60's Cover Songs Trivia Quiz

Answer: Chuck Willis

Chuck Willis did it back in '57 and made it as high as number 12 on Billboard Top 100. Little Richard never did a version but Cher did one titled "See See Blues", it was the B side to "Where do You Go?". I played Cher's song to my friends, and everyone thought it was a guy singing.
The Animals hit it big with "See See Rider" reaching number ten on Billboard Top 40 in '66.

Answer: The Leaves

There are three distinct versions of "Hey Joe" by The Leaves. Mira 207 and Mira 222. Mira 207 version is acoustic but yet very manic in style. Mira 222 is the fuzzed out version with some wild electric guitar licks. I own these two versions. The other version is unclear to me but I've heard thru sources there are three versions.
Which is the better version between Jimi Hendrix, Love and The Leaves is in the ear of the listener. I'll leave it up to you to decide.

Answer: The Monkees

It's true that Neil Diamond wrote it, but he did not record it 'til after The Monkees released it.
The Pineapple Heard is a real group and did a version of "Valleri" on Diamond records.

Answer: Peter and Gordon

Even though Del Shannon wrote it and recorded it first in August of '64, he was not satisfied with the vocals and did not release it. It was not until after Peter and Gordon's version came out in Dec.'64 that Del Shannon decided to record another version in March '65 which was released on his album on the Amy label. Legend has it that Peter and Gordon overheard Del Shannon offering "I Go to Pieces" to the Searchers on a concert tour.

When The Searchers were cool to the idea of recording it, Peter and Gordon jumped at the chance. Peter and Gordon had a Top 10 hit with "I Go to Pieces" in 1965 on Billboard Top 100, however it was not a hit in the U.K.

Answer: Paul Revere and the Raiders

Before Boyce and Hart joined The Monkees writing team , they wrote a couple of songs for Paul Revere and the Raiders. One of these was an album cut on the "Midnight Ride" LP "(I'm not your) Steppin' Stone" in '66. It was released approximately six months before The Monkees version.

Answer: The Guess Who?

This should be an easy one to get it's The Guess Who, of course. But not so fast, I ran into an American collector who prided himself on cover songs. He answered Junior Walker did it first. He used the analogy that they were a black group from the States and The Guess Who were a Canadian group. It did not occur to him that a black group from the States could possibly cover a white group from Canada. But I quickly set him straight on that account.
This was Burton Cummings break out song which put The Guess Who? on the map in the U.S. charting at number six. In Canada, they were already well known.
Oh yeah I almost forgot, Jr. Walker and the All Stars had a hit with it almost a year later in Nov.'69 reaching number 16 on Billboard Top 40.

Answer: Original Caste

Original Caste were a Canadian group from Calgary, Alberta. "One Tin Soldier" was issued before the movie "Billy Jack" came out. It was a hit in both the U.S. and Canada reaching number 34 and number six respectively in early '70. When "Billy Jack" the movie came out, it was the Coven version in '71 that was used. It charted at number 26 on Billboard Top 40.

Answer: Johnny Kidd and the Pirates

Johnny Kidd & the Pirates were from jolly old England and released it in 1962. Chad Allan who's from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada heard it on his local radio station and decided to record it in late '64 as the B side to "Till We Kissed". When that song failed to generate much in the way of sales, they decided to plug the B side and used the gimmick of Guess Who? the group is.

The Quality label was hoping that the radio audience would think it was a British group, thus generating more sales. And as you know it worked becoming a hit in both the U.S. and Canada, but with a difference.

The group reverted back to its' original name in Canada as Chad Allan and the Expressions on "Shakin' All Over", whereas in the U.S. it was still the Guess Who? on the Scepter label throughout its' charted run. Which in my estimation would make this the only single to ever chart in the Top 40 in both Canada and U.S., using two different names for the same group.

Answer: The Four Seasons

It was the B side to the Four Seasons' "Rag Doll" in '64. The Tremeloes released "Silence is Golden" in '67 barely missing the Billboard Top Ten reaching number 11.
Legend has it that The Hollies were interested in recording the song after hearing how enthusiastic the crowd was in the Tremeloes live performance of the song. But the Tremeloes after hearing the fans response, had already recorded the song for release. The Hollies therefore gracefully bowed out.

Answer: Erma Franklin

Erma Franklin is the older sister of Aretha Franklin. Although she never had the success of her younger sibling, she was still very talented in her own right.
She never made the Top 40 but did make it to number 62 with this song in '67 on Billboard Top 100.
Janis Joplin followed suit in '68 and had a hit with it reaching number 12 under the Big Brother & the Holding Co. name.