Signature Songs of Singers or Groups-Part 12 Quiz

Answer: Lynn Anderson

In her career which began in the mid-sixties, Lynn Anderson has recorded over 50 albums and more than 65 singles. "Rose Garden" not only topped the "Billboard" Country charts, but it made it to number three on the "Billboard" Hot 100 list. Lynn Anderson was named Female Artist of the Decade (1970s), by "Billboard" magazine, and she was inducted into the Country Music Association Hall of Fame in 1999.
Her second love is saddlin' up, and she has won over 700 trophies for her horseback riding skills. For years she has raised "therapy horses" at her New Mexico ranch for use by kids.

Answer: The Royal Teens

Folks, I don't believe this song won any award for Best Lyrics of the Year, but it did make for a bouncy tune. Remember these:
"Ooh man, dig that crazy chick
Who wears short shorts
We wear short shorts, they're such short shorts
We like short shorts
Who wears short shorts, we wear short shorts" (and on, and on, and on).
Formed originally in 1956 as The Royals, the group only had one other tune crack the top 40, "Believe Me" (1959), reached number 26.
While they didn't do a lot of singles recording, they did do a lot of traveling, playing with such stars as Chuck Berry, Jackie Wilson, Frankie Avalon, and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Interesting fact(s): After the Royal Teens' original quartet broke up, pianist Bob Gaudio became a member of The Four Seasons, and guitarist Al Kooper was instrumental (pun intended), in the formation of Blood, Sweat and Tears.

Answer: The Hollywood Argyles

The Hollywood Argyles' rendition reached the Number One spot on June 27, 1960.
The song's writer, Dallas Frazier, had recorded a country version of it, three years earlier.
Both other versions charted, with Dante and the Evergreens' reaching number 15, and The Dyna-Sores' peaking in 59th place.
Talk about some respect, listen to this unforgettable passage:
"(Alley Oop)
He's the toughest man there is alive
(Alley Oop)
Wears clothes from a wildcat's hide
(Alley Oop)
He's the king of the jungle jive
(Look at that caveman go)"

Interesting fact: Even the Beach Boys could not escape the allure of the cave-dweller. They included "Alley Oop" as track one, side two of their 1965 album, "Beach Boys Party".

Answer: Laurie London

OKAY: EVERYBODY SING:
"He's got the whole world in His hands
He's got the whole world in His hands

He's got the itty bitty baby in His hands
He's got the itty bitty baby in His hands

He's got a-you and me brother in His hands
He's got a-you and me brother in His hands

He's got a-you and me sister in His hands
He's got a-you and me sister in His hands

He's got the whole world in His hands."

Laurie London was a mere lad of 13 when he recorded the song that would reach number three on the "Billboard" Best Seller chart and top the "Cashbox" Top 60. He recorded about 40 songs, none other of which ever charted, saw the handwriting on the wall, and "retired" at age 19.

Interesting fact: The great Mahalia Jackson's version from the same year reached number 69 on the "Billboard" chart.

Answer: Chicago

With some changes in personnel, the Grammy winning band, Chicago, has been performing for over 45 years. They have done so quite successfully, considering they have sold over 35 million records, had five Number One albums, three Number One singles, and more than 20 top ten songs. They recorded their first album, "The Chicago Transit Authority", (a name they were briefly known by,) in 1969, and their 34th, "Chicago XXXIV: Live in '75", in 2011. One of the big hits from their first album was "Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is", which reached number seven on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart. Chicago's other two chart toppers were, "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" (1982) and "Look Away" (1988). According to "Billboard" magazine, through 2012, only the Beach Boys have charted more hit albums and singles than Chicago.

Interesting fact: I don't know about you, but I was a little surprised to learn that the only Grammy Chicago has won in its first four plus decades, was for Best Pop Performance By A Duo or Group, for "If You Leave Me Now".

Answer: Bobby McFerrin

Bobby McFerrin didn't only sing "Don't Worry, Be Happy", he wrote it as well.
The lively tune won the Grammy for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and McFerrin won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal of the Year. "Don't Worry, Be Happy", was track one, side one on just his fourth album, "Simple Pleasures".
Bobby McFerrin has recorded over 20 singles and played as a sideman on dozens of others, including numbers with The Manhattan Transfer, Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie and The Modern Jazz Quartet.

Enjoy some of his optimistic lyrics:
"Ain't got no cash, ain't got no style
Ain't got no gal to make you smile
But don't worry, be happy
'Cause when you worry, your face will frown
And that will bring everybody down
So don't worry, be happy
Don't worry, be happy now"

Interesting fact: "Don't Worry, Be Happy" also topped the charts in Australia, Austria, Canada and Germany. It reached number two in the U.K.

Answer: The Exciters

The Exciters were all students at a high school in Queens, N.Y., where they began performing as The Masterettes. The name change occurred before "Tell Him" reached the chart. The song eventually climbed as high as number five in late January, 1963. A couple of their less than memorable other songs were, "He's Got the Power" and "Get Him" (both 1963). Neither one of them cracked the top 40, and by 1964 they were touring with, and opening for, acts including The Beatles and Wilson Pickett.
Here is some of their sage advise:
"If you want him to be always by your side
Take his hand tonight, swallow your foolish pride

Tell him that you're never gonna leave him
Tell him that you're always gonna love him
Tell him, tell him, tell him, tell him right now."

Interesting fact: In 1963, The Exciters recorded "Do Wah Diddy Diddy", but it failed to chart. Ironically, a year later it was a Number One hit for Manfred Mann in the U.S.A., Sweden, Canada and the U.K.

Answer: Barry McGuire

While McGuire played with the New Christie Minstrels, he was also playing in a duet with an old pal of his named Barry Kane. The inventive name of the pairing was Barry & Barry, and together they only recorded one album, "Here and Now" (1962). When he went out on his own McGuire took "Eve of Destruction" to Number One on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart, reaching the top spot on October 2, 1965. It would also top the "Cashbox" chart. "Eve of Destruction" would turn out to be his only song to crack the top 40 on the "Billboard" charts.
The song was written by P.F. Sloan who wrote a number of popular tunes for many artists including the Mamas and the Papas, Herman's Hermits, and he penned "Secret Agent Man" (1966) for Johnny Rivers.
Here's the first part of "Eve of Destruction":
"The eastern world it is explodin',
violence flarin', bullets loadin',
you're old enough to kill but not for votin',
you don't believe in war, what's that gun you're totin',
and even the Jordan river has bodies floatin',
but you tell me over and over and over again my friend,
ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction."

Answer: The Four Aces

"Love is a Many Splendored Thing" reached the top of the Billboard" Number One Singles list October 8, 1955, and a week later it topped the "Cashbox" Best Sellers list. The Four Aces also took it to number two in the U.K. The song has been recorded by, among others, Nat "King" Cole, Andy Williams and Francis Albert Sinatra. The Four Aces were of the most popular groups of the decade of the 1950s. Between 1951-1959, they recorded over 40 singles and had two songs hit number one ("Three Coins in the Fountain", 1954, was the other)*.
In addition they placed five more in the top five of the "Billboard" chart. "Mister Sandman" (1954) made it to number five and "It's No Sin" (1951) peaked at number four. Both "Stranger in Paradise" (1953), and "Melody of Love" (1955) got to number three, and "Tell Me Why" (1951) climbed to the second spot.
The Four Aces were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001.

Here's the way "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" concludes:
"Once on a high and windy hill
In the morning mist, two lovers kissed and the world stood still
Then your fingers touched my silent heart and taught it how to sing
Yes, true love's a many splendored thing".

*Interesting fact: In 1954, "Three Coins in the Fountain" also won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, from the movie with the same moniker.

Answer: Billy Joel

Billy Joel is so identified with the song, that he is frequently referred to by the sobriquet, "The Piano Man".
Billy Joel is one of the greatest artists in history. As of 2013, he had won six Grammy Awards, and the Recording Industry Association of America credited him with worldwide sales of more than 150 million records.
In 1992, Billy Joel was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. "Billboard" magazine ranked "The Piano Man", 23rd on the its list of the All Time Top Artists in 2008. In a career that has lasted over five decades, Billy Joel has recorded more than 30 albums and over 60 singles. Billy Joel and super-model Christie Brinkley were married from 1985-1994.

Interesting fact: When the idea for a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was approved, several cities expressed interested in hosting it. The final two choices came down to San Francisco and Cleveland. In 1986, the site selection committee voted into a deadlock, with each city getting seven nods. Billy Joel then cast the deciding ballot, bringing the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to Cleveland. If you've ever seen it, you know it's no mistake by the lake.