Instrumentals with Food or Drink in the Title Quiz

Answer: Too Much Tequila

"Too Much Tequila" made it to Number 30 on the US charts, nowhere near their Number one 1958 hit, "Tequila". "Limbo Rock" and "La Cucaracha" were other releases by the band.
Saxophone player Danny Flores composed the song and recorded under the name of Chuck Rio to avoid problems with another label he was under contract to. Flores signed away the rights to the song in the United States but maintained international rights.
After "Tequila" was featured in a dance sequence in the 1985 film, "Pee Wee's Big Adventure", rapper Joeski Love had a Hip Hop hit based on the tune.
The other names are fictitious.

Answer: Elvis Presley

William Patton "Bill" Black, Jr.was not really impressed with Elvis when Sun Records producer Sam Phillips recruited him and guitarist Scotty Moore to back Elvis in concerts and recordings. They realized that Elvis would be successful after the release of "That's All Right" and committed to playing with him full time.
The pair recorded and toured with Elvis and drummer D. J. Fontana until September, 1957, continuing with him after RCA bought Elvis' contract. After the musicians went their own ways Black continued to record on sessions for Elvis for another year. He then formed Bill Black's Combo in 1959 and had a string of instrumental hits.
James Kirkland was one of Ricky's early bass players. In 1976 Jerry Lee Lewis accidentally shot and wounded his bass player, Butch Owens, while attempting to shoot a bottle. Bass player and songwriter Willie Dixon played on many of Chuck Berry's early Chess Records recordings.

Answer: Stax Records

Satellite Records was formed in 1957 and became Stax Records in 1961. The ownership change prompted a switch from traditional Country music to Rhythm and Blues. Pianist Booker T. Jones was a session musician for Stax along with bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn, drummer Al Jackson, Jr and Steve Cropper. They backed several artists such as Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett.
The band members recorded "Green Onions" and a local Dee-Jay got a copy and began playing it before the group even had a name. The group continued to release instrumental singles when they weren't backing Stax artists until their last release, "Melting Pot", in 1971.
Warner Brothers purchased Valiant Records and Autumn Records in the mid-sixties. Monument Records was based in Nashville.

Answer: Nut Rocker

Rendezvous Records pianist Ernie Freeman recorded "Bumble Boogie" with other session musicians. They came up with the name B. Bumble and The Stingers for the session players to use on the recording label. When the song became a number 21 hit the record company followed up with "Nut Rocker", which went to number 23. A band was formed to tour in support of the records.
The label released other Instrumentals based on Classical music such as "Apple Knocker" and "Dawn Cracker" without success.
When Emerson, Lake and Palmer released a version of "Nut Rocker" in 1972 the original was re-issued.
"Pop Pop Pop-Pie" was a Top Forty vocal release by The Sherrys in 1962. Dee Dee Sharp took "Mashed Potato Time" to Number One the same year. "The Jam (Part 1)" by Bobby Gregg and His Friends was a 1962 number 29 instrumental hit.

Answer: Mongo Santamaria

Ramon "Mongo" Santamarķa was a jazz musician born in Cuba. In the fifties he relocated to New York and brought a fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms to the jazz scene. He released his first album in 1955. In 1963 Mongo Santamaria released a version of Herbie Hancock's composition, "Watermelon Man", as a single on Battle Records.
Hancock composed the song for a cut from his 1962 debut album, "Takin' Off".
"Washington Square" was a number two instrumental release by The Village Stompers in 1963. "Our Winter Love" was Bill Pursell's 1963 Top Ten instrumental. Instrumental artists Los Indios Tabajaras took "Maria Elena" to number six the same year.

Answer: Cotton Candy

"Java" was a number four hit for trumpet player Al Hirt. "Cotton Candy" made it to number 15. "Sugar Lips" was another release by Hirt that made it to number 30. New Orleans native Al Hirt began playing the trumpet at age six. He became an in-demand session player for several labels, eventually releasing 20 LPS with RCA Records. In the mid-sixties he found national success and was chosen to perform the theme to "The Green Hornet" (1966) television show based on "Flight of the Bumble Bee".
In 1970 Hirt's lips were injured while playing at Mardi Gras, requiring a hiatus from performing to recuperate.
"The Popcorn" was done by James Brown in 1969. Frank Zappa recorded "Peaches En Regalia" the same year and "Cole Slaw" was a 1949 Frank Culley instrumental.

Answer: One Mint Julep

"One Mint Julep" was recorded by Ray Charles after he left Atlantic Records for ABC Records. Ironically The Clovers originally recorded the song on Atlantic Records and released in 1952. Songwriter Rudy Toombs had been retained by Atlantic to composed music that would establish the label as a Rhythm and Blues record company. The Clovers had recorded several Doo-Wop singles and "One Mint Julep" was a departure from their style.
Ray Charles was originally reluctant to record the song but arranged it in his own style and it became a national hit.
"Heavy Juice" was a fifties instrumental release by Tiny Bradshaw. In 1972 James Brown's band recording under the name The JB's recorded "Pass The Peas" and "Lowdown Popcorn" was recorded by James Brown.

Answer: Hot Pastrami

The Dartells formed in 1962 in Oxnard, California. They signed with Arlen Records. Dot Records was impressed with the song when it became a regional dance song and distributed "Hot Pastrami", propelling it to number 11 on the US charts. During the successful run of the song the group appeared on "The Munsters" (1964), released an album of Instrumental tunes titled "Hot Pastrami" and made the rounds of the television variety shows. Unfortunately their follow up single, "Dance Everybody Dance", only made it to number 99 and subsequent releases failed to chart.

The band broke up within two years.

Answer: Hot Butter

In the early seventies synthesizer music was becoming in vogue. Stan Free was a member of the First Moog Quartet and formed a band called Hot Butter, recording a style of music called Synthpop.
Gershon Kingsley had composed "Popcorn" and recorded it three years earlier on an album called "Music to Moog By". When Hot Butter released their hit version it became one of the premier synthesizer Instrumental recordings to hit the Top Ten in the US. The song also sold well internationally and has been covered by many artists since the original release.
The Chakachas released the number eight, "Jungle Fever", in 1972. "The Theme from 'The Men'" was a 1972 Top Forty Instrumental release by Isaac Hayes and "Why Can't We Live Together" by Timmy Thomas made it to number three the same year.

Answer: A Taste of Honey

"A Taste of Honey" was a number seven hit single by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass in 1965. "Whipped Cream" was another food-related single release that topped out at Number 68. Both songs were released from their 1965 "Whipped Cream and Other Delights" LP. "Lemon Tree", "Tangerine", "Lollipops and Roses" and "Peanuts" were other food related titles on the album.
The cover art featured a girl dressed in whipped cream.
"Cut the Cake" was done by Average White Band in 1975. "Root Beer Rag" was an Instrumental by Billy Joel recorded in 1975 and "Spreadin' Honey" was a 1967 single by Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band.