How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : Five Star, Junior, Trio, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Michael Jackson, Amazulu, Maze, The Pointer Sisters, Mel & Kim, Eartha Kitt & Bronski Beat, Prince, The B 52’s
They are the performers of twelve vintage dance tunes that were ranked in various charts, this week (29/52) BUT … in the EIghties 80s.
1. Which 1980s band combined the genres of big band jazz, disco, and Caribbean sounds?
- A Five Star
- B Amazulu
- C Kid Creole & The Coconuts
2. What musical movement does the song ‘Da Da Da’ associate with?
- A Neue Deutsche Welle
- B Britfunk
- C Disco
3. What collaboration appeared in the 1978 film adaptation of ‘The Wiz’ ?
- A Prince and Sheila E.
- B Michael Jackson and Diana Ross
- C Eartha Kitt and Bronski Beat
4. What song led to Mel and Kim’s video controversies due to health issues?
- A F.L.M.
- B Too Many Games
- C Excitable
5. Which pop duo described their title track as referencing ‘fun, love and money’ ?
- A Michael Jackson and Diana Ross
- B Mel & Kim
- C The B-52’s
6. Which song was influenced by the African-American retelling of a classic tale?
- A Wig
- B Glam Slam
- C Ease On Down The Road
7. Which record producer worked on ‘Let Me Be The One’ for Five Star?
- A Quincy Jones
- B Nick Martinelli
- C Stock Aitken Waterman
8. ‘Too Late’ is a Britfunk classic by which artist?
- A Junior
- B Mel & Kim
- C Amazulu
9. Which song’s production involved Quincy Jones?
- A I’m A Wonderful Thing Baby
- B Ease On Down The Road
- C Too Many Games
10. Which song was revived in a live album by the B-52’s in 2010?
- A F.L.M.
- B Wig
- C Cha Cha Heels
11. Which number did ‘Dare Me’ peak at on the Billboard Dance Club chart?
- A 5
- B 1
- C 11
12. What inspired ‘Cha Cha Heels’ lyrics?
- A A John Waters film scene
- B A Broadway musical
- C A Christmas TV special
For TWELVE more ‘Music For The Dancers’ – Vintage 80s Music Videos – week 29/52 – click here
Tracklist
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1 . Five Star – Let Me Be The OneFeatured on the 1985 album “Luxury of Life”.
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2 . Junior – Too lateFeatured on the 1982 album “Ji”.
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3 . Trio – Da Da DaFeatured on the 1982 album “Trio”.
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4 . Kid Creole & The Coconuts – I’m A Wonderful Thing BabyFeatured on the 1982 album “Tropical Gangsters”.
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5 . Michael Jackson – Ease On Down The Road (w/ Diana Ross)Featured on the 1978 album “The Wiz : Soundtrack”.
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6 . Amazulu – ExcitableFeatured on the 1985 album “Amazulu”.
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7 . Maze – Too Many Games (w/ Frankie Beverly)Featured on the 1985 album “Can’t Stop the Love”.
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8 . The Pointer Sisters – Dare MeFeatured on the 1985 album “Contact”.
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9 . Mel & Kim – F.L.MFeatured on the 1987 album “F.L.M.”.
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10 . Eartha Kitt & Bronski Beat – Cha Cha HeelsFeatured on the 1989 album ” I’m Still Here”.
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11 . Prince – Glam SlamFeatured on the 1988 album “Lovesexy“. |
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12 . The B 52’s – WigFeatured on the 1986 album “Bouncing Off the Satellites”.
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And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. Kid Creole & The Coconuts are known for blending big band jazz, disco, and Caribbean influences in their music. This diverse sound helped them create a unique niche in the 1980s music scene.
2. ‘Da Da Da’ is associated with the Neue Deutsche Welle movement, which brought a new wave of German music to the international stage, characterized by minimalistic and repetitive beats.
3. Michael Jackson and Diana Ross performed ‘Ease On Down The Road’ in the 1978 film *The Wiz*, a reimagined African-American version of *The Wizard of Oz*, showcasing their musical partnership.
4. Mel & Kim faced challenges during the promotion of their song ‘F.L.M.’ due to Mel’s health issues. This compelled the use of alternative footage for their music video, leading to some dissatisfaction.
5. Mel & Kim titled their song ‘F.L.M.’ based on an inside joke about ‘fun, love, and money,’ although the phrase arose from their humorous studio banter during recording sessions.
6. ‘Ease On Down The Road’ was inspired by *The Wiz*, a retelling of *The Wizard of Oz* with an African-American cultural context, weaving this influence into both its narrative and musical composition.
7. Nick Martinelli produced ‘Let Me Be The One’ for Five Star, crafting a sophisticated R&B/pop sound that helped the group gain significant traction in the mid-1980s music charts.
8. Junior Giscombe released ‘Too Late,’ aligning with the Britfunk movement. The song showcased his soulful vocals and dance-oriented production, marking a high point in early 80s British R&B.
9. Quincy Jones produced the duet ‘Ease On Down The Road,’ combining his iconic production skills with the vocal talents of Michael Jackson and Diana Ross for *The Wiz* soundtrack.
10. The B-52’s revived ‘Wig’ in their 2010 live performances, even including it on their live album *With The Wild Crowd!*. The song highlighted their continued fan engagement.
11. ‘Dare Me’ by the Pointer Sisters reached number 1 on Billboard’s Dance Club chart. The single proved their ability to deliver danceable hits alongside their mainstream pop successes.
12. The lyrics of ‘Cha Cha Heels’ referenced a John Waters film scene featuring Dawn Davenport, contributing to the song’s unique and theatrical pop appeal.
For THE FULL ‘MUSIC FOR THE DANCERS’ COLLECTION click here
