Name That Tune ("O.G." Rock Version) Quiz

Answer: Hound Dog

"Hound Dog" was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was recorded and released by Big Mama Thornton and Freddie Bell and the Bellboys in the early 1950s. However, it is obviously the Elvis Presley version highlighted here. He performed the song many times in concert and on T.V. before releasing it as a single in 1956.

The complete first line of lyrics are, "You ain't nothing but a Hound Dog, lying all the time".

Answer: Johnny B. Goode

"Johnny B. Goode" was released in 1958, and was written and performed by Chuck Berry. Chuck said the song was basically autobiographical. The title was inspired by the piano player in his band by the name of Johnnie Johnson. The "B" in the title stands for Berry, and the Goode comes from Chuck's birthplace (2520 Goode Ave. St. Louis, Missouri).

The complete first line of lyrics are, "Deep down in Louisiana, close to New Orleans".

Answer: Rock Around the Clock

"Rock Around the Clock" was written by Max Freedman and James Myers. It was recorded by various artists, but the Bill Haley and his Comets' version is the rendition used in this quiz. It was released in 1954 as a B-side single. It gained its true fame by its use in the opening credits of the film "Blackboard Jungle" in 1955.

It further solidified its status with its inclusion in the movie "American Graffiti", and its two year run as the opening song for the hit T.V. show "Happy Days". The complete first line of lyrics are, "One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock, rock".

Answer: Great Balls of Fire

"Great Balls of Fire" was written by Otis Blackwell and Jack Hammer. It was performed by Jerry Lee Lewis, and released as a single in 1957. Lewis used session musicians on guitar and drums for the recording, and stated that was the first and last time he ever saw those guys.

The song title was used as the movie title for a biographical film about Jerry Lee starring Dennis Quaid. The complete first line of lyrics are, "You shake my nerves, and you rattle my brains".

Answer: Tutti Frutti

"Tutti Frutti" (which means "all fruits" in Italian) was written by Richard Wayne Penniman, aka Little Richard, and Dorothy LaBostrie. Performed by Little Richard, it was released in 1955. Many renowned music artists and critics have said the song introduced rock music's characteristic features, and is the sound that spawned Rock and Roll.

The complete first line of lyrics are, "Wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom". Which Richard said was a verbal translation of a drum pattern for the song.

Answer: Peggy Sue

"Peggy Sue" was written by Norman Petty and Jimmy Allison. Jimmy was the drummer in Buddy Holly's backing group, The Crickets. It was released as a single in 1957 without The Crickets being credited on the record label. The title was originally "Cindy Lou", but Allison changed it to "Peggy Sue" after he and his girlfriend, Peggy Sue Gerron, had broken up. Buddy Holly wrote a sequel, "Peggy Sue Got Married", that was discovered after his death.

The complete first line of lyrics to "Peggy Sue" are, "If you knew Peggy Sue".

Answer: Bye Bye Love

"Bye Bye, Love" was released in 1957 as the debut single by the Everly Brothers (Don and Phil). The song was written by the husband and wife team of Boudleaux and Felice Bryant. The song was a hit on both the mainstream music and country charts. Revered by many in the music world, the song has been covered by the likes of the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, and Ray Charles.

The complete first line of lyrics are, "Bye bye, love, bye bye, happiness. Hello loneliness".

Answer: Blueberry Hill

"Blueberry Hill" was originally released in 1940 by The Sammy Kaye Orchestra, Gene Krupa, and Glenn Miller Band. It was written by Vincent Rose, Larry Stucky, and Al Lewis. The Fats Domino version is highlighted in this quiz. Fats released his on an EP in 1956.

The song regained popularity in the 1970s as it became Richie Cunningham's sort of theme song on the hit T.V. show "Happy Days". He would sing the complete first line of lyrics, "I found my thrill on Blueberry Hill", whenever he thought he was going to have a "make out session" with a girl.

Answer: Summertime Blues

"Summertime Blues" was released in 1958 as a B-side single by rockabilly artist Eddie Cochran. It was written by Cochran and his manager Jerry Capehart. It ranks near the very top of the most covered songs in recording history with over 40 versions. Also numerous acts such as the Rolling Stones, Van Halen, And Bruce Springsteen made it regular fare on their concert tours.

The complete first line of lyrics are, "I'm gonna raise a fuss, I'm gonna raise a holler".

Answer: La Bamba

"La Bamba" is a Mexican folk song from the state of Veracruz. The earliest known recording was in 1938. For the purpose of the quiz it is the Ritchie Valens version that is used. It was released in 1958 as a B-side single to the A-side song "Donna". It was made even more famous in the 1980s with the movie of the same name.

It starred Lou Diamond Phillips as Ritchie Valens. "La Bamba" is the only song in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs that is sung entirely in a language other than English.

The complete first line of lyrics are, "Para bailar La Bamba" (translated it says "To dance the swing dance").