1969 - Get Together Trivia Quiz

Answer: Get Back

A #1 song for The Beatles all over the world, the song's style was to be reflected throughout an album also to be entitled "Get Back". Essentially, they were "getting back" to their roots. Instead, the group started splintering and ultimately, all the tracks that they recorded in a simple and straightforward manner were altered drastically by Phil Spector who was brought in to complete production of the album. Utilizing his "wall of sound" technique with lush strings and full orchestration, even the album's title was changed to "Let It Be".

It was long rumored that McCartney so despised the album that he intended to re-master the original tracks, eliminate Spector's work and re-release the album as it was meant to be. It took over thirty years but it got done! "Let It Be... Naked" was, in fact, released in late 2002.

Incidentally, this was the song The Beatles were playing at the infamous "concert" atop the roof of Apple Records when the police arrived and shut them down.

Answer: Oh Happy Day

"Oh Happy Day" was originally written in 1755, revised in 1855 and continues to be published in Baptist song books. Edwin Hawkins formed the Northern California State Youth Choir in Oakland in 1967 and they recorded an album of Gospel songs in 1968 as a fund raiser for the choir.

A local DJ started playing the album and this song in particular. As it became a regional success, Buddah Records changed the name of the group and released the song to the international market. It soared to #4 on the Billboard charts and #2 in the U.K.

Their success was short lived - they backed up Melanie on her hit "Lay Down (Candles In The Wind)" in 1970 and would have no other commercial successes thereafter. However, this song won a Grammy for Best Soul Gospel Performance and apparently was the inspiration for George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord", another big hit in 1970. To my knowledge, the group itself is no longer active under any name.

Answer: Get Together

This was another "peace and love" song that was a trademark of the era. The Youngbloods were a quartet formed in Boston in 1965 by Jesse Colin Young. The lyrics were written by Dino Valenti, a member of Quicksilver Messenger Service. The Youngbloods released the song in 1967 without success.

In 1969, The National Conference of Christians and Jews distributed it to radio and TV stations to support "Brotherhood Week." With this exposure, the song was re-released and it became The Youngbloods' sole chart success.

They disbanded in 1972 when Young left the group to pursue what would only be a moderately successful solo career.

Answer: Crimson And Clover

This was the second and final #1 hit for Tommy James and The Shondells, the other being "Hanky Panky" in 1966. All of the group's hits prior to this one were primarily written by their producer Bo Gentry. Unhappy about his share of the profits, Gentry decided he wasn't going to write any more songs for Roulette Records, the Shondell's label. One night, James went to the studio with drummer Pete Lucia and together, crafted this hit. James wrote the song, produced it and played all the instruments except for the drums at the recording session. "Crimson And Clover" was covered by Joan Jett in 1982 and charted at #7 with her version.

Answer: You've Made Me So Very Happy

Blood, Sweat and Tears was formed as a "jazz-rock" fusion band in 1967. Their first album release received a Grammy nomination and was a positive portend for the future. Al Kooper, the nominal leader of the group, left during the planning stages of their second album and was replaced by David Clayton Thomas.

The added dimension of his strong blues-based vocals vaulted them into the elite recording groups of the day. Their first three releases, "You've Made Me So Very Happy", "Spinning Wheel" and "And When I Die" were all million sellers and, coincidently all peaked at #2 on the charts. "You've Made Me So Very Happy" was written by Berry Gordy Jr., Brenda Holloway, Patrice Holloway and Frank Wilson of Motown fame and was originally a #39 hit for Holloway on the Tamla label in 1967.

Answer: Honky Tonk Women

"Honky Tonk Women" was #1 in the U.S. for four weeks and for five weeks in the U.K. and Australia. Clearly, the song is about women of dubious moral standards and the provocative lyrics were just this side of the edge to permit commercial radio play. Mick Taylor replaced Brian Jones on this recording, the latter's drug use proving to be too much for the band to handle.

He was formally and permanently dismissed from the group immediately after the recording session and ironically, was found dead on July 3, 1969, the same day this single was released.

Answer: Build Me Up Buttercup

The Foundations were a U.K. band of mixed heritage - four of the members were from the West Indies, one was from Ceylon and the other three were native Londoners. The song was written by Tony Macauley, the staff writer for Pye Records, and Mike D'Abo, a former lead singer for Manfred Mann.

They did have an earlier hit with "Baby, Now That I've Found You" which was #1 in the U.K. and #11 in the U.S. in late 1967, early 1968. Their popularity in both markets quickly waned and the group dissolved in 1970.

As of 2004, the original lead singer, Clem Curtis, has been leading a New Foundations group that tours the club circuit in the U.K.

Answer: Jean

"Jean" was written by the prolific Rod McKuen and was featured in the movie "The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie" starring Maggie Smith in an Oscar winning performance. Oliver was born William Oliver Swofford in N. Carolina and turned to music as a career after starring as a quarterback for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

He had an earlier hit, the #3 "Good Morning Starshine" from the musical "Hair", but that would be the extent of his successes. He did some bit work on Broadway but by the 1980s, he left show business altogether.

He passed away of cancer in 2000 at the age of 54.

Answer: Sue

Johnny Cash recorded this song live at San Quentin prison and it would prove to be his biggest hit ever on the pop charts, #2 for three weeks and a million selling Gold Record. It was written by Shel Silverstein who also wrote "Sylvia's Mother" and "Cover Of The Rolling Stone" for Dr. Hook as well as a multitude of children's stories.

Answer: In The Ghetto

Mac Davis wrote this song with Elvis in mind as the artist. Although Presley realized its hit potential, he was initially reluctant to record it because of the depressing nature of the content and it was, in fact, the first "message" song he ever released as a single. It was a #3 hit and Presley's first top ten hit since "Crying In The Chapel" four years earlier.

Answer: The Boxer

"The Boxer", by Simon and Garfunkel, was a #7 Billboard hit. It is said that the lyrics allude to the personal hurt Simon was feeling from critics who were panning his songs. It was the first single released from their "Bridge Over Troubled Water" album although the album itself would not be released for several more months.

Answer: Proud Mary

Creedence Clearwater Revival holds the dubious distinction of having the most #2 hits for a band that never had a #1 hit - five - and "Proud Mary" was the first of those #2s. The group was formed in 1959 under the name The Blue Velvets and was led by Tom Fogerty.

In 1964, the "British Invasion" was well underway and Fantasy Records changed the band's name to The Golliwogs feeling that it sounded more British. Throughout this period, the band made records but none were ever successful. Finally, by 1967, Tom's brother John had assumed a dominant role, they became Creedence Clearwater Revival and would have their first chart success a year later with a quasi-psychedelic reading of Dale Hawkins' rockabilly classic "Suzie Q".

They were on their way!

Answer: Everyday People

This was an anthem of tolerance and Sly and The Family Stone walked the walk. They were comprised of blacks and whites, males and females and many of their songs were subtle protests of what they felt was wrong with America at the time. They were enormously popular for a few years not only because of their music but also for their dynamic and energetic stage performances.

However, Sly slid into cocaine addiction, became moody and lethargic and by 1972, the band broke up. The band has subsequently reunited for brief periods over the years but always without Sly who continued to fight his addictions and poor health.

Answer: Take A Letter Maria

R.B. Greaves recorded this hit and he was saved from being a one hit wonder when his follow-up release, "Always Something There To Remind Me", charted at #27 in 1970. A nephew to Sam Cooke and part native Indian, he was born in Georgetown, British Guyana at the USAF Base there but grew up on a Seminole Reservation in California before emigrating to Great Britain in the early 1960s.

It seems that he has now faded into obscurity - a Google search of his present activities came up empty.

Answer: Time Of The Season

Formed in 1961 by five classmates at St. Albans school in England, The Zombies developed a local following playing at clubs and dances mainly as a personal amusement. They were about to disband in 1964 to attend university when they won a recording contract in a "battle of the bands" type of contest. Turning professional, their first recordings did astonishingly well on both sides of the Atlantic. "She's Not There" was #2 in the U.S., #12 in the U.K. in 1964.

Their follow-up, "Tell Her No", was #6 in the U.S. in 1965. By 1967, the group finally did disband partly due to mismanagement by their record label and the desire of some members of the group to resume their educational pursuits.

They did record one more album first and this song was among the tracks. Strangely, it wasn't released as a single until late 1968 and became a hit in 1969. Now regarded in retrospect as a seminal "progressive" rock band, they reunited for a "one-off" performance in 1997.