Marvelous Music from "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" Quiz

Answer: Connie Francis

Connie Francis is an internationally successful singer and released albums in multiple languages. She is estimated to have sold over 100 million records worldwide. She was also the first woman to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" in 1960. She's continued performing a wide variety of genres into the new millennium.

Answer: The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd

Yes, the title is correct. The original phrase, of course, is "the smell of greasepaint (an oily type of makeup used in the theater), the roar of the crowd." (I haven't been able to find a reference explaining why they transposed the words "smell" and "roar.") It followed Bricusse and Newley's big success with "Stop the World - I Want to Get Off" from 1962.

It was nominated for six Tony Awards including Best Original Score.

Answer: Perry Como

The mambo originated in Cuba in the 1930s. Perry Como began his recording career with the Ted Weems Orchestra, also in the '30s. Como quit the Weems band in 1942. His popularity soared the following year with a regular radio program, nightclub appearances and a recording contract. Como's version of "Papa Loves Mambo" peaked at number four on the Billboard chart in 1955.

Answer: You Belong to Me

This song has the iconic opening line: "See the pyramids along the Nile." It was originally written as "Hurry Home to Me" and was referring to soldiers in WWII. Since the war had ended several years earlier, it was modified to "You Belong to Me." It was first released by Joni James and covered by Jo Stafford, Patti Page and Dean Martin whose versions all charted in the US in 1952.

In "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," Joel and Midge (subsequently Mrs. Maisel) dance to this song when they're first getting together. He says that from now on, it will be their song.

Answer: Peggy Lee

Peggy Lee joined the Benny Goodman Orchestra in 1941 and had her first top ten hit in 1942. Her career was quite prolific with over 1,000 recordings, radio shows, movies and composing. She was nominated for 13 Grammy Awards and given the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995.

Answer: Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand began her career in the early 1960s appearing on Broadway, TV and signing a recording contract. She first sang the song on TV in 1962 and included it on "The Barbra Streisand Album" which was released in 1963. She went on to become one of the few performers to win an Emmy, a Tony, a Grammy and an Oscar.

Answer: Leroy Anderson

Leroy Anderson was a composer of light, orchestral pieces. He came to the attention of Arthur Fiedler, conductor of the Boston Pops, who introduced many of his works. In 1949, "Sleigh Ride" was the first orchestral piece to reach number one on the Billboard Pop Chart (lyrics were added later). "The Typewriter" was first performed by the Boston Pops in 1953.

Answer: Flower Drum Song

"Flower Drum Song" is based on the 1957 novel "The Flower Drum Song." It was the eighth musical written by the team of composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II. "I Enjoy Being a Girl" is the most popular song from the show and was covered by the likes of Doris Day and Peggy Lee.

Answer: Rosemary Clooney

Rosemary Clooney's first record was released in 1947. Her initial hit was "Come On-a My House" which became a Billboard number one in 1951. She had several hits and numerous television appearances in the '50s.

"The Pajama Game" opened on Broadway in 1954 and won the Tony for Best Musical. The film version was released in 1957 starring Doris Day.

Answer: Julie London

Julie London recorded over thirty albums from 1955-1969. "Cry Me a River" was on her debut album and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001. She was named the most popular female vocalist in 1955-1957 by Billboard.

Answer: Robert Preston

Robert Preston is best known for his role as Professor Harold Hill in "The Music Man" which was composed by Meredith Willson. He won the Tony Award for his performance on Broadway and was also on the cover of "Time" magazine. "Chicken Fat" has survived as a novelty song and was used in a 2014 commercial by Apple Inc.

In "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "Chicken Fat" is used delightfully as Midge's father Abe does his morning workout routine in the Catskills wearing his infamous one-piece romper.

Answer: Ricky Nelson

Ricky Nelson began his career at the tender age of eight on his family's radio and TV show, "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet." He had thirty top 40 hits from 1957-1962. Only Elvis Presley and Pat Boone had more. He changed his recording name to Rick on his 21st birthday and continued a successful career in singing and acting into the '70s.

Answer: The King and I

"The King and I" was the fifth musical collaboration between Rodgers and Hammerstein. It was based on the 1944 novel, "Anna and the King of Siam" and won the Tony award for Best Musical. The song was rated number 54 in the American Film Institute's "100 Years...100 Songs" survey of music in American cinema. Deborah Kerr starred alongside Yul Brenner in the film version and the song was lip-synced for her.

In "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," Joel and Midge dance in the street to this song as she accepts his proposal.

Answer: Fly Me to the Moon

"In Other Words" initially met with a tepid response but more and more artists did cover versions keeping it alive. Finally, in 1960, Peggy Lee recorded it and performed it on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and it became better known as "Fly Me to the Moon." The title was officially changed in 1963. By 1995, over 300 versions had been recorded.

Answer: Pink Shoe Laces

The song is about a guy named Dooley who wears "Tan shoes with pink shoelaces." Dodie Stevens recorded the song when she was only 11 or 12 years old!

In "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," the Chordettes' version of the song is played along with dancers doing The Hop at the beginning of a telethon Midge gets to perform on. This sparked a viral dance challenge on YouTube and TikTok.

Answer: Hot Rod Lincoln

"Hot Rod Lincoln" is a fun, upbeat rockabilly style song that originally peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 14 on the Billboard Country chart. The Commander Cody version peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. It tells the story about a hot rod race with an introduction and 13 verses mostly in spoken word.

In "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," Midge and her manager Susie attend some drag racing with Shy Baldwin and the band when this song is played.

Answer: Bobby Darin

Bobby Darin had his first million-selling hit in 1958 with "Splish Splash." He recorded his jazzed up version of "Mack the Knife" the following year which became a huge success winning the Grammy Award for Record of the Year. "Beyond the Sea" reached number six on the Billboard Top 100 and number eight on the UK Singles Chart. Darin was also a songwriter and was voted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Answer: The Mamas and the Papas

The Shirelles' version was initially released in 1959 and reached number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was re-recorded and released again in 1961 hitting number three. The Mamas and the Papas' version peaked at number two. The Mamas and the Papas were an iconic folk-rock group who were together from 1965-1968.

They recorded five studio albums and had six top ten Billboard Hot 100 singles.

Answer: Mr. Sandman

The Chordettes formed in 1946 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. They won a talent award on a radio show in 1949 and began recording in 1950. "Mr. Sandman" was their first single and it hit number one in 1955.

Answer: The Chords

"Sh-Boom" is considered by some to be the first doo-wop/rock 'n' roll song to reach the top ten on the pop charts rather than the R&B charts. The record producer didn't initially believe in the song and it was relegated to the B-side of the Chords' first single. The Crew-Cuts recorded a more mainstream version which stayed at number one for nine weeks.

Answer: Nina Simone

Nina Simone's album "I Put a Spell on You" reached number ten on the Billboard Jazz chart. The song was used in a UK Volkswagen commercial leading to its release as a single which peaked at number 40 on the UK Singles Chart. This sparked the use of the song in several movies and TV shows including "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."

Answer: The Best Is Yet to Come

"The Best Is Yet to Come" was released on Frank Sinatra's 1964 album "It Might as Well Be Swing." It was reportedly the last song he sang in public in 1995. Tony Bennett released it as a single in 1961 and placed it on his 1962 album "I Left My Heart in San Francisco".

Answer: The Man Who Knew Too Much

"The Man Who Knew Too Much" from 1956 was actually Alfred Hitchcock's re-worked version of his own movie by the same title from 1934. Doris Day became popular as a singer in the mid-1940s with several hit songs including "Sentimental Journey." She began her film career in 1948 in "Romance on the High Seas." "Que Sera, Sera" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Answer: Leslie Uggams

"Hallelujah, Baby!" won the Tony Award for Best Musical and Leslie Uggams won for Best Actress in a Musical, casting her into stardom. Uggams began her career as a child including singing alongside Ella Fitzgerald at The Apollo in 1951. "The Leslie Uggams Show" was a TV variety show that started in 1969.

"Being Good Isn't Good Enough" is the opening song on Barbra Streisand's album "Release Me" and was featured in the TV show "Glee" as well as on "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."

Answer: Del Shannon

"Runaway" was originally titled "Little Runaway." It was re-recorded using a Musitron, an early synthesizer, as the lead instrument and became a hit. Shannon was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.