Musical Royalty Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Police

In 1983, the rock band, The Police, i.e., Sting, Andy Summers and Stuart Copeland,
released "King of Pain" which was written by Sting (Gordon Sumner). The song
appeared on their fifth studio album, "Synchronicity". Sting penned the song after his break-up with his first wife. The hit reveals the psychological pain he was experiencing: "There's a little black spot on the sun today/that's my soul up there". The song was covered by Alanis Morissette and parodied by Weird Al.

Answer: Go West

In 1990, a hit by the British pop band called Go West appeared in the film "Pretty Woman", with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. "King of Wishful Thinking" was later featured on Go West's fourth album, "Indian Summer", in 1992. The song was written by Peter Cox, Richard Drummie and Martin Page. Go West was originally founded in 1982 as a duo with Peter Cox and Richard Drummie.

Answer: Gene Chandler

Going back to the early days of Rock and Roll, we have Gene Chandler's 1962 hit "Duke of Earl". On January 13, 1962, the song debuted on Billboard's Hot 100. It held the number one slot for three weeks, and appeared on the charts for 15 weeks. In 2002, "Duke of Earl" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Additionally, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named the tune as one of "500 Songs that shaped Rock and Roll".

Answer: Juice Newton

Judy Kay "Juice" Newton covered the Dave Edmunds' country song "Queen of Hearts" on her 1981 album, "Juice". It was the second song on the album. It went on to hit number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1981, right behind "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie.

The song also garnered Newton a 1982 Grammy nomination for Best Female Vocalist, Country and Western category. She re-recorded "Queen of Hearts" on her 1998 album, "The Trouble with Angels".

Answer: Billy Ocean

Billy Ocean is a Trinidad-born British R&B singer who reached the peak of international popularity in the early to mid-1980s. His song, "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)", was released in 1984, and went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 1985, Billy Ocean became the first British artist to win the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

Answer: Dire Straits

In 1977, British band Dire Straits was founded. The group consisted of Mark Knopfler and his younger brother David, John Illsley and Pick Withers. In February 1978, their eponymous debut album, "Dire Straits", featured "Sultans of Swing", written by Mark Knopfler. Mark credits the success of the song to his "'61 Strat", the guitar he used for much of his career. Although the song did not chart in 1978, when it was re-issued in January 1979 it became a hit.

Answer: Adam and the Ants

Released in 1981, "Prince Charming" is from the third and final album of the new wave band then known as Adam and the Ants, later called Adam Ant. Adam Ant was born Stuart Leslie Goddard in London, England in 1954. The "Prince Charming" album produced two UK number one hits, i.e., "Stand and Deliver" (from Side B) and the single "Prince Charming" which went to number one in September of 1981. The "Ants" included Adam Ant on vocals and harmonica, Marco Pirroni on guitar, Merrick and Miall on drums, and Gary Tibbs on bass.

Answer: ABBA

ABBA was a Swedish pop band founded in Stockholm in 1972. The group included Agnetha Faltskog, Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Between 1974 and 1982, ABBA was one of the most commercially successful acts in the world. In 1976, the Europop song, "Dancing Queen", was released as the lead single on ABBA's fourth studio album, "Arrival". The song was ABBA's only number one hit in the United States.

Answer: Roger Miller

"Dang Me" if I don't miss some of country singer Roger Miller's (1936-1992) old songs. Roger was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and grew up in Oklahoma. He penned several novelty songs, e.g., "You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd" and "Do-Wacka-Do". One of my favorites was "King of the Road", written and sung by Miller, and released in January 1965.

The song is about a hobo who has no job or money, but he has his freedom! He's "a man of means by no means, king of the road".

Answer: Stevie Wonder

Stevland Hardaway Morris, "Little Stevie Wonder", is a blind musician, singer, songwriter and producer. He was a child prodigy who signed with a Motown label at the tender age of eleven. There is not enough space here to document the accomplishments of this artist. His hits include "Superstition", "You Are the Sunshine of my Life" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You". "Sir Duke" was on the 1976 album, "Songs in the Key of Life". Stevie wrote the song as a tribute to Duke Ellington. It was released as a single the following year, where it topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart.