Country Songs/1980s - First Lines by Solo Artists Quiz | Music

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. She played Heather Gummer in "Tremors", the sci-fi comedy from 1990 ... so who sings this first line? "The kid down the street Mows the grass every week The neighbor next door fixed the roof where it leaked"

Answer: Reba McEntire

"What Am I Gonna Do About You" first verse continued:

"The job's going fine and the bills are all paid
And everyone thinks that I'm doing OK"

Reaching number one January of 1987 on Billboard Hot Country Singles and also Reba's first number one on Canada's RPM Country Tracks.

2. He starred in the 2006 movie "Bandidas" and 2008's "Four Christmases" ... who does this first line belong to? "Well I'm a honky tonk man and I can't seem to stop I love to give the girls a whirl to the music of an old juke box"

Answer: Dwight Yoakam

First verse continued of "Honky Tonk Man":

"But when my money's all gone I'm on the telephone singing
Hey, hey mama, can your daddy come home"

Dwight Yoakam also had roles in 2002's "Panic Room" and 2005's "Wedding Crashers".

3. She may have asked her brother Donny but instead recorded this tune with singer/songwriter Paul Davis ... guess who? "Harold comes over and cries on my shoulder While Linda keeps you on the phone Lord knows their tryin' to keep their love from dyin' But somehow they can't get along"

Answer: Marie Osmond

Chorus to "You're Still New To Me":

"Darlin' you're still new to me
The longer that I hold you the more I believe
That our first night together
Well it's gonna last forever
If only in our memory
And darlin' time won't be stealin'
That ole' first time feelin'
You'll always be new to me"

This song was released July 1986 and spent a total of thirteen weeks on Billboard Hot Country Singles.

Singer/songwriter/musician Paul Davis, suffered a fatal heart attack at age 60.

4. Nicknamed "The Voice", who sings this first line paying tribute to Ernest Tubb in this 1988 number one song? "They got a vintage Victrola 1951 Full of my favorite records that I grew up on They got ole Hank and Lefty and there's B24"

Answer: Vern Gosdin

"Set 'em up Joe, and play 'Walking The Floor" is the final line of the first verse.

"Set 'Em Up Joe", by Vern Gosdin, his second number one single, spent fifteen weeks on Billboard Hot Country Songs.

Late April 2009, Vern died in Nashville at the age of 74, after suffering a stroke earlier that month.

5. This multi-talented lady, along with her sisters Irlene and Louise, hosted a TV variety show 1980-1982 ... do you know who? "How many days, how many ways Do I have to lose you till you're gone How many nights, how many lonely nights Do I have to lose you till you're gone"

Answer: Barbara Mandrell

"Till You're Gone" from 1982, Barbara Mandrell's fifth number one song on Billboard Hot Country Singles off of her twelfth album "In Black And White".

In 2009, Mandrell was inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame and owns two Grammy Awards.

6. Do you recall who was once a member of The New Christy Minstrels (1966) and The First Edition (1967)? "I can't remember when you weren't there When I didn't care for anyone but you I swear, we've been through everything there is"

Answer: Kenny Rogers

"Through The Years" continuation of first verse:

"Can't imagine anything we've missed
Can't imagine anything the two of us can't do"

Performed by Rogers at the 1983 Grammy Awards, "Through The Years" charted number five on Billboard Hot Country Singles, number one on Billboard Adult Contemporary and number fifteen on Billboard Hot 100.

7. Before you head out in those "Walking Shoes", take a quick guess at who sang this first verse? "In a cozy little restaurant for lovers It seems so out of place for you and me"

Answer: Tanya Tucker

"Love Me Like You Used To" continuation of first verse:

"We use to play around under the covers
But now it's just a place to watch TV"

Tanya Tucker took this song to number two in 1987 and "Walking Shoes" number three in 1990 on Billboard Hot Country Singles.

8. Back in 1983, this singer claimed to be just a "Common Man" ... can you recall who? "She's just a woman A hundred pounds of flesh and blood Quick with a smile Warm with a touch for me"

Answer: John Conlee

First verse continued of "In My Eyes":

"She's just a woman
And not the least or the most desired
But she sets one man's heart on fire
And it's me that she wants to please"

John Conlee born 1946 in Versailles, Kentucky, "In My Eyes" was his fifth number one and "Common Man" was his third number one, both from 1983, on Billboard Hot Country Singles.

9. In the 2005 film "Walk The Line", actress Halley Anne Nelson played the part of this singer reciting the following first line ... who is the singer? "Take a look at my eyes It's been a long, long time I used to feel so strong When I knew you were mine"

Answer: Rosanne Cash

"Never Be You" continued:

"But since you let me down
I'm hard to be around
I don't know what I'm gonna do
He could never be you"

From her 1985 album "Rhythm & Romance", "Never Be You" was co-written by Tom Petty, taking a number one spot on Billboard Hot Country Singles.

Golden Globe Awards for the 2005 film "Walk The Line", won Best Motion Picture for musical or comedy.

10. He had a hit with "When You Say Nothing At All" seven years prior to Alison Krauss' success with it ... do you remember who? "My boss is the boss's son And that makes for a real long day And when that day is finally done I'm facin' forty-thousand cars on the interstate"

Answer: Keith Whitley

Keith Whitley's, "It Ain't Nothing" continued:

"Feelin' lower than a well digger's shoes
Knee deep in a mess of blues
But those blues just fade away
When I hear my baby say"

Released October 1989, five months after his alcohol related death, this was Whitley's fifth and final number one song on Billboard Hot Country Singles.

Whitley's "When You Say Nothing At All" was number one in 1988, while Alison Krauss' version was number three in 1995, both on Billboard Hot Country Singles.

11. She wrote and recorded the 1974 number one hit "I Will Always Love You", and sings this number one song from 1985 ... who recites these lyrics? "I can't forget you Ever since the moment that I met you You've been on my mind"

Answer: Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton's "Think About Love" continued:

"And I need to somehow let you know
That I think about you all the time"

Released November 1985 and reaching number one March 1986 on Billboard Hot Country Singles, this song is Dolly's sixteenth number one hit.

12. "Hey Bartender"!, do you know who sings this song? "Behind the bar I see some crazy things I watch those disappearing wedding rings A telephone call pagin' so and so There he is shakin' his head no"

Answer: Johnny Lee

From 1984, "You Could've Heard A Heartbreak" continued:

"'Cause he's got this girl hangin' all over him
He can't quit now he's gone out on a limb
Then the place turns quiet as a mummy's tomb
Guess who happened to walk in the room"

This was Johnny Lee's fifth and final number one hit (June 1984) spending fourteen weeks on Billboard Hot Country Singles. "Hey Bartender" was a number two song in 1983 on the same chart.

Lee was raised on a Texas dairy farm and served on a guided missile cruiser in the U.S. Navy.

13. She won a Grammy Award for 1989s "Where've You Been", and sings this first line from a number one song ... who is she? "There's a lighthouse in the harbor Giving guidance with its light But I had no one to return to As I wandered through the night"

Answer: Kathy Mattea

"Goin' Gone" second verse:

"From the first time that I saw you
Standing silent by the shore
I knew my search was over
And I would look for love no more"

Kathy Mattea's "Goin' Gone" was a number one hit in 1987 while "Where've You Been" was a number ten song in 1989 both on Billboard Hot Country Songs.

"Where've You Been" co-written by Mattea's husband Jon Vezner, won 1990s Grammy Award for Best Country Song. Mattea herself won the Grammy for Best Female Country Performance for the same song.

14. "Julia" can identify this singer ... can you? "As the midnight moon Was drifting through The lazy sway of the trees I saw the look in your eye Looking into the night Not seeing what you wanted to see"

Answer: Conway Twitty

Conway Twitty's "Slow Hand" continued:

"Darling don't say a word
I've already heard
What your body is saying to mine
You've got a fast move you got a slow groove
On your mind"

A 1982 release by Conway Twitty, "Slow Hand" hit the number one position for two weeks on Billboard Hot Country Singles.

"Slow Hand" was first released by the Pointer Sisters in 1981, a number two song on Billboard Hot 100.

15. Here is a number one hit by Eddie Rabbitt's duet partner on "You And I" ... do you recognize this opening line? "You gotta be rough, you gotta be tough If you're gonna fall in love these days You gotta keep an eye open all the time Or you'll get your heart broke along the way"

Answer: Crystal Gayle

"Too Many Lovers", Crystal Gayle's ninth number one hit on Billboard Hot Country Songs, from her album "These Days".

Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle's duet "You And I" was a huge hit in 1982 for both artists, achieving major hit success as a country/pop crossover song.

Source: Author annanne

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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Country Songs/1980s - First Lines by Solo Artists Quiz

Again, I have provided an extra clue prior to the first line. All songs are within the top ten, including twelve number ones. Have Fun and Good Luck!

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