No "Rain" Please Trivia Quiz

Answer: Creedence Clearwater Revival

This supergroup of the late 1960s and early 1970s, led by John Fogerty, sent this song to number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts, along with its companion song "Travelin' Band". Both songs were off the mega successful "Cosmo's Factory" album. According to Fogerty the song is loosely based about his visit to Woodstock in 1969.

Answer: The Beatles

Of course it was the Beatles. "Rain" was the B-side to "Paperback Writer", a number one song on both sides of the Atlantic in 1966. "Rain" itself, made it to number 23 on the charts at the same time, and the song is listed at number 463 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time". Pretty good stuff for a B-side.

Answer: The Ronettes

The Ronettes released the original version in 1964, under the direction of Phil Spector. His patented "Wall Of Sound" effects are recognizable in the background, with simulated thunder and rain. The Ronettes' version of the song was a number 23 charting hit in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Jay and The Americans did a little better, peaking at number 19 in 1970.

Answer: Carpenters

Written by the duo of Roger Nichols, and Paul Williams, who were relatively unknown at the time, "Rainy Days and Mondays" became a number 2 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 hit for "The Carpenters". It also went to number three in Canada. However, it didn't chart in the U.K. until it was released in 1993, and then it could only muster a number 63 placing.

It is one of the most covered songs of the era though, being covered over 50 times by various artists.

Answer: The Cowsills

The Cowsills were a family from Newport, Rhode Island, who recorded as a group and made this their first big hit. It was a number two U.S. Billboard Hot 100 hit, and put the group on the musical map. Later recordings included "We Can Fly", "Indian Lake", and their biggest hit "Hair" in 1969.

The family was offered parts a television sitcom but bowed out because the producers did not want to use all of the family members. The show went on to become "The Partridge Family". Oops. Bad career move. The group faded after 1969 and some members have since passed away.

Answer: Bob Dylan

This was a 1966 release from Dylan's "Blonde On Blonde" album. The song was banned on many U.S. radio stations because of the references to getting "stoned". The song had nothing to do with rain. In fact, it is one of a small group of songs from the rock and roll era in which the title of the song is never mentioned in the lyrics.

It was successful though, despite the controversy, reaching number two in the U.S., and number seven in the U.K.

Answer: Prince

It was Prince who gave us this international hit in 1984. The song was a number two hit in the U.S., was number eight in the U.K. and was a number one hit in The Netherlands. The song is a staple of any Prince live show, and is also the title track from the film of the same name.

It was listed on Rolling Stone Magazine's "500 Greatest Songs Of All Time" at number 143. By the way, all the other choices in this question have done cover versions of this song.

Answer: Dee Clark

It was Dee Clark who sent this song up the charts that year. Clark had been recording since 1952, but it was this song that finally got up over the hump, so to speak. It shot to number two on the U.S. Billboard charts, and sold over two million copies.

It has been covered over the years by such artists as David Cassidy, Tony Orlando, and country singer Narvel Felts, who took the song to number 30 on the country charts in 1974.

Answer: The Cascades

The Cascades were a bunch of U.S. Navy men who formed a group to play local shows while stationed in California. They had recorded a number of demos, and finally got their break when they were able to record this song, written by one of the members of the group. It shot up the charts and landed at number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts, and was a major worldwide hit.

Answer: The Four Seasons

It was The Four Seasons led by Frankie Valli and his ever recognizable falsetto voice, who took this song to the number ten position on the U.S. charts in 1967. The song was considered progressive for the group at the time, with the use of a twelve string guitar, and also the sounds of rain and thunder in the background, almost a Phil Spector "Wall Of Sound" type effect.