Unsung Songs Trivia Quiz

Answer: Vangelis

The inspirational music for the 1981 movie "Chariots of Fire" was written and recorded by Greek composer Vangelis (full name: Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou). The film deals with young runners training for the 1924 Paris Olympics. The song was originally called "Titles" because it played over the opening title sequence of the film. The music reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1982. Vangelis is also responsible for the music from "Blade Runner".

Answer: Harold Faltermeyer

"Axel F." was a song composed by Harold Faltermeyer for the 1984 movie "Beverly Hills Cop". Axel F. is the Detroit policeman Axel Foley, played by Eddie Murphy. As an aside, the tune is also played in F minor. The electronic sound caught on and made "Axel F." an international hit.

It reached Number Three in the US in April 1985. German musician Harold Faltermeyer was also responsible for albums including "The Running Man" and "Tango and Cash".

Answer: Perez Prado

"Patricia" is a song by Perez 'Prez' Prado, with lyrics by Bob Marcus. It was published in 1958, and was the last song to hit number one on the 'Billboard Jockeys' and 'Hot 100' charts, both of which then evolved into the 'Billboard Hot 100' chart. It became a 'gold record' for Prado, and was ranked number five for 1958 by Billboard. "Patricia" was featured in Fellini's 1960 movie "La Dolce Vita", and as background music in "Goodbye, Columbus" (1969).

Answer: Mason Williams

"Classical Gas" was a musical piece composed and performed by Mason Williams (backed up by members of The Wrecking Crew). The song was originally called "Classical Gasoline" because it was supposed to represent "fuel for the classical guitar repertoire". It was released in 1968 and was presented on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" (where Mason Williams was the head writer). The song peaked at number two in August of that year. In 1970, Williams recorded the piece for solo guitar on the album "Handmade".

Answer: Horst Jankowski

Berlin born pianist Horst Jankowski (1936-1998) composed the instrumental "A Walk in the Black Forest" in 1965; it was originally titled "Eine Schwarzwaldfahrt". The tune became a big hit, reaching number one on the US easy listening chart, number twelve on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the UK singles chart.

This song was also covered by pianist Peter Nero and by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.

Answer: Henry Mancini

One of my favorite instrumentals of all time is "The Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet", subtitled "A Time for Us". The instrumental was arranged by Henry Mancini for the 1968 Franco Zefferelli film "Romeo and Juliet", starring Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey. The beauty and tragedy of Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers comes through in the music, composed by Nino Rota. The theme hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on June 28, 1969.

Answer: Lawrence Welk

"Calcutta" was originally a German pop song, written by Heino Gaze and called "Tivoli Melody". Why the German songwriter moved the song from Denmark to India (Kolkata), I can't say. An instrumental version was made famous by bandleader Lawrence Welk on Dot Records in 1961.

It became Welk's most successful song, and the only tango-based recording to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. However, it was not the bandleader's signature song - that would be "Bubbles in the Wine" from 1938 which fit perfectly with the 'Champagne Music of Lawrence Welk'. "Wunnerful! Wunnerful!"

Answer: Kenny G.

The beautiful, haunting melody "Songbird" was the third song on Kenny G.'s 1986 album "Duotones". When the 'smooth jazz' single was released in 1987, it reached the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; "Songbird" was the first instrumental to accomplish that feat since "The Miami Vice Theme", by Jan Hammer, two years earlier. Kenny G.'s song charted as high as number four, in May 1987, on the US Hot 100 chart.

Answer: Anton Karas

"The Third Man" was a 1949 film-noir movie directed by Carol Reed and shot in Vienna. While filming the movie, Reed and the cast (Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten and Alida Valli) stopped to dine at a bistro, where they heard zither music playing in the background. Anton Karas was the composer of the music and was then hired by Reed to create the score for his film. The music was
originally released in the U.K. in 1949, where it was known as "The Harry Lime Theme", with Harry Lime being the central character of the movie.

Answer: Mr. Acker Bilk

The beautiful instrumental "Stranger on the Shore" was first released in England in 1961. It was a piece for clarinet, and performed by Bilk under the name Mr. Acker Bilk. The melody was written for his daughter and originally titled "Jenny". The song reached number one in the United States and number two in the United Kingdom.

In 1969, the crew of Apollo 10 took "Stranger on the Shore" (on a cassette) to the moon; it was also featured in the film "The Wanderers", and on the TV show "Mad Men".

Answer: Hugo Winterhalter

An instrumental version of "Canadian Sunset" was written by jazz pianist Eddie Heywood and Hugo Winterhalter. It reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number seven on the R&B chart in 1956. The instrumental tune was often played on the TV show "Your Hit Parade". Also in 1956, Andy Williams performed a vocal rendition with lyrics by Norman Gimbel, Sam Cooke did a version on his "You Send Me" album in 1957, and Dean Martin sang his version on the album "A Winter Romance" in 1959.

Answer: Percy Faith

Percy Faith's huge hit, "Theme from a Summer Place", was written for the 1959 movie "A Summer Place" about forbidden love (after all, it WAS the 1950s). The film was an adaptation of Sloane Wilson's 1958 novel, and starred Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue (remember them?).

The lyrical tune spent an at-the-time record of nine consecutive weeks at number one in early 1960 on the new Billboard Hot 100 chart. You couldn't listen to a radio for more than a few minutes without hearing the song being played.

Answer: Bob Crewe Generation

"Music to Watch Girls By", played by the Bob Crewe Generation, was the first Top 40 hit for Crewe. It was a 1966 "big-band, horn driven" single which went to number 15 on the pop chart and number two on the Easy Listening chart. Musicians Billy Vaughn, Chet Atkins, Al Hirt and Walter Wanderley also produced instrumental versions of the song. In 1967, Andy Williams introduced a vocal version on the "Born Free" album.

Answer: Vince Guaraldi Trio

"Cast Your Fate to the Wind" was released in 1962 on the album "Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus". The song won a Grammy Award for Best Original Jazz Composition in 1963. Guaraldi also wrote the music for the "Peanuts" animated cartoons, including "A Charlie Brown Christmas" soundtrack in 1965. Sounds Orchestral also did a version of "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" which went to number ten in April 1965.

Answer: Al Hirt

In 1963, trumpet player Al Hirt recorded "Java", and the track was the first single on his album "Honey in the Horn". It was Hirt's biggest single, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 7, 1964. His recording won the Grammy Award for Best Performance by an Orchestra or Instrumentalist with Orchestra in 1964.