Are You Reggae For It Again? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Rivers of Babylon

"Rivers Of Babylon" was written by Brent Dowe/Trevor McNaughton. It was a number one hit in Jamaica in 1970 for The Melodians. It did not chart on the UK singles chart or the Billboard Hot 100.

The Melodians were Tony Brevett, Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton. They were formed in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1963. "The Rivers Of Babylon" was initially banned because of its Rastafarian references. These references were considered by the Jamaican government to be subversive and inflammatory. The ban was lifted after the producer of the record, Leslie Kong, attacked the government for banning a song which contained words taken from the Bible. The Melodians had one minor hit on the UK singles chart when "Sweet Sensation" peaked at number 41 in 1970.

Boney M were formed in Germany by record producer Frank Farian in 1976. After some quick personnel changes the final line up became Marcia Barrett and Liz Mitchell born in Jamaica, Maizie Williams born in Montserrat and Bobby Farrell born in Aruba. They had nine Top Ten hits on the UK singles chart between 1976 and 1979 which included the number one hits "Rivers Of Babylon/Brown Girl In The Ring", 1978 and "Mary's Boy Child - Oh My Lord", 1978. They had eight number one hits in Germany between 1976 and 1979.

Answer: Help Me Make It Through The Night

"Help Me Make It Through The Night" was written by Kris Kristofferson. It was a number six hit on the UK singles chart for John Holt in 1974. It did not chart in the US.

John Holt was born Winston Holt in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1947. He died of colon cancer in London, England, in 2014 aged 67. After winning more than 20 talent contests from the age of 12 in Jamaica he recorded his first single, "Forever I'll Stay" in 1963. He joined a group named The Binders, later to become The Paragons, who recorded the original "The Tide Is High" written by Holt. It was later a number one hit on the UK singles chart in 1980 and number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981 for Blondie. It was again a number one hit on the UK singles chart in 2002 for Atomic Kitten.

Singer/songwriter/musician/actor Kris Kristofferson wrote "Help Me Make It Through The Night" while staying at the home of singer Dottie West in Nashville. He is said to have been inspired to write the song after reading an interview with Frank Sinatra in Esquire magazine. Sinatra was asked what he believed in and replied, "Booze, broads or a bible...whatever helps me make it through the night". Kristofferson included the song on his 1970 album "Kristofferson".

Answer: Midnight Rider

"Midnight Rider" was written by Gregg Allman/Robert K. Payne. It peaked at number ten on the UK singles chart for Paul Davidson in 1975. It did not chart in the US.

"Midnight Rider" was the only hit that songwriter/engineer/producer/harmonica player Paul Davidson had on the UK singles chart. It was produced by Pluto Shervington.

"Midnight Rider" first appeared on The Allman Brothers album "Idlewild South". The album peaked at number 38 on The Billboard Album chart in 1970. It did not chart in the UK.

It was a number 27 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for Joe Cocker and The Chris Stainton Band in 1972. It did not chart in the UK.

Gregg Allman had a number 19 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974 with a different version than the one on The Allman Brothers' 1970 album "Idlewild South". It did not chart in the UK.

Willie Nelson had a number six hit with the song on the Billboard Hot Country Hits chart in 1980. It did not chart in the UK.

Answer: Dat

"Dat" was written by Leighton Shervington. It peaked at number six on the UK singles chart for Pluto Shervington in 1976. It did not chart in the US.

Pluto Shervington was born Leighton Shervington in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1950. In the early '70s engineer/musician/producer/singer Shervington was a member of the showband Tomorrow's Children. After "Dat" he had a minor hit on the UK singles chart in 1976 with the re-released "Ram Goat Liver" which peaked at number 43. In the '80s he moved to Miami, Florida, U.S.A. and in 1982 reached number 19 on the UK singles chart with "Your Honour".

The nickname Pluto was given to him at high school in 1962. They were studying Latin and it was another name for the god of the underworld.

Answer: Egyptian Reggae

"Egyptian Reggae" was written by Jonathan Richman. It peaked at number five on the UK singles chart for Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers in 1977. It did not chart in the US.

Jonathan Richman was born Jonathan Michael Richman in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, in 1951. He moved to New York in 1969 and lived on the couch of Steve Sesnick who was the manager of The Velvet Underground. Failing to get a break as a musician he returned to Boston and formed The Modern Lovers as a proto-punk garage rock band.

The group had two other hits on the UK singles chart, "Roadrunner" which peaked at number 11 in 1977 and "Morning Of Our Lives" which peaked at number 29 in 1978. They had no hits in their homeland on the Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: The Circle Line

"Reggae For It Now" was written by Bill Lovelady. It was a number 12 hit on the UK singles chart for Bill Lovelady in 1979. It did not chart in the US.

In 1984 Bill Lovelady was in a group named Oasis, along with Mitch Dalton, Mary Hopkin, Peter Skellern and Julian Lloyd Webber. They released the album "Oasis" the same year which peaked at number 23 on the UK album chart.

A tour was planned for later in the year with Audrey Riley replacing Julian Lloyd Webber. Unfortunately Mary Hopkin became ill, the tour was cancelled and the group disbanded shortly after.

Answer: Someone who is easy going without any cares

"OK Fred" was written by John Holt. It was a number 11 hit on the UK singles chart for Errol Dunkley in 1979. It did not chart in the US.

Errol Dunkley was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1951. He made his first record "Gypsy", a duet with Roy Shirley, aged 14 in 1965. In the early '70s he formed the African Museum record label with Gregory Isaacs. When Isaacs took sole control of the record label Dunkley formed a new label, Silver Ring. He had one other minor hit on the UK singles chart when "Sit Down And Cry" peaked at number 52 in 1980.

Jamaican singer/songwriter John Holt released "OK Fred" in 1971 but it failed to chart in the UK and US.

Answer: Buffalo Soldier

"Buffalo Soldier" was a number four hit for Bob Marley and The Wailers on the UK singles chart in 1983. It did not chart in the US.

Bob Marley was born Nesta Robert Marley in St. Ann Parish, Jamaica, in 1945. He died of metastatic melanoma in Miami, U.S.A. in 1981 aged 36. In 1966 after some personnel changes and name changes from The Teenagers, The Wailing Rude Boys and The Wailing Wailers, The Wailers became the trio of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer.

The Wailers' first album for Island records, "Catch A Fire", was released in 1973 thanks to record producer and founder of Island Records, Chris Blackwell. He is credited as being the person most responsible for turning the world on to reggae music. Their next album also in 1973, "Burnin'" contained the song "I Shot The Sheriff". Not a hit for Bob Marley and The Wailers but a US number one hit for Eric Clapton.

Answer: Sunshine

"Sunshine Reggae" was written by John Guldberg/Tim Stahl. It was number one in Denmark for Laid Back in 1982. It did not chart on the UK singles chart or the Billboard Hot 100.

Laid Back are John Guldberg and Tim Stahl. They formed the duo in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1979. They had earlier played together in a group called The Starbox Band in the '70s. That group disbanded after a show supporting The Kinks, which was poorly received.

They had a number 26 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with "White Horse" in 1984 and a number 44 hit on the UK singles chart with "Bakerman" in 1990.

Answer: Magic!

"Rude" was written by Nasri Atweh/Adam Messinger/Mark Pellizzer/Ben Spivak/Alex Tanas. It was a number six hit on the Canadian Hot 100, a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and a number one hit on the UK singles chart in 2014.

Magic! is a Canadian reggae fusion band. They are songwriter and record producer Nasri Atweh, Mark Pellizzer, Ben Spivak and Alex Tanas, all from the Toronto area. In the Canadian Juno Awards for 2015, they won the award for Breakthrough Group of the Year and the award for Single of the Year for "Rude".

Only one of their next three singles, "Let Your Hair Down", made it to the Canadian Top 20. None of the three entered the Billboard Hot 100 or the UK singles chart.