Groovy Sixties Quotes IV - the easy one, man Quiz

Answer: "Cry Like a Baby" - the Box Tops

Singer Alex Chilton was only 16 years old when the Box Tops recorded their biggest hit "The Letter". Because of his young age, he didn't have much say in the choice of songs and the direction the band went in and he soon left. First, he recorded sessions for a solo album.

The recordings were shelved and didn't see the light of day until Ardent records put them out in 1996, as the lovely but flawed album "1970". In 1971 he formed the wonderful Big Star, with Chris Bell and Jody Stephens. But Chilton and Bell didn't see eye to eye and Bell left in 1972.

The second Big Star record only featured a handful of his contributions. Bell released the fantastic solo single "I Am the Cosmos/You and Your Sister", in 1977, but in 1978 he died in a car crash.

It wasn't until 1992 that an album of his recordings was released. The third Big Star album, "Third/Sister Lovers", also didn't get released until 1978, three years after the band split up. That's three great albums that didn't get released until years later. Would you believe it?

Answer: "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" - the Shangri-La's

Even though the Shangri-La's had a bit of a rowdy image - unlike the other girl bands from the era they often dressed in leather trousers and sang songs about wild guys on motorcycles - the 1994 compilation cd "Myrmidons of Melodrama" included a little surprise that didn't totally converge with their perceived proto-feminist stance.

The cd included four radio spots they recorded for Revlon, featuring tips on 'gift receiving' ('don't risk parental disapproval') and 'dating tips' ('how to flatter the masculine ego'). Oh dear.

Answer: "For Your Love" - the Yardbirds

Guitar player Eric 'Slowhand' Clapton hated the poppy single "For Your Love", cos he wanted to play the blues. That's why he left the band at the start of 1965, to join John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. His replacement was one Jeff Beck, who left at the end of 1966, to form the Jeff Beck Group.

At that moment Jimmy Page, who had been a member of the band for a while, became the sole lead guitar player. But the line-up kept changing, and by 1968 the only original member that was left was bassist Chris Dreja. Three other members joined the Yardbirds: Robert Plant on vocals, John Bonham on drums and then John Paul Jones on bass, because Dreja also left in August 1968.

The new band called themselves The New Yardbirds, to play some live dates that had already been booked. By October 1968 they had changed their name, and direction, again, and became the mighty Led Zeppelin.

Answer: "Substitute" - The Who

"Substitute" is probably The Who's best loved song. Artists like The Litter, the Glitter Band, Graham Parker, Marillion, the Oppressed, Richard Thompson, Blur, all recorded cover versions. So did the Sex Pistols, claiming 'We don't need permission for anything' before launching into a raunchy version that appears on "The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle" soundtrack (1979).

The Ramones also did a version, on their "Acid Eaters" album (1993), with Pete Townsend guesting.

Answer: "Kicks" - Paul Revere and the Raiders

"Kicks" was written by the Brill Building songwriting married couple Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, who also wrote tracks such as "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" (the Righteous Brothers), "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" (the Animals) and "Uptown" (the Crystals). "Kicks" is a very anti-drugs song, probably written about a close friend of the couple.

Answer: "Randy Scouse Git" - the Monkees

By the time they recorded their third album, "Headquarters" (1967), pop muppets The Monkees were trying to take their career in their own hands and writing their own songs. "Randy Scouse Git" was one of the first songs Micky Dolenz ever wrote. It was about their tour of England and referenced The Beatles and Samantha Juste, Dolenz' bride to be.

The song was a hit in the UK, but the title was changed to "Alternate Title", because "Randy Scouse Git" roughly translates as "horny jerk from Liverpool", which was deemed unsuitable by the BBC.

Answer: "2000 Light Years From Home" - Rolling Stones

At the time the 1967 Rolling Stones album "Their Satanic Majesties Request" was derided for being sub-"Sgt. Pepper"; bandwagon-jumping psychedelic folly. But it's probably the Stones' most interesting album, as a whole. The strange rhythms, the completely psychedelic effects, silly lyrics, and, indeed, a very long psychedelic jam song, make this a really standout album in the Stones' catalogue.

At least because they never ventured in this direction again. The original release of the album had a 3D cover. Groovy.

Answer: "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd

By the time of their second album, 1968's "A Saucerful of Secrets", founder member Syd Barrett was so far gone that it was almost impossible to retain him as a band member. His old friend, guitar player David Gilmour was hired as his stand in/replacement. Barrett's sole contribution to the album was the track "Jugband Blues", during the recording of which he brought in a Salvation Army band off the street.

Answer: "Burning of the Midnight Lamp" - Jimi Hendrix Experience

"Burning of the Midnight Lamp" appeared on the album "Electric Ladyland", the third and final album recorded by The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Answer: "21st Century Schizoid Man" - King Crimson

Although there's a big, dark cloud of stigmata hanging over everything that's considered prog-rock, Robert Fripp's bunch of intellectual primitives has always been regarded as pretty cool by the media as well as other musicians. About the only other prog-rock band who can say the same thing is Van Der Graaf Generator. And possibly Soft Machine.

Other proggers, like Yes, Genesis, ELP, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, and their ilk are regarded as too dull to even contemplate. Which makes a lot of sense.