Welcome to My Jukebox (#1) Trivia Quiz

Answer: I Heard It Through the Grapevine

My version of "Grapevine" is from 1968, Marvin Gaye all the way, although I appreciate Gladys Knight and the Pips' version from '67. ("Grapevine" was also covered by King Curtis in '68 and CCR in '76.) This was Marvin Gaye's biggest hit, spending 15 weeks at number one on the US Billboard Pop Singles chart. Tough question: What's on the flip side? Give that some thought and I'll tell you at the end of the quiz.

Answer: This Is It

This 1979 electric Kenny Loggins song was fittingly chosen by CBS as the theme music for the NCAA Basketball Championship final that year when Magic Johnson and Michigan State went up against Larry Bird and company from Indiana State. (MSU won.) I'm a huge NCAA basketball fan, which explains why this song is on my juke. (It's certainly not a dance tune.) I feel the excitement every time I listen to it.

Before going out on his own, Kenny Loggins was half of the duo Loggins and Messina of "Your Mama Don't Dance" fame (1973).

The flip side of "This Is It" ("I'm Alright") was actually the bigger hit, reaching number seven (U.S. Pop, per Billboard) in 1980 and later used as the theme music for the movie "Caddyshack."

Answer: Hold On, I'm [A] Comin'

This 1966 Sam & Dave hit (number one on the US Billboard R & B chart; 13 weeks on the Billboard Top 40, peaking at number 21) was released on Stax record label, Memphis' answer to Detroit's Motown label. Sam is Sam Moore; Dave was Dave Prater, who died following a car accident in 1988. The flip side, "I Thank You" was a bigger hit, reaching number nine on the US Pop Singles chart, but not until 1968. (How'd that happen? A re-release?)

Sam & Dave were each solo artists before they met in Miami in 1961 and began their duo career -- with Isaac Hayes writing songs for them. That's not too shabby a start!

Answer: He's So Fine

This sweet song by The Chiffons (number one on the US Pop Singles chart for four weeks in '63; 15 weeks in the US Top 40) was on the reddish-orange Laurie record label. The group, of the Bronx, NY, started as a trio in 1960 and became a quartet in '63. They had three top ten hits between '63 and '66.

George Harrison, former Beatle, was sued by The Chiffons in 1971 for copyright infringement due to the strong similarity in melody between his "My Sweet Lord" and "He's So Fine." Harrison was found liable for "unconscious infringement."

Answer: Suzie Q

Technically, this Creedence Clearwater Revival hit is titled "Suzie Q (Part I)". Can you guess what's on the 'B' side? Yep, "Suzie Q (Part II), an instrumental version.

The easily-recognizable opening guitar lick and its very danceable tempo helped make CCR's "Suzie Q" one of the most-played juke box songs of 1968. (It probably wasn't due to the great lyrics. See above.) "Suzie Q" was the quartet's first record to climb into the US Top 40, leading the way to seven million selling hit records. John and Tom Fogarty, Stu Cook, and Doug Clifford made up the original group.

Answer: be a movie star

"My Guy," by Mary Wells, Motown's first star, was written by Smokey Robinson.

Overcoming spinal meningitis in her childhood, Mary began her singing career -- as did a lot of other soul artists -- in the church choir. But Mary could write songs, too, and she composed one, sang it for Berry Gordy (because she didn't know how to write it down), and Gordy signed her on the spot at age 17. (Good and bad decision. See below.) "My Guy" reached number one on the US Pop Singles chart in May 1964.

The Beatles loved Mary Wells and invited her to tour with them in England, which she did.

Many years later, she successfully sued Motown records arguing that her contract was void because she was underage when she signed. She won. Berry was not happy, and allegedly tried to get her "blacklisted."

Mary Wells died in 1992 from cancer at the age of 49.

Answer: Wake Up Little Susie

The Everly Brothers, Don and Phil (or, as Sir Paul wrote in "Let 'Em In", "Phil and Don") first broke into the US Top 40 in May 1957 with "Bye Bye Love," which eventually spent four weeks at number two. "Susie" followed closely and was number one for four weeks in the fall of '57. Flipside: "Maybe Tomorrow." Were the rumors true that "Susie" was banned in some cities for its suggestive lyrics? What's the big deal? They fell asleep at the drive-in. It could have happened to anyone!

You gotta love the Everly Brothers' harmonies. Their repertoire is very impressive: 36 songs in the Top 100, with 26 of those in the Top 40, over a ten-year period. The "Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits" calls them "The number one duo of the rock era."

A famous and lengthy rift between the brothers was overcome long enough for them to tour briefly in the mid-'80s. I went to one of their concerts, and they truly sounded as good as ever.

The Everly Brothers spent a good chunk of their youth in Iowa, so we claim them as our own.

Answer: See You Later Alligator

Wow. Over 50 years since this Bill Haley & The [six!] Comets song was number six on Billboard's Top 40. (1956). The refrain ("See you later, Alligator! After while, Crocodile!") became part of the '50s teen vernacular. Recently, on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" (U.S. version), a question was posed as to what animal completes the phrase "See you later, _____." They didn't even mention the song. How quickly we forget...

The flip side of this gem, a little ditty called "Shake Rattle and Roll," went to the top ten right along with S.Y.L.A. (or, as the texters today would probably write it, "CUL8r, LEG8r").

We lost Bill in 1981, but this song is clearly one of the foundation bricks upon which rock 'n' roll was built. I'm thrilled to own a copy of it.

Answer: Twist and Shout

In my house, it's The Beatles, not The Isley Brothers. "B" side? "There's a Place."

Finding Beatles 45s is a challenge. Unfortunately, my semi-impressive 45 collection, begun in 1960, included a slew of Beatles' 45s but was stolen while I was on my honeymoon in '75. Apparently the rights to most of The Beatles' songs are now owned by either Michael Jackson or Sony Corp., and neither is very interested in selling or reissuing 45s, although Sony has done so twice, both times claiming it's the last time they'll be cut.

Factoid: "Billboard" identifies "Tollie" as the record label for "Twist and Shout" (and "P.S. I Love You"). You might make some money if you can find someone to bet you on that. Swan, Vee-Jay, and (mainly) Capitol were their primary early labels, well before Apple, of course.

Answer: Pink Cadillac

"Pink Cadillac" is my favorite car/driving song of all time. What a cruisin' classic! And as great as it is, it's actually the B side of Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark." "Pink Cadillac" is on his "18 Tracks" LP. I love all the lyrics, but I had to quote the lines above because I'm so totally impressed with anyone who can use "Subaru" in a song and rhyme it!

"Pink Cadillac" was also a hit for Natalie Cole in 1987. And her version is often confused with Aretha Franklin's "Driving on the Freeway (Pink Cadillac)". Brit Hugh Laurie (of "House" fame here in the US) and his Band on TV have chosen to include "Pink Cadillac" in their album "Hoggin' All the Covers." That's a pretty punny title.

P.S. As this is the last clue of this quiz and I promised you on Question one that I'd tell you what's on the flip side of "I Heard It Though the Grapevine" here it is: "You." Never heard of it? Me either! Gotta go play it now out of pure curiosity.