No. 1 Hits of the 70s Vol.6 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Let It Be

"Let It Be" was the final single that was released when the Beatles were officially an active group. "The Long and Winding Road" was released later, but by that time Paul McCartney had announced that he and the group had parted ways, so the group actually no longer existed.

The song itself spent two weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in the spring of 1970, and was written by Paul McCartney after he had a dream in which his deceased mother appeared. That is the apparent reference to Mother Mary.

The song is listed on Rolling Stone Magazine's compilation of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" at number 20.

Answer: Joy to the World

"Joy to The World" was written by Hoyt Axton, but it was Three Dog Night that took the tune to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts for a six week stay in the spring of 1971. Axton was trying to get his producers to listen to some of the music he had written, and actually did not have lyrics for.

They told him to just sing any words to the tune, and this song is what he came up with. Pretty good for an ad-lib. The group never really wanted to record the song, fearing it was too silly, but needed one more track for their soon to be released album called "Naturally".

They cut the track and were surprised when it became a hit, and what a hit it was. It ended up being Billboard's number one song for the year in 1971, and is listed on their "Greatest Songs of All Time" compilation at number 100.

Answer: A Horse With No Name

All of the listed songs were hits for the group, but all came much later in their careers. "A Horse With No Name", written by original band member Dewey Bunnell, was their first single, released in 1972, and it shot to the top of the Billboard charts for a three week stay in the spring that year.

It was off the album simply called "America" and was originally titled "The Desert Song". When first released many thought this recording was by Neil Young alone or Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

Answer: True

Nationally syndicated columnist Pete Hamill wrote a piece in the "New York Post" during 1971 called "Going Home". In it he described a group of college students on a bus in Florida, who befriend an ex-convict who is going home and is watching for a yellow handkerchief tied to a tree in his hometown of Brunswick, Georgia. Hamill filed the lawsuit after Tony Orlando and Dawn released "Tie a Yellow Ribbon "Round the Old Oak Tree" and the song sold three million copies in three weeks during the spring of 1973.

It had a four week stay at the top of the Billboard charts, and was very closely associated with the American troops which were returning from Vietnam at that time. Billboard Magazine list the song on their "Greatest Hits of All Time" compilation at number 37. Oh, the lawsuit. Writers Irwin Levine and L. Russell Brown were able to come up with some information which showed that the premise for the song was put on paper well before Hamill's article was written and the lawsuit was dropped.

Answer: Terry Jacks

"Seasons In The Sun" was a number one hit in 1974 which spent three week at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts. It was recorded by Terry Jacks, formerly of "The Poppy Family". It was an adaption and translation of a Belgian song written by Jacques Brel and with English lyrics by Rod McKuen.

The song has been covered numerous times, most notably by The Beach Boys, Nirvana and Westlife.

Answer: You're No Good

"You're No Good" was one of a string of Ronstadt covers of 50s and 60s songs that did very well on the charts. This song was the only number one tune for her on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, spending one week at the top in the winter of 1975. Betty Everett was the first to chart the song in 1963, and placed at number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

She would later have greater success with "The Shoop Shoop Song".

Answer: 50

"50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" was written by Paul Simon as part of his "Still Crazy After All These Years" album and the song spent three weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts in the winter of 1976. "Slip out the back Jack, make a new plan Stan...." yep, fifty ways alright.

There were an interesting group of backup singers on the cut. They included Patti Austin, Valerie Simpson and Phoebe Snow.

Answer: Bruce Springsteen

"Blinded By The Light" was a song that made it to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts for a one week stay in the winter of 1977 for Manfred Mann's Earth band. The song was in fact written by Bruce Springsteen. It was actually the first release ever from Springsteen, being a cut from his "Greetings From Asbury Park N.J." album, but he had no success with it. Manfred Mann had better success hitting both the top of the U.S. and Canadian charts with the song. No matter for Springsteen, he made out ok in the end.

Answer: With A Little Luck

McCartney recorded all these songs but it was with his group Wings that he hit number one in 1978 with "With a Little Luck" The song spent two weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in the spring of that year. The song was part of an album called "London Town" and was recorded by the group while on a trip to the Virgin Islands.

Answer: What a Fool Believes

Of the four listed songs, only "What A Fool Believes" went to the top of the charts for the group, becoming only the second number one hit for the band when it peaked at number one for one week in the spring of 1979. The song was co-written by Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald.

This was one of the few songs in 1979 to break the strong disco trend of that time. The song was rewarded in 1980 by winning Grammy Awards for both Song of the Year, and Record of the Year.