Songs with American Indian Themes Quiz

Answer: Jorgen Ingmann and His Guitar

"Apache" was written by Jerry Lordan, one of The Shadows' supporting acts. The Shadows were impressed with the song and subsequently had a hit with the instrumental version of "Apache" in the UK.
Jørgen Ingmann was a Danish Jazz guitarist who recorded a version of "Apache" and "Anna". His rendition of "Apache" almost topped the US charts. "Apache" has been covered by many artists.
"(Ghost) Riders In the Sky" was a 1961 Ramrods instrumental single. "Mexico" was a US Top Ten hit by bassist Bob Moore and His Orchestra. The Ventures recorded a version on "Apache" on their 1963 "The Ventures Play Telstar and the Lonely Bull" LP.

Answer: Cherokee

The opening line in the lyrics of "Half Breed" was "My father married a pure Cherokee" and another line was "Give her a feather, she's a Cherokee".
"Half Breed" was Cher's second US Number One hit after she went solo. A video of the song was taken from her 1973 performance on "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour". Cher released the song from an album of the same name. "Half Breed" was the only successful single release from the album.
Her first solo album, "Bittersweet White Light" (1973) was produced by Sonny Bono. The album did not produce any hits and became the last album Sonny produced for Cher. Snuff Garrett produced the "Half Breed" LP.

Answer: Larry Verne

Larry Verne also recorded another Novelty tune titled "Mr. Livingston". After failing to chart any subsequent singles Verne retired from the music business and began a career building movie sets until his retirement.
In October, 1960, "Mr. Custer" topped the US charts for a week. The song was about a soldier who did not want to fight at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
Charlie Drake released "Mr. Custer" in the UK two years later where it went to Number 12.
Bob Beckham released the Top Forty "Crazy Arms" in 1960. "Fannie Mae" was a 1960 Top Forty single by Buster Brown. Larry Hall took "Sandy" to Number 15.

Answer: 1910 Fruitgum Company

"Pow Wow" was the flip side of the "Indian Giver" single by 1910 Fruit Gum Company. The song peaked at Number Five on the US charts and remained on the charts for over ten weeks. "Indian Giver" was the band's third Top Ten US single on the Buddah label. "Indian Giver" has been covered by Joan Jett, Spencer Davis and The Ramones.
The Top Forty "Did You See Her Eyes" was released by The Illusion in 1969. Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band took "Do Your Thing" to Number 11 in 1969. Cat Mother and the All Night News Boys had a hit single with "Good Old Rock 'N' Roll".

Answer: Dove

The chorus of "Running Bear" went "Running Bear loved Little White Dove with a love big as the sky, Running Bear loved Little White Dove With a love that couldn't die".
Johnny Preston released "Running Bear" in 1959, seven months after composer J. P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) was killed in a plane crash along with Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly. George Jones and Richardson provided the Indian sounds in the chorus of the song when the song was recorded.
Preston was performing with a group called The Shades in Texas when J. P. Richardson heard him perform and offered him the opportunity to record "Running Bear".

Answer: Roy Orbison

"It's Over" was a US Top Ten for Roy Orbison. He topped the charts the same year with "Oh, Pretty Woman". Roy's first US Number One single was "Running Scared" three years earlier. "Indian Wedding" had been released as a single. When it did not chart it was chosen as the flip side to "It's Over".
"Indian Wedding" and "It's Over" were both composed by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees.
In 1964 "Clinging Vine" was one of Bobby Vinton's many Top Forty hits. "I'm Gonna Be Strong" and "It Hurts To Be In Love" were Top Ten singles from Gene Pitney in 1964. Ronnie Dove released "Right or Wrong" in 1964.

Answer: Rex Allen

Rex Allen signed with Mercury Records in the late forties and released several Country hits. Singing cowboys were becoming popular in theaters so Republic Pictures signed Rex where he starred in 19 feature films with Buddy Ebsen and Slim Pickens sharing duties as his sidekick.
"Don't Go Near the Indians" was Rex Allen's only major crossover hit. The song reached Number Five on the Country charts and was a Top Twenty Billboard Pop single in 1962.
When other singing cowboys found work in television Rex Allen began a series called "Frontier Doctor" in 1954. He went on to be a narrator for many Disney films and television projects.
William Boyd was known as Hopalong Cassidy in films and television shows. Roy Rogers formed the Sons of the Pioneers before becoming a Western film and television star. Gene Autry became a singing cowboy on radio before branching into films.

Answer: True

At the height of their singing career The Cowsill family was comprised of six brothers and sisters along with their mother, Barbara. The family became the inspiration for the sixties television show, "The Partridge Family". "The Rain, The Park and Other Things" was a hit from their debut eponymous album. "Indian Lake" was a 1968 Top Ten follow up single and in 1969 The Cowsills had a Number Two single with the theme from the Musical "Hair".

The group had their own television special called "A Family Thing" and appeared on most of the television variety shows of the sixties. Songwriter Tony Romeo composed "Indian Lake" and ironically wrote the Partridge Family's Number One hit "I Think I Love You".

Although unsuccessful as a recording artist Romeo has had over 150 of his composition recorded by various artists.

Answer: Don Fardon

Don Fardon was was the singer for the British group The Sorrows before embarking on a solo career. His version of "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" allowed him membership into the US One-Hit Wonder club. He did enjoy chart success in other countries and recorded cover versions of "Running Bear" and the Kinks' hit, "Lola".
When Marvin Rainwater released John D. Loudermilk's "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" as "The Paleface Indian" in 1959 it failed to make a dent in the charts. Don Fardon had the first chart success with the song.
The song referenced the mass relocation of the Cherokees.
Bobby Russell made the 1968 Top Forty with "1432 Franklin Pike Circle Hero". "I've Never Found a Girl (to Love Me Like You Do)" was a Top Forty from Eddie Floyd in 1968 and Henson Cargill released the Number 25 "Skip a Rope" the same year.

Answer: Europe

The Swedish band Europe scored US hits with singles from their "The Final Countdown" album. In addition to "The Final Countdown" the album produced the singles "Rock the Night", "Carrie" and "Cherokee". "Cherokee" was written by Europe singer Joey Tempest and was the last song written for the album.

The video for the song was filmed near the locale where Sergio Leone filmed "A Fistful of Dollars" (1964). Asia was a "supergoup" that formed in 1981. Berlin was formed in Los Angeles in 1978 and was known for song "Take My Breath Away" from "Top Gun" (1986). Boston formed in the mid-seventies and took "More Than a Feeling" to Number Five in 1976.