Choirs and Unique Backing Groups Featured in Pop Quiz

Answer: You Can't Always Get What You Want

"You Can't Always Get What You Want" was scheduled to be the "B" side to the "Honky Tonk Women" single from their 1969 "Let It Bleed" album. Jack Nitzsche managed to book the London Bach Choir for the session and arranged the choir production. Artists who also sang backing vocals on the recording included Doris Troy, Madeline Bell and Nanette Workman. Producer Jimmy Miller replaced Charlie Watts on drums for the session and Al Kooper played the distinct french horn part as well as piano and organ. "In Another Land" and "Dandelion" were 1967 recordings by the Stones. "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)" was released in 1973 and featured Billy Preston on clavinet.

Answer: The Little Drummer Boy

"The Little Drummer Boy" was released as a single by The Harry Simeone Chorale in 1961. Pianist Harry Moses Simeone was attending Juilliard and left to accept an offer to work at CBS. He worked on various music scores and movie soundtracks until he was contracted by Twentieth Century Records in 1958 to arrange and record a Christmas album. A song titled "Carol of the Drum" was presented for consideration.
Harry renamed the song, received co-author credit and recorded it for the album. When it became popular he followed up with a successful rendition of "Do You Hear What I Hear?". A scaled-down version of the chorale dubbed The Harry Simeone Songsters made the rounds of popular television shows.
"Silver Bells" was performed by Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell in "The Lemon Drop Kid" (1950). Willie Nelson composed Roy Orbison's Christmas classic, "Pretty Paper". Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" was first recorded by Bing Crosby in 1941.

Answer: There Goes Rhymin' Simon

"There Goes Rhymin' Simon" also contained "Kodachrome" and "American Tune".
The Dixie Hummingbirds originally formed in 1928. They signed with Decca Records and throughout the successive decades worked with several labels, finally gaining mainstream recognition after appearing at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1966.
In 1972 "Paul Simon" was released containing "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" and "Mother and Child Reunion". "Still Crazy After All These Years" was released in 1975 and "Breakaway" was a 1875 Art Garfunkel album containing his version of "My Little Town".

Answer: Everything is Beautiful

Two of Ray Stevens' daughters were among the elementary school group who sang the intro to "Everything is beautiful". Ray personally recorded and directed the children. "Everything is Beautiful" spent two weeks atop the US Billboard chart and earned Ray two Grammy awards.
"Everybody's Got the Right to Love" went to Number 21 for The Supremes. "Everybody Is A Star" went to the top of the charts for Sly And Family Stone in 1970 and "Everything's Tuesday" was a Top Forty release by Chairmen of the Board the same year.

Answer: Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" had origins as a Vietnam War protest song. It was released as a single credited to John and Yoko/The Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir. John had several billboards commissioned announcing "WAR IS OVER! (If You Want It) Happy Christmas from John and Yoko".

The song first appeared on an album when John's compilation album, "Shaved Fish", was released in 1975. "Give Peace a Chance" was recorded in a Montreal, Quebec, hotel room in 1969 and featured many guests who were visiting John and Yoko. John recorded "Cold Turkey" in 1969. "Listen, the Snow Is Falling" was the "B" side to "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" and was credited to Yoko Ono.

Answer: Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)

When Pink Floyd was preparing tracks for "The Wall" (1979) they realized that a selection with the working title of "Drugs" had commercial potential but was under two minutes long. Producer Bob Ezrin came up with the concept of using children singing to expand the length of the song. He went to The Islington Green School located near the studio and consulted with music director Alun Renshaw. The song was retitled "Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" when it was included on the soundtrack.
The song received a Grammy nomination for Best Performance by a Rock Duo or Group but lost to Bob Seger's "Against the Wind".
"Drivin'" was from the Kinks' 1969 "Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)" production. "Starman" is from David Bowie's 1972 Rock Opera "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" and "Tommy Can You Hear Me?" was from The Who's 1969 Rock Opera, "Tommy".

Answer: True

The New Jersey Mass Choir sang backing vocals on Foreigner's hit and also released their own version on an album also titled "I Want to Know What Love Is" shortly after Foreigner's version topped the charts.
"I Want to Know What Love Is" was a single cut from Foreigner's 1984 "Agent Provocateur" LP.
The New Jersey Mass Choir also appeared in the music video promoting the song. Jennifer Holliday and The Thompson Twins were also backing artists on the recording.

Answer: Man in the Mirror

"Man in the Mirror" was a single release from Micheal's 1988 "Bad" album. Siedah Garrett and Glen Ballard composed the song and Siedah Garrett also provided backing vocals along with The Andrae Crouch Choir and The Winans. The previous year Siedah Garrett sang a duet with Michael titled "I Just Can't Stop Loving You". Five years later Michael would use The Andrae Crouch Choir again on "Will You Be There".
In 1960 Billy Preston was a member of Crouch's first group, The Church of God in Christ Singers. In 1969 he released his first album as Andrae' Crouch and The Disciples titled "Take the Message Everywhere".
"Rock with You", "Off the Wall" and "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" were all released in 1979.

Answer: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

"Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" was the third film in the "Mad Max" series and featured Tina Turner as Aunty Entity with Mel Gibson. Tina's song made it to Number Two on the US Billboard chart, hot on the heels of Tina's successful "Private Dancer" LP.
Lawrence Dallaglio was among the singers in the King's House School choir. He went on to be a rugby union standout and was captain of the England national team.
"Barbarian Queen" (1985) was directed by Hector Olivera. William Hurt, Raul Julia and Sonia Braga were in "Kiss of the Spider Woman" (1985) and "Private Resort" (1985) featured Rob Morrow, Andrew Clay and Johnny Depp.

Answer: The Edwin Hawkins Singers

Edwin Hawkins was the Choir Director, Arranger and Piano player on "Oh Happy Day". The song was recorded live at The Ephesian Church of God in Christ in Berkeley, California. The Edwin Hawkins Singers began as The Northern California State Youth Choir and recorded "Oh Happy Day" with Dorothy Morrison as the featured vocalist.

The song received airplay in the Bay area and eventually went national, earning a Grammy in 1970 for Best Soul Gospel Performance. "Back On the Street Again" was a 1967 Top Forty release by The Sunshine Company. "Expressway To Your Heart" by Soul Survivors reached Number Four the same year and "Little Bit O' Soul by The Music Explosion made it to Number Two.