especially after they were booked to open on US tour for The Stooges and it became a disaster. Original lead singer Carl Wayne said: "We're not psychedelic, we're showmen. The young people like violence." They had also been dropped from opening for The Walker Brothers.

The band did not really help themselves, either. Their four albums were considered dysfunctional and more slowly released than contemporaries such as The Beatles or The Rolling Stones.

Answer: Fleetwood Mac

In 1969, "Albatross" topped the UK charts and became the biggest-selling rock instrumental of all time in the UK. Peter Green composed the track, which was released before Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham or Christine McVie joined the group.

The track came in it at number 239 on a list of "250 Greatest Rock Instrumentals". Since you are now curious, number one on that list was "Green Onions" by Booker T & The MGs.

Answer: Amen Corner

Amen Corner, sometimes listed as The Amen Corner, were led by Andy Fairweather Low, who just happens to be one of this quiz author's favourite guitarists. While the band were the recipients of the screaming adulation of teenage girls, AFL's subsequent solo career, and with other bands, provided much meatier musical material.

"(If Paradise Is) Half As Nice" was written as "Il paradiso della vita" by the Italian songwriter Lucio Battisti. In 1969, the English language version was a UK number one for the Welsh band Amen Corner - after it was turned down by The Tremeloes.

Going back to Andy Fairweather Low, he spent many years as a sought-after sideman touring with George Harrison, Roger Waters, Bill Wyman and Eric Clapton, along others.

Answer: Millie

In the 1960s, a host of very young singers come out with massive top ten hits, and among them was Millie Small who had a UK and US number two with "My Boy Lollipop" in 1964. She was 17 years old. Eight years earlier, it had been a hit for Barbie Gaye, with a different spelling, "My Boy Lollypop".

In 1963, Stevie Wonder ("Little Stevie Wonder") became the youngest artist to hit number one in the US with his live track, Fingertips (Pt. 2). He was aged just 12. In 1972, Jimmy Osmond was aged just nine when "Long Haired Lover From Liverpool" hit number one in the UK.

Answer: The Crickets

Gerry Goffin and Carole King wrote "Don't Ever Change" for The Everly Brothers, but they did not like it and it went to The Crickets, Buddy Holly's backing band. In 1961 it was a UK number five, but failed to chart in the USA.

In 1963, The Beatles sang the song on the BBC's "Pop Go The Beatles" radio programme. Paul McCartney and George Harrison sang this as a harmony duet, which was rare for the Fab Four at the time. You can find this on the "Live At The BBC" collection released in 1994.

This is an intriguing collection of Beatles covers and originals from their early years. The collection can be found on some internet music video sites.

Answer: Perry Como

Henry Mancini wrote the music in 1961 and Al Stillman added lyrics two years later.

Perry Como had been around for a while at this time - he had his first number one in 1945.

"I Love You And Don't You Forget It" reached number 39 in the US charts.
Como had 11 songs top the US charts, but only a couple did as well in the UK

Incidentally, Perry Como was not one of those established stars who dismissed or even hated the new sound of the likes of The Beatles. He liked their songwriting and went on to cover several Beatles songs. Frank Sinatra was said to have initially dismissed the Fab Four, but eventually recorded some of their songs.

Answer: The Tremeloes

"Here Comes My Baby" was written by Cat Stevens in 1966 when he was still Cat Stevens. While he was expected to release it as a single, this was delayed and The Tremeloes got in first. Their version reached number four the UK and number 13 in the US.

The Tremeloes got together in 1959 to be the backing band for Brian Poole - think Buddy Holly and The Crickets but with Essex accents.

Fun fact: Everyone knows that Decca Records turned down The Beatles, but did you know they signed The Tremeloes instead? The two outfits had auditioned on the same day.

They continued with Brian Poole as lead singer until 1966 and "Here Comes My Baby" was their first post-Poole hit. Unlike many bands who saw a lead singer depart, The Tremeloes kept up a consistent run of hits without Poole. But that run of hits dried up after they changed their usual style - described in some places as "a suicidal move". The hits finished, but The Tremeloes continued as a cabaret act.

Answer: Elvis Presley

"Can't Help Falling in Love" was written for the 1961 Elvis movie "Blue Hawaii." The single reached number one in the UK and number two in the USA.

It was a song that Elvis loved, and he often finished concerts with it.

This was not just a pop song. Arlo Guthrie - someone more rooted in folk tradition than anyone - also liked to sing it, both in concerts with the Guthrie family and those featuring Pete Seeger. In 1993, the Birmingham, England, band UB40 topped the Hot 100 with a reggae inspired version. The website whosampled lists over 270 covers.