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Topping the "Bill"-Board Charts Quiz

This quiz tests your a-bill-ity to remember about the hits that put the "Bill" in the Billboard charts -- that is, songs that were recorded by or written about people or things called "Bill."

A multiple-choice quiz by halekotsi. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
halekotsi

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
356,966

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
507

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The year 1983 was a big one for this artist who struck platinum singing about false paternity claims in "Billie Jean." Who was this former quintet member who died in 2009? Hint

Prince

Madonna

Sting

Michael Jackson

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Question 2 of 10

2. "Billie Jean" was not written for tennis star Billie Jean King, but another Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper was. What was this Elton John hit from 1975, named after her World Team Tennis team? Hint

Philadelphia Freedom

Crocodile Rock

Bennie and the Jets

New York State of Mind

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Question 3 of 10

3. All but one of the following artists had topped the Billboard Hot 100 exactly three times as either a solo or featured act. Which is the odd Billy out? Hint

Billy Joel

Billy Idol

Billy Ocean

Billy Preston

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Question 4 of 10

4. "Don't Mess with Bill" was a hit (and warning) that was sung by the Marvelettes, but written by another William who topped the charts under a different name with his group. Who is this singer of "The Tears of a Clown" and "I Second That Emotion"? Hint

Marvin Gaye

Kenny Rogers

Smokey Robinson

Bobby Vinton

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Question 5 of 10

5. Bill Cosby isn't typically someone you think of as a musical artist, but he did sneak his way up to number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967 with a song that incorporated the chorus from Stevie Wonder's "Uptight". What was the title of this record? Hint

Tighten Up

Little Ole Man

Theme from "The Cosby Show"

Sweet Soul Music

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Question 6 of 10

6. Billy Vera and the Beaters topped the chart with "At This Moment" in 1987 after it was featured prominently on episodes of a popular NBC sitcom. What was this show starring Michael J. Fox and Michael Gross? Hint

Growing Pains

Spin City

Full House

Family Ties

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. "Bills Bills Bills" topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1999. What R&B group (with a revolving door policy for all members not named Beyonce) recorded it? Hint

Destiny's Child

The Spice Girls

TLC

Boyz II Men

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Complete the title: Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods are known in the U.S. as a one-hit wonder for their 1974 Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper called "Billy, Don't Be a" what? Hint

Baby

Hero

Drag

Fool

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Question 9 of 10

9. Terry Jacks scored a solo number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1974 with the Jacques Brel tune "Seasons in the Sun," but he also reached number two as part of a group with the song "Which Way You Goin' Billy". What was the floral-themed name of the act, which also included his wife Susan? Hint

The Partridge Family

The Poppy Family

The Clovers

The Cowsills

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Bill Conti raced to the top in 1977 with "Gonna Fly Now", the theme song to a sleeper hit movie about "going the distance." What was this Academy Award winner for Best Picture? Hint

Taxi Driver

Marathon Man

Rocky

The Longest Yard

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The year 1983 was a big one for this artist who struck platinum singing about false paternity claims in "Billie Jean." Who was this former quintet member who died in 2009?

Answer: Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson would further mine the topic of persistent groupies for another Billboard Hot 100 number one hit with "Dirty Diana" from his "Bad" album.

2. "Billie Jean" was not written for tennis star Billie Jean King, but another Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper was. What was this Elton John hit from 1975, named after her World Team Tennis team?

Answer: Philadelphia Freedom

The roster of former Philadelphia Freedoms players also includes Andre Agassi, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Martina Navratilova, and Venus Williams. Elton John wrote the song after participating in a promotional match in 1974.

3. All but one of the following artists had topped the Billboard Hot 100 exactly three times as either a solo or featured act. Which is the odd Billy out?

Answer: Billy Idol

Billy Idol only topped the Hot 100 once, with "Mony Mony" in 1987. His next best performance was with "Cradle of Love," which reached number two in 1990. One of Billy Preston's three number ones came when he was "bill"ed as a guest artist on the Beatles song "Get Back".

Answer: Smokey Robinson

William "Smokey" Robinson went on to score the unusual coup of having his own Top 10 hit ("One Heartbeat") at the same time as a song about him (ABC's "When Smokey Sings") was in the Top 10. He has insisted that he is not the Bill of the Marvelettes song title who should not be messed with.

Answer: Little Ole Man

"Little Ole Man" came off the 1967 album "Silver Throat: Bill Cosby Sings".

Answer: Family Ties

"At This Moment" had previously charted in 1981, but only managed to reach number seventy-nine. It gained new life and rocketed to the top after playing as the love theme between the Michael J. Fox character and his girlfriend played by Tracy Pollan, whom the actor would end up marrying in real life.

7. "Bills Bills Bills" topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1999. What R&B group (with a revolving door policy for all members not named Beyonce) recorded it?

Answer: Destiny's Child

The Destiny's Child lineup consisted of Beyonce (Knowles), LeToya Luckett, and Kelly Rowland at the time "Bills Bills Bills" was written. Another co-writer was former Xscape member Kandi Burruss, who also teamed up to write the TLC hit "No Scrubs", indicating that she may have had some negative feelings about men who don't pull their financial weight in relationships.

8. Complete the title: Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods are known in the U.S. as a one-hit wonder for their 1974 Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper called "Billy, Don't Be a" what?

Answer: Hero

The anti-war "Billy Don't Be a Hero" is set during the Civil War, but was seen by many as expressing opposition to the Vietnam War, which was still going on at the time of its success. It also topped the charts in the United Kingdom in a version by Paper Lace, which had its own one-hit wonder success back in the States with the ever so slightly revisionist Al Capone-themed "The Night Chicago Died".

Answer: The Poppy Family

"Which Way You Goin' Billy" reached number one in Canada, where the Vancouver-based Poppy Family managed five top ten hits. The group parted ways in 1972, and Susan and Terry Jacks parted ways the following year.

10. Bill Conti raced to the top in 1977 with "Gonna Fly Now", the theme song to a sleeper hit movie about "going the distance." What was this Academy Award winner for Best Picture?

Answer: Rocky

The "Rocky" series has been a fairly reliable source for hit songs, with "Eye of the Tiger" topping the chart in 1982 and "Burning Heart" reaching a respectable number two in 1985 (both by Survivor). Conti was nominated for an Oscar for Best Song of 1976, but ended up losing to "Evergreen" by Barbra Streisand and Paul Williams.

Source: Author halekotsi

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor kyleisalive before going online.
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