Sing a Song of - Oh Wait Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bridge Over Troubled Water

Composed by Paul Simon, the beautiful "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was the second single from the album of the same name, released in 1970. It is described as Simon and Garfunkel's most successful production, and reached number one on the charts of the USA, the UK, New Zealand, France and Canada, and right up at the top of the charts in eight other countries as well.

(Question and information by Mabel466)

Answer: Black Velvet

This song by Alannah Myles was released in January 1990, and topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

It also picked up the 1990 "Juno Award for Single of the Year", followed by the "Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance" in 1991.

At this time I was driving across country to and from my office each day, which was an hour's drive each morning and then back again in the evening. This track was aired on the radio almost every morning, and as soon as I heard it I would turn the radio up to full volume and belt out the song myself!

There was seldom much traffic about on my morning journey, and certainly no pedestrians, so it wasn't causing a nuisance. In fact I reckon the sheep grazing in the fields may have enjoyed the music belting out as I passed, with the possible exception of my accompaniment!

Such happy memories!

(Question and information by moonraker2)

Answer: Don't Sleep in the Subway

Though probably known primarily as a 1960s singer, Petula Clark started singing in the 1950s and has a career spanning seven decades. Her first record to make the music charts was in 1954. "Don't Sleep in the Subway" was a 1967 release dealing with the problem of what to do when one has had an argument and stormed out of the apartment. It reached number five in the US and number twelve in the UK. In 1968 it was nominated for a Grammy for best contemporary song but lost to "Up, Up and Away" by The 5th Dimension. Clark has recorded in at least five languages.

(Question and information by CmdrK)

Answer: Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree

This mega-hit was released by Tony Orlando and Dawn. It reached number one status in the USA, and too many other countries to count, in April 1973.

Legend has it that it was about a young American Civil War survivor returning home, hopeful that his beau would display her love for him by this symbolic gesture.

It had a happy ending in a more modern version, as the whole darn bus, in which the soldier is travelling home, wound up cheering when the beautiful golden ribbon came into view.

(Question and information by paulmallon)

Answer: She Sits Among the Cabbages and Peas

Marie Lloyd (1860-1922) was a very entertaining performer from the Music Hall era. She was particularly famous (or infamous if one was shockable) for presenting rather naughty, suggestive and risque songs on more than one occasion. The audiences loved them, and roared with laughter, but the authorities did not, and Marie found herself in trouble on more than one occasion. Perhaps her most popular song in this regard was the 1906 "She Sits Among the Cabbages and Peas". At face value, the lyrics were only just acceptable, but Marie's nudges, winks, knowing looks and other frolics turned this number into something entirely different.

When once hauled before a council committee to justify whether a music hall licence should be renewed or not (mainly because of her wilful naughtiness), Marie sang several numbers for the committee as innocently as possible, but changed the name of this famous song to "She Sits Among the Cabbages and Leeks". Oh dear. You'll see what I mean about the censor's disapproval by a following sample of either version of the song's lyrics:

"Oh, she sits among the cabbages and peas
With a pretty little peapot 'tween her knees
She's a whiz at shelling peas
So she sits and shells with ease
Till the pretty little peapot's full of peas....
...Oh, among the cabbages and peas she sits,
And her pretty little dress so tightly fits
When she stoops to take a pea
That's the time that you can see
That she's got a pair of very lovely hips."

(Question and information by Creedy)

Answer: Back in the USSR

"Back in the USSR" is a song off the Beatles' "White Album" in 1968.

Written by Paul McCartney, partly as a parody of the Beach Boys' "California Girls", this lively rock song has remained popular and often features high on Beatles 'best of' lists.

Interestingly, only three of the Beatles performed on the song as Ringo Starr had temporarily left in a row over his drumming. Paul McCartney played the drums on this track.

"Abdul Abulbul Amir" is a comic song about a duel between a Russian and a Turk, written by Irishman Percy French; "Hong Kong Garden" is by Siouxie and the Banshees; and "Arabian Nights" is from the cartoon movie "Aladdin".

(Question and information by fallingman)

Answer: Lipstick on Your Collar

Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero would have been a bit of a jawbreaker, so, instead, she took on the sobriquet, Connie Francis. She was a mega-star in the late'50s, throughout the '60s (and beyond), selling over a hundred million records worldwide.

"Lipstick on Your Collar", was one of Connie's wildly popular tunes along with "Who's Sorry Now", "Together", and "Stupid Cupid". She also appeared in a few films, including: "Where the Boys Are" (1963).

Ms Francis hails from The Garden State (NJ), where she was born December 12, 1937.

(Question and information by paulmallon)

Answer: Rainy Night in Georgia

Rainy Night in Georgia" was written by singer-songwriter Tony Joe White. It was recorded by rhythm & blues singer Brook Benton in 1969 and released in 1970. Benton was popular in the 1950s and '60s but his career was waning during the British Invasion. The song was an instant hit and rejuvenated his career. Listening to the song now he might be considered a precursor to Barry White.

(Question and information by CmdrK)

Answer: Words

"Words" is an absolutely lovely song written by the Gibbs Brothers, Barry, Robin and Maurice, and released in 1968. It zoomed to the top of the charts in Germany, Switzerland, Canada and the Netherlands, but, rather surprisingly, only reached number eight in the United Kingdom. Ironically so, when the group Boyzone recorded it in 1996, THEIR version went to number one in the UK. There's just not justice in this world.

"Words" has a beautiful soft melody, and the Beegees performed the song with such tenderness and meaning that it just...well..."takes your heart away".

(Question and additional lyrics by Creedy)

Answer: Blue Moon of Kentucky

Bluegrass musician Bill Monroe wrote the song in 1945. It has become a country music standard and has been named the official bluegrass song of Kentucky. At a Newport (Rhode Island) Folk Festival in the early 1960s, Monroe claimed it was the first song recorded by Elvis Presley. Actually, it was the eighth song recorded by Elvis (in 1954) and was the flip side of "That's All Right". Monroe was reportedly irked that Elvis changed it from a waltz to a more up-tempo song. His displeasure was probably assuaged when the residual checks for writing it started coming in!

(Question and information by CmdrK)