Color Does Matter Part 1 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pink Shoelaces

Dodie Stevens was born Gealdine Pasquale in Chicago, Illinois in 1946. She moved to California at a young age and recorded her first song at 8 yesrs old. She recorded this song in 1959 at age 13 and had a number three Billboard Hot 100 hit with it. Although she was never able to duplicate that individual success again, she made a successful career as a backup singer for the likes of Loretta Lynn, Frankie Avalon, Bozz Scaggs and Mac Davis.

Answer: Crimson and Clover

"Crimson And Clover" was a 1969 hit for the group, and one of their biggest. It went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in the U.S, as well as the number one spot in Canada. While credited to The Shondells, this song was a two man operation with James singing lead, and playing guitar, with drummer Peter Lucia Jr. doing the drums and background vocals. Don't be confused with another color tune "Crystal Blue Persuasion" which only reached number two on the charts in the same year.

Answer: Red Rubber Ball

"Red Rubber Ball" was a 1966 number two U.S. Billboard Hit 100 charting hit for The Cyrkle. The song was co-written by Paul Simon and Bruce Woodley. Woodley was a member of the group The Seekers. Allegedly, Simon offered the song to The Cyrkle while they were on tour with him and Art Garfunkel.

Answer: Blue Monday

While all the others were later hits for other artists, it was Fats' "Blue Monday" that was one of the earliest R&B songs to make the Billboard charts. In 1956, it peaked on the U.S. Billboard Pop charts at number five.

Answer: Mellow Yellow

"Mellow Yellow" was a 1966 release by Donovan that soared to number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts. It was rumored for a while that the song was about smoking dried banana skins, which were believed to be hallucinogenic, but the rumor was unfounded. One of the background singers on this cut was a friend of Donovan's from England. Who? Paul McCartney.

Answer: Green

"Green Tambourine" was the debut hit for the group when released in late 1967 and came off the album of the same name. It was a hit which went to number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in the beginning of 1968. The song was considered a psychedelic tune, a genre which had just come into prominence at that time.

The song became a gold record, selling over a million copies. The Lemon Pipers had a few minor hits after that, but never were as successful as with this tune.

Answer: Brown

"Brown Eyed Girl" was Morrison's first solo effort after his departure from Them, a group for which he was the lead singer. The song was only a number ten hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1967, but Morrison's tribute to the girls with the dark eyes has become a standard of Top 40 oldies stations everywhere.

The song has garned much critical acclaim over the years. It is listed on Rolling Stone Magazine's "500 Greatest Hits Of All Time" at number 109. It is also on the list of The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame's "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll", and in 2007 the song was put into The Grammy Hall Of Fame.

Answer: Paint It Black

"Paint It Black" was a Stones release in 1966 which went to number one on both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the U.K. Pop charts. It was part of an album release called "Aftermath". The song was ranked on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs Of All Time" at number 174. It has been covered over the years by over 100 other artists.

Answer: Purple Haze

"Purple Haze" is considered by many to be Hendrix' most notable song. When released in 1967, it was not widely received by the public, especially in Top 40 circles. The best it could manage was a number 65 placing on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts, and only remained on the charts for eight weeks.

It did much better in the U.K. where it peaked at number three. The song has grown in stature over the years, along with Hendrix' legacy. Rolling Stone Magazine lists the song on it's "500 Greatest Songs Of All Time" at an astounding number 17.

Answer: Green River

"Green River" was the title track of their successful 1969 album, and the song was their third single released off the album itself. It was a summer hit, reaching number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts, and it made the U.K Top 20 as well. It was the group's second number two hit of 1969.

They had a prior hit with "Bad Moon Rising" off the same album, and that song also reached number two earlier that year.

Answer: Band Of Gold

"Band Of Gold" was a number three U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charting hit for Payne in 1970. The song was number one in the U.K. It's lyrics deal with a newly married couple and their wedding night, in which the man is incapable of showing his love. It was written by the immortal Motown songwriting team of Holland/Dozier/Holland, under the pseudonym of Edith Wayne and Ron Dunbar.

The song has been covered numerous times, and shows up on Rolling Stone Magazine's "500 Greatest Songs Of All Time" at number 391.

Answer: Black and White

"Black and White" was a song originally penned in 1954 by two men named David Arkin and Earl Robinson. It was alledged to have been inspired by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision concerning racial segregation in schools. The original version had a verse which specifically referred to that sad chapter in U.S. history.

The first recording of the song was by Sammy Davis Jr. in 1957. The most popular version, with the reference verse removed, was the Three Dog Night version, which became a number one U.S. Billboard Hot 100 hit for them in 1972.

Answer: Black Water

"Black Water" was actually the B-side to a tune called "Another Park, Another Sunday", when released in 1974.The cuts were from an album called "What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits". The B-side quickly became the more popular tune and shot to number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in the winter of 1975.

Answer: White Wedding

Idol's tune was a tremedous smash in the U.K. reaching number six in 1982. When released in the U.S. it didn't fare as well, only managing a number 36 placing on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts. It has been said that Idol wrote the song to voice his displeasure and dislike of his sister's fiance.

Answer: Pink Houses

"Pink Houses" started with Mellencamp driving through a small Midwest town and passing a pink painted house with a man sitting on his front porch, seemingly unfazed by the traffic speeding by. Mellencamp waved to the man and he waved back. According to Mellencamp, in an interview in Rolling Stone Magazine this was the genesis of "Pink Houses". The song itself reached number eight on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1984, and is listed in Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs Of All Time" at number 439.

If you enjoyed this quiz, please try part 2 as well.