Great Songs of the 1920s: Part 3 Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. 1928: Although written for an operetta called "East is West," what musical is "Embraceable You" often associated with?

Answer: Crazy for You

George and Ira Gershwin wrote, "Embraceable You" in 1928. The operetta "East is West" went unpublished, and the song was instead used in the 1930 Broadway musical "Crazy for You." It was performed by Ginger Rodgers and choreographed by Fred Astaire that year.

In 1944, Billie Holiday recorded the number, and in 2005, this version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

If you were thinking of the movie "Girl Crazy," the song "Embraceable You" is also in that movie. "Crazy for You" was mainly based on that movie but also had songs from other sources.

2. 1928: Song association time: If I say, Betty Boop, what song comes to mind?

Answer: I Wanna Be Loved By You

Herbert Stothart, Harry Ruby, and Bert Kalmar wrote "I Wanna Be Loved by You" in 1928 for the musical "Good Boy." Marilyn Monroe sang the song in the 1959 film, "Some Like It Hot." However, it was Helen Kane who first recorded the number in 1928. She was known as the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl" because of the way she ended the number. Betty Boop was modeled after Kane.

3. 1928: "Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it." What song is this opening line from?

Answer: Let's Do It; Let's Fall in Love

Cole Porter wrote "Let's Do It; Let's Fall in Love" in 1928. It was first sung in the Cole Porter musical, "Paris," by Ir�ne Bordoni. The song is a list song.

4. 1928: What is the name of "The Knife" in a song first used in "The Threepenny Opera"?

Answer: Mack

"Mack the Knife" was written by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht with the German title "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer." "Mackie Messer" or "Mack the Knife" was based on Macheath from "The Beggar's Opera," which was based on a real thief named Jack Shepard.

The song was introduced to Americans when an English version of "The Three Penny Opera" was produced. While the show only lasted ten days, the song became popular. It has been recorded by several artists, most notably Louis Armstrong, Bobby Darin, and Ella Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald's 1960 live version became famous after she forgot the words to the song. She improvises or does what is known as scat singing. As a result, her performance won the Grammy Award. On a personal note, this is my favorite version of the song.

5. 1928: This next song was first seen in the musical "Whoopee!" and the word "Whoopee" is in the title. But what were they doing with Whoopee?

Answer: Makin'

Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn wrote "Makin' Whoopee" for the 1928 musical "Whoopee!" Eddie Cantor, who starred in that musical, was the first to make the song popular. The title referred to celebrating a marriage, although it became a euphemism for having sex over time. Some have said that the song warned men about the dangers of marriage. That is, the wedding may be fun, but after that is a family, bills, and responsibilities. Numerous artists have recorded the song, including Bing Crosby, Dinah Washington, and Bill Doggett.

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong each recorded the song as a solo. But they also recorded it together as a duet.

6. 1929: This jazz number was written by Fats Waller, Harry Brooks, and Andy Razaf. What is this song with the opening line, "No one to talk with all by myself."

Answer: Ain't Misbehavin'

Waller, Brooks, and Razaf wrote "Ain't Misbehavin'" for the musical comedy play, "Connie's Hot Chocolate."

Waller re-recorded the number in 1943 for the movie "Stormy Weather" This song recording won him the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1984. In 1978, a musical revue opened entitled "Ain't Misbehavin'" and was a tribute to Fats Waller.

7. 1929: This Gospel hymn has the line, "Just a few more days and then" what?

Answer: I'll Fly Away

Albert E. Brumley wrote "I'll Fly Away" in 1929, although it wasn't published until 1932. The song was inspired by "The Prisoner's Song." It is one of, if not the most, recorded Gospel songs of all time. It is also a popular funeral song.

8. 1929: If you were around in the 1980s when David Lee Roth recorded this song, it might be a surprise that it was written in 1929. What completes this title, "Just a ______"?

Answer: Gigolo

Irving Caesar adapted the song in 1929 from the Austrian tango "Schoner Gigolo, Armer Gigolo." Caesar eliminated references specific to Austria, although the Bing Crosby version includes them. Louis Prima was the first person to record the song paired with "I Ain't Got Nobody" in 1956.

9. 1929: What would you hear the line "if you're blue and you don't know where to go to"?

Answer: Puttin' on the Ritz

Irving Berlin wrote "Puttin' on the Ritz," as well as all the wrong choices. He wrote it in 1927, but it wasn't published until 1929. It was used in the 1930 movie musical of the same name. Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Taco, and many others have recorded the number.

In 1974, Mel Brooks used the number in his movie "Young Frankenstein". Gene Wilder (Dr. Victor Frankenstein) and Peter Boyle (the monster) sing it when Frankenstein shows off the monster in public.

10. 1929: Complete this alliterative song title: "Tip Toe Though the ____."

Answer: Tulips

In 1929, Joe Burke and Al Dubin wrote "Tip Toe Through the Tulips." Sometimes the title includes the words "With Me." It was first made famous by Nick Lucas, who sang the song in "Gold Diggers of Broadway." In 1968, Tiny Tim sang it on the first season finale of "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," while playing his ukulele. Since then, the song has mainly been associated with him.

Source: Author Ilona_Ritter

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 the final quiz on my series of great songs from the 1920s. It has songs that came out in 1928 and 1929.

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