"Signature Songs" of Singers or Groups-Part 5 Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Back in the early days of coal mining in America, men would work together below ground during the day and sleep together in bunk-style dormitories at night. They didn't do it to get rich, they did it to make a living. Payment (after deductions for "rent") was in the form of chits which could only be used at the camp's company store. This was the lament of one such worker: "You load 16 tons and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt. Saint Peter, don't you call me cause I can't go, I owe my soul to the company store". Who was the exhausted singer of the number one hit, "Sixteen Tons"?

Answer: Tennessee Ernie Ford

Bless your pea-pickin' heart if you remembered that he took all "Sixteen Tons" to the top of two charts. It reached Number One on the Billboard Top 100 Singles on December 3, 1955 and stayed there for six weeks. For ten weeks (December 17, 1955-February 4, 1956) it was numero uno on the Billboard Hot Country Singles list. Merle Travis had recorded an earlier version in 1946, and it has since been covered by, among others, Johnny Cash, Stevie Wonder, and Bo Diddley.
Ernest Jennings Ford, began his radio work with a gig as a DJ, had his own TV show on NBC (1956-1961), was awarded three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (HWOF), and was a 1990 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame (CMHOF).

Interesting fact: Ironically the day he died, October 17, 1991, was the same date (36 years earlier) on which "Sixteen Tons" was released.

2. When a woman treats her man the right way, she in turn wants him to treat her with "Respect". The song was originally released on her Atlantic Records album "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You". A single was released shortly thereafter, and it spent five weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Can you recall the name of recording artist "Rolling Stone" magazine ranked at the very top of their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, who gave us all some "Respect"?

Answer: Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin earned plenty of R-E-S-P-E-C-T when her song was Number One for those five weeks, June 3, 1967-June 30, 1967. Otis Redding had recorded it two years earlier, but without the same success. The much honored Ms. Franklin has received more than 15 Grammy Awards, while recording 90 studio, live and compilation albums, as well as more than 130 singles. She has sold over 75 million records worldwide. "Rolling Stone" ranked "Respect" fifth on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2004). In 1987 the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (R&RHOF) showed her some more respect when she was chosen to be the first female inductee.

Interesting fact: Aretha Franklin was shown some big-time respect when she was asked to sing "My Country 'Tis of Thee", at President Barack Obama's first inauguration (January 21, 2009).

3. "There is a house in New Orleans, they call the Rising Sun, and it's been the ruin of many of many a poor boy, and God, I know I'm one". Was it a brothel? Was it a prison? Speculation abounds, but no one knows for certain what exactly constituted the "House of the Rising Sun". One thing is for certain, it was a Number One hit on the UK and American charts in 1964. Can you name the rockers who recorded "House of the Rising Sun" and made it their signature song?

Answer: The Animals

The Animals recorded it (in one take) on May 18, 1964 after hearing it sung by Johnny Handle, while they toured with Chuck Berry in Newcastle, England. "House of the Rising Sun" topped the UK polls in July, 1964, and topped the Billboard Hot 100 list from September 5-September 25 the same year. The British rock quintet was led by singer Eric Burdon, and The Animals went on to record such hits as ""Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" (1965), "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" (1965) and "See See Rider" (1966).

Interesting fact: The Animals were inducted into the R&RHOF in 1994.

4. In 1957 a young man came to realize just what his woman meant to him when he crooned: "At first I thought it was infatuation, but, ooh, it's lasted so long. Now I find myself wanting, to marry you and take you home. I know, I know, I know you send me, honest you do". Who was this convinced Casanova who had a colossal hit with "You Send Me"?

Answer: Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke not only took "You Send Me" to top of the U.S. Pop Singles Chart for two weeks in 1957, he also wrote his signature song. It was first recorded in N'Awlins in 1956, and it appeared on Sam Cooke's debut album, cleverly titled "Sam Cooke", as track number one. Sam Cooke recorded a number of great hits including "Chain Gang" (1960), "Twistin' the Night Away" (1962) and "Another Saturday Night" (1963). Sam Cooke was posthumously inducted into the R&RHOF in 1986.

Interesting fact: Sam Cooke's career was cut short when he was murdered at the Los Angeles Hacienda motel on December 11, 1964 at the age of 33.

5. "Stand by your man, give him two arms to cling to, and something warm to come to, when nights are cold and lonely. Stand by your man, and show the world you love him, keep giving all the love you can, stand by your man". "Stand by Your Man" (1968) is one of the all-time great C&W hits. Can you recall the loyal sounding young lady who took it to the Number One spot on the U.S. Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart that same year?

Answer: Tammy Wynette

"Stand By Your Man" also reached the top spot on the U.K Singles Chart in 1975.
Tammy Wynette (born Virgina Wynette Pugh), co-wrote the song with Billy Sherill (in 15 minutes). It appeared on the album of the same name, on the Epic Records label. Tammy Wynette was married to C&W star singer George Jones from 1969-1975. She won Grammy Awards for two songs, "I Don't Want to Play House" (1968), and "Stand By Your Man" (1980), and she was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (1998). Plagued by poor health virtually her entire life, she had 26 surgical procedures for various ailments before finally succumbing to a blood clot in her lung on April 6, 1998. Known by the nickname the "First Lady of Country Music", Tammy Wynette was inducted into the CMHOF that same year.

Interesting fact: Although her intentions were noble when she recorded "Stand By Your Man", she was unable to do it herself as she was married five times.

6. "Happy trails to you, until we meet again, happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then. Who cares about the clouds when we're together? Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather. Happy trails to you, 'til we meet again". That was the popular closing song at the end of each episode of a Western TV series which ran from 1951-1957. Who was the croonin' cowboy who had this for his show's theme as well as his signature song?

Answer: Roy Rogers

Roy's wife, Dale Evans, wrote the song for "The Roy Rogers Show" which ran on NBC for six seasons. Roy was known by the sobriquet "The King of the Cowboys" and Dale was "The Queen of the West". The 100 episodes of the show centered around their ranch ("The Double R Bar"), which was in the fictional town of Mineral City. The cast featured Roy's Palomino steed, "Trigger", Dale's mount, "Buttermilk, and their German Shepherd dog, "Bullet". Pat Brady was a pal of Roy's as well as being the cook at Dales "Eureka Caf�". Pat owned a jeep named "Nellybelle". Roy Rogers made over 100 movies between 1935-1975 and recorded a number of popular western tunes including "Don't Fence Me In" and "Tumblin' Tumbleweeds", and is a member of the CMHOF.

Interesting fact: Born Leonard Franklin Slye, Roy Rogers has been honored with three stars on the HWOF.

7. "Hello Mudda, Hello Fadda" was a song about a young boy's experiences at summer camp (Camp Granada). Things didn't start out too well for the poor lad and he wrote home: "Now I don't want this to scare ya' but my bunk mate has malaria you remember Jeffery Harding? they're about to organize a searching party take me home oh muddah faddah take me home I hate Granada". Wouldn't you know it, just after he mailed the missive to his folks, things perked up and he opined: "wait a minute it stopped hailing guys are swimming guys are sailing playing baseball, gee that's better Muddah fadduh kindly disregard this letter". Who was the roly-poly song parodist who won a Grammy Award for this comic tune in 1963?

Answer: Allan Sherman

Allan Sherman placed "Hello Mudda, Hello Fadda" as track one on side two of his album, "My Son the Nut". It wound up winning the Grammy for Best Novelty song. The album reached the top spot on the Billboard Pop Albums chart from August 31, 1963-October 25, 1963, and the single sat at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks the same year. His first album, "My Son, the Folk Singer" (1962) sold over a million copies.

8. "You know that it would be untrue, you know that I would be a liar, if I was to say to you, girl we couldn't get much higher. Come on baby, light my fire, come on baby, light my fire, try to set the night on FIE-AH!". "(C'mon Baby) Light My Fire" was the signature song of a Los Angeles formed band that was only around for about eight years, yet made it into the R&RHOF (1993), got a star on the HWOF (2007), and were the recipients of a Grammy Lifetime Award (2007). Can you guess the group?

Answer: The Doors

Founded in 1965, The Doors would release "Light My Fire" in 1967 and it was Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 chart from July 29-August 8, 1967. The song, which was track six on side two of their first album "The Doors", also made it into the Grammy Hall of Fame (1998). "Rolling Stone" magazine ranked "Light My Fire" 35th on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and VH-1 had it slotted at number seven on their list of the 100 Greatest Hits of All Time.

The Doors recorded just nine studio albums and 21 singles from 1965-1973.

The beginning of the end came when lead singer Jim Morrison died of a drug overdose in Paris, July 3, 1971, although the band continued as a trio for two additional years. The Doors have been honored with a star on the HWOF.

9. I think it's fair to say that some folks just don't feel the need to be busy every day of the week. One young fellow reminisced, "I left my home in Georgia headed for the 'Frisco bay. I've had nothing to live for, look like nothin's gonna come my way. So I'm just gonna sit on the dock of the bay watching the tide roll away. I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay, wastin' time". "(Sittin on) The Dock of the Bay" was recorded just days before the artist who had it become his signature song perished when the plane he was on plunged into Wisconsin's Lake Monona. He was born September 8, 1941 in Dawson, GA and despite a career cut way too short (1960-1967), still managed to become a member of the R&RHOF (1989). Can you name this mercurial star, nicknamed "The King of Soul", who left us much too soon?

Answer: Otis Redding

Otis Redding, who died at age 26 was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame (1994), and was granted a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.
When he was forced to drop out of school at age 15, he took to the road, catching gigs where he could, and was at one time a member of The Upsetters, the band who backed Little Richard. "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" won two Grammy's, sold over four million copies, and sat atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart from March 16, 1968-April 12, 1968. "Rolling Stone" magazine ranked his anthem number 28 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and ranked Otis Redding number four on its list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. (Only Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra and Elvis were ranked higher).

Interesting fact: When "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" hit number one, it became the first single to do so posthumously.

10. Throughout his prolific career, the great Irving Berlin wrote over 1,500 songs, perhaps none more famous than "God Bless America". He originally penned it in 1918, and then revised it in 1938 when a famous radio singer asked him to write a patriotic song for the 20th anniversary of Armistice Day. Little did she know it would become her signature song and be played at many sporting events including the Super Bowl, Major League baseball and National Hockey League games, and the Indianapolis 500 to name just a few. Do you recall the larger than life "Songbird of the South" whose booming alto voice is forever linked to "God Bless America"?

Answer: Kate Smith

Kate Smith hailed from Greenville, VA and was a popular radio star of the 1930s and 1940s. She later starred on TV in the 1950s and 1960s. The theme song for her shows was "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain". Kate Smith who was a "sturdily built" woman, standing 5'10' and weighing 235 pounds, titled her autobiography, "Living in a Great Big Way" (1938). She has two stars on the HWOF, and on October 26, 1982 Commander-in-Chief Ronald Reagan presented her with the Presidential Medal of Honor.

"Here is God Bless America" in all its splendor:

"While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. "

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.

Interesting fact: The song that Irving Berlin composed for Kate Smith earned him over $10 million in royalties. He gave it all to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. God bless Irving Berlin, and God bless Kate Smith.

Source: Author paulmallon

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

This is a follow up to my "Signature Songs"- Part 4 quiz. Many singers have recorded one special tune with which they will long be associated. I'll give the titles of ten songs- see if you can name the artist most popularly known for singing it.

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