Music from 1981 Trivia

1. The first song on my list came in at number nine on KROQ'S countdown. The song is entitled "We Want the Airwaves" from this New York City punk band with members calling themselves Joey, Dee Dee, Marky, and Johnny. What's the group's name?

From Quiz Songs From KROQ'S 1981 Countdown

Answer: The Ramones

While the members of the group adopted the surname "Ramone", none of them actually had that name. Joey's real name was Jeffry Hyman, Dee Dee's real name was Douglas Colvin, and Johnny's real name was John Cummings. Marc Bell joined the Ramones in 1978 and went by the stage name "Marky Ramone" The song "We Want the Airwaves" is from the Ramones' sixth album entitled "Pleasant Dreams". It was neither a commercial nor critical success as some felt the Ramones were continuing to "sell-out" from their original punk sound. Unfortunately, by 2004, Joey, Dee Dee, and Johnny had all passed away, a sad note to this influential band.

From Quiz The Right Music (1981)

Answer: Bette Davis Eyes

The song, "Bette Davis Eyes" was written by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon in the year of 1974. The tune did not become a major success until Kim Carnes sang it in the year 1981.

From Quiz Top Pop Songs of 1981

Answer: Rainy

Eddie Rabbitt, born in Brooklyn, New York, achieved success in both pop and country music during the 1980s. His song "I Love a Rainy Night" was a crossover number one hit in the U.S. Billboard singles charts in both country and pop music. The lyrics to the song's second verse say, "I love the rainy night / It's such a beautiful sight / I love to feel the rain on my face..."

From Quiz Music From the 80s - 1981

Answer: The Human League

The Human League formed in Sheffield in the late 70s and were originally an all male band, some of whom went on to become Heaven 17. The remaining members, augmented by the addition of two girl singers/dancers, allegedly picked up in a disco, went on to be a highly successful second version of The Human League. Released in August 1981, "Love Action" spent 13 weeks on the UK singles chart and peaked at number ten. "Love Action" is from the album "Dare" which spent 72 weeks on the chart, and made it to number one. I can remember buying "Dare" in Woolworth's on New Years Eve 1981.

From Quiz Billboard Number One Hits of 1981

Answer: The Tide is High

"The Tide is High" was a song included on a compilation demo given to the band while they were in London. The song was written by John Holt, the singer for the Jamaican band Paragon. Chris Stein and Deborah Harry thought it would be a great song for their next album. The band tried to keep the same Caribbean feel as the Paragons' version when they recorded it for their "Autoamerican" album. They hired percussionists, strings and horns on the production to capture the West Indies feel. The band returned to former producer Mark Chapman to produce "Autoamerican" after working with Georgio Maroder on their previous project. "The Tide is High" was their third number one hit and they would score another number one in March, 1981, with the Chris Stein-Deborah Harry composition "Rapture". "Atomic" only reached number 39. "Call Me" was co-written by Deborah Harry and was a 1980 number one for the band. "One Way or Another" reached number 24 in 1979.

From Quiz Hits of 1981

Answer: Kim Carnes

"Bette Davis Eyes" was written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon. Kim Carnes' version was very successful reaching number one in the US and Australia and number ten in the UK.

From Quiz 1981 Song Titles In Other Words

Answer: Eddie Rabbitt

On February 28th, 1981, Eddie Rabbitt went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with "I Love A Rainy Night" and ruled the American airwaves for two weeks.

From Quiz #1 Albums of 1981

Answer: Hi Infidelity

The platinum album "Hi Infidelity" entered the charts on February 21, 1981. The album included the hits "Keep on Loving You", "Take it on the Run", and "Don't Let Him Go".

From Quiz Song Lyrics from 1981

Answer: The Greg Kihn Band

from 'The Breakup Song'

From Quiz Who Sings What In 1981

Answer: Sister Sledge

From Quiz The Right Music (1981)

Answer: Jessie's Girl

The song, "Jessie's Girl" is on the "Working Class Dog" 1981 album. The song was rerecorded by Rick Springfield into an acoustic version on the "Karma" album in the year of 1999. This track is used on the USA movies, "Boogie Nights" and "13 going on 30".

From Quiz Top Pop Songs of 1981

Answer: Junior Walker

The Foreigner song "Urgent" reached the number four spot on the U.S. Billboard singles charts in September 1981. This tune features the searing vocals of lead singer Lou Gramm as well as a terrific solo on the sax by Junior Walker of Motown fame. Walker and his All Stars had a top ten U.S. hit in 1966 with a song called "Shotgun."

From Quiz Music From the 80s - 1981

Answer: Duran Duran

Duran Duran formed in Birmingham, England in 1978 and their name is based on that of a character from the film "Barbarella" (1968). Released in February 1981, "Planet Earth" was Duran Duran's first UK single release, spending 11 weeks on the chart and reaching a highest position of number 12. I liked this record as soon as I heard it and remained a "Durannie" for many years.

From Quiz Billboard Number One Hits of 1981

Answer: Kool and the Gang

The Jersey-based Kool and the Gang had been around for 17 years when "Celebration" broke them nationally. In an interview with "Rolling Stone", Robert "Kool" Bell related that he started performing as a teen in a band he called The Jazziacs. By 1969 the name of the band changed to Kool and the Gang when they recorded for DeLite records. Their first single was an instrumental aptly called "Kool and the Gang". When disco became popular the band changed direction. They recorded the "Ladies Night" LP which had two 1980 hits for the boys, the number eight "Ladies night" and number five "Too Hot". "Celebration" proved to be their first number one and coincided with the release of the hostages from Iran. It was also the theme of the 1981 Super Bowl and Walter Mondale's presidential campaign. Foreigner had a top five in November with "Waiting for a Girl Like You". SOS Band had a top five in 1980 with "Take Your Time" and Spinners also had a 1980 top five with "Cupid/I've Loved You For A Long Time".

From Quiz Hits of 1981

Answer: Kim Wilde

"Kids in America" was written by Kim's father and brother, Marty and Ricky Wilde. It was her debut single and reached number two in the UK, Australia and Sweden. It didn't fair as well in the US peaking at number 25.

From Quiz 1981 Song Titles In Other Words

Answer: Kim Carnes

"Bette Davis Eyes" was a huge hit during the late spring/early summer of 1981 when it spent nine weeks at number one on the American charts. Margot Channing was actress Bette Davis' role in the 1950 film "All About Eve".

From Quiz BRI's Top Ten Hits of 1981

Answer: I Love a Rainy Night

Eddie Rabbitt has been very successful in the music industry, both as a writer and a performer. He has racked up 16 number one hits to his credit, as well as having written songs like "Kentucky Rain" for Elvis Presley.

From Quiz #1 Albums of 1981

Answer: Paradise Theater

"Paradise Theater" entered the charts on April 4, 1981 and remained there for three weeks. The album had four top 40 singles, including "The Best of Times" and "Too Much Time on My Hands".

From Quiz Song Lyrics from 1981

Answer: The Police

from 'DOn't Stand So Close To Me'

From Quiz Who Sings What In 1981

Answer: Les Humphries Singers

From Quiz The Right Music (1981)

Answer: The One That You Love

"The One That You Love" is a popular song written by Graham Russell. The song was recorded on the album "The One That You Love", which was produced by Clive Davis. The duo, Air Supply, was originally formed in Melbourne, Australia in the year of 1975.

From Quiz Top Pop Songs of 1981

Answer: Blondie

Debbie Harry and Blondie were major players in the New York City pop scene during the late 1970s and into the 1980s. Their song "Rapture" was one of the first top 40 singles to use rap lyrics. Part of the rap portion of the lyrics read, "And you get in your car and you drive real far / And you drive all night and then you see a light / And it comes right down and lands on the ground..." The song was a crossover smash hit, reaching the number spot in both the U.S. Billboard pop and dance categories.

From Quiz Music From the 80s - 1981

Answer: "Ghost Town" by The Specials

Released on 20 June 1981, "Ghost Town" spent 14 weeks on the UK singles chart, including three weeks at number one. There was some civil unrest in Britain at the time this record came out and the song really does capture the mood of that time. Incorrect answers: "I Want to be Free" by Toyah reached number eight in 1981; "All Stood Still" by Ultravox was also a hit in 1981, and also reached number eight and "Kids In America" by Kim Wilde spent 13 weeks on the chart in 1981 and reached number two.

From Quiz Billboard Number One Hits of 1981

Answer: Eddie Rabbitt

New Jersey boy Eddie Rabbitt scored a country style hit. Eddie was born in New York and raised in New Jersey. His father played the fiddle and accordion and instilled music in young Eddie. After trying to get noticed as a country singer in New jersey without success, Eddie headed to Nashville on a Greyhound and had early success when Elvis recorded his "Kentucky Rain" in 1970. Once the hit established him, several other artists starting singing his compositions after he became a staff writer at Hill and Range publishing. His $37.50 a week job with the publisher became a thing of the past after he wrote the theme for "Every Which Way But Loose" and started having his own hits such as "Suspicions" and "Driving My Life Away" from the movie "Roadie". He followed up with "I Love A Rainy Night" by listening to demos he had done a dozen years earlier. Leo Sayer had a number two hit in December, 1980, with "More than I Can Say". Don McLean hit the number five spot in March, 1981, with a cover of Roy Orbison's "Crying" and Grover Washington's top five song was in May, 1981, with "Just the Two of Us".

From Quiz Hits of 1981

Answer: George Harrison

George Harrison wrote "All Those Years Ago" as a tribute to John Lennon who had been recently murdered. The song featured contributions from all three remaining Beatles. It reached number two in the US and number 13 in the UK.

From Quiz 1981 Song Titles In Other Words

Answer: Juice Newton

"Queen of Hearts" was both a number two hit for Juice Newton in the late summer of 1981 and the name of a notorious character in Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland".

From Quiz BRI's Top Ten Hits of 1981

Answer: Keep on Lovin' You

Pulled together in the late sixties and early seventies, REO Speedwagon did not become really established until the album "Hi Infidelity" sold 9 million copies. Written by band member Kevin Cronin, "Keep On Lovin' You" was the biggest hit single from that album.

From Quiz #1 Albums of 1981

Answer: Kim Carnes

Kim Carnes, the LA based singer who sang duets with Kenny Rogers, Barbara Streisand, and James Ingram, released "Mistaken Identity" in 1981. The album reached number one on June 27 and remained there for four weeks. The album's biggest single was "Bette Davis Eyes", which won two Grammys for Song and Record of the Year.

From Quiz Who Sings What In 1981

Answer: Love Unlimited

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