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Quiz about That Aint The Way To Have Fun Son
Quiz about That Aint The Way To Have Fun Son

That Ain't The Way To Have Fun, Son! Quiz


Who hasn't heard "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" being sung loudly somewhere, sometime? The ensemble Three Dog Night did it most notably some forty years ago. Travel with me back in time and let's have a look at that fine rock-and-roll band!

A multiple-choice quiz by Gatsby722. Estimated time: 8 mins.
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Author
Gatsby722
Time
8 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
250,075
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
1305
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: Guest 73 (4/10), Guest 75 (6/10), Guest 64 (6/10).
Question 1 of 10
1. The band formed in 1965, even though it really wasn't much of a 'band' at the time. They were just three young men who fancied themselves singers (without, at first, anything as necessary as a drummer or a guitarist in the mix). They headed to Los Angeles and took on the name Three Dog Night. It has only been strongly suggested - and has never been challenged - that the trio's name came as a result of which of the following? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. In the UK Three Dog Night only had one Top Ten single during the course of their career; it was "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" in 1970. However, in the USA they had 21 Top 40 hits (and nine of those were gold records). Which of these popular tunes, according to 'Billboard' magazine, reached the highest position in terms of American sales/airplay over thirty years ago? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Jimmy Greenspoon, who served as the keyboard player for the band once they formed one as such, was fiercely dedicated to the combo during its time in the spotlight and remained so even after they disbanded in 1977. In 1991 he assembled a book about Three Dog Night and their early years. What was the title of Greenspoon's book? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. "Jeremiah was a bullfrog, was a good friend of mine! I never understood a single word he said, but I helped him a-drink his wine..." Those lyrics are probably recognizable as the opening to the song "Joy to the World", recorded by Three Dog Night in 1971. The lyrics are certainly memorable but could you please tell me what the inspiration for those words happened to be? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. An eventual pop music superstar has said that Three Dog Night was largely, if not entirely, responsible for launching his career. The band actually gave boosts to many new artists - because of their visibility, covering an unknown song would often draw massive amounts of attention to the musician responsible for the words or music of a heretofore obscure tune. Such was the case here. Of the following, which singer was 'discovered' because TDN took on one of his songs, toured it and, finally, helped make it a hit for him at the early stage of his now lofty musical career? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" was a major hit for Three Dog Night in 1970. The tune was written by Academy Award-winning songwriter Randy Newman (who has had a few hits on his own as a singer, too) and he recorded a solo version of it prior to 1970; it never cracked the Top 100, though. When TDN added some funk and some rock-and-roll stylings to it the public rallied for most of the summer that year. 1970 was a time of very eclectic musical tastes, it can be said loud and clear. What song immediately followed "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" as number one on the US charts that July? Hint: the correct song of the choices was also the biggest popular/financial success of the group/artist's entire career! Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Three Dog Night's third album was one that nearly everyone owned when I was a boy. "Captured Live At The Forum" was released in 1969 and capitalized on the new group and their burgeoning number of hit songs. That it was live, too, was a most special bonus - hearing crowd noises, getting to hear the band actually say stuff, marginally experiencing the rawness that one can't detect on a studio recording. To us, it was heaven on a vinyl disk back then! The Forum was (and still is) an active venue for athletics and concerts in Los Angeles County, California. In which suburb of that bustling area does it stand? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. "Shambala" was a feel-good hit by the band, the title location being a land based on a mythical place in the Himalayas. When there, it was said, all is peace and cooperation and everything ideal that mankind can dream a world to be. It was released not long after the end of the turbulent 1960s and struck a chord with the 'hippie' generation then suddenly struggling with the Vietnam war. The lyrics, in part, went like this:

Wash away my troubles, wash away my pain
With the rain in Shambala
Wash away my sorrow, wash away _________
With the rain in Shambala.

What are the missing words there?
Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. The comedy film "Drowning Mona" (2002), starring Bette Midler and Danny DeVito, brought some Three Dog Night songs back to the public eye in its soundtrack. There were four TDN songs on that soundtrack - "Shambala", "Sure As I'm Sitting Here" and "Joy To The World". What was the other one? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. The original members were those three vocalists Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron and Cory Wells. Once they began getting work, they added instrumentalists to the combo and were a full-throttle touring band by 1967. Who were those initial bandsmen (not counting the original three vocalists)? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The band formed in 1965, even though it really wasn't much of a 'band' at the time. They were just three young men who fancied themselves singers (without, at first, anything as necessary as a drummer or a guitarist in the mix). They headed to Los Angeles and took on the name Three Dog Night. It has only been strongly suggested - and has never been challenged - that the trio's name came as a result of which of the following?

Answer: It comes from an actual native expression stating that there are nights so cold that a man needs three dogs to keep warm (this according to one of their girlfriends).

Apparently Danny Hutton's at-the-time girlfriend had seen a documentary on TV where this phrase came up. The biggest likelihood is that the show was about indigenous Australians (some say it was a show addressing the Eskimo population). Either way, it was very cold on that show and the only way to stay warm was for a man to embrace three large dogs and is a customary expression to the peoples the documentary was discussing.

A recent CD retrospective claims this to be how it happened in the notes, but it is not exactly verifiable after four decades spent.
2. In the UK Three Dog Night only had one Top Ten single during the course of their career; it was "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" in 1970. However, in the USA they had 21 Top 40 hits (and nine of those were gold records). Which of these popular tunes, according to 'Billboard' magazine, reached the highest position in terms of American sales/airplay over thirty years ago?

Answer: Easy To Be Hard (1969)

Their number one songs in The States numbered just three: "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)", "Joy to the World" and "Black and White". All of the songs mentioned in this question were top ten with the exception of "Celebrate" which peaked at number fifteen. "Eli's Coming" topped out at number ten and "Liar" at number seven. Easy To Be Hard", which got a resurrection due to its inclusion in the film "Hair" some ten years after its debut, reached number four on the charts.
3. Jimmy Greenspoon, who served as the keyboard player for the band once they formed one as such, was fiercely dedicated to the combo during its time in the spotlight and remained so even after they disbanded in 1977. In 1991 he assembled a book about Three Dog Night and their early years. What was the title of Greenspoon's book?

Answer: One Is the Loneliest Number: On the Road and Behind the Scenes With the Legendary Rock Band Three Dog Night

Mr. Greenspoon was instrumental in the group's re-forming (with various personnel changes) in the mid-1980s, too. While not one of the original trio, he is clearly the glue that held them together back in the day and has taken on the responsibility to keep their memory alive at present. Jimmy's book took a blistering look at the rampant drug use that occurred within the band (none of it disputed by anyone) as they made their music across the world in the 1960s and 1970s. Chuck Negron also wrote an even more damning memoir called "Three Dog Nightmare" which was not what anyone would read as 'fond memories' either. But, all things aside, their experiences were similar to many others who were in the rock-and-roll scene in the 1970s.

It seemed the music meant everything and that personal health/overall caution came in a far distant second.
4. "Jeremiah was a bullfrog, was a good friend of mine! I never understood a single word he said, but I helped him a-drink his wine..." Those lyrics are probably recognizable as the opening to the song "Joy to the World", recorded by Three Dog Night in 1971. The lyrics are certainly memorable but could you please tell me what the inspiration for those words happened to be?

Answer: I'm sorry to report there was no inspiration. Utter nonsense, start to finish!

Hoyt Axton, perhaps better known to most as an actor on such TV shows as "Dukes of Hazzard", "Bonanza", "WKRP in Cincinnati" and "Diff'rent Strokes" was first and foremost a country/western singer and songwriter. At the time he was hoping to sell 'Joy to the World' his only interest was in the music he had written.

He had NO lyrics at all in mind for it. Some producers liked the tune and asked him to sing some words to go with it - and, being quick on his feet, Axton came up with Jeremiah, bullfrogs, good friends and a song that ultimately topped the pop charts for six weeks.

Interestingly, though, the lyrics were pure jibberish. Good jibberish, as it turned out, but nonsense nonetheless.
5. An eventual pop music superstar has said that Three Dog Night was largely, if not entirely, responsible for launching his career. The band actually gave boosts to many new artists - because of their visibility, covering an unknown song would often draw massive amounts of attention to the musician responsible for the words or music of a heretofore obscure tune. Such was the case here. Of the following, which singer was 'discovered' because TDN took on one of his songs, toured it and, finally, helped make it a hit for him at the early stage of his now lofty musical career?

Answer: Elton John

The song in question was "Your Song" which was the B-side of Elton's single "Take Me to the Pilot" in 1970. Neither side of the single was exactly burning up the charts UNTIL 'Three Dog Night' used "Your Song" in their concerts. Mr. John has eclipsed even the loftiest expectations of him at the time and, while one can never be sure what might have happened to him with or without the situation surrounding "Your Song", he is quick to say that the popularity of the band's concerts and their generous support of his fledgeling tune clearly put him "on the map".
6. "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" was a major hit for Three Dog Night in 1970. The tune was written by Academy Award-winning songwriter Randy Newman (who has had a few hits on his own as a singer, too) and he recorded a solo version of it prior to 1970; it never cracked the Top 100, though. When TDN added some funk and some rock-and-roll stylings to it the public rallied for most of the summer that year. 1970 was a time of very eclectic musical tastes, it can be said loud and clear. What song immediately followed "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" as number one on the US charts that July? Hint: the correct song of the choices was also the biggest popular/financial success of the group/artist's entire career!

Answer: (They Long to Be) Close to You -by- The Carpenters

The Carpenters first major hit stayed on top for six weeks. The Delfonics tune peaked at number ten, "Cecilia" made it to number four (and was a far cry from Simon and Garfunkel's best-selling single in their careers). "Band of Gold" 'only' reached number three in the U.S. - but topped the charts in the United Kingdom. All songs mentioned were released in 1970.
7. Three Dog Night's third album was one that nearly everyone owned when I was a boy. "Captured Live At The Forum" was released in 1969 and capitalized on the new group and their burgeoning number of hit songs. That it was live, too, was a most special bonus - hearing crowd noises, getting to hear the band actually say stuff, marginally experiencing the rawness that one can't detect on a studio recording. To us, it was heaven on a vinyl disk back then! The Forum was (and still is) an active venue for athletics and concerts in Los Angeles County, California. In which suburb of that bustling area does it stand?

Answer: Inglewood

The Forum, known for a time as the Great Western Forum, was purchased (in 2001) by the Faithful Central Bible Church, and they used it for their large Sunday services. Any time after those, though, the place has been rented out for all varieties of things.

The indoor arena earned its greatest fame as the home of the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) and of the Los Angeles Kings (NHL) from 1967 until 1999, at which time the teams moved to Staples Center. Basketball and hockey are crowd-pleasing and money-making ventures, that's without question. To me (and many in my age group), however, The Forum will always be "that place where TDN made that great album in '69..."
8. "Shambala" was a feel-good hit by the band, the title location being a land based on a mythical place in the Himalayas. When there, it was said, all is peace and cooperation and everything ideal that mankind can dream a world to be. It was released not long after the end of the turbulent 1960s and struck a chord with the 'hippie' generation then suddenly struggling with the Vietnam war. The lyrics, in part, went like this: Wash away my troubles, wash away my pain With the rain in Shambala Wash away my sorrow, wash away _________ With the rain in Shambala. What are the missing words there?

Answer: my shame

'Shambala' was written by a poet named Daniel Moore and was not originally performed by 'Three Dog Night'. The song enjoyed an eight week run on the charts (peaking in the US at number 66) when done by B.W. Stevenson - complete with a pronounced southern twang.

A week after the original version fell off of the Top 100 the band came out with their much more popular rendition, giving it a rock/gospel spin in 1973 and registered yet another Top Ten success with it.
9. The comedy film "Drowning Mona" (2002), starring Bette Midler and Danny DeVito, brought some Three Dog Night songs back to the public eye in its soundtrack. There were four TDN songs on that soundtrack - "Shambala", "Sure As I'm Sitting Here" and "Joy To The World". What was the other one?

Answer: Never Been to Spain

No, Midler didn't sing any of them - in the movie she played a mostly unpopular and generally overbearing woman named Mona Dearly whose car plunged over a cliff (and almost every character in the film was held as suspects in mudering this woman since almost every character wanted to eliminate the unpleasant creature for one reason or another).

The movie wasn't entirely (even partly) great but the music sounded terrific!
10. The original members were those three vocalists Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron and Cory Wells. Once they began getting work, they added instrumentalists to the combo and were a full-throttle touring band by 1967. Who were those initial bandsmen (not counting the original three vocalists)?

Answer: Michael Allsup, Floyd Sneed, Joe Schermie and Jimmy Greenspoon

At the beginning they were:
Michael Allsup (guitarist, reuned with the band and appeared with them as late as 2006)
Floyd Sneed (drummer, did not join when the reunion happened in the mid-1980s)
Joe Schermie (bass guitarist - one of the first members to quit the band in 1973 and later died of a heart attack in 2002, after MANY years of drug abuse)
Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboardist - still an active participant in Three Dog Night).
And, really, I'm sure no one would have readily known the answer there but, in the body of the quiz, two of the members were mentioned and only one answer includes both their names. I was trying to help out as best I could....thanks for playing along this little trip down Memory Lane, too!
Source: Author Gatsby722

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ertrum before going online.
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