There's No Spell More Magical Than Song Quiz

Answer: "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" - The Beatles

"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" was written by Paul McCartney and released by The Beatles as part of "The White Album" in 1968. It was not released as a single in the UK at that time, most probably due to the fact that the other three band members, especially John Lennon, disliked the song and were annoyed by McCartney's fascination with it (it took quite a few tries to make that recording). It had not been performed live by any of the Beatles until December 2009, when McCartney played it in Hamburg, Germany during his European tour.

The title of the song is based on the expression that Paul McCartney used to hear from an acquaintance of his, Nigerian conga player Jimmy Scott-Emuakpor - "Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on." According to some sources, the origin of the phrase "obladi, oblada" is in the common saying of the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria that actually translates to "life goes on".

Spell-check: "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da" is a Cheering Spell.

Answer: The Crystals

The "Wall of Sound" production formula called for the use of a large number of electric and acoustic instruments playing in unison, recorded in an echo chamber. The result was an avalanche of sound, very different from the majority of arrangements of the previous decades, where separate instruments were easily identifiable.

The song itself tells a simple story of a boy meets girl, and the nonsense syllables that make up the song title are just thrown in, in order not to distract the listener from the nature of sound and the main storyline.

Spell-check: "Da Doo Ron Ron" is an Infatuation Spell.

Answer: Rama Lama Ding Dong

Although the American doo-wop group The Edsels recorded a few other songs before releasing "Rama Lama Ding Dong", this track remains their most famous recording. It did not attract much attention upon its original US release in 1958 (it was even released under an incorrect title "Lama Rama Ding Dong"). However, in 1961, after a New York DJ began to play it as a segue from a doo-wop song "Blue Moon" by The Marcels, it gained popularity and later enjoyed some record chart success.

Spell-check: "Rama Lama Ding Dong" is a Laughing Spell.

Answer: Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder co-wrote this song with Hank Cosby and Sylvia Moy in 1968. It was one of the most successful tracks of Stevie Wonder's 1960s Motown Period, reaching number nine on the "Billboard Hot 100" in 1968. It was also the first song in which Stevie Wonder demonstrated with talents at the clavinet.

Spell-check: "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" is a Protection Spell.

Answer: Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo

In "Cinderella" this song was performed by Verna Felton, the actress who voiced the Fairy Godmother, herself. A few other artists have released recordings of this song, the version by Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters being arguably the most well-known, although the recording by Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae also enjoyed some chart success.

This song has also been the subject of numerous parodies, such as the song "The Baby, the Bubbe, and You" by Mickey Katz and the parody of "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" sung by Fiona's Fairy Godmother in "Shrek 2" (2004).

Spell-check: "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" is a Transfiguration Spell.

Answer: "Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day" - Gilbert O'Sullivan

"Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day" had only existed as a single up until 2012 when it was added to the remastered version of the album "Back to Front". The original lyrics of the song were meant to convey the idea of two people catching up on the events of each other's everyday lives, although quite a few of these events were described in an intentionally funny way: for example, the speaker proves that he is strong by saying that he "picked a needle up with one hand". In the version of the song recorded for the National Lottery, 300 people sang the reworded lyrics while going about their everyday lives.

Spell-check: "Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day" is a Confounding Spell.

Answer: Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow

"Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" was the first hit single for The Rivingtons, the success that they tried to emulate in a few months from its release with two similar songs, "Mama-Oom-Mow-Mow (The Bird)" and "The Bird's the Word". They did not have much luck with the former, but the latter became the second hit for the group.

"The Bird's the Word" and "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" later formed the basis for the song "Surfin' Bird" by the rock band The Trashmen. Upon its release, this song did not credit The Rivingtons as the original writers - this situation was only remedied after The Trashmen were threatened with legal prosecution.

Spell-check: "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" is a Memory Spell.

Answer: Little Richard

"Bama Lama Bama Loo" was not one of Little Richard's most successful singles - it never made it higher than number 86 on any of the US charts, although it did reach Top 20 in the UK. The song tells us about winning the heart of a girl called Lucinder who is known as "the great pretender". The phrase "bama lama, bama loo" is used extensively throughout the song to describe the essence of Lucinder's charm.

Spell-check: "Bama Lama Bama Loo" is an Illusion Spell.

Answer: Donovan

Donovan recorded "Goo Goo Barabajagal (Love Is Hot)" together with The Jeff Beck Group, who provided instrumental backing for the track. The song tells a story of a girl falling in love with a mysterious and seductive seller of wild herbs, with the phrase "Goo goo, goo goo Barabajagal was his name now" repeated numerous times throughout the song.

Donovan mentioned that his inspiration for the title of the song was the phrase "goo goo ga joob" from The Beatles' song "I Am the Walrus".

Spell-check: "Goo Goo Barabajagal" is a Love Spell.

Answer: Mary Poppins

"Chim Chim Cher-ee" was originally performed by Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews. It appeared not only in the film version of "Mary Poppins", but also in the Cameron Mackintosh/Disney musical of the same name. In 1964, it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and in 2008, Julie Andrews selected it as one of her favorite Disney songs.

The authors of the song, Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman, explained that their inspiration for "Chim Chim Cher-ee" came from a drawing of a chimney-sweep by the "Mary Poppins'" screenwriter, Don DaGradi. The lyrics of the song stem from the idea present in British folklore that shaking hands with "sweeps" can bring good luck.

Spell-check: "Chim Chim Cher-ee" is a Good Luck Spell.