1968 - Just Dropped In Trivia Quiz

Answer: MacArthur Park

"MacArthur Park" was recorded by actor Richard Harris who had just risen from obscurity with his starring role in the movie and stage play productions of "Camelot". Jimmy Webb wrote the song as a seven minute "coda" to a twenty-two minute "cantata". It was originally offered to The Association and although their manager loved it, the group did not want to commit the whole side of an album to this project. I think The Association made a BIG mistake! With their harmonies, it probably would have been an even bigger success. Donna Summer who, unlike Harris, could sing, covered the song in a disco version in 1978 and had a three week #1 smash hit with it.

Incidentally, it's speculated that the lyrics refer to a love that fell apart despite all the "ingredients" for success being there.

The song has many fans, of course, but it certainly has appeared on more "worst song of all-time" lists than "best song of all-time" lists.

Answer: I Heard It Through The Grapevine

Starting on Dec. 14, 1968, this song would remain at the top of the charts for seven weeks. It is rated the #6 song of the decade and was the biggest Motown song of all time up to that point. The idea for the song was conceived by Barrett Strong who was best known at that time for his hit "Money (That's What I Want)".

He took it to Holland-Dozier-Holland but they refused to help him with it as they had a policy never to share writing credits with anyone else. So he turned to Norman Whitfield who did assist him and they became great collaborators creating a number of hits, particularly for The Temptations. Marvin Gaye had the biggest hit with the song although it was a big #2 hit for Gladys Knight and The Pips a year earlier and of course, it was resurrected in 1987 as the theme song for the California Raisins. Tragically, Gaye was killed by his father during a domestic dispute in 1984.

Answer: (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay

Otis Redding recorded this song on December 7, 1967. Three days later, he was killed in a plane crash along with most of the members of his backup band, The Bar-Kays, returning from a gig in Wisconsin. Steve Cropper, a member of Booker T and The MG's, co-wrote the song with Redding and he took the onus of producing this and several other songs that Redding had just recorded.

The song was released six weeks later and it hit #1 on March 16, 1968, the first posthumous #1 of the rock era. Interestingly, the song ends with Redding whistling.

He wasn't convinced that the last stanza he had written for the song was "right" so he whistled instead hoping to rework the last verse and dub it in later. Of course, he never got the chance but Cropper felt the whistling was a perfect way to end the song, apropos to the mood. Redding was just reaching stardom at the time and although he would have 30 songs crack the Billboard Hot Hundred, this song, which topped the charts for four weeks, would be his only top ten hit.

Answer: Mrs. Robinson

"Mrs. Robinson" by Simon and Garfunkel was #1 for three weeks. It was written specifically for the movie "The Graduate" by Paul Simon and likely would have had an excellent chance for an Academy Award nomination. Alas, Simon neglected to submit the necessary forms for it to receive consideration for the award.

Originally, he was working with "Mrs. Roosevelt" in the lyric but changed it to fit the movie. The soundtrack version varies from the hit single version. There were fewer verses in the movie version but when the song was getting airplay from the soundtrack album, he added a few lines for it's release as a commercial single.

Answer: Do You Know The Way To San Jose

Dionne Warwick forged much of her success singing Bacharach/David songs. Over her long recording career which began in 1962, she has had 55 Hot Hundred hits, 10 of which cracked the top ten although most of these entries were recorded during her peak years - the 1960's.

She still is active and popular in the music business but in recent years, she has devoted more and more of her time to her many business interests and charitable efforts, most notably AIDS related causes.

Answer: Woman Woman

It was a million seller as was their next song, "Young Girl". Then the group became Gary Puckett and The Union Gap. Two more million selling hits followed, all in 1968. They would have one more top ten hit in 1969, then the group would dissolve in 1971 falling prey to the ever changing nature of pop music.

Answer: Little Green Apples

"Little Green Apples" was written by Bobby Russell who penned several other big hits including "Honey", "The Joker Went Wild" and "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia". It would be the first and only big hit for O.C. Smith, a #2, and his was the biggest hit of the three. Roger Miller's version made it to #39 although it did much better on the country charts. Finally, Patti Page's rendition fared no better than #98.

It would be her 43rd and last recording to enter Billboard's Hot Hundred.

Answer: Just Dropped In

The full parenthetical title was "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" and it truly was quite unlike any other song Rogers ever recorded. It had pretensions of psychedelia included an extended fuzzy guitar solo that fit right in with strobe lights! Nevertheless, it managed to chart at #5. Most of the group, including Rogers, were former members of the folk group The New Christy Minstrels and they got together when the Minstrels disbanded.

They would go on to have several charting hits but the music was decidedly different from this effort, probably best categorized as country pop. Rogers left the group in 1973 and went on to become the master of that same genre of music winning a multitude of Grammies, Country Music Association Awards and People's Choice Awards.

Answer: Hello I Love You

Jim Morrison wrote this ditty in 1965 after watching a young lady stroll the beach one evening but it wasn't until 1968 that The Doors recorded the song. To some Doors' fans, the song was a cop out to commercialism as it didn't have the heavy surrealistic lyrics of their previous releases. Nevertheless, it was a big hit and the first song of their's to garner significant airplay in the U.K. where it was a #15 hit.

It was to be their final #1 Billboard hit.

Answer: Love Child

This would be the last #1 hit for the Supremes alone - they would have one other together with the Temptations in 1969, "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me". It was also their first #1 not written by Holland-Dozier-Holland who had left the Motown stable by this time. Motown staff songwriters Deke Richards, Pam Sawyer, R Dean Taylor and Frank Wilson were the primary collaborators although it is believed that Motown founder Berry Gordon also contributed without official credit.

Answer: The Look Of Love

Sergio Mendes was born in Niteroi, Brazil in 1941. He was a pianist/composer/bandleader and this was the first of a series of groups he would form. The song was another Bacharach/David composition and had been previously released by Dusty Springfield in 1967 charting at #22.

The vocalist for Mendes' arrangement was Lani Hall who left the group shortly after to pursue a solo career and become Mrs. Herb Alpert! Her departure signaled the death knell for the group. Mendes later assembled another group, Brasil '77, to limited success.

The latest incarnation, Brasil '99, plays a fusion of Brazilian music, jazz and funk.

Answer: Spooky

"Spooky" was originally recorded as a sax instrumental in 1967 by Michael Sharpe who had a minor #57 hit with it. The Classics IV producer and lead guitarist, J.R Cobb, wrote lyrics for the melody, the band released it and it soared to #3 on the Billboard charts.

The group, featuring lead singer Dennis Yost, would have three more top twenty songs before 1970, but by 1974 the group ceased to exist. Yost pursued a solo career without success while Cobb and bassist Dean Daughtry moved on to the Atlanta Rhythm Section.

Answer: Green Tambourine

The Lemon Pipers turned "Green Tambourine" into a debut #1 hit. They're listed in Joel Whitburn's book as a "Psychedelic/Bubblegum Rock Quintet" and the list of their few hits tell the story. There was this one, of course, followed by "Rice Is Nice" which charted at #46.

Their last chart entry was "Jelly Jungle (Of Orange Marmalade)" and it reached #51. Their brand of music was as short lived as the group and not by coincidence!

Answer: I've Gotta Get A Message To You

The Bee Gees recorded this hit and they were gradually making their mark in the business. This would be their sixth top twenty hit and their biggest in the U.S. up to this point. They continued to have middling success until 1975 and the onset of the disco craze. By 1977, their career was in full flight when they charted six consecutive #1 hits. Then they were kings!

Answer: Love Is Blue

Paul Mauriat was the artist and the actual song title was "L'Amour Est Bleu". He was born in France in 1925, moved to Paris in 1935 and was leading an orchestra by 1942. His big break came in the early 1960's when he started arranging music and conducting the orchestra backing Charles Aznavour. He continues to record instrumentals and his albums are popular world wide but particularly in Japan.

Incidently, there were three releases of this song that were vocal versions but none had impressive chart success. Al Martino's reached #57, Claudine Longet, Andy Williams' wife at the time, recorded a version that hit #71 and someone named Manny Kellem had his only chart entry with his release at #96.