Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs (151-175) Quiz

Answer: The Crickets

Sonny Curtis wrote and recorded this song with The Crickets in 1959, after the death of Buddy Holly. Sonny was a childhood friend of Buddy Holly and he continued to tour with the group as lead singer after Holly's death. Sonny Curtis also wrote the song "Love is all Around", made famous as the theme song to "The Mary Tyler Moore Show". Bobby Fuller died at the age of 23.

He was found dead in his car which was parked in front of his Los Angeles neighborhood. At first the police ruled the death a suicide. That was a cause of major controversy as those close to Fuller disputed that he would ever take his own life, particularly as his popularity and success were on the rise.

There was also the matter of multiple stab wounds to Fuller's body and the fact he was covered in gasoline when his body was found.

The ultimate cause of death ended up being ruled as death by asphyxiation with no foul play noted.

Answer: Aftermath

It is important to note that this song appeared on the US release of the album as it did not appear on the UK version. The song was released as a single in the UK after the album was released. This album was the first Rolling Stones' release recorded wholly in the US, at RCA Studios in Hollywood, CA.
The song was a number one hit on the UK Singles chart and the US Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: The Sex Pistols

Although the band has always denied it, the song seems to be an intentional barb towards Queen Elizabeth II as it was released just weeks before the Queen's Jubilee in 1977. The song makes reference to "the fascist regime", "no future in England's dreaming" and even refers to the Queen as "a moron", so it's left to be decided if the band had any ill intentions towards the Queen or not.
As for whether or not the band were anarchist, well, they skipped their own induction ceremony to the Rock and Roll of Fame. Now that's punk rock!

Answer: Eminem

The Eminem song was "Sing for the Moment" and was released on "The Eminem Show". Steven Tyler also made an appearance on the song singing the chorus.
Rap artist The Game also sampled this song, but it did not feature Joe Perry as a guest artist.
The Aerosmith version of the song appeared on their 1973 debut, self titled album. The song reached number six in the US on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Many consider this power anthem to be Aerosmith's greatest song.

Answer: Dancing Queen

In addition to reaching number one in the US, the song peaked at the top in a dozen other countries including the UK, Belgium, Ireland, Sweden, Australia and Germany.
The song was written by Abba members Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson with the original title "Boogaloo".

Answer: Judy Collins

Judy Collins might best be known for her version of "Send in the Clowns" which was released in 1975 and then again in 1977.
Joni Mitchell released this song on her album "Clouds" in 1969, an album that would win her the Best Folk Performance Grammy Award. The song was again released by Joni Mitchell on an album by the same name in 2000. Again, the song was deemed Grammy material as it won Mitchell the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album award. Mitchell was also nominated as Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, but she lost that award to Sarah McLachlan for "I Will Remember You".

Answer: Bulldogs

The band was formed in Athens, GA in 1980, so it may be fair to say that they would be a fan of the Georgia Bulldogs since Athens, GA is also the home to the University of Georgia Bulldogs. I actually don't know if Michael Stipe and crew are fans of any team in particular, but it would have helped you to know where the band is from and which college is there. Most people think that the title "Losing My Religion" may mean somebody who has turned away from their faith or have been tempted to do something sinful.

In actuality, the term is a southern US expression for someone who is fed up or at their wits end. It could also be used as an expression for when one is let down by another person. There really wasn't anything religious about this song, just a pop song about one person obsessing over another, probably the oldest basis for songwriting in history. That, and Peter Buck trying to learn how to play that mandolin which was such a big part of the song's unique sound.

Answer: Melvin Franklin and Otis Williams

By the time this single was released, the group had already seen several line-up changes with members coming and going like the breeze. Melvin and Otis were the only originals to make it to this song, which would be the last number one single in the US on Billboards Pop Singles chart.

The song would win the group a total of three Grammy Awards for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Group, Best R&B Song and Best R&B Instrumental. Yes, you read that right, the song was released as a single which made both sides of the record eligible for Grammy Award consideration. What was on the flip side? An instrumental version of the song showcasing the music of Norman Whitfield and production by Paul Riser.

Not bad for a song with only one chord in the entire tune (B-flat minor, by the way).

Answer: Joe Dirt

"Joe Dirt" did have a Marvin Gaye tune, although not "Let's Get it On". The film contained "Can I Get a Witness" instead.
Although Marvin Gaye had been a huge success at Motown, both as a writer and a performer, it was this song that really put Marvin Gaye over the top as a sex symbol. This would also be Gaye's best selling song for Motown (the song was released on Tamla, a subsidiary business of Motown's). The song would go on to chart at number one in the US on both the Billboard charts (Soul and Pop Singles) as well as get Mr. Gaye a platinum record.

Answer: False

The song did win the Academy Award for Best Song, but only managed Best Rap Song and Best Male Rap Solo Performance at the Grammy Awards. Luther Vandross received the Best Song Grammy that year for "Dance with my Father", a song co-written with Richard Marx. This was the first rap song to win the Best Song award at the Oscars though.

Answer: Poverty

The song tells of a young girl trying not to fall into the pattern of poverty that her mother had experienced. The song is a positive message in that you do not have to accept what you're given, and that you can make a change in your life if you take the initiative.
Tracy Chapman won Grammy Awards for Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Contemporary Folk Recording at the 31st annual Grammy Awards.

Answer: California

It's always troubled me how this young man was jailed in California for a crime he committed in Nevada.
Johnny Cash had long been a fan of prison music since his early days in the US Air Force. He recorded this song in 1955 in hopes that one day he would be able to perform it in concert at an actual prison. His wishes came true on January 13, 1968 when he was permitted to perform at Folsom Prison in front of a live audience made up inmates and guards alike. In addition to Johnny, the inmates got to see Carl Perkins and The Statler Brothers as well.
One of my favorite stories of this event is that Johnny Cash actually performed a song written by one of the inmates during this concert and it was recorded for the album. The song was "Greystone Chapel" written by Glen Sherley, an inmate at the prison. He also wrote "Portrait of My Woman" for Eddy Arnold. Sherley achieved a minor amount of success in his life, but that success was unwanted. In the end, Sherley took his own life with a shotgun blast to the heart in 1978.

Answer: Axl Rose and Elton John

Although all of these artists appeared at the tribute, it was Axl and Elton who performed this song. The concert was held April 20, 1992 at Wembley Stadium in London. The concert was an amazing event featuring some of the best names in rock. Bands such as Metallica, Def Leppard, Extreme and Guns n Roses were on hand to perform. There were also several pairings of singers and artists to play with the members of Queen including:
Joe Elliot and Slash on "Tie Your Mother Down"
David Bowie and Annie Lennox on "Under Pressure"
James Hetfield and Tony Iommi on "Stone Cold Crazy"
Roger Daltry and Tony Iommi on "Tie Your Mother Down"
This was certainly one of the great collections of musicians assembled to pay honor and respect to the man that many consider to be the greatest front man to ever take the stage.

Answer: The Family

Prince formed a group of musicians (many ex-members of The Time) to be a vehicle for releasing songs he had written that just weren't right for him or his band. He formed The Family and signed them to his Paisley Park Records. The group performed the song, but it was not released as a single, nor did it really get any exposure. Sinead O'Connor recorded the song, toning it down from a funk number to a truly emotional ballad. Once it was released on her second album, "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got", the song was a near instant hit.

The song reached the top of nearly every country's singles charts with the notable exception of France, where the single only reached number five.

Answer: I Can't Stop Loving You

These four songs were all singles released from the "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music" album which was released in the US in April of 1962. The single "I Can't Stop Loving You" won Charles his sixth Grammy Award (Best R&B Performance). The other two number one singles mentioned in the question were "Hit the Road Jack" and ""Georgia on My Mind", both songs were also Grammy Award winners.

Answer: Anthrax

Anthrax was mentioned in the original lyrics to the song "Bring the Noise", so it only seemed fitting that they would be the ones to redo the song with Public Enemy. The two bands even toured together as co-headliners. Each night's show would end with both groups on stage hammering out this tune.

The collaboration appeared on Anthrax's "Attack of the Killer B's" and Public Enemy's "Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Back".

Answer: $26

"I'm waiting for my man
Twenty-six dollars in my hand
Up to Lexington, 125
Feel sick and dirty, more dead than alive
I'm waiting for my man"
The reference to "Lexington, 125" is a street corner located in Harlem, New York. The corner of Lexington Avenue and 125th Street was once a location known for the availability to secure certain illicit substances. This area has been cleaned up some, but it was once known as a very dangerous part of NYC.

Answer: The Blackboard Jungle

Although these were all great films from the year 1955, only "The Blackboard Jungle" featured the Bill Haley and His Comets on its soundtrack.
Many people believe that this song was the first rock and roll song ever recorded. I certainly don't agree at all. I don't even agree that it was the first rock and roll song by Mr. Haley. Both "Crazy Man, Crazy" and "Shake, Rattle and Roll" were released prior to "Rock Around the Clock", but it was the latter that really secured rock and roll as a viable and profitable industry.

Answer: The Flamingos

This song was originally recorded way back in 1934 for the movie "Dame". It was written by Harry Warren and Al Dubin. The song has been recorded by many people over the years. Before The Flamingos, in 1950, Peggy Lee recorded the song. Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, The Lettermen and even Art Garfunkel had releases of the song. Garfunkel offered his rendition to the studio audience during the broadcast of the second ever "Saturday Night Live" program.

Answer: True

The duo included the song (as originally spelled) "The Sounds of Silence" on their 1964 debut album "Wednesday Morning, 3 AM". The song was originally released as an acoustic recording. The album did not sell well and the single did not get any radio attention.

After Paul Simon left for the UK, the song started getting some airplay on radio stations in Boston and Florida. Based on the beginnings of what producer Tom Wilson saw as a successful chart run, he took the original and overdubbed it with electrical instruments and re-released the song. Simon and Garfunkel didn't even know this was going on.

After the song became successful, the pair reunited and released the song again on their second album aptly titled "Sounds of Silence" in 1966.

Answer: 5

The songs "Proud Mary", "Bad Moon Rising", "Green River", "Travelin' Band" and "Lookin' Out My Back Door" all were number two songs for the band, who never had a chart topper. This has been a long standing record of sorts. Although both Madonna and Elvis Presley had six number two hits of the same chart, they each had at least one number one hit. CCR was ever the bridesmaid, yet never the bride.

Answer: Buddy Holly

Yes, Buddy Holly was the artist who released this song to great success. This was one of the last hit songs by Mr. Holly before his untimely death in that famous airplane crash that also took the life of The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. Also killed in the crash was 21 year old pilot Roger Peterson.
Another great version of this song can be found on the soundtrack to the movie "Cocktail". John Mellencamp recorded the song with similar spirit to Holly's version, but with enough difference to give it a little distance and a more modern sound.

Answer: A Hard Day's Night

1964 was a great year for The Beatles. Coming to America, meeting Ed Sullivan and having five singles atop the Billboard Pop Singles chart at the same time were highlights of their year. Releasing "A Hard Day's Night" and having both the album and single reach number one in both countries had to have been an awesome feeling for the boys from Liverpool. For The Beatles, 1964 was indeed a good year.

Answer: "Foxey Lady" by Jimi Hendrix

Yes, all those songs were part of the "Wayne's World" movie, but only the Hendrix tune met the other scenarios. By the way, that lovely vision of lady who had poor Garth i a hormonal state of intoxication was named Donna Dixon.
Hendrix released the song "Foxey Lady" on his debut album "Are You Experienced?". The song was one of the first where Hendrix used feedback and distortion to get the sound that would eventually make him one of the most famous artists of his generation.

Answer: Hey Senorita

"Earth Angel" was honored with inclusion to the National Recording Registry as selected by the US Library of Congress. The National Recording Registry is a selection of recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." There are a handful of recorded media that are selected. Examples would include: Thomas Edison's Exhibition Recordings, the "Who's on First?" routine by Abbott and Costello, Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, Orson Well's "War of the Worlds" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" by The Beatles.

The most recently recorded item on the Registry is the entire album "Nevermind" by Nirvana.