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Rock Music's Mockingbirds Trivia Quiz

Sometimes in popular music a song is written and performed by one artist, but it becomes a hit (or a bigger hit) for someone else. Can you identify the original artist of these pop hits?

A multiple-choice quiz by treplag. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
treplag

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
273,700

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
1461

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 142 (2/10), Guest 31 (10/10), Guest 193 (6/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The quirky song "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)" was a hit for Three Dog Night in 1970. Who originally wrote and performed it? Hint

Randy Newman

Smokey Robinson

Kris Kristofferson

Norman Greenbaum

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. The Monkees scored a big hit with "I'm a Believer" in 1966. But the Pre-fab Four didn't write it. Who did? Hint

Barry Manilow

Neil Diamond

John Phillips

Tony Orlando

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. The angelic-voiced Judy Collins turned "Both Sides Now" into a contemporary classic in 1968. But she was not the writer of this big hit. Who was? Hint

Carole King

Grace Slick

Burt Bacharach

Joni Mitchell

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. The song "Cocaine" was a hit for Eric Clapton in 1977. But someone else wrote and recorded it first - who? Hint

Jerry Garcia

J. J. Cale

Chester Powers

Paul Kantner

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. Few songs are as closely identified with The Eagles as their hit "Take It Easy".
But it was written and first performed by someone else. Who was that? Hint

David Crosby

Paul Simon

Bob Dylan

Jackson Browne

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Question 6 of 10

6. In 1966, a band called "The Shadows of Knight" had a huge hit with "Gloria". What group performed it originally? (This is not the same "Gloria" that Laura Branigan recorded in the '80's.) Hint

The Rolling Stones

Herman's Hermits

The Dave Clark Five

Them

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. One of the songs most closely associated with Elvis Presley is "Blue Suede Shoes".
But someone else was responsible for this rockabilly classic. Who was it? Hint

Jerry Lee Lewis

Bo Diddley

Roy Orbison

Carl Perkins

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. The signature song of the great soul singer Aretha Franklin is probably "Respect".
She made it famous, but who first recorded it? Hint

Otis Redding

Wilson Pickett

Sam Cooke

James Brown

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. "Not Fade Away" is a rock standard, having been performed by The Rolling Stones and the Grateful Dead, among others. Who wrote it? Hint

Little Richard

Buddy Holly

Peter Noone

Tommy James

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. The British duo Peter and Gordon had a hit in 1964 with "A World Without Love". What famous songwriter wrote it for them? Hint

Paul McCartney

Ray Davies

Mick Jagger

Brian Wilson

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Most Recent Scores

Oct 07 2024 : Guest 142: 2/10
Oct 01 2024 : Guest 31: 10/10
Sep 22 2024 : Guest 193: 6/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The quirky song "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)" was a hit for Three Dog Night in 1970. Who originally wrote and performed it?

Answer: Randy Newman

Randy Newman is a highly talented songwriter, but the only song of his that became a major hit when he performed it was "Short People". He was actually nominated for a songwriting Academy Award 15 times (a record) before he won one in 2001.

2. The Monkees scored a big hit with "I'm a Believer" in 1966. But the Pre-fab Four didn't write it. Who did?

Answer: Neil Diamond

Neil Diamond was born in Brooklyn, New York. He has sold over 120 million albums worldwide, and about 50 million in the U. S. alone. He had hits of his own with "Solitary Man", "Cherry, Cherry", "Cracklin' Rosie", "Kentucky Woman", and other songs. Contrary to popular belief, he did not write "I'm a Believer" for the Monkees. But their version was released before his own.

3. The angelic-voiced Judy Collins turned "Both Sides Now" into a contemporary classic in 1968. But she was not the writer of this big hit. Who was?

Answer: Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell grew up in Canada. She is regarded as one of the most influential singer/songwriters of the last 50 years. Her best-selling album was "Court and Spark", which came out in 1974.

4. The song "Cocaine" was a hit for Eric Clapton in 1977. But someone else wrote and recorded it first - who?

Answer: J. J. Cale

Oklahoma-born J. J. Cale recorded the song for his fourth album, "Troubadour", which was released a year earlier. Although it is really anti-drug, radio stations wouldn't play it, and Cale didn't have the clout to change their minds. But when guitar king Clapton covered it for his album "Slowhand", it was played widely and became a hit.

5. Few songs are as closely identified with The Eagles as their hit "Take It Easy". But it was written and first performed by someone else. Who was that?

Answer: Jackson Browne

Jackson Browne gave the song to his friend Glenn Frey to use on the Eagles' first album. (Frey added one verse to the original version.) Jackson Browne epitomized the laid-back California lifestyle of the 1970's. His many successful and critically acclaimed albums included "Late For the Sky", "Running on Empty", and "The Pretender". Tabloid trivia: he dated actress Daryl Hannah for awhile.

6. In 1966, a band called "The Shadows of Knight" had a huge hit with "Gloria". What group performed it originally? (This is not the same "Gloria" that Laura Branigan recorded in the '80's.)

Answer: Them

The song was written by the hugely talented Van Morrison, and was recorded by his first band, called "Them". The two versions are virtually identical, but the one recorded by The Shadows of Knight is the one that reached the Top Ten.

7. One of the songs most closely associated with Elvis Presley is "Blue Suede Shoes". But someone else was responsible for this rockabilly classic. Who was it?

Answer: Carl Perkins

For all his talent as a performer, Elvis, "The King", didn't write any of his own songs. Carl Perkins was one of the original Sun Records recording artists, and "Blue Suede Shoes" was Sun's first million-selling record.

8. The signature song of the great soul singer Aretha Franklin is probably "Respect". She made it famous, but who first recorded it?

Answer: Otis Redding

Otis Redding had a mega-hit of his own with "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay". He might have had many more hits, but he was killed in a plane crash in 1967, along with four members of his backup band, the Bar-Kays. He was only 26 years old.

9. "Not Fade Away" is a rock standard, having been performed by The Rolling Stones and the Grateful Dead, among others. Who wrote it?

Answer: Buddy Holly

Another promising life cut way too short was that of Buddy Holly. Buddy grew up in Texas. He and his band, the Crickets, blazed a trail for many groups to follow. He, also, was killed in a plane crash, along with Richie Valens and J. P. Richardson (aka "The Big Bopper"). "Not Fade Away" was the last song he performed at the last concert he ever gave.

10. The British duo Peter and Gordon had a hit in 1964 with "A World Without Love". What famous songwriter wrote it for them?

Answer: Paul McCartney

The song is actually credited to Lennon/McCartney, but it is more of a Paul song than a John song. Paul's girlfriend at the time, Jane Asher, was Peter's sister. That is how Peter and Gordon were lucky enough to have Paul write a song for them.

Source: Author treplag

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