Women Singers: 1960s, 70s, 80s Quiz

Answer: The Supremes

The Supremes (originally known as the Primettes) were Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard. They were discovered by Berry Gordy, Jr., the founder of Detroit's Motown Records, and they recorded on that label.

They electrified audiences across North America and the rest of the world, with their glamorous evening gowns, above-the-elbow gloves, and synchronized choreography moves, not to mention their beautiful voices. Some of their biggest hits were "Stop! In The Name of Love", "Come See About Me", "Baby Love' and later "Love Child" and "I'm Living In Shame".

Answer: Band of Gold

"Band of Gold" has a strange lyric. It tells of a sad story, about a young woman, who sings of the man who became her husband: "You took me from the shelter of a mother, I had never known or loved any other, we kissed after taking vows, but that night on our honeymoon, we stayed in separate rooms..." and so on.

In fact, it isn't clear in the first line where the comma belongs: It could go "..took me from the shelter of a mother I had never known, or loved any other". But one thing's clear: "Since you've been gone, all that's left is a band of gold." Great song!

Answer: People Get Ready

"People get ready, there's a train a-comin', don't need no baggage you just get on board, all we need is faith to keep those diesels hummin', don't need no ticket you just thank the Lord." This gospel-inflected song was originally done by Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions. Rod Stewart also had a hit with this song.

Aretha Franklin released a landmark album in 1988 called "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism", a reference to the New Testament Letter of Paul to the Ephesians. In addition to musical support from such gospel stars as the Clara Ward Singers, the album features the recorded voices of the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Aretha's father the Reverend Clarence Franklin.

Answer: Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox, born in 1954, has since gone on to a very successful solo career. In 1992, she appeared to sing "Under Pressure" with surviving members of Queen, with David Bowie at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. Mercury had died the previous year of AIDS-related complications. Annie Lennox has devoted much of her time away from her singing career to work with, and for, African women and children victims of the HIV/AIDS epidemic there.

For her work in these and many other areas, she has been awarded the Order of the British Empire by Elizabeth II.

Answer: Mark Knopfler

It was Dire Straits' lead singer and guitarist, Mark Knopfler, who wrote the song "Private Dancer". Many fans found it surprising that it was a man who saw into the consciousness of the woman who sang the number. The lyrics include:
"Well the men come in these places, and the men are all the same, you don't look at their faces, and you don't ask their names", and continue: "You don't think of them as human, you don't think of them at all..." Unique.

Dire Straits never recorded the song.

Answer: Rescue Me

Fontella Bass came from a musical family; her mother was a member of the famous gospel group known as the Clara Ward Singers.

"Rescue Me" was the biggest of a number of hit records that Fontella Bass sang lead on. The recording also featured Minnie Riperton ("Loving You") on supporting vocals, and Maurice White and Louis Satterfield of Earth, Wind and Fire played in the band that backed the singers up.

Released in 1965 by Chess Records, the song went to Number One on the US R&B charts and to Number Four on the Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: Blondie

Blondie's lead singer, Deborah Harry, collaborated on the songwriting for "Call Me" with Giorgio Moroder, an Italian disco pioneer and disc jockey. He had considerable success with some of Donna Summer's hits such as "Last Dance", "Hot Stuff" and her cover of "MacArthur Park".

"Call Me" went to Number One in the US, Canada, and the UK and eventually became a smash international success. The lyrics begin: "Colour me your colour baby, colour me your car, colour me your colour, darling, I know who you are..."
What did it mean? But who could forget that sound?

The other members of Blondie are all men.

Answer: LGBTQ rights

Cyndi Lauper has worked to promote the LGBTQ political agenda since the beginning of her musical career. She cites her gay older sister Ellen as her initial inspiration for doing so. Lauper is not gay herself, and has been married to actor David Thornton since 1991. She appeared in the 80s with a number of interesting men, such as Boy George, Hulk Hogan and Paul Rubens.

She is a supporter of the Democratic Party in the US, and received a personal invitation in 2013 to Barack Obama's second inaugural, in recognition for her work in the area of LGBTQ rights.

Answer: The Ronettes

Ronnie Spector (born Veronica Bennett) was indeed the lead singer of the Ronettes, and the other members of the group were her sister Estelle Bennett, and their cousin Nedra Talley. Some of their biggest hits were "Walking In The Rain", "Be My Baby", and "Baby I Love You". Ronnie went on to a moderately successful solo career after an acrimonious divorce from Phil, who refused to pay the Ronettes the royalties he owed them, and temporarily blocked their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Ronnie Spector continues to rock in 2016, headlining at the 2016 Glastonbury Music Festival in the UK, with such well-known musicians as Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.

Answer: Dionne Warwick

Dionne Warwick charted an astonishing 69 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 charts between 1955 and 1999. Some of her most recognizable hits are: "Walk On By", "Do You Know The Way To San Jose", and later in 1985 "That's What Friends Are For", recorded with Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Gladys Knight in order to raise funds for victims of HIV/AIDS.

Dionne Warwick is still firmly in charge of her career, and a remastered "Heartbreaker" album with multiple bonus tracks is expected to be issued in 2016.