My Favorite Songs of the 1950s - Part 2 Quiz

Answer: How much

"(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window" was written by Bob Merrill in 1952. That same year, Patti Page recorded it. The song reached number one on the charts. Lita Roza recorded the song in 1953, and that reached number one on the UK charts and made her the first woman to have a number one hit in the United Kingdom.

It has since been recorded by other artists and has become popular as a children's song. Performers such as The Lennon Sisters, Freddy Fender, and Carike Keuzenkamp have also recorded the song.

In 2009, Page recorded the song again under the title "Do You See That Doggie in the Shelter," with new lyrics by Chris Gantry, to raise awareness about puppy mills and the importance of adopting dogs instead of buying them.

Answer: addition

Frank Loesser wrote "Inchworm" (also called "The Inch Worm") for the 1952 movie musical "Hans Christian Andersen". The song was sung by Danny Kaye (Hans Christian Andersen) and the children. The children sing the addition part: "Two and two are four...four and four are eight..."

Since then others have also recorded this song including Paul McCartney, Kenny Loggins, Lisa Loeb, and Patricia Barber.

Answer: Donald O'Connor

Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown wrote the song "Make 'Em Laugh" for "Singin' in the Rain." Cosmo Brown (played by Donald O'Connor) sings the number. The song was based closely on the Cole Porter song "Be a Clown."

Cosmo explains how he loves to make people laugh, and O'Connor sings the song with physical comedy in his dancing.

The American Film Institute ranked the song 49th in American film songs.

In an episode of "Glee," Matthew Morrison (as Will Schuester) performed the song with Harry Shum, Jr. (as Mike Chang) joining in the dancing.

Answer: Roses

"Moses Supposes His Toes Are Roses" has been around since at least 1888. It was a nonsense rhyming verse. The words have changed a few times since then, and the 1944 version is used as the basis for the song in the musical "Singin' in the Rain." The lyrics were done by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Roger Edens composed the music.

In the show, Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor (as Don Wood and Cosmo Brown) sang it during a dictation lesson.

Since then others have performed the number as well, such as Carol Burnett and Roddy McDowell, and Arthur Duncan.

Answer: Chuck Berry

Dave Bartholomew wrote and recorded the song "My Ding-a-Ling" in 1952. The song's melody was based on an older folk song called "Little Brown Jug." The song is about a child who was given a toy by his grandmother of "silver bells hanging on a string." The grandmother told him it was his "ding-a-ling." The song also becomes a double-entendre song.

When Berry recorded it, many radio stations wouldn't play it because of the double entendres. In 1991, "The Simpsons" parodied this when a student sang the song at a talent show, but after the first line he was pulled off the stage by the principal who declared, "This act is over!"

Answer: Hound

"Hound Dog" was written as a blues song by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in 1952. It was first record by Big Mama Thorton that year. The song became a hit. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has her version as one of "The 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll." In 2013, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

In 1956, Elvis Presley recorded the song, which has since become the best-known version and reached number one on the charts.

Since then the song has been covered by many performers including Little Richard, Freddie Bell and the Bellboys, Sha-Na-Na, and Koko Taylor.

Answer: Rock Around the Clock

Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers (under the name Jimmy De Knight) wrote "Rock Around the Clock" in 1952. In 1954, Bill Haley and His Comets recorded the song which reached number one on the charts.

While there were other songs that are considered rock and roll before this, this is often considered the first, as it is the song that made rock and roll popular in mainstream culture. "Rolling Stone Magazine" ranked the song number 159 in its "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.

The song was first recorded by Sonny Dae and His Knights. Since then others have covered the song such as Ringo Starr, Telex, and The Sex Pistols.

The song was also used in the first two seasons of "Happy Days" as the theme song.

Answer: that's amore

Harry Warren and Jack Brooks wrote the song "That's Amore" in 1952 or 1953. Dean Martin recorded it in 1953 for the soundtrack of the Martin and Lewis movie "The Caddy." It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song but lost to "Secret Love" from "Calamity Jane." It became one of Martin's signature songs.

The song has been used in a few movies including "Moonstruck," (1987).

While Martin's version is the best known, the song has also been performed by Rocco Granata, Patrizio Buanne, Andre Rieu, and Connie Francis.

Answer: You're 9 feet tall.

Frank Loesser wrote "Thumbelina" for the 1952 musical "Hans Christian Andersen". It was first performed in the movie by Danny Kaye who played the title role. The song is based on the fairytale of "Thumbelina" by Andersen. Thumbelina is "no bigger than my thumb," he sings and then goes on to encourage her saying that "when you're heart is full of love you're nine feet tall."

Loesser was not fond of this song, and said it wasn't even a real song "just a little ditty." However, it was nominated for an Oscar (although it did not win).

It has since been covered by other artists such as Jimmy Boyd, Roger Snoeck (instrumental version), and Raffi.

Answer: forever

Victor Young and Edward Heyman wrote "When I Fall in Love" in 1952. It was first introduced as an instrumental in the movie "One Minute to Zero" as the "Theme from One Minute to Zero." The first vocal recording was done that same year by Jeri Southern. Doris Day also recorded it that year and had a hit with her version, reaching number 20 on the charts.

In 1956, Nat King Cole recorded the song, and his version reached number two on the charts.

Many others have recorded this standard including Celine Dion, Johnny Mathis, Etta Jones, and the Lettermen.