Candy, Sugar and Sweets in Songs Quiz

Answer: The Cars

The Cars signed with Elektra Records in 1977. Their first album, "The Cars", was released in 1978. A Disc Jockey from WBCN in their native Boston started putting "Just What I Needed" in rotation. Their follow-up album, "Candy-O", was released in 1979 and featured a provocative cover drawn by "Playboy" artist Alberto Vargas.

A song titled "Candy-O" was included on the LP. The band continued releasing albums and hit singles until they broke up in 1988. A cover of "Ain't That A Shame" was a Top Forty hit by Cheap Trick in 1979. Electric Light Orchestra had a Number Four US hit with "Don't Bring Me Down". "Ladies Night" was a US Number Eight release from Kool and The Gang.

Answer: The Drifters

Charlie Thomas was the lead singer for The Drifters when "Sweets For My Sweet" reached the US Number 16 spot in 1961. "Sweets for My Sweet" was written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. It was the Drifters' sixth Top Forty hit since they began releasing singles in 1953.
The song had considerable airplay but was not a major chart hit for The Searchers in the US. The Searchers' biggest US hit was in 1964 with the Number Three, "Love Potion No. 9", a song originally done by the Clovers in 1959.
"Sugar and Spice" was a candy-themed US Number 44 song by the Searchers in 1963.
"Searchin'" and "Young Blood" were some of the fifties hits by The Coasters. The Platters released hits such as "Only You" and "My Prayer" in the fifties. "So Much in Love" was a 1963 release by The Tymes.

Answer: The Chordettes

"Mr. Sandman" thrust The Chordettes into national prominence in 1954. Their 1958 recording of "Lollipop" was actually a cover of a song originally done by Ronald and Ruby earlier in 1958.
The Chordettes organized in the late forties and originally performed folk music focusing on a capella singing. In 1949 they appeared on the Arthur Godfrey show, "Talent Scouts", and their appearance led to a contract with Columbia Records. They switched to Cadence records in 1953 and had their first hit with the US Number One, "Mr. Sandman", the following year.
In 1957 they appeared on the first episode of the Philadelphia-based "American Bandstand" that was broadcast nationally. In 1961 a member of the original group left. They could not find a replacement and broke up.
"Sugartime" was a 1958 Number One hit by The McGuire Sisters. "Angel Baby" reached Number Five in the US for Rosie and The Originals. "Please Love Me Forever" by Cathy Jean and The Roommates reached Number 12 in 1961.

Answer: Millie Small

Millie was born Millicent Small in Jamaica and frequently dubbed "Little Millie Small". "My Boy Lollipop" was co-written written in the fifties by Robert Spencer of The Cadillacs along with Morris Levy and Johnny Roberts. A singer named Barbie Gaye recorded the original version in 1956 entitled "My Boy Lollypop". DJ Alan Freed gave the song airplay but it was not a hit in the US.
When Chris Blackwell started Island Records in Jamaica he was looking for material and came across "My Boy Lollypop".
Ernest Ranglin played guitar and did the arrangement for the song. Contrary to rumors that Rod Stewart played harmonica on the song, the harmonica work was actually done by Pete Hogman.
Jackie Opel was considered Jackie Wilson of Jamaica. Lauren Aitken's first album was "Ska With Laurel" in 1965. Reggae artist Phyllis Dillon recorded for Treasure Island Records in the sixties.

Answer: It was their first Top Ten hit not written by a member of the band.

Larry Santos wrote "Candy Girl", the first hit by the Four Seasons that was not composed by a member of the band. Valli's unique vocal work was featured in the song along with the band playing their respective instruments.
In 1962 "Sherry Baby" was the first chart-topper for the band and was written by Bob Gaudio. Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio wrote their second Number One hit, "Big Girls Don't Cry". "Walk Like a Man" was also a Number One US hit written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio.

Answer: The Strangeloves

"I Want Candy" was written and recorded by The Strangeloves in 1965. The song was from an album of the same name. Songwriting credits went to Bob Feldman, Bert Berns, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer. Producers Goldstein, Feldman and Gottehrer adopted the persona of fictitious Australian brothers by the name of Giles, Miles and Niles Strange and recorded the album under the moniker of the Strangeloves. Bert Berns was not part of the recording ensemble. The Newbeats release the Number 40, "Break Away (from That Boy)" in 1965.

The The Jive Five reached Number 36 with "I'm a Happy Man" in 1965. "Liar, Liar" was a Top Twenty by The Castaways the same year.

Answer: The Jackson Five

The songwriting credits for the Jackson Five's "Sugar Daddy" went to The Corporation. The Corporation was actually Berry Gordy, Jr., Alphonzo Mizell, Freddie Perren and Deke Richards. The Corporation also wrote other Jackson Five hits including "ABC", "I Want You Back" and "The Love You Save".

The Jackson brothers sang all the vocals on "Sugar Daddy" but the backing musicians were Los Angeles session players. The following year The Corporation disbanded and The Jackson Five started using other songwriters. "Sugar Baby Love" was a Top Forty US hit by The Rubettes. "Sugar, Sugar" was a sweet hit for The Archies in 1969. "One Bad Apple" went to Number One in the US for The Osmonds in 1970.

Answer: New Mother Nature

Randy Bachman wrote "No Sugar Tonight" for the band's 1970 LP, "American Woman", but it was considered too short for a single release. Burton Cummings had composed a short song titled "New Mother Nature" so the two songs were combined and originally released as "No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature". "American Woman" was slated to be the flip side.

When it became obvious that both songs were going to be chart-toppers, "New Mother Nature" was edited from the label of the double-sided hit record. "American Woman"/"No Sugar Tonight" was the last Number One hit for Guess Who in the US. "Laughing" was a US Top Ten for the band in 1969. "No Time" and "Share the Land" were 1970 US Top Ten hits for Guess Who.

Answer: Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs

Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs enjoyed Number One success with "Sugar Shack". The Fireballs were an instrumental group that recorded at Norman Petty's legendary studio in Clovis, New Mexico. They had Top Forty hits with "Torquay" in 1959 and "Bulldog" the following year.
Jimmy Gilmer was a solo singer with the studio and they teamed up to release "Sugar Shack". The song stayed at the US Billboard Number One spot for five weeks. They followed up the following year with the Top Twenty release, "Daisy Petal Pickin'". As luck would have it, the British Invasion era started at the same time. The group did not chart again until 1968 and in 1969 Jimmy left to pursue artist management and production work.
Garnet Mimms and The Enchanters had a US Top Forty hit in 1963 with "Baby Don't You Weep". "Denise" was a US 1963 Top Ten for Randy and The Rainbows. Barry and The Tamerlanes released the US Number 21 song, "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight", in 1963.

Answer: Al Hirt

New Orleans native Al Hirt started playing the trumpet with he was six years old. By the time he was in his mid-teens he was playing professionally and often worked with clarinetist Pete Fountain. In 1940 he studied at The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and was a bugler during his stint in the military.
He returned to New Orleans and his style on the trumpet brought him to the attention of national recording labels. In the fifties and sixties Al Hirt placed 22 albums on the US Billboard Album charts as well as several Top Forty singles.
Kai Winding was a trombone player who scored a US Billboard hit in the sixties with "More". Herb Alpert was a founding member of The Tijuana Brass. Louis Armstrong managed to top the charts during the British Invasion with "Hello Dolly".