Artists With Vocal and Instrumental Hits Quiz

Answer: Outa-Space

"Outa-Space" reached Number Two on the Billboard charts and earned Preston a 1972 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance of 1972. Billy's label didn't share his enthusiasm about the song but agreed to release it as the flip-side to the single release of "I Wrote a Simple Song". "Outa-Space" started getting more airplay and made the Top Ten while "I Wrote a Simple Song" topped out at Number 77.
Billy used a Wah-Wah pedal and a Clavinet to produce the eerie sounding tune which inspired the name.

"Struttin'" was a 1974 Number 22 release by Preston. "Wide Stride" was a 1977 R and B release and "Night Beat" was a 1963 Sam Cooke album that featured Billy as a teenager playing organ.

Answer: Surfer Joe

"Surfer Joe" was recorded at the same session as "Wipe Out" and was intended to be the A-side release. The unique intro and driving drum beat of "Wipe Out" made the song an instant hit and "Surfer Joe" was later released as a single. The group recorded six albums before breaking up in 1966. They occasionally reunited for various venues.

"Surf City" was by Jan and Dean, "Surfin' Safari" was an early Beach Boys hit and "Surfin' Bird" was by the Trashmen.

Answer: This Guy's in Love with You

Herb Alpert sang "This Guy's in Love with You" on a TV special in 1968. When the song generated significant viewer inquiry he released it as a single and it topped the charts for four weeks. When "Rise" topped the charts in 1979 Alpert became the first artist to have a Number one Instrumental and Vocal hit on the US Billboard charts.

"Take Time to Know Her" was a Number 11 release by Percy Sledge. "This Girl is a Woman Now" was a 1969 Top Ten by Gary Puckett and The Union Gap and "Think I'll Go Somewhere and Cry Myself to Sleep" was a 1966 Al Martino Top Forty song.

Answer: Popcorn

"Popcorn" was a 1969 hit that reached Number 30 on the US Billboard charts. "Mother Popcorn (You Got To Have A Mother For Me), Pt. 1" and "Let A Man Come In and Do the Popcorn, Pt. 1" were 1969 singles by James Brown that capitalized on "The Popcorn".

"Sudsy" was an instrumental featuring solos by several of the musicians. "Popcorn With A Feeling" was a James Brown instrumental featuring a flute as the main instrument and and "Soul Pride" was a classic James Brown instrumental release.

Answer: Flying

"Flying" was the instrumental tune included on the 1967 "Magical Mystery Tour" album that featured chanting by all four Beatles at the end but did not contain any lyrics. The song was originally titled "Aerial Tour Instrumental" and was over nine minutes long when it was recorded. "Flying" included lengthy meaningless vocalization loops at the end but they were cut after 2:17.

The ending also originally featured an up-tempo New Orleans style tag that was also deleted at final editing.

Answer: Let's Go Away for Awhile

"Let's Go Away for Awhile" was called "The Old Man and the Baby" when it was first composed. The name was changed before inclusion on the 1966 "Pet Sounds" album. Brian Wilson wrote the musical piece and included a string section as well as a guitar being played with a Coca-Cola bottle for a steel guitar effect.

"It's A Beautiful Day", "Marcella and "Lady Lynda" are all cuts from the Beach Boy's 1981 Caribou Records album, "Ten Years of Harmony".

Answer: Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah

The Dave Clark Five did a vocal version of "Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah" on their premier UK album, "A Session with The Dave Clark Five". The album also contained their hit, "Can't You See That She's Mine" along with a cover version of Link Wray's instrumental, "Rumble".

"Chaquita" was an instrumental that was the first single release by the band in the UK. The song was later the flip side of a single in the UK titled "The Mulberry Bush" and appeared on their "Glad All Over" album. "When I'm Alone" was an instrumental cut from their 1965 "Having A Wild Weekend" album.

Answer: Ray Charles

Atlantic Records' staff songwriter Rudy Toombs composed "One Mint Julep" and in 1952 The Clovers had a hit with the song for the label. In 1961 Ray Charles took his rendition of the song to the Top Ten on the Billboard charts. The tune has been covered by over a dozen artists since Ray Charles recorded it.

Brook Benton took "The Boll Weevil Song" to Number Two in 1961. Chubby Checker was known for his sixties dance craze hits such as "The Twist", The Fly" and "Pony Time". "(I Don't Know Why) But I Do" was a Top Ten in 1961 by Clarence "Frogman" Henry.

Answer: Jessica

The 1973 "Brothers and Sisters" album featured Dickey Betts and Les Dudek playing guitar on the instrumental, "Jessica". The song was named for Dickey Betts' and Sandy Bluesky's daughter, Jessica Betts. The album also contained the Allman Brothers hit, "Ramblin' Man". "Jessica" was the first song that Lamar Williams played bass on following Berry Oakley's motorcycle accident. Gregg Allman was featured on the organ and Chuck Leavell played piano.

"Melissa" was a 1972 vocal from the band's "Eat A Peach" album. "Angeline" was from their 1980 "Reach for the Sky" album. "Every Hungry Woman" was on their 1969 "The Allman Brothers Band" LP.

Answer: Root Beer Rag

Billy's third album contained "Root Beer Rag". The album followed the success of "Piano Man" but the only significant hit from the LP was "The Entertainer", reaching Number 34. "Root Beer Rag" was selected to be the flip side of "Honesty", from his "52nd Street" album.

"Nashville Skyline Rag" was done by Bob Dylan on his 1969 "Nashville Skyline" album. "Dress Rehearsal Rag" was done by Leonard Cohen. "Slat Key Soquel Rag" was recorded by The Doobie Brothers on their "Stampede" album in 1975.