BRI's Top Ten Hits of 1975 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Thank God I'm a Country Boy

Written by John Sommers and performed by John Denver, "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" not only hit the coveted number one spot, but also spent an impressive 22 weeks on the top 40 charts. Denver was named Country Music Entertainer of the Year for 1975, largely because of the success of this song.

Answer: Laughter in the Rain

Neil Sedaka had a long and successful career in music, both as a writer and a performer. When the British Invasion arrived in the early sixties, Sedaka found himself being squeezed out, as the market for his type of music dwindled. "Laughter in the Rain", which he co-wrote with P. Cody, was his highly successful come back hit.

Answer: One of These Nights

In 1971, Glen Frey, Don Henley and Randy Meisner, who were all playing in Linda Ronstadt's band, decided that they wanted to form their own band. They hooked up with Bernie Leadon, and group we called The Eagles was born. (Joe Walsh later replaced Leadon.) "One of These Nights", co-written by Frey and Henley, was their second #1 hit.

Answer: Fame

Born David Robert Jones, Bowie was encouraged to change his name to avoid being confused with Davy Jones from the Monkees. A schoolyard fight over a girl resulted in Bowie's left eye becoming paralyzed, with the pupil permanently dilated. Bowie wrote his first big hit, "Space Oddity", after watching Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey".

Answer: Before the Next Teardrop Falls

Born Baldemar Huerta, Freddie Fender took his stage name from his Fender guitar. "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" was Fender's first number one hit, scoring that position on both pop and country charts at the same time. This was the first time that any song had managed that feat.

Answer: My Eyes Adored You

One of the original members of The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli charted 25 top 40 hits while recording with them. He also ran a concurrent solo career, scoring an additional 10 top 40 hits under his own name. "My Eyes Adored You" was one of those solo hits.

Answer: Shining Star

Earth Wind and Fire is a large, joyful and certainly flamboyant group who are very serious about their music, despite all of their on stage antics. "Shining Star", written by Maurice White, Philip Bailey and Larry Dunn was their first number one single, which managed to hit that spot on both the pop and R&B charts.

Answer: Philadelphia Freedom

Another Bernie Taupin/Elton John composition, "Philadelphia Freedom" was Elton's hit for 1975 (Elton managed to score a top 40 hit every year between 1970 and 1996). Elton John helped John Lennon write his 1974 come back hit, "Whatever Gets You Through the Night".

Answer: Rhinestone Cowboy

A successful song writer and recording artist, Glen Campbell became an international superstar when he was given his own variety show, "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour", which ran from 1969 - 1972. "Rhinestone Cowboy", written by Larry Weiss, was number one on both pop and country charts.

Answer: Love Will Keep Us Together

Daryl Dragon was a sometimes Beach Boy, when he auditioned to play keyboard for a play that Toni Tenille had co-written. After that project, he invited her to play with the Beach Boys, making her the only female muscician to be part of that band. They soon married, and split off on their own, forming the very popular duo, Captain and Tenille. "Love Will Keep Us Together" was written by Sedaka and Greenfield, and performed by Sedaka on his come back album.