"One Hit Wonders" Daily Trivia

Great tune! And my associational mind leads me on to Miniskirts in Moscow, by the Bob Crewe Generation

 

ANSWER TO YESTERDAY'S QUESTION......


#60

11/17/18


A Dixieland jazz band from New York who once recorded as Frank Hubble & the Hubcaps.

"Washington Square" / Village Stompers
Epic Records #2 1963





What an example of a group "outside the norm" invading the scene. But, it just goes to show ya how a really good tune, no matter the genre, could make it in those days. We were blessed to live through that. This eight man Dixieland Jazz band included Dick Brady, Ralph Casale, Don Coates, Frank Hubbell (sorry for the initial misspelling), Mitchell May, Joe Muranyi, Al McManus and Lenny Pogan. They took their name from their favorite part of the Big Apple, Greenwich "Village" where "Washington Square" is located. They later had very minor hits with "From Russia With Love" ,#81 and "Fiddler On The Roof", #97 from 1964.


What I found recently after starting this thread was that if someone correctly answers the question soon after it's posting, it takes away the incentive for others to participate. I don't want that to happen since this is a forum. So, let me describe how I think this can work successfully. You have five choices for initial answers...

1. If you absolutely know the answer, simply post "GOLD STAR", and leave a comment, if you like, about the song that doesn't hint or giveaway the answer. Please come back and post your full comments and memories about the song after the answer has been posted. This is what I want to encourage the most since this is a forum.

2. If you want to confirm your initial thought and look it up, post a SILVER STAR , with the same criteria as in #1.

3. If you want to take the time to research the answer, post a TIN STAR. Same criteria as #1.

4. Post your guesses. But let us know it's a guess, meaning it may or may not be correct. Comments would be welcomed.

5. Simply post "I don't know" and leave any comments you might have.

With these choices, it gives everyone a chance to correctly answer the question early and still leave room for everyone to participate until the official answer is posted. Again, I really want to hear your comments and memories about the song/artist. So let's start again........

It has always puzzled me how an artist or group could sometimes have a megahit and we never hear from them again. Especially if they wrote it. As a final authority I'll use the Billboard Top 40 charts because that should narrow the field to songs most everyone is familiar with. In some cases, an artist could have had another minor regional hit that no one ever heard of. I know of a One Hit Wonder where the group had two other hits in the South but people on the west coast would have never heard them. I will try to make the questions somewhat difficult to attract multiple answers or guesses. Each day I will update this thread with the previous day's answer and a new question. Correct answers should contain the correct title and artist as it appeared on the record or chart. Give yourself a gold star if you know it and a silver star if you want to take the time to research it. Good luck and have fun!



NEW QUESTION.......

#61

11/18/18


This guy was "all over" Nashville, starting out as a chauffeur for Webb Pierce. He had previously written and recorded a song that bombed but was picked up by someone else and made it to #7. He wrote this song on a small organ given to him by Kris Kristofferson.



Please choose from the answer options above........

 

I found the thread from ages ago where I asked about the vocal version. Here's the link :
Original version of Village Stompers' "Washington Square"

However I can't find that vocal version on You Tube so far

Another weird thing, is I remember buying an LP by a group called The Washington Squares, which as I recollect was kind of a folk group.

By the way, before you came out with Greenwich Village I had to check where on where Al Hirt was from, and knew that Kenny Ball was English so ruled that out

 

I reckon I can claim Silver Star. To me, this always seemed like such an odd sound to get on the pop charts.

 

Gold Star for #61.

His hit song was sometimes mistaken for a new single by someone a lot more famous.

 

Tin Star for No. 61

 

Gold Star for #61.

 

I have both of The Washington Squares' albums, and they were a lot of fun. Really took to heart the folk music of the pre-Beatles 1960s, but put a contemporary sheen on it that still had it coming out very honest and affecting. It's a shame they couldn't stay together.

 

Anyone ever noticed a similarity between "Washington Square" and the theme from "Gilligan's Island"? Especially when it steps up a key. I notice it more in the vocal version by the Ames Brothers.

 

Sorry the above post is so screwed up, hope my meaning was clear.

 

Just came across this article about my hometown radio station where I heard all my favorites and patterned my later radio career. Thought you might be interested to see how we did radio in those days.....


BIRMINGHAM REWOUND presents Rockin' with Roddy

 

ANSWER TO YESTERDAY'S QUESTION....


#61

11/18/18


This guy was "all over" Nashville, starting out as a chauffeur for Webb Pierce. He had previously written and recorded a song that bombed but was picked up by someone else and made it to #7. He wrote this song on a small organ given to him by Kris Kristofferson.


"I Can Help" / Billy Swan
Monument/Columbia Records #1 1974




In 1959, Billy had a band called Mirt Mirley and the Rhythm Steppers. They recorded a song that Billy Wrote called "Lover Please". It really bombed but Bill Black took it to Clyde McPhatter who said he didn't like it but cut it anyway. It went to #7 in 1962. Billy moved to Nashville to try to further his career. He chauffeured for Webb Pierce for a while and lived in a hearse. While staying with Travis Smith, Elvis' uncle, he tended the gate at Graceland. He started as a janitor then became a recording assistant at Columbia Studios. He was signed to Monument as an artist and producer in 1966. He produced Tony Joe White's first three albums including "Polk Salad Annie". He worked as a road manager for Mel Tillis, and played guitar in Kristofferson's band. In 1974, Kris bought Billy a compact RMI organ as a wedding gift. He wrote "I Can Help" on that organ and recorded it in two takes. In 1986, Swan formed a Band called Black Tie with former Eagle Randy Meisner and former Bread members James Griffin and Rob Royer. They released an album on Bench records called "When The Night Falls".


What I found recently after starting this thread was that if someone correctly answers the question soon after it's posting, it takes away the incentive for others to participate. I don't want that to happen since this is a forum. So, let me describe how I think this can work successfully. You have five choices for initial answers...

1. If you absolutely know the answer, simply post "GOLD STAR", and leave a comment, if you like, about the song that doesn't hint or giveaway the answer. Please come back and post your full comments and memories about the song after the answer has been posted. This is what I want to encourage the most since this is a forum.

2. If you want to confirm your initial thought and look it up, post a SILVER STAR , with the same criteria as in #1.

3. If you want to take the time to research the answer, post a TIN STAR. Same criteria as #1.

4. Post your guesses. But let us know it's a guess, meaning it may or may not be correct. Comments would be welcomed.

5. Simply post "I don't know" and leave any comments you might have.

With these choices, it gives everyone a chance to correctly answer the question early and still leave room for everyone to participate until the official answer is posted. Again, I really want to hear your comments and memories about the song/artist. So let's start again........

It has always puzzled me how an artist or group could sometimes have a megahit and we never hear from them again. Especially if they wrote it. As a final authority I'll use the Billboard Top 40 charts because that should narrow the field to songs most everyone is familiar with. In some cases, an artist could have had another minor regional hit that no one ever heard of. I know of a One Hit Wonder where the group had two other hits in the South but people on the west coast would have never heard them. I will try to make the questions somewhat difficult to attract multiple answers or guesses. Each day I will update this thread with the previous day's answer and a new question. Correct answers should contain the correct title and artist as it appeared on the record or chart. Give yourself a gold star if you know it and a silver star if you want to take the time to research it. Good luck and have fun!


NEW QUESTION........


#62


11/19/18


A group from San Diego that featured 3 guys named Dave and a singer named John and a keyboard player named Eddie.



Please choose from the answer options above........

 

Tin star

 

Tin on #6o and 62. Billy Swan was the first one I thought of for #61, but I never did any work to confirm it. I really like "I Can Help". I think I have a promo of the Black Tie album, they did a couple of T-Bone Burnett songs on it.

 

I think I know this one. I'll give my answer tomorrow, right or wrong

 

Interesting post, curious to see your answer.

 

Need a hint for the current question?......Some people would have reason to believe they were from the Northwest.

 

ANSWER TO YESTERDAY'S QUESTION.......


#62


11/19/18


A group from San Diego that featured 3 guys named Dave and a singer named John and a keyboard player named Eddie.


"Rhythm Of The Rain " / Cascades
Valiant Records #3 1963





Well ya never know...since, in my opinion, this is one of the greatest OHW's of all time, I thought there would be a lot more Gold Stars and posts for this one. Obviously named after the Cascade Mountains in Washington, many people assumed they came out of the Seattle music scene. From San Diego, California came John Claude Gummoe, Eddie Snyder, Dave Stevens, Dave Wilson and Dave Zabo. An exec from Valiant records caught them at a club called The Peppermint Stick and took them to Hollywood's Gold Star Studios to cut some tracks. Their first release "Second Chance" went nowhere but "Rhythm Of The Rain" went to #7 (should have been #1 ) Other releases never got higher than #60 and they faded away with the British Invasion.


What I found recently after starting this thread was that if someone correctly answers the question soon after it's posting, it takes away the incentive for others to participate. I don't want that to happen since this is a forum. So, let me describe how I think this can work successfully. You have five choices for initial answers...

1. If you absolutely know the answer, simply post "GOLD STAR", and leave a comment, if you like, about the song that doesn't hint or giveaway the answer. Please come back and post your full comments and memories about the song after the answer has been posted. This is what I want to encourage the most since this is a forum.

2. If you want to confirm your initial thought and look it up, post a SILVER STAR , with the same criteria as in #1.

3. If you want to take the time to research the answer, post a TIN STAR. Same criteria as #1.

4. Post your guesses. But let us know it's a guess, meaning it may or may not be correct. Comments would be welcomed.

5. Simply post "I don't know" and leave any comments you might have.

With these choices, it gives everyone a chance to correctly answer the question early and still leave room for everyone to participate until the official answer is posted. Again, I really want to hear your comments and memories about the song/artist. So let's start again........

It has always puzzled me how an artist or group could sometimes have a megahit and we never hear from them again. Especially if they wrote it. As a final authority I'll use the Billboard Top 40 charts because that should narrow the field to songs most everyone is familiar with. In some cases, an artist could have had another minor regional hit that no one ever heard of. I know of a One Hit Wonder where the group had two other hits in the South but people on the west coast would have never heard them. I will try to make the questions somewhat difficult to attract multiple answers or guesses. Each day I will update this thread with the previous day's answer and a new question. Correct answers should contain the correct title and artist as it appeared on the record or chart. Give yourself a gold star if you know it and a silver star if you want to take the time to research it. Good luck and have fun!


NEW QUESTION.........


#63


11/20/18


This song was the theme of a TV show starring the son of Perry Mason's secretary, Della Street.


Please choose from the answer options above........

 

Billy Swan's last hit was his Swan Song

Rhythm of the Rain was one of the great ones in my early days of listening to the radio.

(Sorry, I'm just not aware of enough trivia to even guess at most of the recent songs, but I am enjoying following the thread.)

 

Silver Star

 

I think I have followed clues on this and come up with the song (never seen the TV show), but can't find it in my 1985 edition Top 40, so I guess I'll assume a tin star, unless thereis a tinfoil one

 

Tin for #63

 

Tin here for 63

 

The album cost $400 to record at Bobby (Sax In Satin) Dukoff's studio in Miami, I'm sure the single cost peanuts.
Timmy Thomas now drives a Metrobus in Miami.

A Rhythm Ace which I own, he refused to show me how to do that drumroll.