BRI's Top Ten Hits for 1969 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Crimson and Clover

School boy Tommy James put together a group called the Shondelles when he was only 12 years old. The boys made a vanity recording of the song "Hanky Panky" while in high school, and shortly thereafter split up. Now this is where the story gets really interesting. A DJ from Pittsburgh somehow got hold of the record and started playing it, attracting the attention of a recording house who acquired the rights, and before long it was a number one hit.
Tommy James quickly formed a second band, calling this one Tommy James and the Shondelles. "Crimson and Clover" was their second number one hit.

Answer: Build Me Up Buttercup

Written by Tony Macaulay and Mike d'Abo, "Build Me Up Buttercup" was a number three hit for The Foundations. Their only number one hit was a song called "Baby, Now That I've Found You I Can't Let You Go", which has a lyric that I've always found disturbing because of the implicit possessiveness. "Build Me Up Buttercup" had a bit of a revival when it was used in the soundtrack of the movie "There's Something About Mary" which, ironically, makes light of the stalking of women.

Answer: Get Back

Featuring Billy Preston on keyboards, "Get Back" was a number one hit for the Beatles in many different countries. It was recorded during the making of "Let It Be", a film that was supposed to be a documentary of the Beatles making an album, but turned out to be a the recorded history of the break-up of the band.

Answer: Hot Fun in the Summer Time

Sly and the Family Stone were something brand new on the music scene. They were a large group that was mixed both in gender and in race, and their music, for the most part, was an absolute joy to listen to. Some even credit the group with inventing the music we now know as funk.

This song followed their number one hit "Dance to the Music", and reached number two on the charts. Apparently this song was intended as a comment about the racial unrest that was prevalent that summer.

Answer: Dizzy

"Dizzy" was the second number one hit for Tommy Roe, who is often referred to as the father of Bubblegum Music. "Dizzy" was written by Roe and Weller, and stayed at number one for four weeks. Roe's first number one hit was "Sheila".

Answer: Everyday People

"Everyday People", released earlier in the year than "Hot Fun in the Summertime", was a number one hit for Sly and the Family Stone. Both songs were written by Sylvester Stewart, which is Sly's real name.

Answer: Honky Tonk Women

Written by Jagger and Richards, "Honky Tonk Women" was first performed at a free concert played in Hyde Park in London. Although scheduled before the death of Brian Jones, it soon became a tribute to him, because it occurred shortly after his death.
Did you know that The Stones named themselves after a Muddy Waters song that was entitled "Rollin' Stone Blues"?

Answer: I Can't Get Next to You

The Temptations were formed by the merging of the groups The Primes, and Otis Williams and the Distants. They signed with Motown in 1961. This Whitfield/Strong song hit number one in both the Pop and the R&B charts. It is particularly pleasing to listen to because each line is sung by a different member of the group.

Answer: Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In

This song, from the musical stage show, "Hair", was the first and biggest number one hit for The Fifth Dimension, topping the charts for 6 weeks.
Both female members of the group were winners of The Miss Bronze Talent Show, and were coaxed into joining by member LaMonte McLemore, who had a job photographing contestants for the pageant.

Answer: Sugar, Sugar

Yes, I am embarassed to say that this song by The Archies reigned supreme in 1969. Don Kirshner (creator of the Monkees) made up this bubblegum group, based on the comic books and television cartoon of the same name. Written by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim, with vocals by Ron Dante, Andy Kim and Toni Wine, "Sugar, Sugar" was number one in the UK for over 2 months!