The Crooners: The 20s to the 70s Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Let us start with "Ol' Blue Eyes" himself, Frank Sinatra. He started his singing career in the "swing era" (mid 1930s) with the big bands of Harry James and Tommy Dorsey. Yet in the 1960s, surrounded by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Supremes, he released a number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1966. What was this song?

Answer: Strangers in the Night

Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) was an American, singer, actor, producer and director. He was one of the most influential artist of the 20th Century and his music is considered as timeless. Frank had many hits in the 40s and 50s but his "Strangers in the Night" reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 in July 1966 and number one in the UK in June 1966. "Somethin' Stupid" together with his daughter, Nancy Sinatra reached number one in the UK in April 1967. "That's Life" peaked at number four in the USA in 1966-67 and "My Way" reached number five in the UK in 1969.

2. Al Bowlly was a popular jazz crooner in the 1930s during the British dance band era and later worked in the USA. He recorded more than 1,000 records between 1927 and 1941. In which African country was he born?

Answer: Mozambique

Albert Allick "Al" Bowlly (1898-1841) was born in Louren�o Marques, Mozambique to Greek and Lebanese parents. He was brought up in South Africa. In the 1920s he toured with dance bands to Indonesia, India, Germany and finally arrived in England. In 1927 he recorded "Blue Skies" and "If I Had You" which became successful in England and the USA.

In the mid 30s he had his own NBC radio show. He adapted his singing style with the advent of the microphone in 1931. As well as a singer, songwriter, composer, band leader he also played the guitar and ukulele.

He was killed in London in 1941 by a Luftwaffe parachute bomb that exploded outside his apartment.

3. One of the first "crooners" was Gene Austin. In 1928 he recorded a song that until Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" came out in the 1940s was the largest selling record of all time. The lyrics had the following: "Just Molly and me, And baby makes three". What was this song?

Answer: My Blue Heaven

Gene Austin (1900-1972) was an American singer, songwriter and in the 1920s composed such classics as "When My Sugar Walks Down the Street" and "The Lonesome Road". These two songs have become jazz and pop classics being recorded by numerous artists well into the 1960s. "My Blue Heaven" was released in 1928 and stayed in the charts for 26 weeks (13 at number one) and sold over five million copies. "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "Ramona" were also recorded by Gene Austin.

4. Bing Crosby is a legend in the music industry. What was his last number one single hit on the US Billboard pre-Hot 100 in 1948? It is thought to be a Maori Farewell Song and begins with "Sunset glow fades in the west, Night o'er the valley is creeping".

Answer: Now is the Hour

Bing Crosby (1903-1977) was a singer and actor. Besides being an incredible singer he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Father Chuck O'Malley in the 1944 movie "Going My Way". "Now is the Hour" was first heard in 1913 and there is still speculation to this day about the origins of the song.

It has also been recorded by Gracie Fields and Frank Sinatra; Hayley Westenra (a soprano from New Zealand) sang the song at the closing of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Bing's version lasted three weeks at the top of the charts in 1948. "Moonlight Becomes You" was top of the charts for two weeks in 1942 and "Sunday, Monday or Always" was at the top for seven weeks in 1943. "Don't Fence Me In" last for eight weeks at the top in 1944.

5. Dean Martin recorded his first single in 1946 and he had a number one hit with "Memories Are Made of This" in 1956. Although he resented rock n' roll, he displaced The Beatles in August 1964 with which song?

Answer: Everybody Loves Somebody

Dean Martin (1917-1995) from Steubenville, Ohio, was a singer, actor, comedian and film producer. "Everybody Loves Somebody" was sandwiched between The Beatles ""A Hard Day's Night" and "Where Did Our Love Go" by The Supremes. "That's Amour" was number two in 1953 and "Volare" peaked at number twelve in 1958. "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You" peaked at number 25 in 1964.

6. Perry Como had hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts from 1943 to 1974. He had nine number one hits and his last was in 1957 with these lyrics: "Find a wheel and it goes round, round, round". Name the song?

Answer: Round and Round

Perry Como (1912-2001) was not only a singer but also a television personality. He was active in show business from 1933-1998. "Round and Round" hit number one in April 1957 between "Party Doll" by Buddy Knox and "All Shook Up" by Elvis Presley. "Till the End of Time" was his first number one hit and it topped the charts in 1945 for nine weeks. "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)" peaked at number two in 1956 and "Catch a Falling Star" reached number two in 1958.

7. Some say of Nat King Cole that "he was the best friend a song ever had". His career spanned from 1935 to 1967 when he died at the young age of 45. He had many hits but one in particular became his signature song, which his daughter mixed into a duet version in 1991; the song and album won several Grammy Awards in 1992. What was the song?

Answer: Unforgettable

"Unforgettable" was written by Irving Gordon; however, Nat's version and arrangement was written by Nelson Riddle. Many artists over the years have recorded this song including Earl Grant, Peggy Lee, Aretha Franklin, Sammy Davis Jr., Johnny Mathis, Roberta Flack, Kenny Rogers and many more. "Mona Lisa" reached number one in 1950 and "Ramblin' Rose" peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1962.

However, it spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard Easy Listening Chart in 1962. Nat played in the 1957 movie "Istanbul" where he sang "When I Fall in Love" which reached number two in the UK.

8. Johnny Mathis says he was musically influenced by Lena Horne, Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby. His first number one single was in 1957 and his second on the US Billboard Hot 100 was in 1978. What was that 1978 hit?

Answer: Too Much, Too Little, Too Late

Johnny Mathis is an American singer of jazz, popular music, songwriter and actor. His first number one single was "Chances Are" in 1957 and "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" was his last number one single in 1978 which was a duo with Deniece Williams. "It's Not for Me to Say" peaked at number five in 1957 and "Gina" reached number six in 1962.

9. Everybody knows that Tony Bennett's signature song is "I Left My Heart in San Francisco", yet it only reached number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1962. Prior to that he had three number one hits on the US Billboard Hot 100. Which one was the first in 1951 with the first line of the song being "__ __ __ there's a song in my heart"?

Answer: Because of You

Tony Bennett came from Queens, New York and is a singer of traditional music, jazz, show tunes and is also a painter. He served in the US Army during WWII in Europe. His first number one was "Because of You" for eight weeks from September 8-October 27, 1951. Just one week later on November 3, "Cold, Cold Heart" reached number one also and stayed there for six weeks. "Rags to Riches" spent six weeks at number one from November 21, 1953. "Stranger in Paradise" peaked at number two in 1953.

10. Barry Manilow had three number one hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 but my favourite is one he co-wrote and supplied the music to after visiting Brazil. What is this song?

Answer: Copacabana (At the Copa)

Barry Manilow is from Brooklyn, New York and is a singer, songwriter and producer. In 1978 he had five albums that were simultaneously on the best-selling charts. He has produced and arranged albums for many artists including Bette Midler and Dionne Warwick.
After visiting Rio de Janiero he wondered if there had ever been a song called "Copacabana". During the 1960s he had been a regular visitor to the Copacabana night club in New York City. It was with this in mind that he asked Jack Feldman and Bruce Sussman to put some lyrics together and he would provide the music. Sadly, it only peaked at number eight in 1978.
"Mandy" was a number one hit in 1974, as was "I Write the Song" in 1975 and "Looks Like We Made It" in 1977.

Source: Author zambesi

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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A "crooner" simply meant those who could hum or sing softly by singing popular songs in a soft sentimental manner. Some maybe didn't consider themselves as "crooners" and sadly I had to leave many out, maybe for another quiz!

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