Music Trivia Thread

[Attyla]

I have been putting this in other threads, but am afraid I am just cluttering up those threads, so I will stop doing that and just do stuff in this one. Care to join in? I am all about learning more about music. So here we go.

Here are five artists from the UK who are really well known, and they had hits on both sides of the Atlantic, but had a lot more success in the US than in their home countries. There may be more and if you know one, feel free to join in.

First, we start with Ringo Starr of the Beatles. He had a lot of success as a solo artist in the US with a number of top 40 singles, far more in the US than in the UK. Songs like Photograph did quite well in the US, but not so much over seas

Second, Sheena Easton, she did well on both sides, but had a lot more success in the US with songs like Sugar Walls

Third, the Alan Parson's Project. They did OK in the UK but had a lot of success in the US, with songs like Games People Play

Next we have Steve Winwood who was quite successful as a solo artist, but much more so in the US

And finally, we have George Harrison, another Beatle. Had a lot of success as a solo artist in the US and was also a part of the Traveling Wilbury's.

[Hellbound]

[quote=Attyla post_id=1290988]So Thriller could be argued as one of the most iconic albums ever made. It certainly cemented Michael Jackson as the "King of Pop" and one of the most in demand artists of the 80's, The album was the top of the charts for an astonishing 37 weeks. But that was not 37 weeks in a row. No, there were 4 albums that broke it into periods of time, and that was also because of the singles being released over time which would propel the album back to number one.

Here are the four albums that took over at number one, only to fall again to Thriller. Quiet Riot started the onslaught with Metal Health. Pretty rare for a metal album to reach number one during that time and pretty much got hair metal into the music scene. After that, it was a soundtrack that derailed Thriller. Flashdance became a thing for a bit with a wide variety of songs that caught the public eye, or ear, or both. Next to sneak in was Lionel Richie who's Can't Slow Down reached the top. I, personally, was not a fan of his post funk stuff. And next if was the Police to topple Thriller with Synchronicity. Never found Sting and his various incarnations interesting musically. I do think his bandmates were talented but collectively they just did not do it for me. Amazingly, they held the top spot for 17 weeks only to see Thriller take it back.

But what album took the top sport for good over Thriller. It was another soundtrack. Soundtracks were big business in the 80's and one of the most prolific contributors to soundtracks during that time lead the way with the title track to "Footloose" which ended Thriller's run.[/quote]Top Gun

[Attyla]

In the 80s, especially after 1982 or so, to be successful a band had to have a power ballad to really hit their marks. And here are five bands that was especially true for. As a matter of fact, their power ballad was their biggest hit and each of these bands had huge hits but their ballads exceeded every one of their other songs.

The flame by Cheap Trick, they had success in the 70s and 80s but this was their biggest. Next we have Warrant with Heaven. People tend to think Cherry Pie was their signature hit but Heaven outsold all the rest including Cherry Pie. Next, we got Whitesnake. Everyone thinks Here I Go Again was their biggest, but Is This Love out charted and outsold Here I Go Again and it is not even close. Next we look at Def Leppard. They had some huge hits in the 80s but none were as big as Love Bites, not one of my personal favorites but I was in the minority. But Love Bites is their only number 1 on the American charts. Finally we look at Poison. This was America's favorite party band in the 80s but none of their feel good hair band hits did as well as Every Rose Has It's Thorn, reportedly a song based on actual events.

So what is your favorite powerr ballad?

[Dr Death]

Not wanting to start another thread............................ is anyone watching/listening to Black Sabbath Return to The Beginning?

I grew up with Sabbath. I'm not gonna lie.... I had a few tears watching this.

[Attyla]

[quote=Dr Death post_id=1291088]Not wanting to start another thread............................ is anyone watching/listening to Black Sabbath Return to The Beginning?

I grew up with Sabbath. I'm not gonna lie.... I had a few tears watching this.[/quote]I watched a bit of this, and while not a big Sabbath fan, I was very much into Ozzy's solo stuff and I really liked the direction Dio took Sabbath after he joined them.

It was a good tribute to the band, I enjoyed the portions I watched. I taped it so I will get to see it all later on. Was a busy night.

[raider_kin]

[quote=Attyla post_id=1291110]I watched a bit of this, and while not a big Sabbath fan, I was very much into Ozzy's solo stuff and I really liked the direction Dio took Sabbath after he joined them.

It was a good tribute to the band, I enjoyed the portions I watched. I taped it so I will get to see it all later on. Was a busy night.[/quote]Viewable where? Would love to see it.

Saw Sabbath at the Long Beach arena in 1977 or so, Technical Ecstasy tour. Band named Target opened for them.

[Dr Death]

[quote=raider_kin post_id=1291122]Viewable where? Would love to see it.

Saw Sabbath at the Long Beach arena in 1977 or so, Technical Ecstasy tour. Band named Target opened for them.[/quote]You can find a lot of it on YouTube. I saw Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult in......... 1977??? I just remember it was called the Black and Blue tour. I was in high school, that's all I remember .

[Attyla]

Michael Jackson was the driving force behind one of the 80's biggest hits and he did not write it or sing it. As a matter of fact, it had already been pressed on an album. Here is the story.

They were already a big band dating back to the 70's and they were on tour. Jacko was a fan and caught their act in LA. After the concert, he went backstage to hang out with the group. They got to talking and he asked if one of the songs on their latest album was going to be released as a single. They said no and Michael said they should reconsider because the song was a hit. They did just that and the song went to #1 in the US and a few other countries. The song really broadened their fan base as the song also went to #2 on the soul charts and also #2 on the dance charts. And this very well may have been their best charting song and that is saying a lot. Think you got the answer? Well, the band would continue to chart, also playing Live Aid to a monster crowd. That should give it away. Sadly, Freddie would die a few years after but Queen's "Another One Bites The Dust" lives on.

Bonus track time, the day Freddie died, another great musician also died. He was actually a replacement but his talent far exceeded the guy he took over for. See this cat was a real rock musician whereas the guy he took over for was more of a jazz musician in a rock band. He took the band to levels they had not quite achieved and had the sound and the look that really pushed them over the top. And yes, I am talking about Eric Carr who was the replacement for the "cat man" himself, one Peter Criss. Carr unfortunately got a rare form of cancer dying at the age of 41. Criss is still out there but was never invited to play with his old band during their final shows before retiring from live performances.

[Attyla]

The song nobody wanted to record, are they out there? You bet and sometimes a song that is great is left to vanish and songs that are absolute crap can sell millions. Here is a story of one such song, that nobody was interested in.

Folk music had its day in the sun, but when the British invasion happened in 1967 many folk groups either changed their sound or faded and broke up. But before that, folk music was very popular. Think Peter Paul and Mary, Bob Dillon and the Kingston Trio. The Kingston Trio were folk to the core, but their founder decided to branch out, siting finances and creative direction. The remaining members went in search of a replacement. Enter John Stewart, whom had already written a few songs for the Trio, and they were very familiar with each other. The new formation had a few hits, that is until the afore mentioned British invasion. That was what killed off the trio and Stewart left to return to writing and recording solo stuff. He had a song he wrote, but nobody wanted it. He even performed it live but it got no interest to the crowds. He pitched it around but nobody wanted it.

He attended a party at the southern California home of Hoyt Axton with record industry execs. It is there that he ran into Chip Douglas who was working on some music for the second season of the Monkeys. Stewart presented the song to Chip and they formed a plan to have the Monkeys record it. But there was a problem. Davy Jones did not like the song, and it was not in his ideal range so he suggested it go to Mickey Dolenz to sing. That idea was shot down so Davy reluctantly agreed to sing it. But another problem arose. The record label did not think a Monkey should use a word like "funky" so they asked that one word be changed to "happy." Stewart was not on board but he needed the money and he was to get royalties for the song no matter if it was a hit or not, for every record sold. This would end up being the Monkeys final number one hit and it stayed there for 4 weeks. Davy hated the song but laid down the tracks. A few of them actually have an angry tone to them, but the final version was released and as mentioned went right to the top. Davy's attitude toward the song changed in an instant. Daydream Believer is often now viewed as the signature song of the Monkeys, who performed the song live until the untimely death of Davy Jones at the age of 66.

Since then, the Monkeys have rereleased the song, most notably for their 1986 reunion. The song nobody wanted has also found legs with Stewart recording his version and Canadian Anne Murray made it a hit up north and a solid hit in several other countries.

Today, Mickey is the last Monkey standing, folk music is dead, the British invasion is over and even grunge has had its moment and has all but died. But Davy's vocals still find space on the oldies stations around the world.

[Attyla]

I mentioned that really crappy songs can sometimes chart and sell millions? Truth is that happens a lot. Case in point, the song Hang On Sloopy has been recorded over 20 times and even went to number one with the McCoys. Originally titled My Girl Sloopy, it was first recorded as a by the Vibrations, a vocal band with roots in Doo Wop. Dave Clark and the Dave Clark Five recorded a version but that has been lost to time and was never released.

This stupid song even saw the grid iron, being performed by Ohio State's marching band and they do it even today. Even the Jeff Beck lead Yardbirds recorded and released a version. I guess it is a catchy little bubblegum song. Even the Cleveland Guardians play the song, usually in the middle of the 8th inning.

Strange that this song was that popular

[Attyla]

When a song gets banned by the BBC it is usually because of an offensive lyric. But here are a few that were banned for other reasons, and man our friends on the other side of the pond have some strange rules.

Lola by the Kinks got banned because of a transvestite reference at the end of the song. The BBC reversed course but then had the band remove Coca Cola and replace it with cherry cola because of branding.

Ding Dong The Witch is Dead was banned after Margaret Thatcher's death for, well, obvious reasons although I never had a problem with her.

My Generation by the Who was banned due to Roger Daltrey's stuttering of the lyrics. It was feared it would offend those with a disability.

God Only Knows by the Beach Boys was banned for using the word God in the song. It was considered blasphemy

The theme song to The Man With The Golden Arm is an instrumental but was banned due to association with a movie about drugs

Will You Still Love Me by the Shirelles was banned due to the line "Just a moment of pleasure" and "magic of your sighs" I shit you not. As a side note, that song is the first number one on the charts by an all girl group.

But perhaps the strangest banning, that is still in effect today, is Jimi Hendrix. He was banned after a live performance where he went off script and stopped his encore performance of Hey Joe to do a tribute to Cream who had just broken up. He played Sunshine Of Your Live which pissed off the producer resulting in him never being allowed to perform live again. Tragically he died before his banning could be lifted and the BBC has just never gotten around to rescinding that banning.

Creep by Radiohead was banned for being too depressing.

Monster Mash was banned for being morbid.

Deep In The Heart Of Texas was banned due to concerns during WWII over the rhythm and clapping distracting workers from their jobs

A Space Oddity by David Bowie was banned after Apollo 11 because, of all things, concerns of offense over the song mentioning a dangerous mission.

And that is just a sampling. In all, the BBC has banned hundreds of songs, some temporarily and others for life. Frank Sinatra, Josephine Baker, Kitty Wells, Ella Fitzgerald, Perry Como, Tommy Dorsey, The Everly Brothers, and Ricky Nelson all have had songs banned.

Even a song by the Kunts has been banned. I find it odd that a song by the group has been banned but Kunt And The Gang is on the air.

[Attyla]

But what will not get you banned? Apparently mentioning your dick is one surprising thing. My Ding a Ling was never banned.

Eurovision the European singing competition has some weird things prohibited from the show by fans watching. Any animal except guide dogs are prohibited. Ladders are specifically mentioned, who carries a ladder to a music show? Handcuffs are specifically mentioned as well. Do not bring your luggage to the show, you can get it but your bags stay behind. Trolley's are banned? As are extension cords. Tool pouches are strictly prohibited. If you cannot justify your pills, your medicine stays behind, so don't bring your tylonol to the show. Umbrellas cannot watch the show.

[srv5490]

I watched a bit of this, and while not a big Sabbath fan, I was very much into Ozzy's solo stuff and I really liked the direction Dio took Sabbath after he joined them.

I suppose this story kind of fits in a trivia thread - I wasn't big into Sabbath or Dio in high school, but a buddy was, so I went to go see his solo band out in Antioch in 1983. It was literally in a barn with dirt floors, and a couple miles on a tiny dirt road to get there. Given the circumstances, my memory assumed it was like a county fair show for a fading rock star. I looked it up a few years ago and it turns out that it was the very first show of his solo career, so I couldn't have been more wrong.

Here's the audio if anyone is interested:

[srv5490]

OK, here's a trivia question. In 1968 a young white woman recorded one of the funkiest (IMHO) soul songs at Stax records with Isaac Hayes producing. Once the recording started getting some airplay and the KKK threatened the young artist into retirement because they disapproved of her associating with black musicians. Years later, the song was sampled/covered by a well known female rap duo in what became a huge hit.

Who was the artist, and what was the song? It's doubtful that many of you have heard the original, but most of you know the rap song well. The original is much better than the sample.

[Attyla]

Linda Lindell. Sad too because she had talent. I think she could have been a star. Stax records did her wrong in my opinion

Good one

[srv5490]

Slight misspelling, but you nailed it - well done! Here's the tune if anyone's interested: