Rock Quiz: 1000 Questions Classic Rock Challenge! Book Excerpt

J.P. Richardson began working at Beaumont, TX radio station KTRM in 1949. The disc jockey hosted a sock hop, where he saw college kids doing a dance called the Bop. It inspired Richardson to adopt the name The Big Bopper.

The early 1970s was a period when horn rock bands like Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago were popular and spawned bands like the Ides of March, Lighthouse, and Chase. Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds were a Los Angeles trio who incorporated the sound into “Don’t Pull Your Love,” a №4 hit in 1971.

Irish rock band U2 included “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” on their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. The song, written by the band, was a №1 hit. “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” grew out of a jam session centered around a beat by drummer Larry Mullen Jr.

The Youngstown, OH band that scored a №8 hit in 1968 with “Nobody But Me” was named the Human Beingz when they signed with Capitol Records. Rhythm guitarist Ting Markulin described on his website what happened next.

Enjoy this excerpt from the new mini-book New York Rock & Roll History: The 1950s.

“Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” was an unlikely smash hit in 1960. Brian Hyland was a 16-year-old high school student when he recorded the novelty tune. Lyricist Paul Vance wrote the song with composer Lee Pockriss after he took his two-year-old daughter, Paula, to Jones Beach on Long Island, where she wore her new polka dot bikini.

“Ventura Highway” was a №8 hit from America’s 1972 album Homecoming. Singer and guitarist Dewey Bunnell wrote “Ventura Highway” about his family’s trip in 1963 from Nebraska to California.

Enjoy this excerpt from New York Rock & Roll History: The 1970s, part of our new series tracing the roots of NYC rock music.

It is sad to note that Victor Willis, lead vocalist of 1970s disco group Village People, has died at the age of 74. Willis, who performed as a policeman or naval officer, co-wrote the band’s biggest hits, including “YMCA” and “In the Navy.”

In the 1950s, the street corners of cities across the US were the rehearsal halls for nascent doo wop groups perfecting their harmonies. Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers and the Chips were among thousands of teens who honed their vocal skills under a streetlamp, dreaming of success.

The Lovin’ Spoonful recorded hit after hit in the 1960s, but by 1968, singer-songwriter John Sebastian left to pursue a solo career. Sebastian recorded solo LPs and played harmonica on the Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues,” but he couldn’t replicate the success he had with the Spoonful.

“Respect Yourself” was released in 1971 in an era of black self-empowerment that featured songs like James Brown’s “Say It Loud — I’m Black and I’m Proud” and Curtis Mayfield’s “Move on Up.” The song was recorded by the Staple Singers, a family group that featured Mavis Staples and her father, Roebuck “Pops” Staples.

By 1980, the last few albums produced by Paul McCartney and Wings did not enjoy the success of LPs like 1973’s Band on the Run. McCartney decided to record a solo album, McCartney II, on which he played all the instruments. Its title was a nod to 1970’s McCartney, his debut solo album recorded without other musicians.

“Junior’s Farm” was written by Paul McCartney and recorded by his band, Wings. The roots of the 1974 №3 hit go back to McCartney’s purchase of a Scottish estate called High Park Farm. In his memoir The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, McCartney said the estate provided a respite from the business of being a Beatle.

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Kenny Rogers said that Jimi Hendrix once told him that “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” was his all-time favorite song.

'Rock Quiz: 1000 Questions Classic Rock Challenge!' Book Excerpt

The core members of Mountain — singer-guitarist Leslie West, bassist and producer Felix Pappalardi, and drummer Corky Laing — formed in 1969. Mountain’s “Mississippi Queen” is the band’s biggest hit, reaching №21 in 1970. West told Music Aficionado that Laing came up with the inspiration for the lyrics.

“She Works Hard for the Money” is the title track of Donna Summer’s 1983 album. Released as the lead single, it was a №1 R&B hit that year. Summer wrote the song with producer Michael Omartian.