[MUSIC]

Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. This membership drive, as many of you know, we've been doing a 10-question quiz each day in the eleven o'clock hour to break up all the serious stuff a little bit and have a chance to give you some WNYC merch as prizes. Get two in a row right, and today, you'll be able to choose between The Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap and the new WNYC mini tote. 212-433-WNYC.

As I said before the break, today's quiz is piggybacking off our 100 Years of 100 Things centennial series. 100 Years of 100 Things: Billboard Music Charts segment that we did back in January. We're going to do a decade-by-decade name-that-tune 10-question quiz. We're going to start with Mary in Whitestone. Hi, Mary. Ready to play?

Mary: Yes, I am.

Brian Lehrer: The actual Billboard music charts debuted in 1940. We'll start there. Here's the first song to top it that year, year one. Can you name this tune?

[MUSIC - Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: Cotton Tail]

Brian Lehrer: Since that was all instrumental, we'll give you some help with a few multiple-choice answers, if you need a multiple-choice. Do you know it?

Mary: I do need a multiple-choice. This one's before my time.

Brian Lehrer: Okay. Round Midnight by Thelonious Monk, I'll Never Smile Again by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, Cotton Tail by Duke Ellington, or Groovin High by Dizzy Gillespie. It's one of those four.

Mary: Would it be the third one?

Brian Lehrer: The third one is right. Cotton Tail by Duke Ellington. It was of historical interest to us because, in addition to being the first number one on the Billboard music charts, according to All About Jazz, Cotton Tail is based on the rhythm changes from George Gershwin's I Got Rhythm, the very first Ellington recording, notable for the driving tenor saxophone solo by Ben Webster. Among the reasons why it's historically important.

Moving on to the 1950s. For the hat or the mini tote, we've got two songs in a row from that decade because music changed so much during the '50s. Here's a song from the beginning of the decade. Can you name this tune that topped the charts in 1951?

[MUSIC - Nat King Cole: Mona Lisa]

Brian Lehrer: Well, the instrumental part there played the music to the title lyric of the song, though Nat King Cole didn't sing it in that clip. Do you know what it is?

Mary: I would guess Mona Lisa.

Brian Lehrer: Mona Lisa is right. The contemporary trumpets accompany your correct answer to the 1951 song written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for Paramount Pictures' film Captain Carey, U.S.A. It won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1950. That's one of the reasons that it's of historical interest, in addition to having spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard singles chart in 1950. Good job. Do you want The Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap or the WNYC mini tote?

Mary: Thanks. I'd love the tote. Thank you, Brian.

Brian Lehrer: Okay, Mary. We're going to send you the tote. We'll take your address off the air. Brian in Battery Park City, ready to play?

Brian: Yes, sir.

Brian Lehrer: We are still in the 1950s, but now in the latter half of the decade. Here's a Billboard chart-topper from 1957. Can you name either the tune or the artist?

[MUSIC - Elvis Presley: All Shook Up]

Brian Lehrer: Do you know it?

Brian: "I'm in love, I'm all shook up." Elvis.

Brian Lehrer: Absolutely right. That might be the easiest question in the quiz. According to Billboard, that '57 hit was written by Elvis and longtime collaborator Otis Blackwell. Blackwell's friend Al Stanson shook a bottle of Pepsi, which inspired Blackwell to pen the track All Shook Up. Historical context on that. All right, moving right along to exactly 10 years later. Can you name this tune from 1967?

[MUSIC - The Monkees: I'm a Believer]

Brian Lehrer: The song or the artist. Any guess?

Brian: "My love is out to get me. That's the way it seemed. Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer. Not a trace of doubt in my mind." I'm having trouble remembering the artist. "I'm a believer, I couldn't leave her if I tried."

Brian Lehrer: Yes, you got two in a row right. Yes, we said the name of the track or the name of the group. I'm a Believer by The Monkees. Would you like the mini tote or-

Brian: I thought of The Monkees.

Brian Lehrer: -Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap?

Brian: The tote, Mr. Brian.

Brian Lehrer: Okay. Mr. Brian yourself, Brian in Battery Park City. We're going to take your exact mailing address down there. It was actually written by Neil Diamond. Took the number one spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending December 31st, 1966, and remained there for 7 weeks, becoming the last number-one hit of '66 and the biggest-selling single for all of 1967. Reasons for I'm a Believer by The Monkees to be historical interest. Such a huge hit at the time. Teresa in Farmingdale, ready to play?

Teresa: I am. Hi, Brian.

Brian Lehrer: Hi. All right, Question 5 on this 10-question name-that-tune quiz. Staying on rock and roll. Here's about 11 seconds of a Song that topped the Billboard charts in the next decade, specifically in 1976. Can you name this tune or this artist?

[MUSIC - Rod Stewart: Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright)]

Brian Lehrer: Song or artist. Can you do it?

Teresa: Yes. Tonight's The Night. Rod Stewart.

Brian Lehrer: Absolutely right. Climbed to number one on the Billboard charts in November of '76 and was there for eight weeks until 8th of January, '77. It was the longest day of any song during '76, the longest run at the top for a single in the US in over eight years at that time since The Beatles' Hey Jude in November 1968. Some of the history on these Billboard chart-toppers is so interesting.

All right. For the hat or the mini tote, this next artist and this song in particular, and if you need to take a time out for parenting, just let me know, are so, so iconic. We will stay in the '70s for this question. Because they are so well known, we're only going to play the introduction. Remember, you can name the song or name the artist. Here's 10 seconds of the beginning of a huge Billboard chart-topper from 1970.

[MUSIC - Stevie Wonder: Sir Duke]

Brian Lehrer: Can you do it?

Teresa: Well, it's Stevie Wonder.

Brian Lehrer: That's right. That's all you need to sound the trumpets. The tune was Sir Duke. According to Billboard-

Teresa: Oh, Sir Duke.

Brian Lehrer: -Stevie wrote the song as a tribute to Duke Ellington. Hearkening back to the first ever Billboard chart-topper from 1940, as we referenced, apparently Wonder had already experienced the death of two of his idols, Dinah Washington and Wes Montgomery, after attempting to collaborate them. He wrote Sir Duke for Sir Duke. Would you like The Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap or the WYNC mini tote?

Teresa: Well, I already have my lovely cap, so I will take the tote. Thank you.

Brian Lehrer: Great. Theresa, hang on. We'll take your address there in Farmingdale off the air. We're going to go next to Libby in Brooklyn. Hi, Libby. Ready to play?

Libby: I hope so. I have help here, so we'll see. [laughs]

Brian Lehrer: Well, who exactly is helping you?

Libby: My husband.

Brian Lehrer: Okay, so Libby and spouse.

Libby's Spouse: Is that allowed?

Libby: Is that allowed? Yes, that's about.

Brian Lehrer: Yes, you're allowed a lifeline. Aren't that the rules of shows like this? Now we move on to some pop music from the 1980s. Can you name this tune or artist from 1989?

[MUSIC - Janet Jackson: Miss You Much]

Brian Lehrer: You can hear some of the more contemporary rhythms we're starting to get into there. Who was it or what was it?

Libby: No, we don't know.

Brian Lehrer: Oh. Okay, I'm going to give you a hint. Part of a very famous, very famous musical family. I'll give you that much of a hint.

Libby: The Jackson 5?

Brian Lehrer: Yes. One individual, though. I do need the name of the individual.

Libby: Oh, Michael Jackson.

Brian Lehrer: Oh, sorry, Libby. Nice try, but it was Janet Jackson doing Miss You Much. That song topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, spending four weeks at number one. It was the longest-running number-one single of 1989. Let's go next to Bob in Queens. Hi, Bob. Ready to play?

Bob: I'm not so sure. This is my downfall on Jeopardy.

Brian Lehrer: We will see if it's your downfall on The Brian Lehrer Show. Question 8 in this 10-question quiz. Moving on to 1999 and the rise in popularity, at least on the Billboard charts, of country music. Let's take a listen to 10 seconds of a song by a country artist who held down the number one spot on the charts that year. Can you name this tune?

[MUSIC - Garth Brooks: Callin' Baton Rouge]

Brian Lehrer: I don't know how much country music listening there is in Queensland, but I know there's some. Can you name that artist or the tune?

Bob: Absolutely not.

Brian Lehrer: Okay, Bob. Thanks for giving it a-- You don't want to take a guess out of all the country artists who you can summon, who might have been around in '99?

Bob: Garth Brooks.

Brian Lehrer: Garth Brooks is right.

Bob: You're kidding.

Brian Lehrer: Let's hear it for throwing darts against the dartboard. Yes, it was Callin' Baton Rouge.

Bob: Well, that's how I did it on Jeopardy.

Brian Lehrer: [laughs]

Bob: Thank you.

Brian Lehrer: From the live album, Double Live. He had scored a total of nine number-one albums on the Billboard charts. Billboard lists Garth Brooks as the 20th greatest artist of all time, however they measure that. A lot of historical context there. All right, Question 9 for the mini tote or The Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap. Next decade, next question, and we're back to pop music. Here's a single that reached the Billboard number one spot in 2009. Can you name this tune or this artist?

[MUSIC - Black Eyed Peas: Boom Boom Pow]

Brian Lehrer: I love this band. Can you name the band? I said artist; it's a band. Artist or title.

Bob: Again, I couldn't even guess on this one.

Brian Lehrer: All right, Bob. Thanks for trying. Good guess on Garth Brooks. That was Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks, making it the group's first number-one single on the chart. It's the second longest-running single to stay atop the chart in 2009, beaten only by their own other song, I Gotta Feeling, which held the top spot for 14 consecutive weeks. I think those are the longest number of weeks of any that I've seen in this history. Interesting context there for just how big Black Eyed Peas were at that time.

We've only got one question left in this 10-question quiz, which means Gail in Jackson Heights, if you get one in a row, you're going to win a hat or a mini tote. Hi, Gail. Ready to play?

Gail: Hi. I'm very excited. I'm pulling over.

Brian Lehrer: We are down to our final song. It's going to be from the year 2019 under the album of the same name. It held the title for number one album of the year. Can you name this artist or this tune?

[MUSIC - Billie Eilish: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?]

Gail: I love that piece of music and I cannot think of the name of it.

Brian Lehrer: Think of a name that might be a boy's name as well as a girl's name.

Gail: Oh, gosh.

Brian Lehrer: Has a sibling in the business.

Gail: Has a what?

Brian Lehrer: Has a sibling also in it. A piece of hair around your eyes. Three, two, one.

Gail: Blondie. No, not Blondie.

Brian Lehrer: [laughs]

Gail: Oh, no.

Brian Lehrer: Sorry, Gail. It was Billy Eilish.

Gail: I love your show. Thank you for being there.

Brian Lehrer: Thank you, Gail. Thank you for trying. That was When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? from the album of the same name, Billie Eilish's debut album. The song Bad Guy from the album was Eilish's first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, according to Britannica. There's the history there.

That's our 10-question membership drive quiz for today and the last one that we have for this pledge drive series on the last day. Thank you all for playing along with us. More of The Brian Lehrer Show coming up right after this.

 

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