"Don't" Take This Quiz

Answer: The Searchers

It was The Searchers who recorded a cover of "Don't Throw Your Love Away", originally done by The Orlons, and turned it into a Top 20 U.S. Billboard charting hit in 1964. The song was the third number one hit for the group in their native U.K. In the U.S. the song reached number 16 on the charts, following in the footsteps of "Needles and Pins", their first Top 20 hit.

Answer: The Cookies

It was The Cookies who took the Carole King/Gerry Goffin composition of "Don't Say Nothing Bad (About My Baby) and made it a Top 10 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1963, peaking at number seven on the charts. It was the group's only Top 10 hit.

Answer: Gerry and the Pacemakers

It was Gerry and the Pacemakers, led by Gerry Marsden, who cut the track "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" and took it into the Top 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts reaching a peak of number four on the charts. It was their highest charting U.S. hit. It also was a number six hit in the U.K. but they already had three number one tunes there during 1963.

Answer: B.J. Thomas

"Don't Worry Baby" was co-written by Brian Wilson and first appeared as a B-side to the Beach Boys' first number one single called "I Get Around". However, with the popularity of the group at the time, the song still managed to hit number 24 on the Billboard charts in its own right. B.J. Thomas covered the song in 1977 and had a Top 20 hit with the song as well, reaching a peak of number 17 on the charts.

The Beach Boys version has endured over time and become something of a classic. It is ranked on "Rolling Stone Magazine's" list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" at number 167. Pretty good for a B-side.

Answer: The Wonder Who

The Four Seasons were set to do an album based on songs written by Bob Dylan, but things weren't going too well. As a joke, Frankie Valli sang "Don't Think Twice" in his trademark falsetto voice and wouldn't you know it, an executive at the record company heard a tape of the song and wanted to release it. For legal reasons, the song couldn't be released as either The Four Seasons, or Frankie Valli, so they came up with the name The Wonder Who? Well, the joke as they called it got to number 12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in late 1965.

Answer: Subway

"Don't Sleep in the Subway" was a number five charting tune in the U.S. on the Billboard charts for Petula Clark in the spring of 1967. The song was her final Top 10 single in the U.S. It also was number one in Australia, number five in Canada and number seven in New Zealand.

Answer: True

Yes, "Don't Let Me Down" actually makes the list. Although released in 1969 as a B-side to the number one tune "Get Back", the song scored a number 35 placing on the U.S. Billboard charts on its own. This is another song that featured the musical talents of the so-called "Fifth Beatle", Billy Preston, who can be heard playing the electric piano on this tune.

Answer: False

"Don't Cry Daddy" was actually a number six U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charting hit in 1969 for Elvis Presley. The song also reached number eight in the U.K. Some speculate that the song was a reminder of his father who was left a widower when Elvis' mother passed away in 1958.

Answer: Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds

Dan Hamilton, Joe Frank Carollo and Tommy Reynolds were part of The T-Bones who scored with the very familiar "No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)" of Alka-Seltzer fame in 1966. The group had disbanded at the end of 1967, but was persuaded to get back together in 1971 to record this song.

The song ended up peaking at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts during its run that year.

Answer: Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes

The only Philadelphia based act of the four mentioned were Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes. Led by Terry Pendergrass, they cut the original recording of "Don't Leave Me This Way" which did well on the disco charts (number three) and also did well in the U.K. ( number five) but not so well on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts.

The more popular 1976 version, covered by Thelma Houston, was a number one hit in the U.S. for Houston on both the Hot 100 and soul charts, but only managed a number 35 placing in the U.K.

Answer: Boston

Boston was a major force during the mid and late 1970s with two highly successful albums and a string of Top 20 hits. "Don't Look Back" was the title track from their second album, and the song reached number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts during its 1978 run.

Answer: Melissa Manchester

Melissa Manchester, a New York City native, had been performing since 1973, and was perhaps best known for her rendition of "Midnight Blue", which was a top ten hit in 1974. "Don't Cry Out Loud", written by Peter Allen reached number 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1978, and earned her a Grammy nomination that year.

Answer: ELO

The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) scored their biggest hit with "Don't Bring Me Down" in 1978. The group, led by Jeff Lynne who later would become one of the Traveling Wilburys, scored a number four placing on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts. Additionally, the song climbed to number two in Canada, a number three tune in the U.K. and was a number six hit in Australia.

Answer: Why

"Don't Ask Me Why" was a hit for Billy Joel in 1980 topping out at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts that year. It was off an album called "Glass Houses".

Answer: Believin

"Don't Stop Believin'" was a major hit for Journey off their album called "Escape" in 1981. Led by Steve Perry, this powerful group scored a number nine placing on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts. It is generally recognized as their signature song.