*** music trivia ***

[Ky Fried Redleg]

Both of the backup singer in the above Steely Dan video obtained fame for their own works. Well, relative amounts of fame.

The lady in green's song came in 1963 and went to #14 on the billboard charts. During the recording of the song tape was wrapped around the capstan to make it a faster tempo. The result was a higher-pitched vocal sound. So, the singer did not use her real name, instead using her daughter's name.

The lady in red top, I think it was red I was distracted, also had a hit song of her own. It was co-written and came out in 1974, but the backup singer's version that hit the charts came out in 1981. The song held the top spot on Billboard for 5 weeks, but was interrupted for one week by what I consider a Dutch novelty song that really wasn't a song but included snippets of a bunch of different hit songs.

Name the two backup singers and the two songs that charted for them.

Hey, tdave, are you sure about those gals? I know the '81 song you are referring to , and I adore that raspy-voiced singer who sang "Bette Davis Eyes", but that's not her.

[Revering4Blue]

150. Got a good one for you. Another one from the spring and summer of my freshman year in college.


Imagine being a founding member of a well known English band and writing a huge hit song, only to have your bandmates hate the song so much that they fire you from the band. Well, that's essentially what happened when the band's bass player wrote a song for his first wife back in 1980, thanking her for encouraging him and being there for him as he pursued his music career. He wrote the song in just a couple of hours in his home studio, made a demo, and played it for the band. They hated the song. I mean, they REALLY despised the song. They felt like the song was just mushy musical tripe that took the band in a direction they had no interest in going. They did everything they could to sabotage the song's success, even refusing to perform it live. It's really a lovely little song.

It probably didn't help that the songwriter received 100% of the royalties of the song, leaving the other bandmates jealous of the song's success and not wanting to contribute to furthering the success of the song's singer/ writer. They refused to tour America as the song was climbing the charts here , where it peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1981. Key members of the band didn't want to "go on the road" to support this specific song, which was more pop-oriented than their usual blues-rock style. The major U.S. tour in 1981 was cancelled and a major opportunity to promote the record was lost.

The decision to not tour with a major hit climbing the charts led to tension with the band's record label, which stopped promoting their albums after that, essentially leading to the demise of the band. This song might very well had been a top 5 hit (or even a #1 hit) had the band agreed to tour America. The song's singer/writer has said he felt cheated that he never got to perform his huge hit song live. Band members made his life a living hell and eventually forced him out of the band early in 1982, following a tour of the Far East.

The only other major hit the band had produced , prior to 1981, was a song that was released late in 1976 and reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the spring of '77. Most ironically, that song captures the travails of traveling the roads in America , with the chorus referring to searching for Holiday Inn signs ("I kept on looking for a sign in the middle of the night"). I love that song , by the way. It's a fantastic groove. Interestingly enough, that song only became a hit by accident. It was originally just a "filler" song for the band's ninth studio album, created when the band's producer demanded a radio- friendly_commercial hit, resulting in a song that was written "from absolutely nowhere." The song featured lead vocals by the band's deep baritone singer and saxophonist.

As I mentioned above, the singer/ writer of the 1981 song has expressed some bitterness about never getting the opportunity to sing his huge hit song before a live audience back when the song was climbing the charts in 1981. Fact is, he never once sang the song live until decades later. In 2005, he and his wife stopped in a karaoke bar in Clearwater , Florida to have some liver & onions and enjoy some English beer . One of the songs that was in the Karaoke songbook at that bar was his song that he'd written about his first wife back 25 years before.. Exactly a quarter century since he first penned the song in his home studio back in 1980, he finally sang the song before a live audience at that little bar in Florida. The song has gone on to become a popular song for weddings, particularly a first dance song after a wedding, primarily because of the line in the song("Ooh babe, you got what it takes so I made you my wife").


Can you name this song that divided a band and resulted in the songwriter being forced out , despite the song becoming the band's second biggest hit and the 20th biggest song of 1981 ? For bonus points, what was the band's biggest hit and the 32nd biggest song of 1977 ? These two hit songs , both fine tunes, could not be more different. Many music fans would probably be shocked that the two songs come from the same band.

Full disclosure: I wouldn’t have known this without the clues about the band’s previous hit. The answer is I Love You - Climax Blues Band. Talk about a forgotten hit.


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[Ky Fried Redleg]

Full disclosure: I wouldn’t have known this without the clues about the band’s previous hit. The answer is I Love You - Climax Blues Band. Talk about a forgotten hit.


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I worried that it might be too hard without the song clues. LOL You guys are awfully good at this, though.



#12 in 1981 - The song that broke up a band :










#3 in 1977 :

[Ky Fried Redleg]

Btw, the good-looking blonde lady backup singer in the Steely Dan video married some guy you have probably heard of. Remember the Dodger catcher back in the 70's, the one whose throat was pierced by a jagged piece of Bill Russell's broken bat, damaging his esophagus? Yep, that beautiful blonde is Gloria Yeager(Giaone), who married Steve Yeager. She teaches line dancing in California today. She's around 80, I think. I hate Father Time!

[Roy Tucker]

Btw, the good-looking blonde lady backup singer in the Steely Dan video married some guy you have probably heard of. Remember the Dodger catcher back in the 70's, the one whose throat was pierced by a jagged piece of Bill Russell's broken bat, damaging his esophagus? Yep, that beautiful blonde is Gloria Yeager(Giaone), who married Steve Yeager. She teaches line dancing in California today. She's around 80, I think. I hate Father Time!

Steve Yeager went to Dayton Meadowdale high school. He was a great star basketball player there and I was surprised when he got drafted and signed by the Dodgers. He was like 4 years older than me. I saw him play in a couple high school basketball games in the state tournament (I used to go watch about 3-5 games straight at the UD Arena).

[WrongVerb]

Steve Yeager was the cousin of Chuck Yeager, the pilot who first broke the sound barrier.

[Ky Fried Redleg]

Steve Yeager is the reason catchers today wear that dangling throat protector. He nearly lost his life on September 6, 1976 in San Diego. I remember it like it was yesterday. The jagged shard from Russell's bat narrowly missed his windpipe and main artery. It punctured his esophagus. He had to have emergency surgery.

[Ky Fried Redleg]

151. This British R&B and Soul singer was born in Wembley, England to Guyanese parents. Before her pop success, she was a West End performer in London, appearing in productions of Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Godspell. Her first hit was a Motown-inspired song that was famously written in seven minutes by two guys while enroute to a hospital where one of the writers' wives was giving birth .

The singer who was offered the song had to be convinced to record it. She couldn't stand the song at first. Didn't think it was any good at all. She finally agreed to record it, but only if it was released under a pseudonym, That's right, she disliked the song much that she didn't even want it connected to her real name. LOL She also wanted the staggering sum of around $45 US dollars. So yeah, she wasn't impressed by this song, and didn't think it had any chance of success. Boy, was she wrong!

She eventually agreed to have the song released under her real name and she was convinced to take a royalty payment, instead of a small flat fee( that decision was worth millions) . The song peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976 and was a staple on the charts throughout the spring of '76. The song was prominently featured in the 1977 movie, Slapshot.

The artist remained a one-hit wonder for around three years when she struck gold again in 1979 with a song that was co-written by the same woman who co-wrote "September"(Earth, Wind & Fire) and the theme to the television series "Friends." The song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1979 and sat atop the Adult Contemporary chart for seven non-consecutive weeks. The song was pretty much autobiographical for the writer, as she was going through a painful breakup at the time she penned the song. She was inspired by the Samantha Sang song, entitled "Emotion," and wanted to write something along the same lines.

About her second big hit song, the singer would describe it as , "[a] sweet, simple little song", adding that its being chosen as a single was a decision with which she had disagreed.

All I can say is that this lady had very little faith in either of her big hits becoming successful. Fortunately for her and her bank account , she listened to the people around her.


Can you name this singer and her two big top 5 hits from 1976 and 1979 ?

[Revering4Blue]

151. This British R&B and Soul singer was born in Wembley, England to Guyanese parents. Before her pop success, she was a West End performer in London, appearing in productions of Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Godspell. Her first hit was a Motown-inspired song that was famously written in seven minutes by two guys while enroute to a hospital where one of the writers' wives was giving birth .

The singer who was offered the song had to be convinced to record it. She couldn't stand the song at first. Didn't think it was any good at all. She finally agreed to record it, but only if it was released under a pseudonym, That's right, she disliked the song much that she didn't even want it connected to her real name. LOL She also wanted the staggering sum of around $45 US dollars. So yeah, she wasn't impressed by this song, and didn't think it had any chance of success. Boy, was she wrong!

She eventually agreed to have the song released under her real name and she was convinced to take a royalty payment, instead of a small flat fee( that decision was worth millions) . The song peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976 and was a staple on the charts throughout the spring of '76. The song was prominently featured in the 1977 movie, Slapshot.

The artist remained a one-hit wonder for around three years when she struck gold again in 1979 with a song that was co-written by the same woman who co-wrote "September"(Earth, Wind & Fire) and the theme to the television series "Friends." The song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1979 and sat atop the Adult Contemporary chart for seven non-consecutive weeks. The song was pretty much autobiographical for the writer, as she was going through a painful breakup at the time she penned the song. She was inspired by the Samantha Sang song, entitled "Emotion," and wanted to write something along the same lines.

About her second big hit song, the singer would describe it as , "[a] sweet, simple little song", adding that its being chosen as a single was a decision with which she had disagreed.

All I can say is that this lady had very little faith in either of her big hits becoming successful. Fortunately for her and her bank account , she listened to the people around her.


Can you name this singer and her two big top 5 hits from 1976 and 1979 ?

It’s Maxine Nightingale. The songs - instantly recognizable to anyone Gen X or older: Right Back To Where We Started From and Lead Me On. The former was utilized in the TV series Wife Swap albeit in a truncated version.


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[texasdave]

Hey, tdave, are you sure about those gals? I know the '81 song you are referring to , and I adore that raspy-voiced singer who sang "Bette Davis Eyes", but that's not her.

You are correct. I thought it was someone else. And, obviously, I was wrong. Ignore that question.

[Ky Fried Redleg]

151. This British R&B and Soul singer was born in Wembley, England to Guyanese parents. Before her pop success, she was a West End performer in London, appearing in productions of Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Godspell. Her first hit was a Motown-inspired song that was famously written in seven minutes by two guys while enroute to a hospital where one of the writers' wives was giving birth .

The singer who was offered the song had to be convinced to record it. She couldn't stand the song at first. Didn't think it was any good at all. She finally agreed to record it, but only if it was released under a pseudonym, That's right, she disliked the song much that she didn't even want it connected to her real name. LOL She also wanted the staggering sum of around $45 US dollars. So yeah, she wasn't impressed by this song, and didn't think it had any chance of success. Boy, was she wrong!

She eventually agreed to have the song released under her real name and she was convinced to take a royalty payment, instead of a small flat fee( that decision was worth millions) . The song peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976 and was a staple on the charts throughout the spring of '76. The song was prominently featured in the 1977 movie, Slapshot.

The artist remained a one-hit wonder for around three years when she struck gold again in 1979 with a song that was co-written by the same woman who co-wrote "September"(Earth, Wind & Fire) and the theme to the television series "Friends." The song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1979 and sat atop the Adult Contemporary chart for seven non-consecutive weeks. The song was pretty much autobiographical for the writer, as she was going through a painful breakup at the time she penned the song. She was inspired by the Samantha Sang song, entitled "Emotion," and wanted to write something along the same lines.

About her second big hit song, the singer would describe it as , "[a] sweet, simple little song", adding that its being chosen as a single was a decision with which she had disagreed.

All I can say is that this lady had very little faith in either of her big hits becoming successful. Fortunately for her and her bank account , she listened to the people around her.


Can you name this singer and her two big top 5 hits from 1976 and 1979 ?

#2 in 1976:





#5 in 1979:


Maxine is a gorgeous woman with a divine instrument of a voice. She is still gorgeous today and still sings amazing.

[Ky Fried Redleg]

152. Primarily known for his success in the 1970's , this singer first charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at age 12, when he was known as Bobby Pedrick, Jr. His song, "White Bucks and Saddle Shoes" peaked at #74. But his first major chart success came in 1972 when he peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a cover of a song by a prominent 60's doo-wop band. His biggest smash was yet to come , however. After his chart success in '72, he became frustrated with the music industry and left the music business to work in construction in New Jersey. After years of doing construction, he was encouraged to get back in to making music.

In 1979, he worked for months on a song with producer George Tobin. The song, inspired by Dobby Bose's "My Angel Baby," told of a man tenderly breaking the news to a temporary lover that he was ending their affair because his main lover was returning home. You feel me, guys? We've been there, haven't we?

The song became the singer's biggest hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 late in 1979 and knocking the biggest hit of the year from it's six-week reign at the top of the chart.

There were two Billboard records set with this song in '79. It was the song which took the longest time from when it debuted to when it reached #1(20 weeks) . The song also marked the longest time that had elapsed between when a singer first debuted on the Billboard charts to when this song hit the chart( 20 years, 11 months). I think Tina Turner later broke that record, and then Brenda Lee in 2023.

Also, this dude, in my opinion, had the only falsetto in the 70's that rivaled that of Barry Gibb, and he put it to good use in this #1 song.


Can you name this singer, his big #1 song, and the #1 song of 1979 that he knocked out of the top spot after its six week run there? For bonus points what was his top 5 song in 1972, which was a cover of a #1 hit by prominent sixties doo-wop band?

[Revering4Blue]

152. Primarily known for his success in the 1970's , this singer first charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at age 12, when he was known as Bobby Pedrick, Jr. His song, "White Bucks and Saddle Shoes" peaked at #74. But his first major chart success came in 1972 when he peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a cover of a song by the doo-wop band, The Tokens . His biggest smash was yet to come , however. After his chart success in '72, he became frustrated with the music industry and left the music business to work in construction in New Jersey. After years of doing construction, he was encouraged to get back in to making music.

In 1979, he worked for months on a song with producer George Tobin. The song, inspired by Dobby Bose's "My Angel Baby," told of a man tenderly breaking the news to a temporary lover that he was ending their affair because his main lover was returning home. You feel me, guys? We've been there, haven't we?

The song became the singer's biggest hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 late in 1979 and knocking the biggest hit of the year from it's six-week reign at the top of the chart.

There were two Billboard records set with this song in '79. It was the song which took the longest time from when it debuted to when it reached #1(20 weeks) . The song also marked the longest time that elapsed between when a singer first debuted on the Billboard charts to when this song hit the chart( 20 years, 11 months).

Also, this dude, in my opinion, had the only falsetto in the 70's that rivaled that of Barry Gibb, and he put it to good use in this #1 song.


Can you name this singer, his big #1 song, and the #1 song of 1979 that he knocked out of the top spot after its six week run there?

The song is Sad Eyes by Robert John. If I am not mistaken, his earlier hit - a cover, as you mentioned - was The Lion Sleeps Tonight.

I am far less confident about the smash hit that Sad Eyes dethroned as # 1, but I do remember the following song spending several weeks, if not months, in heavy, heavy airplay around the time, so I will go with The Knack’s My Sharona.


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[Revering4Blue]

Here’s a fairly easy trivia question. During the Michael McDonald era, the Doobie Brothers produced two Top 30 hits in which McDonald either didn’t sing lead or sang co-lead. Can you name the songs?

Here are some hints: 1)One is the long-forgotten third single from the Minute by Minute Album. Patrick Simmons sings lead here. 2)The other proved to be the band’s last hit of the McDonald era. McDonald sang co-lead with Saxophone player Cornelius Bumpas (R.I.P).


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[Ky Fried Redleg]

152. Primarily known for his success in the 1970's , this singer first charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at age 12, when he was known as Bobby Pedrick, Jr. His song, "White Bucks and Saddle Shoes" peaked at #74. But his first major chart success came in 1972 when he peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a cover of a song by a prominent 60's doo-wop band. His biggest smash was yet to come , however. After his chart success in '72, he became frustrated with the music industry and left the music business to work in construction in New Jersey. After years of doing construction, he was encouraged to get back in to making music.

In 1979, he worked for months on a song with producer George Tobin. The song, inspired by Dobby Bose's "My Angel Baby," told of a man tenderly breaking the news to a temporary lover that he was ending their affair because his main lover was returning home. You feel me, guys? We've been there, haven't we?

The song became the singer's biggest hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 late in 1979 and knocking the biggest hit of the year from it's six-week reign at the top of the chart.

There were two Billboard records set with this song in '79. It was the song which took the longest time from when it debuted to when it reached #1(20 weeks) . The song also marked the longest time that had elapsed between when a singer first debuted on the Billboard charts to when this song hit the chart( 20 years, 11 months). I think Tina Turner later broke that record, and then Brenda Lee in 2023.

Also, this dude, in my opinion, had the only falsetto in the 70's that rivaled that of Barry Gibb, and he put it to good use in this #1 song.


Can you name this singer, his big #1 song, and the #1 song of 1979 that he knocked out of the top spot after its six week run there? For bonus points what was his top 5 song in 1972, which was a cover of a #1 hit by prominent sixties doo-wop band?

#1 in 1979:







#3 in 1972 :







Dethroned by "Sad Eyes" :