No. 1 Hits of the 70s Vol. 24 Trivia Quiz

Answer: You Haven't Done Nothin'

All four were hits by Wonder, but it was "You Haven't Done Nothin'" which made it to the top of the charts for a one week stay on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in the fall of 1974. The song is said to be aimed squarely at former U.S. President Richard Nixon, and his lack of action during his tenure in the White House. The background vocals in the song were done by The Jackson Five.

Answer: You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

Of the four choices listed, only "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" made it to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts when it spent a week there in the fall of 1974. The song was actually written as a gag by Randy Bachman and was never intended to be released as a single, but continued airplay of the song off an album called "Not Fragile" forced the move to release it.

It became the group's only number one hit. It has been said that the music was a copy of The Who's "Baba O'Reilly", and although the riff is similar, the group says it was purely coincidental.

Answer: True

Lennon only had one song as a number one U.S. hit 'during his lifetime'. "Whatever Gets You Through The Night" hit the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in November of 1974. Lennon actually disliked this song, and he made a bet with his friend Elton John about it. John thought the song would go to number one, and Lennon agreed to appear on stage with Elton John in concert if that ever occurred. Well, it happened and on November 28, 1974 in New York's Madison Square Garden, Lennon appeared onstage during an Elton John performance to sing this song and a few others.

It was to be Lennon's last major concert appearance. It just goes to show that even a genius like Lennon cannot predict what the public will like or not like in music. For those of you who thought about "(Just Like) Starting Over", that song went to number one as a posthumous hit after Lennon was murdered in December of 1980.

Answer: Billy Swan

Billy Swan gave us "I Can Help", which went to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts for a two week stay in the fall of 1974. The song also became a crossover hit, going to number one on the Country charts as well. It was Swan's only major Billboard charting hit.

Answer: Kung Fu Fighting

The motion picture industry put out a plethora of inexpensive films dealing with Kung-Fu and other martial arts during the early and mid-1970s. The films were mostly produced by studios in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and a number of them made it to American screens. Carl Douglas took advantage of the craze to record "Kung-Fu Fighting" which spent two weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in December of 1974.

It was Douglas' only major recording and he is usually considered a one-hit wonder.

Answer: Cat's in the Cradle

All of the songs were Chapin's releases. Three are kind of obscure, but "Cat's in the Cradle" was the one that became his only number one charting hit when it went to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts in December of 1974. The song tells the story of a young boy who idolizes his father, but the father says he hasn't the time to spend with the child due to other obligations.

When the son grows up, the roles are reversed and the son no longer has time to spend with his father. Sad song.

Answer: Angie Baby

"Angie Baby", written by Alan O'Day ("Undercover Angel"), was a number one tune for Helen Reddy on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts. It spent the last week of December 1974 at that position. The lyrics tell of a woman who is "crazy", or has "magical powers" or "special abilities", depending on who you ask. Neither Reddy nor O'Day has ever fully explained what the lyrics actually meant.

Answer: 3

There were only three members of this group, which scored with "Fallin' in Love" when it went to the top of the charts for a week during the summer of 1975. Dan Hamilton, Joe Frank Carollo and Tommy Reynolds were the original three. They had previously been members of the T-Bones, who had an instrumental hit with "No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)" in the 1960s and had also scored a major hit in 1971 with "Don't Pull Your Love". Even though Reynolds subsequently left the group and was replaced, they still maintained only three members during their recording careers.

Answer: Get Down Tonight

Of the four songs listed, only "Get Down Tonight" made it to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts. It spent one week at the top of the charts in the summer of 1975. It was a portent of things to come, though. Capitalizing on the disco beat, KC and the Sunshine Band scored four other number one hits during the remainder of the 1970s, along with four other Top 40 placings.

Answer: Rhinestone Cowboy

Glen Campbell toured with the Beach Boys during the mid 1960s, but eventually made it on his own as a country singer. The crossover tune "Rhinestone Cowboy" made it to the top of both the Country charts and the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts simultaneously, the first song to do so since 1961 when "Big Bad John" accomplished the feat. Since its recording, it has become Campbell's signature tune.

It was nominated for a 1976 Grammy Award as well, but did not win. All three of the other songs mentioned were also number one hits, but as far as I can determine, C.W. McCall, John Denver, and Dolly Parton were never touring members of the Beach Boys!