The Little Old Lady From Pasadena Quiz

Answer: Gardenias

At the beginning of the song, we are told that Granny "has a pretty little flower bed of white gardenias." Gardenia must have been the closest thing the songwriters could come up with to rhyme with Pasadena. The song was co-written by Don Altfeld, Jan Berry, and Roger Christian.

Answer: Dodge

The song was inspired by a series of television commercials that aired in early 1964. A little old lady, played by actress Kathryn Minner, was shown speeding down the street in a modified Dodge. She would then tell the audience, "Put a Dodge in your garage, Honey." The idea of an elderly woman driving a muscle car must have seemed amusing to people at the time.

The ad campaign was very successful.

Answer: Red

"But parked in a rickety old garage / Is a brand new, shiny red Super Stocked Dodge." We aren't told what Dodge model it was, but since Beach Boys' version of the the song tells us it has a "four speed stick and a four - two - six," it was probably a 1964 426 Max Wedge Polara. That's the only model I can find that would have been street legal.

Answer: Colorado Boulevard

"She drives real fast and she drives real hard / She's the terror of Colorado Boulevard." Colorado Boulevard runs east-west from Griffith Park in Los Angeles to Monrovia, California, passing through Pasadena on the way. It was originally a part of the famous Route 66. Part of the Tournament of Roses parade route is along Colorado Boulevard.

Answer: Try to choose her

"If you see her on the street don't try to choose her / You might drive a go-er but you'll never lose her." In other words, don't challenge Granny, because no matter how fast your car is, you're not going to win the race! A "go-er" was slang for a very fast car; to "lose her" meant to pull ahead in the race.

Answer: She's going to get a ticket

"She's gonna get a ticket now sooner or later." Street racing is highly illegal in all parts of the United States, a much more serious offense than just speeding, but was highly popular in the United States in 1964, particularly in California. The sport of drag racing evolved from street racing.

Answer: The accelerator

"She's gonna get a ticket now sooner or later / Cause she can't keep her foot off the accelerator." The accelerator controls the speed of an automobile; pushing down on it with one's foot makes the car go faster. A person who cannot keep his or her foot off the accelerator is someone who drives too fast, sometimes called a "speed demon." Granny clearly feels the "need for speed."

Answer: The guys

"The guys come to race her from all around." Most street racers are young men. This line tells us that Granny has developed quite a reputation.

Answer: Gives her opponent a headstart

"The guys come to race her from all around / But she'll give 'em a length then she'll shut em down." Since all cars are not created equal, some cars are often given a handicap, or headstart, at the beginning of the race. Granny is evidently confident enough to give all comers an advantage. "Shut 'em down" means to defeat them in a way that humiliates her opponents.

Answer: Go Granny, go Granny, go Granny, go!

"Go Granny, go Granny, go Granny, go!" This line is repeated constantly throughout the song, as if the singers are encouraging Granny on.