Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs (476-500) Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was a huge hit that was largely inspired by the song at number 500. Think of the opening riff heard in the Nirvana song and see if it makes you think of another famous song by the band Boston?

Answer: More Than a Feeling

The song is "More Than a Feeling" from the self titled debut release from Boston. Kurt Cobain was inspired by the opening riff while listening to the song on the radio. The four chord riff is nearly exactly the same in both songs, the difference is that Tom Scholz from Boston overdubbed nearly twenty guitar harmonies on top of another in the studio while Cobain's stripped down version is a little more raw in sound.

The Boston song peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100.

2. The Bus Boys had a minor hit with a song titled "The Boys are Back in Town", but that's not the song found at number 499. That would be the song from a different band entirely. Can you name the band that released the song way back in 1976?

Answer: Thin Lizzy

The song, penned by Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy, has become a huge classic rock hit over the years. You can find the song played somewhere, nearly every minute of everyday. The song is featured at sporting events and on advertisements. The twin guitar harmonies of Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson were innovative at the time, helping pave the way for other twin guitar leads heard in bands like The Eagles and Aerosmith.

3. Tony Joe White is responsible for writing the song found at number 498. The song "Rainy Night in Georgia" found success in 1970, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Who was the singer of this song?

Answer: Brook Benton

Tony Joe White was the singer of the hit "Polk Salad Annie". White claims that operating a dump truck for the city of Marietta, Georgia inspired him to write the song. The song was recommended to Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records fame. When he realized the song had potential, he issued it to Benton for him to record.

The song was released on the Atlantic imprint label, Cotillion, in January of 1970.

4. "Buddy Holly" was a song about two nerdish characters who were often picked on by others. Obviously, the male character resembled the real Buddy Holly, but who did the female character have a resemblance to?

Answer: Mary Tyler Moore

"I look just like Buddy Holly/And you're Mary Tyler Moore", great visual lyric that helped propel this song to number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song is by the bubble gum-grunge band Weezer and can be found on their self titled debut album released in 1994. Ric Ocasek, of The Cars fame, produced the tune.

The video, featuring interactions of the band and the "Happy Days" gang, was truly amazing, if you liked the song or not.

5. The song at number 496 is by The Rolling Stones. The song appears on the "Some Girls" album, released in May of 1978. Which of these songs features the lyric: "Hey, what's the matter man? We're gonna come around 12 With some Puerto Rican girls that's just dying to meet you"?

Answer: Miss You

This song was The Rolling Stones way of trying to stay hip with the disco crowd that was becoming more and more popular at the time. The song began as a rehearsal song between Mick Jagger and Billy Preston, who played keyboards on numerous Stones tracks, and even toured with them for concerts.

The song ended up becoming the first Rolling Stones number one single in over five years. The band's previous number one had been "Angie" in 1973.

6. Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson wrote the song "Shop Around" and immediately disagreed as to who should record the song. Berry thought it would best be sung by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, but Robinson thought the song would best be sung by another Motown artist. The artist he wanted was the same guy who originally sang "Money (That's What I Want)". Do you remember who sang the song?

Answer: Barrett Strong

The song at number 495 on the list originally was recorded very slow and as a ballad. Berry Gordy decided, after hearing it on the radio, that it needed a little pep, so he called Robinson and had him redo the song. It must have worked, the song spent 16 weeks on the Billboard chart and peaked at number two.

7. In 1973, The Eagles released their second album, "Desperado". The concept of the album was about the outlaws of the old west. Which member of The Eagles was responsible for singing the song found at number 494 on our chart?

Answer: Don Henley

The odd thing about this song, obviously the best on the album, was that it never was released as a single. It finally took Johnny Rodriguez covering the song to make it a hit single. Kenny Rogers, Linda Ronstadt and The Carpenters also covered the tune. Clint Black also performed the song on an Eagles tribute CD titled "Common Thread: The Songs of The Eagles".

8. The song at number 493 is "Then He Kissed Me", a wonderful track produced by the great Phil Spector. Which girl group was responsible for this classic song?

Answer: The Crystals

This song is largely credited as being the song that perfected Spector's "Wall of Sound" recording techniques. The song made it to number six on the Billboard Top 100.

9. The song featured at number 492 is from Jackson Browne. The song can best be described as the title track of the album that Browne released in 1977. The album featured all new material, but recorded live, a very unique concept even today. What is the name of the album, and song, I described?

Answer: Running on Empty

The concept of this live album is about recording albums, being on the road, living out of hotels and the whole disassociation one has with this lifestyle. The title track was largely influenced when Browne noticed his car was nearly always "running on empty" when he trekked back and forth to the recording studio.

The grander meaning of the song has to do with the feeling of emptiness one has while being a musician and being alone on the road.

10. The song at number 491 is Dusty Springfield's "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me". The song was inspired by a song she heard at a music festival in 1965. After convincing TV producer, Vicki Wickham, to have lyrics written for the song, Springfield created one of the greatest pop hits ever. What is the country of origin of the song that inspired "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me"?

Answer: Italian

Dusty Springfield, an English lady, attended the San Remo song festival in Italy and was moved by the song "Io Che No Vivo Senza Te". She quickly asked Wickham to help her get some English lyrics for the song, so they enlisted Simon Napier-Bell, the Yardbirds manager, to help.

The song was released in May of 1966 on the Phillips label and reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

11. This classic song by the Rolling Stones is one of their most controversial songs ever. The premise of the song is a Colonial era slave owner engaging in illicit relations with a young slave girl. The song also has other controversial incarnations because the title of the song is also Mexican slang for heroin. Can you name the song, found at position number 490 on our chart?

Answer: Brown Sugar

"Brown Sugar" was released in April of 1971 on the "Sticky Fingers" album. The song was written by Mick Jagger in the famed Muscle Shoals recording studio in 1969, where it was loosely recorded with Keith Richards. For some reason, the song sat idle until 1971. The song was a number one single for the Stones on the Billboard Top 100.

12. Disco diva Gloria Gaynor had a huge hit in 1979 with "I Will Survive". The song was meant to be a personal testament to her overcoming personal adversities in her life; however, the disco market quickly pounced on the song and made it their anthem. Gay people quickly identified with the positive message of the song and adopted it as their anthem as well. The song found renewed success, particularly in Australia, when the song was featured in a movie about a couple of drag queens who sign on to perform in a variety show at a resort area in the Australian desert. Can you name this 1994 movie?

Answer: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

"The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" starred Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce in this comedy set in the resort town of Alice Springs.
Gaynor had a huge hit on her hands with the song. It stayed 27 weeks on the Billboard Top 100 chart, reaching number one for three consecutive weeks.

13. In 1975, the band Fleetwood Mac had a hit with the song "Rhiannon (Will You Ever Win)" from the album titled "Fleetwood Mac". Which description best describes who the title character of the song is?

Answer: Rhiannon is the Celtic Goddess of Inspiration and the Moon

Rhiannon was a Celtic Goddess. The legend has it that Rhiannon wanted to marry a mortal man named Prince Pwyll, but her destiny was to marry a God. She defied her destiny and married Pwyll. She was later accused of killing the couple's new born son, and her own husband did not come to her defense.

She proclaimed innocence, but she was soon cast from the castle and ordered to sit at the entrance and offer to transport visitors to the castle on her back. She accepted the punishment and never complained. Eventually she was proven innocent when the son came forth and presented a piece of his nursing gown to his mother.

She was soon restored to prominence and lived a happy life with her family. In some versions of the myth, she later becomes Vivienne, the Lady of the Lake, who presents Excalibur to Arthur.

14. "Under the Boardwalk" was a huge hit for Atlantic Records. Released in June of 1964, which group recorded the song?

Answer: The Drifters

The song spent a whopping 33 weeks on the Billboard Top 100 charts, peaking at number four. The song was originally to be sung by Rudy Lewis, but unfortunately he died of a heroin overdose before the track was completed. Johnny Moore eventually took over the lead vocal duties.

15. The song at number 486 is from The Smiths. The song features the lyrics: "I am the son and the heir of a shyness that is criminally vulgar" and "the heir to nothing in particular". Which song, from the "Meat is Murder" release provided these lyrics?

Answer: How Soon Is Now?

The song is probably the most played song by The Smiths. The intro to the song is instantly recognizable. The song was written by guitarist Johnny Marr and vocalist Morrissey.

16. The album "Graceland", by Paul Simon was a very unique record because of the South African themed music and the inclusion of mbaqanga musicians as part of his backing band. On the title song, he got an assist on backing vocals by two musicians that he considered to be his musical heroes. Who sang back-up to Paul Simon on the song "Graceland"?

Answer: The Everly Brothers

Paul Simon was largely put off, at first, to make the song "Graceland" the title track of his album. To quote Simon, "I figured people would think I'm writing about Elvis Presley, and this is a South African record.". The song was particularly prominent because of the matters of apartheid that the people of South Africa were facing during the time of the recording.

17. The song "I Love Rock 'N Roll" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts was a huge hit for the band, that almost never found a home. She shopped the song to over 23 record labels before tiny Boardwalk Records signed her to a contract. The story of the song is that Jett was in England on tour and caught a performance of the song on television. She thought the song would be an instant success if she were to record it in her own style. What is the name of the band that Jett saw playing this classic?

Answer: The Arrows

The Arrows were a three piece band who never had much success, but did write the song which jump started Jett's solo years, after her departure from The Runaways. Jett had such a hard time selling the song to a label that when Boardwalk signed her to record the song, she immediately bought the rights to the recording for $2,500.

The song went on to be a huge commercial success and has netted Joan Jett a cool twenty million dollar profit.

18. The Cure has an inclusion on this listing, at number 483, with their first Top 40 Billboard hit in the US. Can you name the song from the Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me" album?

Answer: Just Like Heaven

The song "Just Like Heaven" was recorded in a vineyard in France in 1987. This album was considered more listenable to the casual music listener than many of their previous albums. The song barely reached the Top 40, peaking at number 40 during a 19 week run on the chart.

19. The song "I'm Eighteen" by Alice Cooper was a hit, particularly among the teen age crowd with all their angst and pain and all. However, Vincent Furnier (the lead singer of the band, otherwise known as Alice Cooper) was not 18 at all when he recorded the song. How old was he?

Answer: 23

Although he was slightly older than 18, he still remembered what it was like to be at that difficult age. The song appeared on the "Love it to Death" album that was released in February of 1971.

20. Many songs are recorded that feature relatively unknown artists either in the band or on backing vocals. The song at number 481 on our list is no exception. David Bowie broke out of his Ziggy Stardust role to record an album of pop material in 1975. The album was "Young Americans" and the title track is the song in question. Which singer, who would go onto have a very successful career in R&B music provided the backing vocals for this song?

Answer: Luther Vandross

Mr. Vandross was a young singer working for whatever he could in various studios when Bowie slated him for backing vocals on the song "Young Americans". The song is about a young newlywed couple who are forced to discover their true feelings for one another after moving in together for the first time.

21. What album did the Van Morrison classic "Into the Mystic" originally appear?

Answer: Moondance

"Moondance" was released on Warner Brothers back in March of 1970. The song was never released as a single, but the album did chart at number 29 on the Pop Albums chart.

22. Many younger people will recognize the song "Lady Marmalade" as a compilation between Christina Aguilera, Lil Kim, Pink and Mya from the "Moulin Rouge" soundtrack. The older ones in the crowd will remember the original song from its heyday in 1975. Which group catapulted the song to number one way back when?

Answer: LaBelle

This Philadelphia based group, fronted by the dynamic Patti LaBelle and also featuring Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx, took this song about a New Orleans streetwalker all the way to number one on the Billboard Top 100 chart. Because of this song, I know at least one French phrase: "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?".

23. This song, by the Jefferson Airplane, was written as a result of all the bedtime stories read to lead singer, Grace Slick, in her childhood. Stories about "Peter Pan", "The Wizard of Oz" and "Alice in Wonderland", stories where the children can fly, see emerald cities, or encounter extraordinary animals and people all influenced this song from the "Surrealistic Pillow" album. What song am I talking about?

Answer: White Rabbit

The second album by Jefferson Airplane featured the song "White Rabbit", an ode to the stories that had obvious drug references, at least according to the writer, Grace Slick. The song was quite controversial when it was released in 1967, but still managed to be successful, reaching number eight on the Billboard Top 100 singles chart.

24. The quintessential "punk funk" tune of all times will always be "Super Freak" by Rick James. What is the title of the album that the song was originally released on way back in 1981?

Answer: Street Songs

Rick James always knew he wanted to make money as a singer. According to James, he wanted to make "Paul McCartney white-boy money". He found a way to do that with his song "Super Freak". With the help of The Temptations on backing vocals, James created a masterpiece of funk music that quickly crossed the musical gap and into the mainstream of popular music. James passed away in August of 2004, but his song, and his legacy, will live on for many years to come.

25. The song at number 476 on our list is the only song that ever reached number one on the Billboard Top 100 charts for the band Foreigner. Can you name the song?

Answer: I Want to Know What Love Is

The song was from the 1984 album "Agent Provocateur" and featured the New Jersey Mass Choir on backing vocals. The song stayed 21 weeks on the chart.

Source: Author ralzzz

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

In December of 2004, "Rolling Stone" magazine released a Special Collectors' Issue containing the Top 500 Greatest Songs of all Time. This quiz will look at the songs listed as numbers 476 through 500.

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