Boomers-The Formative Years 7 (B-TFY 7) Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This song was written by Sonny West, Bill Tilghman and Norman Petty. Buddy Holly and the Crickets recorded it in 1957 and it made it to Number ten on the US Billboard (BB) chart. "All of my life, I've been waitin' Tonight there'll be no hesitatin'"

Answer: Oh, Boy

They also made the charts that year with "That'll Be the Day", "Party Doll" and "Peggy Sue". "Peggy Sue Got Married" is a song by Buddy Holly released after his death in 1959. For me this was a New Knowledge Nugget.

She also got married in the movie of the same name. The movie was a variation on a theme by a Frank Capra directed film played every Christmas season, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington". Kathleen Turner played the George Bailey part. Jim Carrey was Clarence. Nicolas Cage was both Mr. Potter and Zuzu. A talented actor, so believable. And yes, the movie was really "It's a Wonderful Life".

2. This 1959 song was written by Harold Logan and Lloyd Price. It reached Number two on BB Hot 100 and Number one on Rhythm and Blues (R&B) chart. I think you've got it, have you? "Over and over I tried to prove my love to you Over and over What more can I do Over and over My friends say I'm a fool But over and over I'll be a fool for you"

Answer: Personality

Curious lyric in one respect. In those day if someone tried to hook you up with someone who had "a great personality" what would be your first thought?: a) Run! b) This could be an interesting experiment or c) Sure would like some chocolate ice cream right about now.

If you split the names of the writers you'd get Harold Lloyd, the bespectacled silent movie star and this would have led to a split Personality. And speaking of movies, the song was used in the movie, "My Best Friend's Wedding".

As to the question there is no absolute right answer nor are the options offered exhaustive. And I was not that bad looking. The bolt in through my neck was for structural integrity. and my personality was off the charts, just ask Uncle Victor.

3. This folk song was published circa 1911. Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians recorded it in 1923. Skip ahead 36 years. Lloyd Price and Harold Logan tweaked the song and came up with this version and recorded it in 1958. In 1959, it went on to Number one on the BB Hot 100. Well folks? "I was standing on the corner When I heard my bulldog bark He was barkin' at the two men Who were gamblin' in the dark"

Answer: Stagger Lee

Once again the Price is right. The song's story was about a pimp in St. Louis who got into a fight with another shady character and shot him. He was tried and convicted of murder. Now that story line must have gone over big in the late 1950s with the over 30 crowd.

Just a small snapshot of songs over the years: "Rocky Raccoon", "I Hug My Head", "I Shot the Sheriff", "Bohemian Rhapsody', "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", "El Paso", "Ohio", "In the Ghetto", all focusing on gun violence. I say it's time to take the guns out of music and to heck with the NRA.

4. A 1958 song written and recorded by Bobby Freeman, under the moonlight. Can you get it from just this little lyric snippet? "Well, do-ya do-ya do-ya do-ya"

Answer: Do You Want to Dance

The song went on to reach Number five on the BB Top 100 and Number two on the R&B charts. It was covered by the Beach Boys in 1965 and Bette Midler in 1973 but it dug itself out in both cases to hit the charts.

Wow, it was in "American Graffiti"! It was in the scene where Milner tries to trick Carol into providing her address so he can dump her. The lyric phrase ("do you wanna dance under the moonlight" heard on the radio created an infinitesimal spark in the young Van Morrison which later lead to one of his biggest hits, "Domino". Alternate fact.

"The Muffin Man" was one of my favorite songs when I was five. I can see the little yellow 45 going round and round. It was scratchy, and you had to avoid the chips on the outer circumference. Remember, not all true.

5. In 1956 Don Larsen pitched a perfect game in the World Series and this song was written by Marvin, Junior (oddly no first name was given) and Johnny Funches. The Dells' recording made it to Number four on the R&B chart. Can you get it Irene? "... love you dear ... hold you near ... squeeze you dear That's why I love you so"

Answer: Oh What a Nite

The Dells released a different version in 1969 and Nite became Night. (Most sites viewed must have auto correction or a rabid English teacher editor.) It went to Number ten on the BB Hot 100. It was also Number 260 on Rolling Stones' "The 500 Greatest Hits of All Time".

Tracey Ullman recorded it in 1983. Tracey is best remembered for launching the careers of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie. After a less than exhaustive search of available information on the web I found no top tier American politicians were guest stars on the show, "The Simpsons". Tony Blair was a guest star. Rudolph Giuliani did a guest star stint. Finally Robert Caro was also on the show and he is one degree of separation from LBJ. My conclusion is there is some cosmic law that doesn't allow a caricature of a caricature, with few exceptions. That would eliminate many of the more recent POTUS. Robert Caro, cool. Anyone catch his New Yorker excerpts from the LBJ bio?

6. This 1959 song was written by Ben E. King and Lover Patterson. And George Treadwell and Jerry Leiber. And Mike Stoller. They would have added more authors but they were running out of room on the 45s label. The song was recorded by the Ben E. King group. Give you a hint, it starts with "The". Catch my meaning? "There goes my baby, movin' on down the line Wonder where, wonder where, wonder where she is bound? I broke her heart and made her cry Now I'm alone, so all alone What can I do, what can I do?"

Answer: The Drifters

The song was "There Goes My Baby" and it made it to Number two on the BB Hot 100 and Number one on the R&B charts. It was used in the movie of the same name. The movie did not win an Oscar, nor a Felix, nor a C�sar. You guessed The Shirelles? Well honestly.

7. In 1933 Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach wrote this song for "Roberta". The 1958 Platters' version went to Number one on BB Hot 100 and Number three on R&B in 1959. The difference in the year could have been attributed to satellite delay. The song is? "They asked me how I knew My true love was true I of course replied Something here inside Can not be denied"

Answer: Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

According to Wikipedia Jerome Kern's widow wasn't too happy with the Platters' version. I guess it would be hard to top the Irene Dunne version. Like practically every other song of the '50s, it was in "American Graffiti". It was in the scene where Curt was sharing a toke with the Pharaohs, I believe. They went off to twist off the heads of parking meters afterwards, got caught and sentenced to a prison in the southeastern USA. It did not come to a happy ending. Meanwhile back in "Roberta" Fred and Ginger were still dancing to it.

The song was also used in the movies "Tea with Mussolini" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral". In the former it was sung by Cher. Cher and Lily Tomlin were the American counterparts to Dame Judi Dench, Dame Maggie Smith and Dame Joan Plowright in the film, he wrote snarkily.

8. This song was written and recorded in 1959 by Marty Robbins. It made it to Number one on both the Pop and Country charts in 1960. What is it pardnuh? "One night a wild young cowboy came in Wild as the West Texas wind Dashing and daring, a drink he was sharing With wicked Faleena, the girl that I loved"

Answer: El Paso

The Western Writers of America chose "El Paso" as the second best western song of all time, if I interpret their site properly. It got aced out by "Ghost Writers in the Sky", a tribute to the brave fliers of the West who wrote the lyrics to every western song ever written or imagined on the blue skies of Montana. Marty also had the Number 100 song on the list, "The Master's Call". "El Paso" was also used in the final episode of "Breaking Bad" according to Wikipedia. I would have gone with "Crystal Blue Persuasion".

9. "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" was an anonymous spiritual from the oral tradition of African Americans. It was published in 1927. A version went to Number three on the R&B and Number one on the BB Hot 100 chart in 1957. My question is, who sang it? "He's got you and me, brother, in his hand. He's got you and me, brother, in his hand. He's got you and me, brother, in his hand. He's got the whole world in his hand."

Answer: Laurie London, an English male singer

An unusual question for an unusual voice. I couldn't discern the answer when I first heard the song. Looking at the artist's name wouldn't have helped. It was like SNL's Pat. It was used in several movies but the most interesting one was "Con Air" where the Steve Buscemi character, who plays a mass murderer, sings it with a little girl, reminiscent of a scene in "Frankenstein". If you read these interesting facts, say, "Hallelujah". I'll hear it.

10. Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe wrote it for the 1956 musical "My Fair Lady". It was recorded by Vic Damone that year and made it to Number four on the BB Chart. Final answer? "People stop and stare, they don't bother me For there's nowhere else on earth that I would rather be Let the time go by, I won't care ..."

Answer: On the Street Where You Live

It really depends on who is stopping and staring. If it's Travis Bickle you might want to back away slowly, not making eye contact while singing the "Do Re Mi" song. Ditto if it's Hannibal Lecter, Norman Bates, Idi Amin, Ted Bundy, Mr. Burns, or the dentist in "Marathon Man". If it's Mary Richards, Bill Murray, Mr. Rogers, Lisa Simpson, Ellen DeGeneris, or Edward Scissorhands try a big hug, watch the knives though. And what ever happened to Freddy? Spurned, could it be he changed his surname to Krueger and emigrated to the USA?

Source: Author gfitz47

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Songs chosen using my filter. Interesting facts are often neither. Trust me. Close your eyes and fall back, I got you. Whoa! I wasn't ready! You OK?

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