Music of our Youth Trivia Quiz

Answer: "Strangers in the Night" 1966

"Strangers in the Night" released in 1966 became Frank Sinatra's biggest selling and most awarded single. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 and was number one in many countries including, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Peru and the UK. Frank had more success in 1966 - his recording of "That's Life" reached number four and stayed in the top ten for seven weeks. "Strangers in the Night" received Grammys for "Record of the Year" and "Best Pop Male Vocal". It has also been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The song came from a comedy/spy spoof movie starring James Garner titled, "A Man Could Get Killed". The music was written by Bert Kampfert.

It resonated for me at the time as a young friend of my sister's also liked the song especially the doo-bee-doo-bee-doo improv at the end of the song. My sister's young friend has been my wife for over fifty years.

Question submitted by Desimac

Answer: Andy White

On the first version (thought to have been lost but appearing on "Anthology 1"), Pete Best played drums. On the second version (which was released as a single in the UK), Ringo Starr played drums. On the third version (released on the album "Please Please Me" and as a single in the U.S.A.), Andy White played drums and Ringo Starr played tambourine. This recording was also released as a single in the UK as a second pressing.

"Love Me Do" only reached number 17 on the UK Singles Chart but was on the chart for 18 weeks so more singles were needed. I don't know if the Andy White drumming version was released as a single by mistake in the UK, or which of the two UK single versions is worth more now.

Question submitted by shipyardbernie

Answer: Cleveland

Donna Halper was a DJ on WMMX in Cleveland Ohio. She received a pressing of the record from Rush when they put it out on their own label, Moon Records. She chose "Working Man" due to the city's blue collar roots. It took off and became the most requested song at the station in 1974. It came to the attention of Mercury records, who signed them to a contract and nationally released their first album. The band thanked Donna in the liner notes of their first two records.

Question submitted by JamesFree

Answer: The Kinks

"Waterloo Sunset" was written and produced by Ray Davies and performed by the English group, The Kinks. It was a top ten hit in Australia, New Zealand and much of Europe. However, it failed to chart when released as a single in North America. The song featured on the album 'Something Else' later that year. It has become one of the band's best-known and most acclaimed songs, and it was their first single to be available in true stereo.

Question submitted by Esspee

Answer: Side Saddle

"Side Saddle" was a favourite of mine as a child struggling to learn the piano. His slightly 'honkytonk' style, he explained, was a way of accommodating a shortened right hand ring finger. He had chopped it off when in the Royal Navy, on a bread slicer. Anyone who remembers "Side Saddle" will probably have an earworm for the rest of the day. Sorry!

Question submitted by kkt

Answer: Bathroom Window

John Robert "Joe" Cocker OBE (20 May 1944 - 22 December 2014), former gas engineer from Sheffield, was an English singer, known for his distinctive bluesy voice and high-energy stage presence. He recorded "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window", a Beatles song, which was included in the album "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" from his tour of the same name, in 1970.

The Beatles had recorded the song for their eleventh studio album "Abbey Road".

Question submitted by esspee

Answer: Del Shannon

"Hey! Little Girl" written by Del Shannon, was a number two hit for him on the UK Singles Chart in 1962. It peaked at number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

I saw Del Shannon sing "You Never Talked About Me" in the 1962 pop music movie "It's Trad Dad!", ("Ring-A-Ding Rhythm" in the U.S.A.). I went to all the record stores in Merseyside (including Brian Epstein's record store NEMS) to buy it. No one had it in stock nor had they heard of it.

The last store I went to was my small local one; they never had it, but the girl behind the counter said that they had "Hey! Little Girl", so I bought that instead. When I got home I had a look at the B-Side and found "You Never Talked About Me". The other stores must have had the record in stock but no one ever thought to flip it to see what was on the B-Side. "Hey! Little Girl" was the first single I ever bought and I didn't even have a record player at the time.

Question submitted by shipyardbernie

Answer: Peter Gunn

"Peter Gunn", released in 1960 was a worldwide hit for Duane Eddy. It followed the success of the TV series "Peter Gunn" starring Craig Stevens and featuring music by Henry Mancini. "Peter Gunn" was a top ten hit for Duane Eddy in Australia and the UK. It made the top thirty on the Billboard Hot 100. Duane Eddy recorded the theme from "Gunsmoke" which was not released as a single. The theme from "Have Gun Will Travel" was released as "The Ballad of Paladin" and was also a top ten in Australia. "Cannonball" is a different song so not the theme to the long haul trucking series from the 1958 series "Cannonball"

In 1986 Duane Eddy re-released "Peter Gunn" with the Art of Noise and this version also sold well and earned a Grammy for Rock Instrumental.

Question submitted by Desimac.

Answer: 2

Only two songs were actually written by a group member. The lyrics of "Papa Gene's Blues" were written by group member Michael Nesmith and "Sweet Young Thing" was co-written by Michael Nesmith and Gerry Goffin.

Five songs were written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart including "The Monkees Theme" song for their television show and their first single "Last Train to Clarksville".

Other song writers who contributed to the album included Carole King, David Gates, Russ Titelman and Steve Venet.

Question submitted by Dekeaunt

Answer: Billy Preston

"Get Back" was written by Paul McCartney but credited to Lennon/McCartney. It was number one for six weeks on the UK Singles Chart for The Beatles with Billy Preston in 1969. It was number one for five weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

"Get Back" achieved a number of firsts for The Beatles. It was their first and only single to credit another artist. It was their only single to enter the UK Singles Chart at number one. When it reached number one in the US, it was their 17th, equaling Elvis Presley's previous record of 17 number one hits. On the record, John Lennon played lead guitar and George Harrison played rhythm guitar.

Question submitted by shipyardbernie