The Music of The Drifters Trivia Quiz

Answer: Clyde McPhatter

"Money Honey" was written by musician/songwriter/producer Jesse Stone who also played piano on the record. It was number one for 11 weeks on the Billboard R&B chart for Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters in 1953. It did not chart in the UK.

On this recording with Clyde McPhatter singing lead vocal, The Drifters were Willie Ferbie (bass), Bill Pinkney (tenor), Andrew Thrasher (tenor) and Gerhart Thrasher (baritone). One of many line-ups of The Drifters, who were formed by Clyde McPhatter in 1953.

Clyde McPhatter was born Clyde Lensley McPhatter in Durham, North Carolina, USA, in 1932. He was to become a major influence on Doo-Wop and R&B. Sadly, according the late Jay Warner (president/CEO of the National League of Music) in his book "On This Day in Music History", Clyde McPhatter was "Broke and despondent over a mismanaged career that made him a legend but hardly a success".

Answer: Dion

"Ruby Baby" was written by Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller. It was a number ten hit on the Billboard R&B chart for The Drifters in 1956. It did not chart in the UK. Johnny More, who used to be in a group named The Hornets, from Cleveland, joined The Drifters in 1955 and was the lead singer on the record.

"Ruby Baby" was a number two hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for Dion in 1963. It did not chart in the UK. Dion left the group Dion and The Belmonts and went solo in 1960. Between 1961 and 1968 he had nine Top Ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 which included the number one hit "Runaround Sue".

Answer: Save The Last Dance For Me

"Save The Last Dance For Me" was written by Doc Pomus/Mort Shuman. It was number one for three non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Drifters in 1960. It peaked at number two on the UK singles chart the same year.

"Save The Last Dance For Me" was The Drifters' fifth and last number one hit on the Billboard R&B chart. It was their only number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. In the UK where it peaked at number two it was their highest charting record until "Kissin' In The Back Row Of The Movies" also peaked at number two in 1974.

Answer: The Searchers

"Sweets For My Sweet" was written by Doc Pomus/Mort Shuman. It peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Drifters in 1961. It did not chart in the UK. Charlie Thomas was the lead vocal on the record.

"Sweets For My Sweet" was number one for two weeks on the UK singles chart for The Searchers in 1963. It did not chart in the US. John Lennon was said to have called it the best record he had heard from a Liverpool group up to then.

Answer: Gerry Goffin/Carole King

"When My Little Girl Is Smiling" was written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King. It peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Drifters in 1962. It peaked at number 31 on the UK singles chart the same year. Charlie Thomas is lead singer on this record.

In the UK "When My Little Girl Is Smiling" by The Drifters had some opposition on the singles chart from two British teen idols of the time. Craig Douglas entered the chart on the 22 March 1962 with his version and Jimmy Justice entered the chart on the 29 March 1962 with his version. Both versions peaked at number nine, both versions spent 13 weeks on the chart and both versions did not chart in the US.

Answer: Under The Boardwalk

"Under The Boardwalk" was written by Kenny Young/Arthur Resnick. It peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Drifters in 1964. It peaked at number 45 on the UK singles chart the same year.

In May 1964 Drifters member Rudy Lewis died of a suspected heroin overdose on the night before the recording of "Under The Boardwalk". Rather than reschedule the recording session Johnny Moore stepped up to sing the lead vocal. In 1987 actor Bruce Willis had a number two hit with the song on the UK singles chart; it peaked at number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100 the same year.

Answer: Saturday

"Saturday Night At The Movies" was written by Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil. It peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Drifters in 1964. On re-release in 1972 it peaked at number three as a double A-Side with "At The Club" on the UK singles chart.

In 1995 two English actors, Robson Green and Jerome Flynn, got together as the singing duo Robson and Jerome. They had a triple A-side number one hit on the UK singles chart in 1996, with "What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted"/"Saturday Night At The Movies"/"You'll Never Walk Alone".

Answer: Red

"You're More Than A Number In My Little Red Book" was written by Roger Greenaway/Tony Macaulay. It did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at number five on the UK singles chart for The Drifters in 1976.

"You're More Than A Number In My Little Red Book" was yet another hit for The Drifters in the UK, written by British songwriters. Although The Drifters moved to the UK after their contract with Atlantic Records had ended in 1972, there was still a revolving door for group members coming and going. At times there was more than one group appearing under the name of The Drifters.

Answer: Johnny Moore

It has been estimated that Johnny Moore sang on more than 80% of The Drifters' songs and was the group's longest serving member.

Johnny Moore was born John Alfred Moore in Selma, Alabama, USA, in 1934. He was the lead singer of a group named The Hornets, based in Cleveland, before joining The Drifters in 1955 at the age of 21. After the hits dried up in the US and their recording contract had ended he relocated with The Drifters to the UK. The Drifters toured the UK throughout the '70s, '80s and '90s. He left The Drifters in 1982 and formed his own group Slightly Adrift.

Johnny Moore died of respiratory failure en route to a hospital in London, England, in 1998 aged 64.

Answer: True

The Drifters had nine Top Ten hits on the UK singles chart.

1960 "Save The Last Dance For Me"
1972 "At The Club"/"Saturday At The Movies"
1972 "Come On Over To My Place"
1973 "Like Sister And Brother"
1974 "Kissin' In The Back Row Of The Movies"
1974 "Down On The Beach Tonight"
1975 "There Goes My First Love"
1975 "Can I Take You Home Little Girl"
1976 "You're More Than A Number In My Little Red Book"

The Drifters had five Top Ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

1959 "There Goes My Baby"
1960 "Save The Last Dance For Me"
1963 "Up On The Roof"
1963 "On Broadway"
1964 "Under The Boardwalk"