"Flash, Bang, Wallop" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Half A Sixpence

"Flash, Bang, Wallop" is one of the big set piece songs from the 1967 Tommy Steele film, "Half A Sixpence". The story line, based on the H.G. Wells book "Kipps", is a simple poor boy makes good with complications along the way.

Tommy Steele started his career in the 1950s as a rock and roll singer. He soon realised that he could have a better career as an all round entertainer, and in the 1960s he moved into stage and film musicals, as well as touring his one man show. His film credits include "Finian's Rainbow" (1968) and "The Happiest Millionaire" (1967). On stage he produced and starred in the 1983 revival of "Singing in the Rain" at the London Palladium.

Multi-talented, he has also written books and is a respected sculptor. His statue of Eleanor Rigby is close to the Cavern Club in Liverpool and he has a statue of two rugby players at Twickenham stadium.

Answer: Joe Brown

Joe Brown is a talented musician, and was employed as backing guitarist for 1950s U.K. tours by Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent. Signed by the legendary Larry Parnes in 1960, his first record for Decca "Darktown Strutters Ball" charted at number 34 on the UK Singles Chart. Never a true rock and roll singer, he branched out into film, stage musicals and pantomime. He appeared in "Charlie Girl" in the West End in the mid 1960s as well as the film "What A Crazy World" (1963). "Picture of You" was a top ten hit for him in 1962.

He has presented two radio series for BBC Radio 2, and a daytime quiz show on ITV. In 2010 he supported Status Quo on the arena section of their tour. He is often described as a cockney, but this is incorrect as he was actually born in Lincolnshire. His family moved to Plaistow in London when he was two. To be a true cockney you have to be born within earshot of Bow Bells in London.

Answer: Lily

"Pictures of Lily" was written by Pete Townshend and was a 1967 single for The Who. It charted at number five on the UK Singles Chart, but failed to bother the American charts. The song is basically about a boy fantasising over a pin up girl.

The Who formed in 1964, and quickly became known for their live performances, which frequently saw them destroy instruments. Their drummer, Keith Moon, acquired the nickname Moon the Loon because of his destructive behaviour. He has however been acknowledged as one of the best rock drummers of all time.

Answer: Kodachrome

This 1973 song was named after the 35mm camera film available at the time. Released as a single as well as an album track in America, it peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. It was never released as a single in Britain, and it was said that this was because the BBC refused to play a song that appeared to advertise a trademarked name. Some years later, in the 1990s, Kodak used the song to advertise their film.

All of the incorrect answers are makes of camera film that were both popular and plentiful before the advent of digital cameras.

Answer: Robbie Williams

Much to the despair of their fans Robbie Williams left Take That in 1995. After legal battles about his right to a solo career, and a spell in rehab for drug addiction, his first solo album was released in September 1997. At first it made little impact, and neither did the singles released from it. All that changed when "Angels" was released as a single in December 1997. The song sold over two million copies worldwide. This was followed by the release of "Let Me Entertain You" in 1998, a song which has become his theme tune.

Since then Robbie Williams has gone on to become one of the biggest selling singers in the world. He also reunited with Take That in 2010 for an album and a tour.

Answer: L. S. Lowry

"Pictures of Matchstick Men" was the first single for Status Quo. Released in 1967, it reached number seven on the UK Singles chart. The song reflected the psychedelic music that was popular at the time. However psychedelia did not bring them real success, and they soon abandoned it in favour of hard rock. When they signed with Vertigo their trademark sound soon evolved, and the 1970s saw such hits as "Down Down" (1975) "Rocking All Over The World" (1977) and "Whatever You Want" (1979). They have a dedicated fan base, and their live shows are known for both the noise levels and the amount of energy expended by both band and fans.

L.S. Lowry, referred to in their first single, was an artist who painted scenes of the industrial north. His very particular style of painting has led to his figures being referred to as "matchstick men".

Answer: Girls on Film

"Girls on Film" (1981) was the third single for Duran Duran. It was receiving good radio play and had charted at number five on the UK singles chart without any video exposure. The video was made shortly before MTV launched in America. The band expected it to be played in nightclubs, or on late night pay per view TV channels such as 'Playboy', so it was fairly raunchy.

When it was aired on MTV it caused something of an uproar. The BBC completely banned it and MTV had to do some severe editing to be able to show it. Lead singer, Simon Le Bon, did later complain that the controversy over the video meant that the message of the song, which was about the exploitation of models, had been completely buried and overlooked.

Answer: Mona Lisa

"Mona Lisa" was written for the 1950 film "Captain Carey". Both the title and lyrics make reference to the famous Da Vinci painting, which can be found in the Louvre Museum in Paris. Sung by Nat King Cole for the film soundtrack, it won the 1950 Oscar for Best Original Song, and also gave the singer the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for eight weeks.

Nat King Cole started his musical career as a jazz pianist, but it wasn't long before his smooth baritone voice bought him success as a singer. He was the first African American to host his own variety show on television. This was quite controversial at the time, and after a year the show was taken off when it failed to attract a national sponsor.

Answer: Jim Croce

Jim Croce is probably best known for the two songs, "Time In A Bottle" and "Bad Bad Leroy Brown", both released in the early 1970s. Prior to that he and his wife had performed as a duo, playing bars, small clubs and the college circuit in an effort to make a living in the music industry. At one stage they had sold all but one guitar to pay the rent and Jim Croce had taken jobs as a truck driver and construction worker.

In September 1973, just two months after "Bad Bad Leroy Brown" had given him a number one hit, Jim Croce died, along with four others, when the aircraft he had chartered to take him from one concert to the next failed to clear a tree at the end of the runway and crashed. The accident investigators commented that it was the only tree for hundreds of yards around.

"Photographs and Memories", a greatest hits LP, was released in 1974. In 1990 Jim Croce was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Answer: The Kinks

Both tracks appeared on the album "The Kinks are The Village Green Preservation Society", released in 1968. It was intended to give some indication of typical English village life.

Founded in 1964 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies, The Kinks were very different to most other groups of the time. Their songs were mainly written by Ray Davies, and were observational, intelligent and witty. Songs such as "Dedicated Follower of Fashion",(1965) "Lola" (1970) and "Waterloo Sunset" (1967), cemented both their reputation and popularity.