My Favorite Songs of the 1950s - Part 6 Quiz

Answer: Del-Vikings

Clarence (C.E.) Quick of the Del-Vikings wrote "Come Go with Me" in 1956. It was recorded that year and released the following. The song reached number five on the charts. "Rolling Stone" magazine ranked the song number 449 of their "500 Greatest Songs of All Time."

The song was used in several movies, including "American Graffiti" (1973), and "Joe Versus the Volcano" (1990).

Others have recorded the song since then, including The Beach Boys, Dion, and The Quarrymen.

Answer: true

Otis Blackwell wrote "Don't Be Cruel" in 1956, and Elvis recorded it that same year. In 2002, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. "Rolling Stone" magazine listed it as 197 in the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004. The song reached number one on the charts.

The song has been performed by other artists, including The Beatles, Cheap Trick, Devo, and Neil Diamond.

Answer: Molly

John Marascalco and Robert "Bumps" Blackwell wrote "Good Golly, Miss Molly" in 1956, and Little Richard recorded it. It reached number four on the charts.

The Valiants recorded the song before Little Richard, but their version was not released until 1957.

"Rolling Stone" magazine ranked the song 92 in its "500 Greatest Songs of All Time."

According to Richard, he took the intro from Ike Turner's song "Rocket 88."

Jerry Lee Lewis, The Swinging Blue Jeans, the Sonics, and Creedence Clearwater Revival have since recorded the song.

John Goodman sang the song in the 1991 movie "King Ralph."

Answer: Lonely

Mae Boren Axton and Tommy Durden wrote "Heartbreak Hotel." The song was inspired by a note left by a lonely man. He jumped from a window of a hotel. Elvis was the first to record the song. It reached number three on the charts.

In 1995, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Other artists have performed it, such as Willie Nelson, Leon Russell, President Bill Clinton (on his sax when he was on "The Arsenio Hall Show" in 1992), and Connie Francis.

Answer: Diggity

Al Hoffman and Dick Manning wrote "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)" in 1956. It was first recorded by Perry Como. The song reached number four on the charts.

In the 1970s, the song was used for an Oscar Mayer ad (with modified lyrics).

It was covered by Como with Nat King Cole and the Andrews Sisters, The Sandpipers, Marion Ryan, and Michael Holliday.

Answer: All Night

Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner wrote "I Could Have Danced All Night" for their Broadway musical "My Fair Lady." The song was first sung by Julie Andrews (as Eliza Doolittle). Marni Nixon sang it in the 1964 movie version. She dubbed the singing for Audrey Hepburn, who played Eliza. Nixon's version was number 17 on the "AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs" list.

Since then, others have also covered the song, including Dinah Shore, Rosemary Clooney, Lisa O'Hare, and Lauren Ambrose.

Answer: The Five Satins

Fred Parris of The Five Satins wrote "In the Still of the Night" and recorded it with his group in 1956. It was originally called "(I'll Remember) In the Still of the Nite." This was to avoid confusion with the Cole Porter song from 1937 also called "In the Still of the Night." The song reached 24 on the charts, but over the years has gained popularity as one of the greatest doo-wop songs of all time.

It has been covered by Boyz II Men, Debbie Gibson, Sha Na Na, and The Irishmen.

The song is also part of the "Dirty Dancing" soundtrack. It played on the record when Baby (Jennifer Grey) and Johnny (Patrick Swayze) were together in his cabin.

Answer: bikini

Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss wrote "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" in 1956. It was first recorded by Brian Hyland in 1960. The song reached number one on the charts.

The song caused an increase in bikini sales at a time when bikinis were considered risque.

In 2024, Bombalurina covered the song. It has also been covered in Italian by Marino Marini (under the title "Pezzettini di Bikini), in French by Dalida (under the title Itsi Bitsi Petit Bikini"), and in German by Caterina Valente and her brother Silvio Francesco (under the title of "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Honlulu-Strand-Bikini" with modified lyrics by Rudolf Gunter Loose).

Answer: Sylvia

Bo Diddley wrote "Love is Strange" under his then-wife's name, Ethel Smith. It was first recorded by Bo Diddley. Months later, the well-known version by Mickey and Sylvia was recorded. This version reached number one on the charts. In 2004, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

It has since been covered by Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers, Kristin Chenoweth, and Kenny Rodgers with Dolly Parton.

The song is featured in the movie "Dirty Dancing". Baby (Jennifer Grey) and Johnny (Patrick Swayze) lip-synch to the song while dancing.

Answer: Harry Belafonte

Jester Hairston wrote "Mary's Boy Child" in 1956. After hearing a choir perform it, Harry Belafonte was the first to record it. The song reached number one on the charts.

Since then, others such as Boney M, the Gaither Vocal Band, Andy Williams, and Anne Murray have covered the song.

Answer: The Street Where You Live

Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner wrote "On the Street Where You Live" in 1956 for their Broadway musical "My Fair Lady." It was first sung by John Michael King, who played Freddy Eynsford-Hill.

In the 1964 movie version, it was sung by Bill Shirley. He dubbed the singing for Jeremy Brett, who played Freddy.

In 1956, Vic Damone covered the song. Damone's version became the most popular. It reached number four on the charts. Since then, others have also covered the song, including Eddie Fisher, Andy Williams, Ray Conniff, and Bing Crosby.

Answer: Whatever will be, will be

Jay Livingston and Ray Evans wrote the song "Que Sera, Sera" and it was first sung by Doris Day in the 1956 Alfred Hitchcock movie, "The Man Who Knew Too Much." She also recorded it with Columbia Records, and the song reached number two on the charts. The song was Day's signature song. The song from the movie won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

Others have also recorded the song including Normie Rowe, Mary Hopkin, Jo Leemans, and the Pixies.

Answer: in the plain

Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner wrote "The Rain in Spain" for their 1956 Broadway musical, "My Fair Lady." The song is used to show that Eliza is now able to pronounce words using the Queen's English as opposed to Cockney English.

The song was first sung by Rex Harrison (as Henry Higgins), Julie Andrews (as Eliza Doolittle), and Robert Coote (as Colonel Pickering).

In the 1964 movie version, it was sung by Rex Harrison (who reprised his role), Marni Nixon and Audrey Hepburn (Nixon partially dubbed the singing for Audrey Hepburn, who played Eliza), and Willfrid-Hyde-White (as Pickering).

In 2012 Mark Salling (as Puck) with others from the cast of "Glee" covered the song in a punk rock version.

Answer: Somewhere

Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim wrote the song "Somewhere" for the 1956 Broadway musical, "West Side Story". It is also sometimes called "There's a Place for Us", or "Somewhere (There's a Place for Us)". It was first sung by Larr Kert (as Tony) and Carol Lawrence (as Maria).

In the 1961 movie, it was sung by Jimmy Bryant (dubbing the singing for Richard Beymer, who played Tony), and Marni Nixon (dubbing the singing for Natalie Wood, who played Maria).

The song has been covered by performers such as The Supremes, Barbara Streisand, Marianne Faithful, and Phil Collins.

Answer: Watching all the girls go by

Frank Loesser wrote "Standing on the Corner" in 1956 for the Broadway musical "The Most Happy Fella." It was first sung by Shorty Long (as Herman), John Henson (as Jake), Alan Gilbert (as Clem), and Roy Lazarus (as Al) on Broadway.

It has since been covered by other artists such as Dean Martin, The King Brothers, Damian McGinty of Celtic Thunder, and The Four Lads.