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Quiz about Strange and Bizarre Novelty Records
Quiz about Strange and Bizarre Novelty Records

Strange and Bizarre Novelty Records Quiz


I grew up with Dr. Demento, and early on gained a love of strange recordings!

A multiple-choice quiz by egoett. Estimated time: 8 mins.
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Author
egoett
Time
8 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
115,536
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
20
Difficulty
Difficult
Avg Score
10 / 20
Plays
3443
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 20
1. "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha Ha" is the story of a love gone bad, and a poor guy who has gone completely berzerk and is waiting to be carted off to the funny farm. What's on the flip side of this strange 45 RPM record? Hint


Question 2 of 20
2. What was the unlikely name of the guy who recorded "They're Coming to Take Me Away"? Hint


Question 3 of 20
3. Perhaps one of the most unlistenable songs in history was done by none other than Yoko Ono as part of the infamous "Plastic Ono Band". It had only 3 words in the song, repeated endlessly over and over and over and over. What's the title? Hint


Question 4 of 20
4. Which of the following advice is NOT in Weird Al's "Dare To Be Stupid"? Hint


Question 5 of 20
5. One of the greatest folk singers from the 60's was known as Donovan. He sang an unusual song called "I Love My Shirt". What was Donovan's last name? Hint


Question 6 of 20
6. Here's an easy one to keep you going. The Chipmunks had a big hit single for Christmas called "The Chipmunk Song". What did Alvin want for Christmas? Hint


Question 7 of 20
7. Everyone knows the Chipmunks were interacting with David Seville. But who was David Seville really? Hint


Question 8 of 20
8. The Chipmunks- Alvin, Simon, and Theodore- were named after David Seville's nephews.


Question 9 of 20
9. Before "The Chipmunk Song", the same guy tested the process on another hit record. Here the voice was normal, but the background singers used the future "chipmunk" voice. This came out in early 1958. What was the correct title of this hit song? Hint


Question 10 of 20
10. This rare and hard-to-find recording was done in the style of a big band live performance from the ballroom of some downtown hotel. It's a medley of four made-up songs: "Your Red Scarf Matches Your Eyes", "You Close Your Cover Before Striking", "Father Has the Shipfitter Blues", and this one, the actual title of this parody song "Loving You Has Made Me...". Hint


Question 11 of 20
11. This song was the theme song of a scary soap opera about vampires and such. The song was recorded by The Charles Randolph Grean Sound, and the first half sounds like a scratchy 78 record, then opens up in the second half to full stereo 45 sound. The first record I can remember to actually put scratches and pops on a song on purpose. What was this song known as? Hint


Question 12 of 20
12. This is a 1970 song called "DOA". It is about a guy and a girl laying in the hospital after terrible crash. The girl is dead, the guy is dying. The lyrics say creepy things like "We were flying along and hit something in the air", "Somthing warm is flowing down my fingers", "The sheets are red and moist where I'm lying". What is the name of the group that sang this song? Hint


Question 13 of 20
13. 1972 - The Moog was a new sound. This one hit wonder came up with a catchy electronic instrumental that sounded a little like the Maxwell House Coffee commercial. The song was "Popcorn". Who recorded it? Hint


Question 14 of 20
14. In 1963, comedian Allan Sherman hit the charts with "A letter from Camp", better known as "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddauh". Which of the following people is not mentioned in the song? Hint


Question 15 of 20
15. In 1947 the Too Fat Trio sang a song called "Too Fat Polka". Steve Allen was the lead singer of the Too Fat Trio.


Question 16 of 20
16. Benny Bell wrote it. Phil Winston (aka Paul Wynn) also recorded it, but Dementoids everywhere know that Dr. Demento sang the ultimate version in the 70's. Finish the line: "I have a sad story to tell you, It may hurt your feelings a bit, Last night when I walked in my bathroom, I stepped in a big pile of ..." Hint


Question 17 of 20
17. According to "You can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd" by Roger Miller (a guy who did dozens of funny songs!), there are a lot of things you can't do. All of these choices are mentioned in the song except one. Which one is not mentioned? Hint


Question 18 of 20
18. Jim Nabors played Gomer Pyle on television originally on the "Andy Griffith Show", and then on the spinoff "Gomer Pyle, USMC". Jim has a wonderful voice and sang some beautiful songs on a number of albums, but released one album of silly songs in his "Gomer" character in 1965. What was the name of this album? Hint


Question 19 of 20
19. The poor girl wore her 'Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini' for the first time today. What was NOT mentioned in the song as something she was afraid to come out of? Hint


Question 20 of 20
20. A novelty song is credited with saving American Motors. This song, about the "Little Nash Rambler" that could, outran the guy in his Cadillac and made everyone want to go out and buy a Nash Rambler. The song was called "Beep Beep". Who recorded this big hit in 1958? Hint



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quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha Ha" is the story of a love gone bad, and a poor guy who has gone completely berzerk and is waiting to be carted off to the funny farm. What's on the flip side of this strange 45 RPM record?

Answer: The same song, but played in reverse

Napoleon XIV actually did a couple of songs; the second most well- known is probably "I Live in a Split Level Head".
2. What was the unlikely name of the guy who recorded "They're Coming to Take Me Away"?

Answer: Napoleon XIV

There is not a single note of music on this recording from 1966. Napoleon XIV was actually Jerry Samuels.
3. Perhaps one of the most unlistenable songs in history was done by none other than Yoko Ono as part of the infamous "Plastic Ono Band". It had only 3 words in the song, repeated endlessly over and over and over and over. What's the title?

Answer: Don't worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking For Her Hand in the Snow)

The lyrics (?) of this song (?) contain "Don't Worry" 43 times, "Don't" by itself 15 times in a row, mixed in with "Kyoko" twice. I don't know what she was thinking, but mostly it's 4:52 of Yoko wailing and screaming. We called the radio station and requested this song one time while in college and they actually played it. The DJ broke the record on the air.
4. Which of the following advice is NOT in Weird Al's "Dare To Be Stupid"?

Answer: Always run with scissors

"Running with Scissors" was actually another album by Weird. It would be good stupid advice, though. He does actually advise "eating a bunch of sushi and forget to leave a tip", though.
5. One of the greatest folk singers from the 60's was known as Donovan. He sang an unusual song called "I Love My Shirt". What was Donovan's last name?

Answer: Leitch

Donovan also loved his jeans and his shoes in this song.
6. Here's an easy one to keep you going. The Chipmunks had a big hit single for Christmas called "The Chipmunk Song". What did Alvin want for Christmas?

Answer: A Hula Hoop

"The Chipmunk Song" was a big hit for Christmas of 1958 and sparked a long career for the boys.
7. Everyone knows the Chipmunks were interacting with David Seville. But who was David Seville really?

Answer: Ross Bagdasarian

Ross was a novelty songwriter and wrote some classic novelty records, like Rosemary Clooney's "Come Onna My House" in 1951. He was fascinated by the technical side of the recording business and found that if he recorded the music at normal speed, then replayed it at the slowest speed while singing along, when it was played at normal speed again the music sounded normal, but he sounded like he was breathing helium.

The rest is history, as they say.
8. The Chipmunks- Alvin, Simon, and Theodore- were named after David Seville's nephews.

Answer: False

Actually they were named for Al Bennett and Si Warner, the heads of Libery Records, and the engineer for the session, Ted Keep.
9. Before "The Chipmunk Song", the same guy tested the process on another hit record. Here the voice was normal, but the background singers used the future "chipmunk" voice. This came out in early 1958. What was the correct title of this hit song?

Answer: Witch Doctor

"The Witch Doctor" was the first hit using the speed up/slow down technique. Ross was also an actor and appeared in "Viva Zapata" and Hitchcock's "Rear Window". He died of a heart attack in 1972 at the age of 52.
10. This rare and hard-to-find recording was done in the style of a big band live performance from the ballroom of some downtown hotel. It's a medley of four made-up songs: "Your Red Scarf Matches Your Eyes", "You Close Your Cover Before Striking", "Father Has the Shipfitter Blues", and this one, the actual title of this parody song "Loving You Has Made Me...".

Answer: Bananas

One hit wonder Guy Marx recorded this song in the 1968. Actually, Guy Marx was a pretty good character actor and appeared in a number of films and TV shows. He was a regular on the "Joey Bishop Show". He wrote the song and performed it in his unique style.
11. This song was the theme song of a scary soap opera about vampires and such. The song was recorded by The Charles Randolph Grean Sound, and the first half sounds like a scratchy 78 record, then opens up in the second half to full stereo 45 sound. The first record I can remember to actually put scratches and pops on a song on purpose. What was this song known as?

Answer: Quentin's Theme

The other title, although rarely used, was "Shadows of the Night", the first line of the song. It actually had lyrics, although the hit single was only instrumental. This song actually reached the top 20 on the Billboard Pop Chart in 1969.
12. This is a 1970 song called "DOA". It is about a guy and a girl laying in the hospital after terrible crash. The girl is dead, the guy is dying. The lyrics say creepy things like "We were flying along and hit something in the air", "Somthing warm is flowing down my fingers", "The sheets are red and moist where I'm lying". What is the name of the group that sang this song?

Answer: Bloodrock

Bloodrock comes from the Dallas- Fort Worth area. Lead by Jim Rutledge, the guys are still active in the rock business, but everyone was driving carefully all summer after listening to "DOA". It's from the "Bloodrock 2" album.
13. 1972 - The Moog was a new sound. This one hit wonder came up with a catchy electronic instrumental that sounded a little like the Maxwell House Coffee commercial. The song was "Popcorn". Who recorded it?

Answer: Hot Butter

Hot Butter wasn't actually a group- it was actually Moog artist Stan Free all by himself! Rob Guernsey is credited with writing the song.
14. In 1963, comedian Allan Sherman hit the charts with "A letter from Camp", better known as "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddauh". Which of the following people is not mentioned in the song?

Answer: Joe Hardy

Allan was a writer and producer on the "Steve Allen Show" and wrote 33 albums of comic songs in the 60's. He sold millions of records. "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh" was actually made into a musical play and premiered in New York in 1992 at the Circle Square Theatre.
15. In 1947 the Too Fat Trio sang a song called "Too Fat Polka". Steve Allen was the lead singer of the Too Fat Trio.

Answer: False

It was actually Arthur Godfrey. It was also recorded by the Andrews Sisters and Frankie Yankovic. It pokes fun with such corny lines as "Can she prance up a hill? No, No, No, No No" and "She's so Charming, She's so winning, But she's alarming, when she goes in swimming". Arthur had a long running radio show where he searched for new talent, and was one of the pioneers of television.

He was a bit of a loose cannon who might say anything at any time.
16. Benny Bell wrote it. Phil Winston (aka Paul Wynn) also recorded it, but Dementoids everywhere know that Dr. Demento sang the ultimate version in the 70's. Finish the line: "I have a sad story to tell you, It may hurt your feelings a bit, Last night when I walked in my bathroom, I stepped in a big pile of ..."

Answer: Shaving Cream

On almost every Dr. Demento album you'll hear the good doctor sing, "Shaving Cream, Be nice and clean, Shave every day and you'll always look keen." There are hundreds of verses to this song, and people are still writing them.
17. According to "You can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd" by Roger Miller (a guy who did dozens of funny songs!), there are a lot of things you can't do. All of these choices are mentioned in the song except one. Which one is not mentioned?

Answer: Eat dinner with a fork in the road

"But you can be happy if you mind to." Roger wrote and sang dozens of silly songs, but was best known for "King of the Road".
18. Jim Nabors played Gomer Pyle on television originally on the "Andy Griffith Show", and then on the spinoff "Gomer Pyle, USMC". Jim has a wonderful voice and sang some beautiful songs on a number of albums, but released one album of silly songs in his "Gomer" character in 1965. What was the name of this album?

Answer: Shazam

When Jim Nabors was in the hospital for a liver transplant in 1994, while in intensive care the doctors removed a tube from his nose and asked him to say something. Jim said "Shazam" and cracked up the entire hospital staff.
19. The poor girl wore her 'Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini' for the first time today. What was NOT mentioned in the song as something she was afraid to come out of?

Answer: Out of the ocean

This was a big hit for Brian Hyland in summer of 1960. It was his first.
20. A novelty song is credited with saving American Motors. This song, about the "Little Nash Rambler" that could, outran the guy in his Cadillac and made everyone want to go out and buy a Nash Rambler. The song was called "Beep Beep". Who recorded this big hit in 1958?

Answer: The Playmates

Done in a unique style, the song starts out painfully slow and each verse goes faster and faster until they finally hit the punch line- at 110 MPH the Nash pulls up besides the Caddy and the guy calls out "How can I get this car out of second gear?".
Source: Author egoett

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