Singing Out Your Closet Trivia Quiz

Answer: Joe Cocker

Randy Newman's original song was released on his album "Sail Away"(1972). Joe Cocker's cover version was recorded for his album "Cocker" in 1986 and this version was used on the soundtrack to the 1986 film "9½ Weeks" starring Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke. Other cover versions of this song have been done by Etta James, Three Dog Night and Tom Jones.

Answer: Angie

"Angie" was recorded by The Rolling Stones for their 1973 album "Goats head Soup". The song was immensely popular and garnered nine chart first places world wide, including a top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 and US Cash Box Top 100. It only managed a fifth place on the UK chart though.

The album itself proved to be equally as popular, actually managing a first place on the UK charts as well as the US Billboard charts.

Answer: Dog

"I Can't Dance" was a fairly popular song on the charts, achieving a seventh place on both the UK and US Billboard charts. It managed a top spot on both the Dutch and Belgian charts too. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1993 for 'Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals', but lost out to the song "Beauty and the Beast" performed by Peabo Bryson and Celine Dion.

"Blue jeans sitting on the beach,
her dog's talking to me, but she's out of reach."

Answer: Madness

"Our House" was a hit song for the British band Madness in 1982, achieving a top ten position on eleven international charts, including a top spot on the Swedish and Canadian charts. It also won the Ivor Novello Award in 1983 for 'Best Pop Song'.

"Father gets up late for work
Mother has to iron his shirt
Then she sends the kids to school
Sees them off with a small kiss
She's the one they're going to miss
In lots of ways"

Answer: White gloves

"Sharp Dressed Man" was recorded by ZZ Top for their 1983 album "Eliminator". The song was moderately successful, reaching eighth place on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The album sold incredibly well, achieving gold, platinum and diamond status in various countries.

"Clean shirt, new shoes
And I don't know where I am goin' to.
Silk suit, black tie,
I don't need a reason why.

They come runnin' just as fast as they can
'Cause every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man.

Gold watch, diamond ring,
I ain't missin' not a single thing.
And cuff links, stick pin,
When I step out I'm gonna do you in.

They come runnin' just as fast as they can
'Cause every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man.

Top coat, top hat,
I don't worry 'cause my wallet's fat.
Black shades, white gloves,
Lookin' sharp and lookin' for love."

Answer: Hawaii

"California Girls" was recorded by The Beach Boys for their 1965 album "Summer Days (And Summer Nights)". The song reached third position on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was listed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll", inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2010 and Rolling Stone magazine placed it at position seventy-two on their "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list. The most notable cover version was by Van Halen vocalist, David Lee Roth, in 1984 for his solo album "Crazy from the Heat" which also peaked at number three on the US Billboard chart.

"The West coast has the sunshine
And the girls all get so tanned
I dig a French bikini on Hawaii island
Dolls by a palm tree in the sand"

Answer: Sultans of Swing

Dire Straits recorded "Sultans of Swing" in 1978 for their eponymous album. The single did not chart on its original release, but stormed the charts when it was re-released the following year. It achieved an eighth place on the UK Singles chart and a fourth place on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was released a third time in 1988 to coincide with the band's greatest hits album, but only managed a disappointing sixty-second position.

"And a crowd of young boys, they're fooling around in the corner
Drunk and dressed in their best brown baggies and their platform soles
They don't give a damn about any trumpet playing band
It ain't what they call rock and roll
And the Sultans, yeah, the Sultans, they play Creole, Creole"

Answer: Father McKenzie

"Eleanor Rigby" was recorded by The Beatles in 1966 for their album "Revolver". The song reached top position on the UK and Canadian charts, but only managed eleventh place on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. According to Sir Paul McCartney, he originally chose the name Daisy Dawkins and Father McCartney as the two subjects of the song. Apparently he then chose the name McKenzie from a telephone book to prevent people from thinking he was singing about his father.

In 1980 a gravestone for an actual Eleanor Rigby was discovered in a graveyard in Liverpool.

Answer: Apricot

"You're So Vain" was recorded by Carly Simon in 1972 for her album "No Secrets". It went to the top of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, US Billboard Easy Listening chart as well as the Australian and Canadian charts. There has been much speculation as to whom the song is about through the years. It has long been believed that actor Warren Beatty was one of them.

'You walked into the party
Like you were walking onto a yacht
Your hat strategically dipped below one eye
Your scarf, it was apricot
You had one eye on the mirror
As you watched yourself gavotte"

Answer: Burning Down the House

"Burning Down the House" was released from the fifth studio album "Speaking in Tongues" by Talking Heads in 1983. It was fairly successful on the charts, achieving a ninth place on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and an even better sixth place on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

The most notable cover version of this song was by Tom Jones, featuring Swedish rock band The Cardigans for his 1999 album "Reload". Other notable covers have been by The Vienna Boys' Choir and Lady Gaga.