Comedy songs of the '50s and '60s Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Burl Ives knew an old lady who swallowed a fly, then a spider, then a bird, then a cat, then a dog, then a ______. What is the missing animal that she swallowed next?

Answer: Goat

Actor/singer/writer Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives sang the best known version of "I Know An Old Lady" which was released in 1953. The full sequence of things swallowed by this woman were, a fly, a spider, a bird, a cat, a dog, a goat, a cow and finally a horse. All together now, "she's dead of course".

2. In this song the bongo player did not like the singer being too loud and mentioning a deadly black tarantula. Who was the singer of the comedy version of this song?

Answer: Stan Freberg

Stan Freberg had a number 25 hit on the US pop chart with "Banana Boat Song (Day-O)" in 1957. It did not chart in the UK. The voice of the bongo player was provided by actor Peter Leeds.

The Tarriers had a number four hit on the US pop chart with the song in 1957. It reached number 15 on the UK chart the same year. Harry Belafonte had a number five hit on the US pop chart with song in 1957. It reached number two on the UK chart the same year. Steve Lawrence had a number 18 hit on the US pop chart with the song in 1957. It failed to chart in the UK.

3. In the UK in the '50s "The Goon Show" was very popular on radio. They also had some hit comedy songs such as "I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas". This was sung by chief Goon Spike Milligan, but what was he walking backwards across?

Answer: The Irish Sea

"I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas" reached number four on the UK chart in 1956. It did not chart in the US. The Goons were Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe. Michael Bentine was a member but left the Goons and had a solo career.

Singer/actor/comedian/writer Spike Milligan went on to TV and movie stardom and to be hailed as the grandfather of UK alternative comedy before the term was invented. The Monty Python team owe a lot to him. Singer/actor/comedian Harry Secombe was already a personality and appeared on TV, on stage and in musicals, most notably the stage musical "Pickwick" and the movie musical "Oliver". Singer/actor/comedian Peter Sellers went on to world wide fame as Inspector Clouseau in the "Pink Panther" movie series and many other movie parts.

4. Which kind of bird did Rolf Harris want his mate to keep cool in the song "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport"?

Answer: Cockatoo

Rolf Harris had a world wide hit with "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport". It was number one in Australia for three weeks in 1960, number nine in the UK in 1960 and number three in the US in 1963.

There was a verse in the original release that was later dropped because of its derogatory reference to Australian aborigines as Abos.

"Let me Abos go loose Bruce
Let me Abos go loose
They're of no further use Bruce
So let me Abos go loose"

5. "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah (A Letter From Camp)" sang Allan Sherman but which camp was he writing a letter from?

Answer: Granada

Comedy writer/TV producer/singer Allan Sherman had number two hit on the US pop chart with "Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh (A Letter From Camp)" in 1963. It reached number 14 on the UK chart the same year. Not to be confused with songwriter Al Sherman who wrote the Kay Starr hit "Comes A-Long A-Love". They both had sons named Robert and they both died in 1973.

Q3 The Goons & Q5 Allan Sherman suggested subjects by casey317.

6. Which British comedian had an Australian number one hit with "My Boomerang Won't Come Back"?

Answer: Charlie Drake

Actor/comedian/singer Charlie Drake whose catch phrase was "Hello My Darlings" had a number 14 hit with "My Boomerang Won't Come Back" on the UK chart in 1961. It reached number one for six weeks in Australia in 1961/62 and number 21 on the US pop chart in 1962.

7. The '60s comedy record "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" by Napoleon XIV had the same song backwards on the B-side.

Answer: True

Napoleon XIV (Jerry Samuels) had a number three hit with "They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" on the US pop chart in 1966, it re-entered the US pop chart and reached number 87 in 1973. It reached number four on the UK chart in 1966. Not only was the record backwards on the B-side, the title and singer's name were a mirror image of the A-side.

8. We all know that Mel Blanc did the voice for "Speedy Gonzales" on this record but which singer sang the song?

Answer: Pat Boone

Pat Boone had a number six hit with his last top 20 entry "Speedy Gonzales" on the US pop chart in 1962. It reached number two and was his last top ten hit on the UK chart the same year.

Freddy Cannon had a number three hit with "Palisades Park" on the US pop chart in 1962. It reached number 20 on the UK chart the same year. James Darren had a number six hit on the US pop chart with "Her Royal Majesty" in 1962. It reached number 36 on the UK chart the same year. Bobby Darin had a number three hit on the US pop chart with "Things" in 1962. It reached number two on the UK chart the same year.

9. In the comedy record "Monster Mash" who or what is missing from these lyrics? "The scene was rockin, all were digging the sounds Igor on chains, backed by his ________ ________"

Answer: Baying Hounds

Bobby "Boris" Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers had a number one hit for two weeks on the US pop chart in 1962. It re-entered the US pop chart in 1970 reaching number 91 and again in 1973 reaching number ten. Although it was very popular and had lots of radio play it took 11 years to enter the UK chart where it reached number three in 1973.

10. Who is the UK singer of this 1962 comedy record that spawned a UK trio in the '90s? They used its title for their name and had number one hits with different records in the UK and US in 1992. These lyrics might help. "And Charlie had a think and he said look Fred, I've got a sort of feeling If we removed the ceiling, with a rope or two we could drop the blighter through"

Answer: Bernard Cribbins

Actor/singer/comedian Bernard Cribbins had a number ten hit on the UK chart with "Right, Said Fred" in 1962. It did not chart in the US. The UK Group Right Said Fred had a number one hit for three weeks on the US pop chart with "I'm Too Sexy" in 1992. It reached number two on the UK chart in 1991. They had a number one for three weeks on the UK chart with "Deeply Dippy" in 1992. It did not chart in the US.

Bernard Bilk MBE was Acker Bilk who as Mr. Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz Band had a number five hit with "Summer Set" on the UK chart in 1960. It never charted in the US. As Mr. Acker Bilk with the Leon Young String Chorale he had a number two hit on the UK chart with "Stranger On The Shore" in 1961. It remained on the UK chart for 55 weeks selling over 1,130,000. It reached number one for one week on the US pop chart in 1962. It was voted number one instrumental of 1962 in the US. Bernard Jewry had two separate chart careers in the UK. One as lead singer of Shane Fenton and The Fentones who had a number 19 hit on the UK chart with "Cindy's Birthday" in 1962. He made a comeback as Alvin Stardust and had a number one hit on the UK chart with "Jealous Mind" in 1974. He never had any US chart hits in either guise. Bernard Sumner was a founding member of Joy Division who had a number 13 hit on the UK chart with "Love Will Tear Us Apart" in 1980. It never charted in the US. He was also a founding member of New Order who had a number one hit on the UK chart with "World In Motion" in 1990. It never charted in the US.

Source: Author shipyardbernie

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These days there is a great lack of comedy songs but back in the day they were all over the music charts. Take a trip down comedy song memory lane and have a good laugh while you find the answers to these questions.

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