Free Electric Bandsman: The Albert Hammond Story Quiz

Answer: Gibraltar

Born in London during WWII, (May 18th, 1944) he was taken to the family home Gibraltar. He was appointed OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in 2008 and in 2009 Gibraltar announced plans to put his picture on commemorative postage stamps. In 2008, Hammond was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.
During his recording career, Hammond made albums in both English and Spanish.
His son, Albert Hammond Junior, followed in his musical footsteps, and has found fame as a guitarist with The Strokes.

Answer: Charity

"My father is a doctor, he's a family man
My mother works for charity whenever she can
They're both good clean Americans who abide by the law
They both stick up for liberty and they both support the war.
My happiness was paid for when they laid their money down
For summers in a summer camp and winters in the town
My future in the system was talked about and planned
But I gave it up for music and the Free Electric Band"
Probably Hammond's biggest UK hit as a singer, it reached Number 19 in the charts in 1993, though barely scraped into the US top 50.

Answer: Carole Bayer Sager

Hammond's early and long-time collaborator was Mike Hazlewood, but after their partnership ended, he wrote with Hal David (who had written with Bacharach) and with Carole Bayer Sager (who had written with, and been married to, Bacharach) AH and CBS wrote 'When I Need You', which was a monster hit for Leo Sayer. Sayer wrote most of the lyrics for Hammond's comeback album, 'Revolution Of The Heart' in 2008, his 14th album in English. Hammond's biographical website claimed 360 millions sales of songs he had written and co-written, and writing credits for 30 chart-topping hits.

When those facts were put to him by the presenter Johnnie Walker (a self-confessed fan) during a BBC Radio 2 interview, Hammond joked "Where's the money?"

Answer: It pours

"Seems it never rain in Southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don't they warn ya
It pours man it pours."
Hammond and his lyricist partner Mike Hazlewood actually wrote this song in England before moving to the USA to try to make it big. It was a Number Five hit in the USA. Among others to record the song were Sonny and Cher.

Answer: The Air That I Breathe

"Sometimes, all I need is the air that I breathe
And to love you
All I need is the air that I breathe
Yes to love you
All I need is the air that I breathe"
First recorded by Phil Everly, "The Air That I Breathe" was a Number Two UK hit for The Hollies in 1974. Others to cover the song included Hank Williams Jr, Olivia Newton John, Barry Manilow and Simply Red.

Answer: Leapy Lee

"Here they come falling out of the blue
Little arrows for me and for you
You're falling in love again
Falling in love again

Little arrows in your clothing
Little arrows in your hair
When you're in love you'll find
Those little arrows everywhere

Little arrows that will hit you once
And hit you once again
Little arrows that hit everybody
Every now and then"
This was a UK Number Two hit for Lee in 1968. The Beatles song "Hey Jude" kept him off the top spot

Answer: One Moment In Time

"One Moment In Time", written by Hammond and lyricist John Bettis, was a Number Five US hit for Whitney Houston and a Number One in the UK. It was the theme for the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics. The song won Hammond an Emmy. "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", co-written by Hammond and Diane Warren, was nominated for an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy.

It was a Number One hit for Starship in both the UK and USA in 1987.

Answer: Leo Sayer

"When I need you
I just close my eyes and I'm with you
And all that I so want to give you
Its only a heartbeat away..."
Co-written with Carole Bayer Sager, it was a UK and US Number One hit in 1977. Others to cover it included Céline Dion, Perry Como, Rod Stewart, Brotherhood of Man, Julio Iglesias, Cliff Richard and Clay Aiken.

Answer: Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson

"To all the girls I've loved before
Who travelled in and out my door
I'm glad they came along
I dedicate this song
To all the girls I've loved before..."
The song topped the US Country charts and reached Number Five in the Billboard charts in 1984. It was a Number 17 hit in the UK.

Answer: Don't Turn Around

"Don't turn around
'Cause you're gonna see my heart breaking
Don't turn around
I don't want you seeing me cry
Just walk away
It's tearing me apart that you're leaving
I'm letting you go
But I won't let you go
Written with Diane Warren, the song was a UK Number One for Aswad in 1988, a US Number Four for Ace of Base in 1994 and a US Top 20 for Neil Diamond in 1992. Others to record it included Tina Turner, Kim Goody, Bonnie Tyler and Luther Ingram

Answer: Family Dogg

Hammond and his songwriting partner Mike Hazlewood formed Family Dogg along with Stephen Rowland. They had a minor 1969 hit with "A Way of Life", but broke up after their first album. (The writing credits for "A Way Of Life" go to Hammond and Rowland).
Trivia note: Elton John played piano on the record.
"Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor
Rich or poor man's wife
Some they wish to change their dish
But it's a way of life"

Answer: Joe Dolan

"Take me and break me and close all your windows and doors
Shut me off, cut me off, make me an island, I'm yours
Take me away from the world, take me away from the girls
Take me and break me and make me an island, I'm yours"
The song reached Number Three in the UK charts but was a Number One hit in 14 other countries in 1969.
Trivia note: Dolan, October 1939 to December 2007, claimed to be the first western pop singer to perform in the USSR (in 1978).

Answer: Blue Mink

"Good Morning Freedom, it's a brand new day
I'm packing my bags and I'm going away
I'm moving my legs and my city tired bones
I got to get away from the busy man's phones'
Hammond co-wrote the song with Mike Hazlewood, Roger Cook, and Roger John Reginal. It reached Number Ten in the UK in 1970,

Answer: The Pipkins

That's right, That's right
I'm sad and blue
'Cause I can't do the Boogaloo
"I'm lost, I'm lost
Can't do my thing
That's why I sing
Gimme, Gimme Dat Ding Ah..
Gimme Dat, Gimme Dat
Gimme, Gimme, Gimme Dat
Gimme Dat Ding, Gimme Dat
Gimme, Gimme Dat, Gimme Dat Ding
Gimme Dat, Gimme, Gimme Dat,
Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Dat Ding
This novelty song was written for a TV show Hammond and Hazlewood were involved in, "Oliver In the Overworld". The Pipkins had a hit with it in both the UK and USA in 1970.
On British TV, it was used in instrumental form as continuity music for "The Benny Hill Show" while Coca-Cola reworked it as "Gimme Dat Ring" as an advertising campaign for their ring-pull cans.

Answer: Johnny Cash

"Praise the Lord and pass the soup
Praise the Lord and pass the bread
Sister, you can bang on your tambourine
Just let my body be fed"
The song appeared on the 1979 CBS album "A Boy Named Sue"

I hope you have enjoyed this quiz, and that you perhaps found out that many songs you were familiar with had a common bond - Albert Hammond.