Green Submarine Trivia Quiz

Answer: Blue

'Blue Hawaii' was the title track to Elvis's 1961 movie of the same name, the first of three to be filmed in the islands. The song, written by Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger, had previously been sung by Bing Crosby in the 1937 film 'Waikiki Wedding'. Between Bing and Elvis, it had been covered by Patti Page, Billy Vaughn, Frank Sinatra and Andy Williams, among others.

Answer: Purple

Sheb Wooley had a hit with his novelty song about a 'one-eyed, one-horned, flying, purple people eater' that wanted to be in a rock and roll band in 1958. If you listen closely to the lyrics, you will find that it is not about a purple monster, but one that eats purple people. I must confess that I never listened closely enough to pick that up, and have always envisioned a purple dragon-like entity when I hear the chorus.

Answer: Green

Well, there just had to be one that was green to start with! This song about busking was a big hit for the Lemon Pipers in 1967, both as a single and as the title track of their first album. Written by Paul Leka and Shelley Pinz, it is often identified as one of the biggest hits of the bubblegum pop genre.

It also introduced some of the sounds of psychedelic pop, including both the titular tambourine and an electric sitar.

Answer: Red

'Little Red Rooster' (originally titled 'The Red Rooster' by Willie Dixon) has become a blues standard. Howlin' Wolf recorded it in 1961 in Chicago Blues style. Sam Cooke's 1963 version was a bit more 'pop' in style, and the Rolling Stones produced an electric blues version in 1964 which made it to the top of the UK charts.

Theirs is the version that brought the song to the largest audience worldwide.

Answer: Silver

'Maxwell's Silver Hammer' was recorded by the Beatles on their 'Abbey Road' album in 1969. It is a cheerful little ditty, with a vaudeville feel, about a young man who simply bashes over the head anyone who irritates him. One wonders whether this was intended to be a reflection on the tensions within the Beatles at that time, as their time together was drawing to a squabbling end, or whether it was subconscious (or even just read into the lyrics in hindsight).

Answer: Yellow

'Mellow Yellow' was recorded by Donovan (who also wrote it) in 1967. It was widely rumored to be about the practice of drying banana skins, crumbling them up, and smoking them. This was supposed to produce a hallucinogenic effect, but thousands (if not millions) of disappointed teenagers found differently. Donovan himself has said (in a 2011 interview with 'New Musical Express'), "It's about being cool, laid-back, and also the electrical bananas that were appearing on the scene - which were ladies' vibrators."

Answer: White

The Moody Blues included 'Nights in White Satin' as part of their 1967 concept album 'Days of Future Passed'. The single version was released twice - it was a moderate success in 1967, and a bigger one in 1972. Justin Hayward, who wrote the song, captured a sense of angst caused by unrequited love that struck a chord with a large audience - after all, how many of us made it through adolescence and young adulthood without experiencing something similar?

Answer: Orange

Ervin T. Rouse and Gordon Rouse wrote 'The Orange Blossom Special', inspired by a tour of the luxury passenger train of that name, in 1938 and recorded it in 1939. It has become a staple of bluegrass musicians, one that any bluegrass fiddler worth his salt is ready to play at the drop of a hat. Johnny Cash's 1965 album for which it was the title track changed it to have more of a Country feel, with harmonicas and saxophone replacing the fiddles.

Answer: Black

The Rolling Stones released the Jagger/Richard track 'Paint It, Black' (including a comma which later disappeared) in 1966. It became the first Number One song to feature the sitar, an instrument in which Brian Jones had developed a keen interest. While George Harrison introduced the sitar in the Beatles' music with a sense of Indian music, Brian Jones was starting from Moroccan music in his use of the sitar.

Answer: Pink

Bruce Springsteen released 'Pink Cadillac' on the flip side of his 1984 single 'Dancing in the Dark'. Its imagery followed a succession of songs in which cars were used to refer to sex, including Wilson Pickett's 'Mustang Sally' and Prince's 'Little Red Corvette'. Springsteen has stated that his inspiration for the pink Cadillac came from a 1954 Elvis Presley song which changed a lyric of an earlier song to refer to a customised car he was then using on tour.