Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Laura Branigan first hit the Billboard charts in the latter half of 1982 with a song that occupied a spot on the Top 40 for no less than twenty two weeks. A prominent hit in Italy during the late 70s as a ballad by singer/composer Umberto Tozzi, it nevertheless reached #2 for three weeks. It also earned her a Grammy nomination for the best female pop vocal performance in that year. The song went to the top of the Australian charts as well as achieving #2 in Canada and #6 in the U.K.
2. The Rolling Stones recorded the song in question in 1977 on the same day as their #1 Billboard hit "Miss You", but shelved it for four years before it was included in the album "Tattoo You". It became the band's most durable hit ever by staying for 19 weeks, in which time it spent three weeks at #2. Was used by Microsoft for it's Windows 95 advertising campaign and the Stones used it for the opening of the 1989 "Steel Wheels" tour. Ranked #3 in Australia as well as #7 in the U.K.
3. Daryl Hall and John Oates had no less than five hits remaining in the Top 40 charts for seventeen weeks with four of these going to the #1 position. The odd one out was an early song for the duo and was written by Daryl for his long-time girlfriend. This song debuted in April 1976 and peaked at #4. Listed with it below are three of the four that made it to the Top.
4. The pop vocal duo of Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell called Air Supply was formed in Australia and broke into the U.S. Billboard charts with seven Top Five hits in just over two years. Their first album released in 1980 spawned three Top Fives and each, coincidentally, remained in the Billboard Top 40 for 17 weeks but none reached #1. The most successful of this quartet got to #2 for four weeks and was the group's only entry into the U.K. charts. It peaked at #7 in Australia in mid-1980. The four listed songs each had a 17 week stay.
5. Donna Summer is generally regarded as the biggest female star of the disco era during the 70s. However her longest standing hit in the Billboard charts, that did not make it to #1, did not appear until 1983 and was her twelth Top Ten in 17 entries. It lingered for 17 weeks and peaked at #3. The inspiration for this self composed song came from a chance meeting with a lady in a Los Angeles restaurant. It was ranked #1 on the R & B charts for three weeks and in May 2007 Jordin Sparks used it in her repertoire on the way to winning the American Idol sixth season reality series.
6. With lyrics not unlike his first #1 hit back in 1970, Neil Diamond composed and sang this song as part of the score he wrote for a movie in 1980. Loosely based on the original "talkie" movie of 1927, the film was not a success at the box-office but the soundtrack lifted from it was very well received. The song in question became Neil Diamond's longest running hit with 17 weeks in and three of these at #2.
7. A hit that reached #30 on the Billboard charts for the Pointer Sisters in 1982, was released with a new mix two years later and although it barely reached the Top Ten, (#9), it stayed in the Top 40 this time around for 18 weeks. It was a late inclusion in the group's very successful album "Breakout" that went on to produce four Top Ten hits. This song is listed below with the three others off the album, all of which finished higher than it.
8. Juice Newton's first six releases into the Top 40 spent at least ten weeks in the charts with the longest running and most successful stayed for 19 weeks with two of these at #2. It first appeared on the Dave Edmunds' album "Repeat When Necessary" and was lifted off her 1981 album "Juice". The song won her a 1982 Grammy nomination for best female vocalist in the Country category, and reached Top Ten status in Australia, Canada and Germany. Melanie Lane scored a Top Ten with it in the Canadian Country charts in 2006.
9. Bob Seger had 19 hits in the Billboard Top 40 overall with seven Top Tens but only one #1 and only for one week. His most obstinate hit, however, stayed in the charts for nineteen weeks and reached the #2 position for four weeks. The song was written by Rodney Crowell of album "Diamonds And Dirt" fame, which produced four #1 hits on the country charts for Crowell. It was lifted off the album "The Distance" which had two other tracks into the Top 40. With a vocal backing by Eagle Glenn Frey, it was surprisingly Bob's only entry onto the country charts where it peaked at #15.
10. American new wave group The Cars had their longest running hit with a song taken from the 1981 album of the same name. The first Top Ten for the band was their fifth entry onto the Billboard charts and stayed for 17 weeks to peak at #4. The song features the use of synthesizers and electronic drum machines to create a futuristic dance beat.
Source: Author
muffin1708
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ralzzz before going online.
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