15 Easy Questions about Colorful Oldies

Answer: The Marcels

Did you know that the original song "Blue Moon" was written by Rodgers and Hart in 1934? It was recorded by Holiday in 1952. The song was also covered by Frank Sinatra in 1958, but the most famous version of the song may have been by The Marcels in 1961. You couldn't turn on a radio (for the younger player, like a Walkman) or go to a sock hop without hearing the tune. In the 21st century, it was also covered by Rod Stewart.

Answer: Alannah Myles

In 1989, Canadian singer and songwriter Alannah Myles released the rock song "Black Velvet" on her eponymous album. It was a tribute to the King of Pop, Elvis Presley. The blues rock tune was first recorded on October 18, 1988 and was written by Christopher Ward and David Tyson.

In addition to the reference to Elvis, Black Velvet is also the name of a Canadian whiskey. Myles won both a Grammy and a Juno award for the recording.

Answer: Crystal Gayle

Crystal Gale released the 1977 album "We Must Believe in Magic" which featured the song "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue?". It was considered to be in the Country music genre, and was awarded the Grammy Award for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

In addition, the song won the Academy of Country Music Awards for Song of the Year and Single Record of the Year. Did you know that Crystal Gayle's sister is the iconic singer Loretta Lynn?

Answer: Nat King Cole

Going back to the mid-20th century, we have the immortal Nat King Cole, the first black man to host his own TV show. Although actress Betty Hutton had already sung "Orange Colored Sky" in 1944, the best known version was, without doubt, Nat King Cole's 1950 version. With Cole's smooth, melodious voice, the Milton Delugg song hit the Billboard Best Seller chart that same year. In 1991, the song was covered by Nat's daughter, Natalie, and it was sung by Lady Gaga in 2011.

Answer: Jim Lowe

In 1956, D.J. and radio host Jim Lowe (1923-2016) turned the single "Green Door" into a song which would reach the number one spot on the pop chart. For the recording, the song's composer, Bob Davie, accompanied Jim on the piano. When the song hit number one, it replaced "Love Me Tender" by (you already know) Elvis Presley.

The tune talks about a mysterious club, entrance to which the singer is not allowed. It may have been inspired by Chicago's Green Door Tavern, a popular speakeasy during Prohibition.

Answer: Prince

The great singer Prince Rogers Nelson (and his aliases) were responsible for a number of 'color' songs, including "Purple Rain" and "Little Red Corvette". His 1985 song, "Raspberry Beret" was on the album "Around the World in a Day", with Prince and the Revolution, and was considered psychedelic rock.

The "B-side" of the single was "She's Always in my Hair". Sadly, Prince died in 2016 but, after his death, the song re-charted on the Billboard Hot 100, and went as high as number 33.

Answer: The Cyrkle

The 1966 song "Red Rubber Ball" was written by Paul Simon (of Simon and Garfunkel) and Bruce Woodley of The Seekers. It appeared on the Cyrkle's debut album, i.e., "Red Rubber Ball". The album reached number 47 on the Billboard Top LPs chart, while the single went all the way to number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

The only other hit on The Cyrkle's album was "Turn-Down Day" which hit number 16. "Red Rubber Ball" was also recorded by The Seekers on their 1966 album "Come the Day".

Answer: Sheb Wooley

One of the 1950s most popular tunes was the 1958 novelty song "Purple People Eater" written and sung by Sheb Wooley. It hit the top spot on the Billboard pop charts and remained there from June 9th to July 14th. The tune tells of an alien ("one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater") who came to Earth to be in a rock 'n' roll band.

The premise of the song was derived from a joke told by Wooley's friend's child. The song was also covered by Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Answer: Brian Hyland

Another novelty song, released in 1960, was "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" sung by Brian Hyland. It was written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss, and labeled as Bubblegum pop. The song tells of what happens to a shy girl in a revealing swimsuit.

It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a hit around the world. Did you know that the term bikini, two piece swimwear, is taken from the Bikini Atoll which was the site of U.S. nuclear tests until 1958?

Answer: Chris de Burgh

"Lady in Red" was a lovely 1986 tune written and sung by British-Irish singer Chris de Burgh, and was the second single from the album "Into the Light". De Burgh said it was inspired by the first time he saw his future wife. It went as high as number three in the U.S. in the spring of 1987, and was featured in the 1990 film "Pretty Woman".

Although it brought many (including Diana, Princess of Wales) to tears, it also became a source of derision. Readers of Rolling Stone magazine voted it the third worst song of the 1980s.

Answer: Jim Croce

American folk rock singer Jim Croce (1943-1973) died in a plane crash at the age of thirty, cutting short a talent who could have given us many more memories. He released five studio albums and is responsible for the number one hits, "Time in a Bottle" and the 1973 song "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown". While "Time in a Bottle" reached the top spot on the charts posthumously, "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", from the album "Life and Times", was his only number one hit during his lifetime. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Record of the Year.

Answer: Sergeant Barry Sadler

The year was 1966 and the country was divided by the war in Vietnam. Along came Sergeant Barry Sadler with his "Ballad of the Green Berets", a patriotic song about the United States Army Special Forces. It was an aberration among the anti-war songs of the era, e.g., Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" (1965), Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" (1963) and Phil Ochs' "I Ain't Marching Anymore" (1965).

Despite that, it was named Billboard's number one single for 1966.

Answer: Billy Idol

"White Wedding" is from Billy Idol's eponymous album released in 1982. Along with "Rebel Yell", the following year, it is considered one of his most notable songs. The song was a part of the Punk rock era, and went to number 110 on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart in November 1982. It was re-issued in 1983 where it reached number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 2, 1983. "White Wedding" was featured in the movie "The Wedding Singer" in 1998.

Answer: Bobby Vinton

If you're old enough, you can probably still hear the strains of "The Polish Prince" Bobby Vinton's 1963 hit "Blue Velvet" in your head, i.e., "She wore blue velvet/Bluer than velvet was the night/Softer than satin was the light/From the stars". It sounds kind of corny for the 21st century crowd, but it was wonderful to dance to at the prom.

The song was featured on the album "Blue on Blue", and previously had been performed by the wonderful Tony Bennett in 1951.

Answer: Sting

Bringing us back nearer the turn of the century, we have the ballad-like 1993 song "Fields of Gold", written and performed by Sting (aka Gordon Sumner) without the Police. It appeared on Sting's album "Ten Summoner's Tales" and reached number 23 on the U.S. billboard Hot 100.

It was the second single released from the album after "If Ever I Lose My Faith in You". The song has been covered by many artists including Eva Cassidy on "Live at Blues Alley".