1980s Pop Music Potpourri Trivia Quiz

Answer: Matthew Wilder

Matthew Wilder hit the U.S. singles charts in 1983-84 with the song "Break My Stride." In the USA, this upbeat tune climbed to the number five spot on the Billboard charts. Wilder, born in Manhattan, sang these words from the song's chorus:

"Ain't nothing gonna break my stride
Nobody gonna slow me down, oh no
I got to keep on moving..."

Rockwell was born in Detroit; Chris Isaak and Steve Perry were born in California.

Answer: Man in Motion

British singer John Parr reached the top of the U.S. Billboard charts in 1985 with the song "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)." This tune was supposedly written to celebrate the accomplishments of Canadian wheelchair athlete Rick Hansen, who was conducting a world-wide tour called "The Man in Motion" in order to raise awareness of spinal cord injuries. Parr sang these words:

"Gonna be your man in motion
All I need is a pair of wheels
Take where my future's lyin'
St. Elmo's Fire..."

Answer: Dance

The group DeBarge had success in 1985 with the song "Rhythm of the Night." The DeBarge family hailed from Michigan and was led by the vocals of Eldra ("El") DeBarge. The group sang, "To the beat of the rhythm of the night / Dance until the morning light..." This upbeat song climbed to the number three spot in the U.S. Billboard singles charts.

Answer: Footloose

"Let's Hear It for the Boy" appeared in the 1984 hit movie "Footloose." Deniece Williams, from Indiana, took this song to the top of the U.S. Billboard charts. In "Footloose" this tune was playing as Kevin Bacon's character was attempting to teach Chrisopher Penn's character how to dance.

Answer: Brian Setzer

The band Stray Cats rose to international stardom in the early 1980s with such tunes as "Stray Cat Strut" and "Rock This Town". The front man for this group was the dynamic guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer. Setzer was born in Massapequa, Long Island, and was greatly influenced by the rockabilly music of the 1950s. Lee Rocker played bass for Stray Cats, and Slim Jim Phantom was the band's drummer.

Answer: Hungry

"Hungry Like the Wolf" was a successful song for British heartthrobs Duran Duran in the early 1980s. In the USA, both the single (#3 on the 1983 Billboard charts) and the accompanying video were extremely popular. Simon LeBon and his mates sang these lyrics:

"In touch with the ground
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you
Smell like I sound, I'm lost in the crowd
And I'm hungry like the wolf..."

Answer: She's Like the Wind

Patrick Swayze had considerable success in 1987, both with the single "She's Like the Wind" and for his work in the movie "Dirty Dancing." The song "She's Like the Wind" reached the number three position on the U.S. Billboard charts. Swayze co-wrote this song with Stacy Widelitz.

Answer: The drums

Jimmy Marinos was the lead vocalist and the drummer on the classic song "What I Like About You." Marinos and his band The Romantics hailed from Michigan. "What I Like About You" was recorded in 1979, but it gained in popularity during the early 1980s. It featured "dirty guitar" sounds and Marinos' garage-band style vocals. The song opened with these lyrics:

"What I like about you
You hold me tight
Tell me I'm the only one
Going to come over tonight..."

Answer: Grover Washington, Jr.

Legendary saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr. and blues/soul singer Bill Withers joined forces in 1981 to record the song "Just the Two of Us." Washington, Jr. became famous for his "smooth jazz" style of music. "Just the Two of Us" rose to the number two position on the U.S. Billboard singles charts in 1981 and was included on the "Winelight" album. Withers sang these lyrics from the song's chorus:

"Just the two of us
We can make it if we try...
Just the two of us
Building castles in the sky
Just two of us, you and I..."

Answer: Permanent Waves

The band Rush was formed in Toronto. In 1980, this group hit the radio air waves with "The Spirit of Radio." This song appeared on the group's popular "Permanent Waves" album, which also featured the song "Freewill." As usual, Geddy Lee lent his distinctive vocal style to "The Spirit of Radio." The album "A Farewell to Kings" appeared in 1977; "Hemispheres" was released in 1978; and "Moving Pictures" appeared in 1981.