AM/FM Classic Rock: Name That Tune Quiz

Answer: Rubber Ball

Bobby Vee: 45 rpm single [1960]. From 1959 (at 15 years old) through 1990, Bobby Vee had 38 top 100 hits, 14 top 40 hits, 6 gold singles, and 2 gold albums. "Red Rubber Ball" [1966] (written by Paul Simon) was recorded by The Cyrcle, "Rubberband Man" [1976] was a hit for The Spinners, and "Plastic Fantastic Lover" [1967] was from the Jefferson Airplane's "Surrealistic Pillow" LP.

Answer: Memphis, Tennessee

Chuck Berry: 45 rpm single [1959] or Johnny Rivers: "At The Whiskey A Go Go" [1964]. Elvis may have been "King" but Chuck Berry was the father of rock and roll. Shel Silverstein's "Marie Laveau" was recorded by Bobby Bare in 1974, The Blasters released "Marie, Marie" in 1981, and "Sweet Marie" was recorded by the Steve Miller Band in 1974.

Answer: Boris The Spider

The Who: "Meaty Meaty Big And Bouncy" [1967], lead vocals by the late John Entwistle. "The Creeper" was on Molly Hatchets' 1978 debut album. Comedian/singer/songwriter Jim Stafford recorded "Spiders and Snakes" in 1973, and "Tubesnake Boogie" is from ZZ Top's 1981 album "El Loco".

Answer: Scarlet Begonias

Grateful Dead: "The Grateful Dead From The Mars Hotel" [1974]; in the cover art is mirrored upside-down lettering that reads "Ugly Rumours", an alternative name for the album. "Louisiana Lady" and "Portland Woman" are both from The New Riders of the Purple Sage's self-titled 1971 debut album and "Brass Buttons" [1973] was written and recorded by the late Gram Parsons and covered by Poco, Johnny Rivers, and The Lemonheads, among others.

Answer: Legend Of A Mind

Moody Blues: "In Search Of The Lost Chord" [1968]; "Timothy Leary's dead! Oh no no no he's outside looking in..." is the opening line of the song. "Long Distance Voyager" was the Moody Blues 1981 #1 charting album (containing the song of the same name). "Ride A White Swan" [1968] was a single hit for the late Mark Bolan & T-Rex.

Answer: Midwest Midnight

Michael Stanley Band: "Stage Pass" [1978]; a very under-rated band from Ohio. Michael Stanley had a cameo as a guitarist auditioning for Drew's band on the "Drew Carey Show" [Joe Walsh's stoner character "Ed" got the gig]. "Young Lust" is from Pink Floyd's "The Wall" [1979], "Midnight Rendezvous" [1980] was from John Waite and The Babys, and Foreigner's Lou Gramm had a top 5 hit in 1987 with "Midnight Blue."

Answer: Henry

New Riders of the Purple Sage: "New Riders Of The Purple Sage" [1971]; the musical saga of a one-man road trip to Mexico to prospect for Alcapulco gold. "Mexico" is from James Taylor's 1975 album "Gorilla". "Tijuana Taxi" [1965] was an instrumental hit for Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and "Mexican Blackbird" [1975] is from that little old band from Texas - ZZ Top.

Answer: From The Beginning

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer: "Trilogy" [1972]. Keith Emerson [keyboards], formerly of The Nice, Greg Lake [bass/guitar/lead vocals], formerly of King Crimson, and Carl Palmer [drums], formerly of Atomic Rooster, formed the super-group in 1970. Neil Diamond's "Love On The Rocks" [1980] was from "The Jazz Singer" soundtrack. "Go Now" was a hit single for the original Moody Blues with Denny Laine on lead vocals back in 1966. "Evil Woman" - Electric Light Orchestra [1975]; Doobie Brothers [1973]; Crow [1970]; Black Sabbath [1970] - I'm sure there are others!

Answer: Getting Tighter

Deep Purple: "Come Taste The Band" [1975]; an ill-advised sell-out attempt at funk-disco by one of the bands that helped invent heavy-metal. "Tighten Up" [1968] was a #1 hit on both the R&B and pop charts for Archie Bell and the Drells, "Up Tight" was a #1 hit in 1966 for "Little" Stevie Wonder, and "Tight Fit" [1986] is from Chaka Kahn.

Answer: Roundabout

Yes: "Fragile" [1972]; from the progressive-art-rock band's 3rd album - even the artwork and photography on the album covers had a progressive look. "Early Morning Rain" [1976] was a folk-hit for Peter, Paul, and Mary and a country/pop cross-over hit for songwriter Gordon Lightfoot.

The most popular incarnations of Tim Rose's [Bonnie Dobson's?] "Morning Dew" were recorded by Bonnie Dobson [1962], Deep Purple [1967], Blackfoot [1984], and the Grateful Dead [1974]. "Up Around The Bend" is from Creedence Clearwater Revival's 1970 album "Cosmo's Factory".

Answer: Twilight Zone

Golden Earring: "The Continuing Story Of Radar Love" [1982]; Golden Earring released their first album "Just Ear-rings" in 1965. "21st Century Schizoid Man" comes from King Crimson's "Court Of The Crimson King" [1969], "Secret Agent Man" was Johnny Rivers' 1966 hit single and the theme song for the TV show "Secret Agent". "Renegade" [1978] is one of Tommy Shaw's contributions to Styx'long list of hit songs.

Answer: Aqualung

Jethro Tull: "Aqualung" [1971]; Jethro Tull is the band name, not an individual member of the band. Just as people confuse the late Ronnie Van Zant and the band name Lynyrd Skynyrd as the same "person", Jethro Tull and frontman/vocalist/songwriter/flutist Ian Anderson are confused/identified by most fans as the one and same. "Volunteers" [1969] is from the Jefferson Airplane album of the same name. "The Grand Illusion" [1977] is the name of Styx' hit single and album. "Bound To Fall" is from the 1972 album Stephen Stills/Manassas.

Answer: Astronomy

Blue Oyster Cult: "Secret Treaties" [1974]; Steven King's favorite band, he has often used their lyrics as segues between chapters and admits to "Don't Fear The Reaper" being a source of inspiration for his novel "The Stand". Asteroids took a lot of my loose change while killing time in between sets as the lead vocalist for the NJ-based southern rock band Whiskey back in the mid-late 70's. Astrology is represented in almost every newspaper as the daily horoscope column. Astro was the Jetson's talking mutt.

Answer: Green River

Creedence Clearwater Revival: "Green River" [1969]; America's answer to the Beatles. From 1968 until their break-up in 1972, CCR was one of the most prolific hit-makers on the music scene. The music they produced has proven to be timeless with most songs as relevant now as they were when originally released. "Born On The Bayou" was released by CCR in 1969, as was "Cross-Tie Walker." John Fogerty's "Old Man Down The Road" appears on his 1985 solo album "Centerfield".

Answer: Beaucoup Yumbo

Stephen Stills: "Thoroughfare Gap" [1978]. A sultry steamy backwater cajun love song from the Louisiana-raised Stills. "South City Midnight Lady" and "Dark Eyed Cajun Woman" are from the Doobie Brothers' 1973 album "The Captain And Me". "Pensamiento" is from the Stills/Manassas 1973 release "Down The Road".

Answer: More Than Words

Extreme: "Pornografitti" [1990]; the acoustic power ballad to end all power ballads. Is it just me or can you hear the Everly Brothers in this tune? "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" [1962] is by the hit machine Neil Sedaka; Neil's still going strong at 63, giving a dynamite concert in the summer of 2002 at The Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove, NJ. "Crimson and Clover" [1969] was the last #1 hit for Tommy James and The Shondells. "Lover Boy" [1976] is from The Oulaws' "Lady In Waiting".

Answer: Shu Ba Ba Du Ma Ma Ma Ma

Steve Miller: "The Joker" [1973]; one of the best bass solos in rock! "When The Apple Blossoms Bloom..." is from ELP ["Works...Vol. 2" (1978)]. "It's The Real Thing..." is part of the lyric to the song "I'd Like To Buy The World A Coke" [sung by the New Seekers] used in the 1971 Coca Cola "Hilltop" ad campaign. "Crazy Love" - Allman Brothers [1979], Poco [1978].

Answer: The Doctor

The Doobie Brothers: "Cycles" [1989]; six years after Michael MacDonald broke up his version of the Doobie Brothers, this was the reunion album [minus MacDonald, thankfully]. "8th Avenue Shuffle" [1976] is from the Doobies' "Takin' It To The Streets" and "Pursuit On 53rd Street" is from the Doobie's "What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" [1974]. "Incident On 57th Street" is from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's 1973 "The Wild, The Innocent, And The E Street Shuffle".

Answer: Everybody's Talkin'

Nilsson: "Aerial Ballet" [1968]; also "Midnight Cowboy" soundtrack [1969]. And there's a real nice acoustic cover on "Stephen Stills - Live" [1975]. "Travelin' Light" [1965] is from "Introducing Herman's Hermits". "On The Road Again" [1980] is from Willie Nelson's "Honeysuckle Rose" soundtrack album. "Travelin' Man," from Lynyrd Skynyrd, appears on 1976's "One More From The Road" and as a from-beyond-the-grave duet between Ronnie and Johnny Van Zant, on 1997's "Twenty".

Answer: Music

John Miles: "Rebel" [1976]; produced by Alan Parsons, this song is rich with orchestration, great lyrics, and Mile's operatic-like voice. "Let There Be Music" is from Orleans' 1973 album "Orleans II" and re-released on "Let There Be Music" [1975]. "Music, Music, Music" was a 1950 hit single for Teresa Brewer. "My Song" is from the Atlanta Rhythm Section's 1979 album "Underdog".

Answer: Cry Tough

Nils Lofgren: "Cry Tough" [1976]; Nils has led his own band [Grin], enjoyed a prolific solo singing/performing/recording career, penned some really great tunes, and has been a sideman for both Neil Young [Crazy Horse - guitar and piano] and Bruce Springsteen [E Street Band]. "I Came To Dance" was Lofgren's 1977 FM hit and album of the same name. "Dr. Feelgood" - Motley Crue [1989] from the album of the same name. "Doctor Doctor" [1979] is from the under-rated Michael Schenker - Phil Mogg band UFO.

Answer: Shine

Collective Soul: "Hints, Allegations, And Things Left Unsaid" [1993]; now for something completely different - a band with a 3 guitar line-up hailing from Georgia but they're not considered to be a southern-rock act. "Shinin' On" [1974] is from Grand Funk Railroad's album of the same name. Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" [Parts 1 & 2(Parts 1 thru 9)] is 26:06 minutes of the album "Wish You Were Here" [1975]. "Open Up Your Heart and Let The Sun Shine In" [1965] was performed by those pre-hysterical babies Pebbles and Bamm Bamm on an episode of "The Flintstones".

Answer: It's A Great Day To Be Alive

Travis Tritt: "Down The Road I Go" [2000]; not classic rock, more of a new country-rocker. This guy is considered country by most people, I look at him as a southern-rocker. Listen to his covers of ARS's "Homesick," Springsteen's "Tougher Than The Rest," or Skynyrd's "Don't Ask Me No Questions" and you'll see what I mean. "Lazy Days And Sundays" [1971] was from The Carpenters' self-titled album. "Diary Of A Working Man" is from Blackfoot's 1981 album "Marauder". "Still Alive And Well" is from Johnny Winter's album of the same name.

Answer: Get Over It

The Eagles: "Hell Freezes Over" [1994]; one of Don Henley's new tunes on the reunion tour album. "Lawyers, Guns, and Money" is from Warren Zevon's 1978 album "Excitable Boy". Don Henley had a hit single and video with "All She Wants To Do Is Dance" [from the hit album "Building The Perfect Beast" (1984)]. "Lawyers In Love" [1983] is from Jackson Browne's album of the same name.

Answer: God Gave Rock And Roll To You

Argent: "In Deep" [1972]; the 1,000,000th [that's million] song to be played on NY's classic radio station WNEW-FM [102.7] circa mid-late 1980's (if anyone knows the exact date, please submit and receive great appreciation). Two great songs that explain why "we" strive to become rock stars: John Mellencamp's "Play Guitar," from the album "Uh-Huh" [1983] and "[So You Want To Be A] Rock And Roll Star," from The Byrds' 1967 album "Younger Than Yesterday". "Guitar Man" is the 1972 hit single, and album of the same name, by David Gates and Bread.