The Early 40s Quiz | Music by Year

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This song lyric comes from 1939. Complete the missing part of the lyric. "When the __________falls over sleepy garden walls And the stars begin to flicker in the sky Through the mist of a memory you wander back to me Breathing my name with a sigh In the still of the night once again I hold you tight Though you're gone, your love lives on when moonlight beams And as long as my heart will beat, lover we'll always meet"

Answer: deep purple

"Deep Purple" was written by Mitchell Parish. The music was originally composed by Peter De Rose in 1934 as a piano composition and the lyrics were added in 1939 when the song became a number one hit for Larry Clinton & His Orchestra. It also charted at number 20 for Billy Ward And His Dominoes in 1957, then hit number one for Nino Tempo and April Stevens in 1963. Later, it was number 14 for Donny and Marie Osmond in 1976.

2. Can you get this one? "I'm dreaming of a _____ ________ Just like the ones I used to know Where the treetops glisten And children listen To hear sleigh bells in the snow"

Answer: White Christmas

Golly, I hope everyone gets this one! This song, by Bing Crosby, has sold more than 35,000,000 records! It originally hit number one in 1942 and returned to that lofty position in 1945 and 1947 and charted in every year but for one (1951) from 1942 to 1962. Words and music were written by Irving Berlin and was first sung in the movie "Holiday Inn" starring Bing, Fred Astaire and Marjorie Reynolds.

3. "Someday I'll wish upon a star And wake up where the clouds are far behind me Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me" True or false - is this lyric from the song "When You Wish Upon A Star"?

Answer: False

This song was actually Judy Garland's trademark song "Over The Rainbow" as performed in the movie "The Wizard Of Oz" in 1939. Although, it won the Oscar that year and was later voted into the NARAS Hall of Fame, it only peaked at number five on the charts of the day. Glenn Miller had a number one hit with the song that year, though!

4. This song dates from 1941. "You leave the Pennsylvania Station 'bout a quarter to four Read a magazine and then you're in Baltimore Dinner in the diner, nothing could be finer Than to have your ham an' eggs in Carolina" The title?

Answer: Chattanooga Choo Choo

The song was performed by Glenn Miller and appeared in the movie "Sun Valley Serenade". The lyrics were written by Mack Gordon, the music by Harry Warren. An aside - Roy Rogers was attacked by a cougar. The beast nipped at Roy's boots as he defended himself. Dale Evans came along later and saw the beast dead at Roy's feet and his boots were shredded. She said "Pardon me Roy, is that the cat who chewed your new shoes?" Mea culpa.

5. "Just turn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle Underneath the western skies On my cayuse, let me wander over yonder Till I see the mountains rise" Name this one from 1944.

Answer: Don't Fence Me In

This song, recorded by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, was written by Cole Porter and came from the Warner Brothers picture "Hollywood Canteen". It was number one for eight weeks in 1944-45. He also sang the number one hit "San Fernando Valley" the same year.

The other two songs were hits for the Sons of the Pioneers in the 1930s and speaking of Roy Rogers, he was a member of the group when they recorded "Tumbling Tumble Weeds".

6. This one is a pure classic! "Sometimes I wonder why I spend the lonely night dreaming of a song The melody haunts my reverie and I am once again with you When our love was new and each kiss an inspiration But that was long ago and now my consolation Is in the ______ of a song" Fill in the blank to complete the lyric.

Answer: stardust

"Stardust" was originally written in 1927 by Hoagy Carmichael and Mitchell Parish, Parish the lyricist. In 1953, the "song", as recorded by Isham Jones in 1931, was voted the best "song" of all time by disc jockeys in a poll conducted by Billboard. Jones' version was sung! In 1956, Billboard conducted another survey among DJ's and Artie Shaw's version of "Stardust" was voted as the best "record" of all time.

It was an instrumental version! Ironically, Jones' version was number one for one week only, Shaw's version peaked at number two for one week only.

It's curious how "Stardust" (both versions) grew in esteem over the course of a generation!

7. "Moonlight and love songs never out of date Hearts full of passion, jealousy and hate Woman needs man and man must have his mate, that no one can deny. It's still the same old story A fight for love and glory, a case of do or die The world will always welcome lovers __ ____ ____ __." Surely, you'll get this one!

Answer: As Time Goes By

The words and music were composed by Herman Hupfeld and I'd bet very few people would have got that piece of trivia correct! The song was featured in the movie "Casablanca" starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Dooley Wilson performed the song in the movie in his role as "Sam". Wilson's version was never a commercial success and I'm uncertain as to whether it was even released as a single at the time.

However, Rudy Vallee previously recorded the song in 1931 when it was featured in the Broadway musical "Everybody's Welcome".

It charted at number 15 then. Upon its re-release in 1943, Vallee's version was number one for four weeks!

8. "Some others I've seen might never be mean Might never be cross or try to be boss, but they wouldn't do For nobody else gave me a thrill With all your faults, I love you still" Identify this hit.

Answer: It Had To Be You

This was a number four song for Dick Haymes and Helen Forrest in 1944. The lyricist was Gus Kahn, music written by Isham Jones. Jones had a number one hit with the song in 1924 and no less than twelve different artists charted with it from 1924 to 1944. Harry Connick Jr. revived it in the movie "When Harry Met Sally" in 1989.

9. "If you ever go down Trinidad They make you feel so very glad Calypso sing and make up rhyme Guarantee you one real good fine time" What song was this?

Answer: Rum And Coca-Cola

The Andrews Sisters scored a ten week number one hit with "Rum And Coca-Cola" in 1945. The music was by Jeri Sullavan and Paul Baron, the lyrics were written by comic Morey Amsterdam. You might remember him as Buddy Sorrell on "The Dick Van Dyke Show".

10. "My mama done tol' me, when I was in kneepants My mama done tol' me, son A woman'll sweet talk and give you the big eye But when the sweet talkin's done A woman's a two-face A worrisome thing who'll leave you to sing the ____________." True or false... are the missing words "blues in the night"?

Answer: True

"Blues In The Night" was number one for four weeks for Woody Herman in 1942. It has been a "lounge lizard" staple ever since! The lyrics were by Johnny Mercer, the music by Harold Arlen. Originally, the song was written for a film called "Hot Nocturne", however because of the popularity of the song, the movie was re-titled "Blues in the Night".

11. "Couple of jiggers of moonlight and add a star Pour in the blue of a June night and one guitar Mix in a couple of dreamers and there you are" Whose big hit was this?

Answer: Glenn Miller

After "In The Mood" which was a number one for twelve weeks in 1940, "Moonlight Cocktail" was Glenn Miller's biggest hit, a number one for ten weeks in 1942. Kim Gannon was the lyricist and Lucky Roberts charted the music.

12. "Used to ramble through the park, shadowboxing in the dark Then you came and caused a spark, that's a four-alarm fire now I never made love by lantern-shine, I never saw rainbows in my wine But now that your lips are burning mine" What big hit was this?

Answer: I'm Beginning To See The Light

Kitty Kallen fronted Harry James' Orchestra for this three week number one song in 1945. Song writing credits were accorded to Harry James, Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges and Don George.

13. "You'll never know how many dreams I've dreamed about you Or just how empty they all seemed without you So kiss me once, then kiss me twice then kiss me once again" Identify this Harry James classic.

Answer: It's Been A Long, Long Time

"It's Been A Long, Long Time" was another number one hit for James and Kallen later in 1945. It was number one for three weeks then Bing Crosby's version replaced the Kallen/James hit at number one for a further two weeks. This was a Sammy Cahn/Jule Styne collaboration.

14. "Oh but your lips were thrilling, much too thrilling Never before were mine so strangely willing But now I see, what one embrace can do Look at me, it's got me loving you madly That little kiss you stole" Title please!

Answer: Heart And Soul

During a brief period in the Swing Era, the Hollywood film studios produced a series of "short subjects" featuring dance bands, usually playing their established hits. But only one "short", "A Song Is Born" (1938), effectively introduced a hit. The band was Larry Clinton's, with vocalist Bea Wain and the song was "Heart and Soul", Carmichael and Loesser's first collaboration. Carmichael was an established composer at the time, but Loesser, later a creator of both words and music, was still only a lyricist. Carmichael told Reader's Digest that the song kicked around the back rooms of Paramount Pictures for a month before it was assigned to any picture. During that period "the best use the song got was for Anthony Quinn's voice practice". This was before Quinn became a star.

The writers were disappointed when their song was launched in a minor production, but the disappointment was short-lived as Clinton's recording became a big seller.

15. "Got my bag, got my reservation, spent each dime I could afford Like a child in wild anticipation, long to hear that "All aboard" Seven, that's the time we leave, at seven I'll be waitin' up for heaven Countin' every mile of railroad track that takes me back" Can you name the song?

Answer: Sentimental Journey

It was a number one for nine weeks for Les Brown in 1945. The singer, of course, was Doris Day. Brown, Bud Green and Ben Homer were the song's composers. Competing versions charted at number three for Hal McIntyre and number four for the Merry Macs. I do hope you enjoyed this "sentimental journey" of a quiz!

Source: Author maddogrick16

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Dalgleish before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

The Early 40s Trivia Quiz

Fifteen lyric oriented questions from 1939 to 1945 and not one will deal with WWII. If you know music, you'll do well. If you're into nostalgia, you'll eat it up!

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