Only the Phoney Trivia Quiz

Answer: Only the Lonely

"Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel)" was a 1960 single from Roy Orbison's album "Lonely and Blue" and was written by Orbison and Joe Melson. It was Orbison's first major chart hit, reaching No.2 in the USA and No.1 in the UK. It was honoured with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999 and Rolling Stone lists it among the greatest songs of all time. Classified as 'an operatic rock ballad', Orbison's voice in this song is so angry-sad that you really can't blame lonely people for having a bit too much to drink whilst listening to it and feeling a bit phoney because their sad lives cannot possibly compare with the multiple tragedies Orbison suffered.

Answer: By the Time I Get to Phoenix

Written by Jimmy Webb and originally recorded by Johnny Rivers in 1965, "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" became a smash hit in 1967 for Glen Campbell's cover version on his album of the same name. Praised as "the greatest torch song ever written" by Ole Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra, "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" was never about a trip to Phoenix. It was a fantasy song written by Jimmy Webb after a relationship break-up. That being the case, we should all be free to change 'Phoenix' to whatever we want it to mean!

Answer: House of the Rising Sun

Prior versions of "House of the Rising Sun" had been recorded by various folk and blues singers including Bob Dylan, Dave Van Ronk, Josh White and Nina Simone but it was the incredible arrangements by the Animals that made their version outstanding and memorable as the first folk song to be turned into a rock hit. Burden's screaming and howling vocals and Alan Price's spooky organ riffs were just what the 1964 teenie-boppers needed, and with all that racket going on no wonder nobody quite understood the title of the song!

Answer: Georgia on My Mind

The music for "Georgia on My Mind" was originally composed and recorded in 1930 by Hoagy Carmichael (with Stuart Gorrell writing the lyrics) and since then it has been covered by many recording artists - the most significant of them all being Ray Charles' version in 1960 from the album "The Genius Hits the Road".

It became Georgia's official state song in 1979 following Ray's performance of it before the Georgia General Assembly in recognition of civil rights reconciliation. There was a lot of confusion in the 1930s over whether the song was about a girl called Georgia, or the state of Georgia, and now there is no doubt ... or is there?

Answer: I've Loved Before

"To All the Girls I've Loved Before" was a huge hit for Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson when it was released in 1984, appearing on Julio's "1100 Bel Air Place" album. The song was originally written and recorded by Albert Hammond (with words by Hal David) in 1975 on his "99 Miles From L.A." album, but it was oddly destined to became Julio's signature tune in the English language. You can hardly imagine a more incongruous singing duo as Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson, so no wonder their curious mixture of seductive Latin crooning and country twang led to mangling of the words!

Answer: Going Up the Country

"Going Up the Country" was adapted from a 1928 blues song, "Bull Doze Blues", recorded by Henry Thomas playing on 'quills' (a wind instrument of Afro-American origin). Canned Heat's Alan Wilson rearranged the song for rock n'roll, rewrote the lyrics and sung it in a countertenor-style; Henry Vestine added to it an electric guitar rhythm; and Jim Horn reproduced the 'quill' sound with a flute.

It was first released on an album "Living the Blues" and then went to a single and became Canned Heat's highest charting single ever in the USA and the UK.

In August 1969 at the Woodstock music festival, Canned Heat's performance of "Going Up the Country" became immortalised in the subsequent movie "Woodstock" as the 'unofficial anthem' of the festival.

As most people at that festival were stoned, it is easy to see how the words of the song became mangled!

Answer: Goodnight, Irene

"Goodnight, Irene" was first recorded in 1933 by American blues icon Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter, but he claimed to have learned a version of the song from his uncles as early as 1908. In fact, an 1886 song by Gussie L. Davis has several similarities, and it could have been based on an even earlier song.

However, by changing the rhythm and rewriting the verses, Lead Belly claimed the song as his in 1933. Following Lead Belly's death in 1949, The Weavers recorded a watered-down version of "Goodnight, Irene" which hit No. 1 in the 1950 charts, and due to its popularity their lyrics continue to be used today.

It's amusing that Bristol Rovers chose "Goodnight Irene" as their club song following a match with Plymouth Argyle in 1950 at which Argyle supporters left early, encouraging Rovers supporters to sing "Goodnight, Argyle".

Answer: If I Were a Carpenter

"If I Were a Carpenter" was written and recorded by Tim Hardin in 1967 - and performed by him at Woodstock in 1969 - but it was the cover versions by Bobby Darin, The Four Tops and Johnny Cash and June Carter that made the song a big hit. The Motown version by The Four Tops in 1968 soared in the charts in the USA, UK and the Netherlands; and two years later, in 1970, a country version by Johnny Cash and June Carter made the song their own. "If I Were a Carpenter" has lyrics more appropriate for country/folk singers than any other type of music genre and it's easy to see why they were misheard.

Answer: On the Road Again

"On the Road Again" is a song with a fascinating history. Willie Nelson wrote it as the soundtrack to an 1980 movie, "Honeysuckle Rose", in which he starred as an aging musician who travels around the United States performing at different venues. Willie confessed that he wrote the song on a 'barf bag' during a flight! It was another big hit for Willie, and the parodies didn't take long to emerge. Kids who heard the 1981 parody of "On the Road Again" by Alvin and the Chipmunks can be entirely excused for not having a clue what the song was about!

Answer: Islands in the Stream

"Islands in the Stream" by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton was a 1983 single from the album "Eyes That See in the Dark". It was written by the Bee Gees (Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb) who took the title from the Hemmingway novel of the same name. Originally, they wrote the song in a rhythm and blues style for Marvin Gaye, but changed it to a country pop style for Rogers and Parton.

It was an instant hit! Interestingly, the Bee Gees recorded a new version of "Islands in the Stream" in 2001 for "Their Greatest Hits: The Record" album; and in 2009 various British artists released a parody version of the song for Comic Relief.

Called "Barry Islands in the Stream" - referring to the Barry Island location of the UK BBC sitcom "Gavin & Stacey" - it featured Robin Gibb as a backing vocalist. So, kids who heard the Comic Relief version of the song will grow up believing it's about Barry Island and is associated with a BBC sitcom!