Sweet Music Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Drifters

Among the notable females singers backing The Drifters with Charlie Thomas on lead vocals were Dee Dee Warwick, Doris Troy and Cissy Houston. Session musician Jimmy Radcliffe was also on backing vocals. The Number 16 "Sweets For My Sweet" was one of the rare Drifters singles that did not feature a lush string arrangement.
The songwriting team of Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman composed the song and Shuman played the piano on the recording.
The Drifters' first single release was "Money Honey" in 1953 and they first hit the US Top Ten in 1959 with the Number Two single "There Goes My Baby" with Ben E. King on lead vocals.
The Marcels had a 1961 hit with "Blue Moon". "If I Didn't Care" was a 1961 Top Forty for The Platters and The Coasters released "Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)" the same year.

Answer: Jimmie Rodgers

Jimmie Rodgers began his musical career while in the military with a band called The Melodies. Rodgers appeared on Arthur Godfrey's televised talent scout show and was signed by Roulette Records. His first single, "Honeycomb", was a success and he followed up with a tune originally released by The Weavers in 1951 titled "Kisses Sweeter than Wine".
Following appearances on television variety shows he briefly hosted his own variety show and sang the theme to "The Long, Hot Summer" (1958) featuring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.
Rodgers' final Billboard Top Forty single came in 1967 with "Child of Clay".
In 1958 Perry Como released "Catch A Falling Star", Pat Boone released "Wonderful Time Up There" and Jimmy Clanton had a hit single with "Just A Dream".

Answer: John Lennon

On June 22, 1961, the Beatles recorded a version of "Ain't She Sweet" in Hamburg, Germany. John Lennon sang lead on the recording which was produced by Bert Kaempfert. Pete Best was the drummer. The song was not released as a single until 1964.
John Lennon included a version on his "John Lennon Anthology" box set. The Beatles' 1995 "Anthology 1" album has the version with Pete Best drumming while the 1996 "Anthology 3" includes a version recorded in 1969 with Ringo on drums.
The Beatles occasionally backed Tony Sheridan in live venues in Germany and backed him when he recorded "My Bonnie" and "The Saints" in 1961. The songs were originally included on an album titled "Tony Sheridan and The Beat Brothers".
"Ain't She Sweet" was composed by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen in 1927 and has been recorded by numerous artists.

Answer: Mary

In November, 1970, Providence based Wadsworth Mansion released "Sweet Mary" as a single backed with "What's On Tonight". The song reached Number Seven on the US charts and became the group's only hit single. When "Sweet Mary" became a hit the group released an album aptly titled "Wadsworth Mansion". Early in 1971 they released "Michigan Harry Slaughter" as a single but it failed to make the US Top 100.

When their third single, "Nine On The Line", failed to chart the band was relegated to the One-Hit-Wonder club and disbanded.

Answer: Electric Light Orchestra

"Turn to Stone" and "Mr. Blue Sky" were other 1978 hit singles from Electric Light Orchestra. They first hit the Top Ten in the US in 1974 with "Can't Get It Out of My Head". The Birmingham, England, based group was formed when Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne had a concept of incorporating traditional string instruments with a Rock rhythm section . Electric Light Orchestra released 11 albums beginning in 1971.

Although the albums produced twenty Top Forty US hit singles they never had a US Number One single. "Stayin' Alive" topped the charts in 1978 for the Bee Gees. Earth, Wind and Fire made it to Number 13 with "Serpentine Fire" in 1978 and "Dust in the Wind" was a Top Ten by Kansas.

Answer: The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)

Juice Newton was born Judy Kay Newton in Lakehurst, New Jersey. In the early seventies she signed with RCA Records as Juice Newton and Silver Spur and charted with a Country hit called "Love Is a Word". Juice went solo with Capitol Records and had a 1978 hit with "It's a Heartache" and released her solo album "Well Kept Secret". She released her "Juice" album in 1981 which contained the hit singles "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)", "Queen of Hearts" and "Angel of the Morning".
"The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)" made it to Number Seven on the US Pop charts while it topped the Country and Adult Contemporary charts. Guitarist Robert Otha Young was a member of her Silver Spur backing band and composed the song.
"Sweet Dreams" was released in 1982 by Air Supply. "Sweetheart" was by Frankie and the Knockouts in 1981 and "Sweet Baby" was a Top Forty from Stanley Clark and George Dulce the same year.

Answer: The 5th Dimension

Formed as The Versatiles in 1965 the group changed its name to The 5th Dimension the following year. After being rejected by Motown Records the group signed with a new label called Soul Records. Their first single, "I'll Be Lovin' You Forever" was a disappointment. In 1967 they had their first hit with Jimmy Webb's "Up, Up and Away". The following year "Sweet Blindness" went to Number 13 as they enjoyed a string of hits.
The group had a television special called "The 5th Dimension Traveling Sunshine Show" in 1971 and appeared on several variety shows in the sixties and seventies.
Laura Nyro wrote and also recorded "Sweet Blindness".
The Sweet Inspirations had a Top Twenty hit single in 1968 with "Sweet Inspiration". "Little Bit O' Soul" was a 1967 single by The Music Explosion. "Sunday Will Never Be The Same" was a 1967 single from Spanky and Our Gang's eponymous debut album.

Answer: Canada

Originally known as The Rebounds, The Stampeders formed in Calgary in 1964. After membership changes they relocated to Toronto as a trio in 1968 and released "Sweet City Woman" in 1971. The song peaked at Number Eight on the US charts and stayed on the charts for 16 weeks. Five years later they hit the US charts again with a rendition of "Hit The Road Jack" featuring Wolfman Jack. The group continued to have membership changes until disbanding in 1979.
They reunited for a show in 1992 at The Calgary Stampede.

Answer: The Chiffons

The Bronx based Chiffons were originally schoolmates known for their close harmonies. Their first hit was "He's So Fine" released by Laurie Records followed by "One Fine Day". They released a couple of singles in 1963 as the Four Pennies but decided to stay with The Chiffons.

They had a short dry spell before the 1966 hit with "Sweet Talkin' Guy" which led to a tour of England. Eventually the stress of touring led to personnel changes and by the early seventies the group failed to chart any further hits. "My World Is Empty Without You" by The Supremes went to Number Five in 1966.

The Shangri-Las hit the US Top forty in 1966 with "Long Live Our Love". "Don't Mess With Bill" by The Marvelettes was a Number Seven single.

Answer: True

Beginning in December, 1970, "My Sweet Lord" had the Number One slot for four weeks. It was a single release from Harrison's November album "All Things Must Pass". Billy Preston originally recorded the song on his "Encouraging Words" album in September of 1970. Phil Specter and George Harrison produced the Harrison recording at the Abbey Road studios.
The next former Beatle to have a Number One US single was Paul, with Linda McCartney and the September, 1971, release of "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey".
On June 30, 1973, George Harrison knocked Paul McCartney and Wings' Number One "My Love" off the top spot in the US with "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)". "Photograph" went to Number One for Ringo later the same year. John Lennon would have to wait until the following year to reach the top with "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" in the US.