First Line - Last Line: 1970s Style Quiz

Answer: "Take me home, country roads"

"Take Me Home, Country Roads" (or just "Country Roads") was released by John Denver in 1971. It reached the number two spot on the "Billboard US Hot 100 Singles" chart. Obviously the song is popular in West Virginia. It is a fight song for West Virginia University athletics and has been adopted as an official state song.

Answer: "...a candy man"

"The Candy Man" originally appeared in the 1964 movie, "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". Sammy Davis Jr. released it as a single in 1972. He reportedly hated the song, but it became his only number one hit spending three weeks atop the "Billboard Hot 100" chart.

Answer: "Workin' at the car wash yeah"

"Car Wash" was the biggest hit for the R and B band, Rose Royce. It was written by Norman Whitfield to be the theme song for the 1976 movie, "Car Wash". It reached number one in the "Billboard US 100 Hot Singles" chart. Their album "Car Wash: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" won a Grammy in 1977.

Answer: "I do love you. Still"

The Commodores 1979 hit, "Still" would be the group's last number one hit in the USA. Written by their lead singer, Lionel Richie, the ballad is still popular and has been translated into at least eight different languages.

Answer: "You're so vain..."

"You're So Vain" was written and recorded by Carly Simon and reached number one on the "US Billboard Hot 100" chart in 1973. Simon originally said the subject of the song was men in general and not one specific man. But over the years people have speculated who the song was about. In 2015 she told the BBC that at least part of the song was about Warren Beatty.

Answer: "Like a rhinestone cowboy"

"Rhinestone Cowboy" was released by Campbell in 1975 and reached the number one spot on the "US Billboard Hot 100" and the "US Billboard Hot Country Singles" charts. Some have speculated that the song, written by Larry Weiss, appealed to Campbell because it talked of a singer overcoming tremendous odds to become successful. Campbell was raised in a poor family that had twelve children and reportedly thought the song to be somewhat autobiographical.

Answer: "...a fine time to leave me, Lucille"

"Lucille" was Kenny Rogers' first hit as a solo artist. Released in 1977 it reached the top spot on the "US Billboard Country Singles" chart and crossed over to reach the fifth spot on the "Billboard US Hot 100" chart. The ballad, which tells the story of temptation and marital unfaithfulness, won Rogers a Grammy award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.

Answer: "Any way the wind blows"

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a six minute song combining opera, hard rock and other genres. It was written by Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury. Released in 1975 the song was number one on the "UK Singles Chart" for nine weeks and reached number one in the UK again, this time for five weeks, after Mercury's death in 1991. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004.

Answer: "... this'll be the day that I die"

"American Pie" was released in 1971 and was a chart topper in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. McLean wrote the song to remember and honor Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J.P. Richardson (aka The Big Bopper). They were rock and roll musicians who were killed in a plane crash in 1959.

Answer: "Joy to you and me"

"Joy to the World" was written by Hoyt Axton and released as a single by Three Dog Night in 1971. Recognized for its silly lyrics and fun beat, the song rocketed to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and was named the top pop song of the year by "Billboard Magazine". Axton's mother, Mae, also wrote a number one hit when she co-wrote "Heartbreak Hotel", Elvis Presley's first song to reach number one.