Poldo's Music Trivia II

OK, boys and girls, more 60s: This Beatles-inspired 1967 Bee Gees tune was their first U.S. release and their first chart single in the U.S. (#14) and the UK (#12). A trapped man yearns for his wife as his life fades away. The "mystery" opening chord is played by Barry using an open D tuning but playing a conventional A-minor chord shape (!). Song? Answer: "New York Mining Disaster 1941" by the Bee Gees. As opposed to Pete Seeger's and The Byrds' "The Bells Of Rhymney", this disaster never happened. I remember listening to this song for the first time with my dear friend Ralph Yunque and wondering where in the world that vocal vibrato came from. The opening chord sounded somewhat like an A-minor but not quite - aha, now we know the mystery! There were rumors early on that The Bee Gees were The Beatles recording under a coded pseudonym for "Beatles Group"! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S43YhQ_eGTw

OK, boys and girls, back to the 70s: This Tulsa, OK native was the co-lead singer, composer, guitarist and bassist for Bread. In 1977 he had a monster solo hit with the theme from the popular movie "The Goodbye Girl". He co-wrote the follow-up single with Larry Knechtel in 1978. A soft-rock classic about a man who travels to the French Riviera and falls in love with a local mademoiselle. He also plays the memorable fuzz bass line. The chorus is in French followed by the English translation. #30 on Billboard and Cash Box, #7 Adult Contemporary. Singer/songwriter? Song? Answer: "Took the Last Train" by David Gates. I loved it the first time I heard it and I still do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u-Z8YnvuCA

OK, boys and girls, more 70s one-hit wonders: This eponymous British band's only hit came in '70 with a catchy tune penned by its leader and lead singer. It was originally recorded by The Tremeloes but they decided not to release it so the producer took the vocals off the master and added this band's voices. A young soldier has finished his tour of duty in Vietnam and is looking forward to returning home. #1 in the UK and 25 other countries; #23 on Billboard's Hot 100. CBS Records' biggest-selling song in '70. Covered by REM and Sir Elton John. Band? Hit? Answer: "Yellow River" by Christie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ5-FoiBuVc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEs2nFwo-i8

OK, girls and boys, more 70s one-hit wonders (a toughie!): This classically-trained California folkie singer/songwriter was the first artist signed by David Geffen to his newly-created Asylum label. Profoundly religious, she was baptized by Pat Boone in his home swimming pool. Heavily influenced by J.S. Bach. The Turtles hired her to write songs for them at $35/week. Her only hit was a sublime country-cult-baroque piece first recorded and released by The Turtles in '69. She played acoustic guitar on the recording, along with David Crosby. Her own version came in '71, a minor hit. Openly bisexual, it is a love song to a woman. Even though she opened for Crosby & Nash, Cat Stevens, Gordon Lightfoot and Tom Paxton, she never achieved commercial success. A lifelong drug addict, she succumbed to an overdose in 1979. Singer/songwriter? Song? Answer: "Lady-O" by Judee Sill. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP8DjFhxy60 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4tSxb