No. 1 Hits of the 70s Vol.17 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cracklin' Rosie

'Spirits' or alcoholic beverages were the main subject of the song "Cracklin' Rosie", which spent a week at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in the fall of 1970. According to Diamond, the song was about a type of wine drink that a Canadian tribe used.

The story goes that the tribe had many more men than women, so the single men would sit around a fire drinking this concoction. Anyway, the song was Diamond's first number one hit in the U.S. and also scored a number two placing in Australia, as well as a number three slot in the U.K.

Answer: Isaac Hayes

The time-shortened "Theme from Shaft" was released as a single in 1971, about two months after the soundtrack was released with a much longer version. The song was never intended to be released as a single but with the success of the motion picture, the song got a lot of exposure and a single was subsequently produced. Isaac Hayes had written many of the Sam and Dave tunes that became popular including "Soul Man". Hayes' work was rewarded with a number one Billboard Hot 100 hit, which stayed at the top for two weeks in the fall of 1971.

He also received an Academy Award for "Best Original Song" for this tune.

Answer: Ben

"Ben" was a number one hit for Michael Jackson, spending a week at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts in the fall of 1972. The song was written for the motion picture of the same name, which was a sequel to the movie called "Willard", a 1971 film about an army of rats led by a young boy. Ben was the leader of the rats, who communicated telepathically. Fantasy, maybe, but the song was good enough to earn Jackson the top spot on the charts.

Answer: American

"We're an American Band" made it to the top of the charts for a one week stay in the fall of 1973. Allegedly, the song was a semi-autobiographical account of some stops on one of their tours. They were touring with the group Humble Pie, and a discussion was had about the fundamental differences between American and British rock bands. One of the group's members, Don Brewer, stood up and shouted "We're an American Band", and wrote the song the next morning.

Answer: Rock the Boat

"Rock the Boat" propelled The Hues Corporation to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts in the U.S. for one week in the summer of 1974. It also reached top ten status in the U.K. The song is off an album called "Freedom for the Stallion" and was originally unsuccessful.

However, after repeated play in the discos and clubs, it finally caught on and went to the top of the charts. In some circles it is considered the first true disco song to reach the top of the charts.

Answer: Shining Star

Earth, Wind and Fire had been making music since their first release in 1970, but had not ever cracked the Top 20 on the Billboard charts until "Shining Star" soared all the way to the top for a one week visit in the spring of 1975. When they finally did it, they did it right. The song won a Grammy for "Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals".

Answer: Kiki Dee

Kiki Dee had been recording for a number of years, and had some success with the Top 20 tune "I've Got the Music In Me" in 1974. She teamed up with Sir Elton in 1976 for "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart" and the song became a number one tune in both the U.S. on the Billboard charts where it spent four weeks at the top in the summer that year and was number one in the U.K. as well. Surprisingly, it was John's first U.K. number one tune.

Answer: K.C. and the Sunshine Band

It was K.C and the Sunshine Band led by one Harry Wayne Casey (K.C.) who took "I'm Your Boogie Man" up the charts to the top of Billboard for a one week visit in the spring of 1977. Richard Finch, one of the original members of the group, reportedly said in an interview that the song was written for a Miami disc-jockey named Robert W. Walker, who was the first to give their hit "Get Down Tonight" extensive airplay. That tune became their first number one hit.

Answer: Donna Summer

It was first recorded by Richard Harris in 1968 and ran a whopping seven minutes and 21 seconds. Donna Summer covered the song with a disco version in 1978 which ran only about half that length. Summer's version got to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts in the fall of 1978 and stayed there for three weeks. The song has been covered more that fifty times by a myriad of artists.

Answer: Herb Alpert

While all the listed choices were accomplished trumpeters, it was Herb Alpert who blew "Rise" to the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts for a two week stay in the fall of 1979. Alpert has the unique distinction of being the only artist to ever have both a number one instrumental, "Rise", and a number one vocal performance, "This Guy's In Love With You", which also hit the top of the Billboard charts back in 1968.