How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : Grand Mixer D.St., Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five, Kool & The Gang, The Mixmaster, Bucks Fizz, Sinitta, Madonna, Haircut 100, Bros, The English Beat, Wham!, Silver Bullet
They are the performers of twelve vintage dance tunes that were ranked in various charts, this week (51/52) BUT … in the EIghties 80s.
1. What distinguishing feature does “Crazy Cuts” by Grandmixer D.ST. showcase?
- A Beatboxing
- B Scratching
- C Rap freestyle
2. Which artist continued with Melle Mel after the split with Grandmaster Flash for “Step Off”?
- A Cowboy
- B Grandmaster Flash
- C Crack Mac
3. Who co-wrote Kool & the Gang’s hit “Victory”?
- A James “J.T.” Taylor
- B Nile Rodgers
- C George Michael
4. Which B-side accompanies “Grand Piano” by The Mixmaster?
- A Drum Loop
- B Piano Groove
- C Synth Vibe
5. Who produced Bucks Fizz’s “If You Can’t Stand the Heat”?
- A Mike Chapman
- B Trevor Horn
- C Andy Hill
6. What does Sinitta’s song “GTO” primarily feature?
- A Dance rivalry
- B Obsession with a car
- C Academic competition
7. Why was Madonna’s “Dress You Up” included on the “Filthy Fifteen” list?
- A Political protest
- B Sexuality in lyrics
- C Language concerns
8. Which Haircut 100 member was responsible for vocals in “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)”?
- A Les Nemes
- B Nick Heyward
- C Marc Fox
9. What misattribution surrounds the “When Will I Be Famous?” music video?
- A Andy Morahan as director
- B Julian Caidan wrongly credited
- C Incorrect song title listed
10. Where was The Beat’s inspiration for “Too Nice to Talk To” drawn from?
- A Coventry Cathedral
- B Barbarella’s nightclub
- C The King’s Arms pub
11. Which track on Wham!’s *Make It Big* album reached international No. 1 spots?
- A Freedom
- B Careless Whisper
- C Club Tropicana
12. What phrase is repeatedly featured in Silver Bullet’s “20 Seconds to Comply”?
- A Get in line
- B Time to run
- C 20 seconds to comply
Tracklist
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1 . Grand Mixer D.St. – Crazy Cut’sFeatured on the 1983 album “Crazy Cuts”.
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2 . Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five – Step Off
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3 . Kool & The Gang – VictoryFeatured on the 1986 album “Forever”.
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4 . The Mixmaster – Grand Piano
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5 . Bucks Fizz – If You Can’t Stand The HeatFeatured on the 1982 album “Hand Cut”.
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6 . Sinitta – G.T.O.Featured on the 1987 album “Sinitta!”.
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7 . Madonna – Dress You UpFeatured on the 1984 album “Like a Virgin“.
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8 . Haircut 100 – Favourite Shirts [Boy Meets Girl]Featured on the 1982 album “Pelican West“.
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9 . Bros – When Will I Be Famous?Featured on the 1987 album “Push”.
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10 . The English Beat – Too Nice To Talk To
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11 . Wham! – FreedomFeatured on the 1984 album “Make It Big”. |
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12 . Silver Bullet – 20 Seconds to ComplyFeatured on the 1989 album “Bring Down the Walls No Limit Squad Returns”.
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And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. “Crazy Cuts” distinguished itself through Grandmixer D.ST.’s scratching techniques. The skillful use of vinyl manipulation added rhythmic elements that became a hallmark of his DJ artistry during the early 1980s.
2. Following the split with Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, along with Cowboy and Scorpio, continued making impactful music like “Step Off,” noted for its socially conscious themes.
3. “Victory” showcases the collaborative efforts of James “J.T.” Taylor and Khalis Bayyan. Written for Kool & the Gang, it became a chart success in the mid-1980s.
4. “Grand Piano” by The Mixmaster includes “Piano Groove” as its B-side. This track, representative of the Italo House style, was a staple of late 1980s dance music.
5. Bucks Fizz’s “If You Can’t Stand the Heat” was produced by Andy Hill. Known for penning catchy tunes, Hill and Bairnson crafted this hit for the 1982 pop charts.
6. Sinitta’s “GTO” revolves around a boyfriend obsessed with his Ferrari 250 GTO. Despite initial reservations, the song resonated well with audiences and charted across Europe.
7. “Dress You Up” by Madonna was deemed one of the “Filthy Fifteen” due to its perceived sexual innuendo, though it enjoyed commercial success nonetheless.
8. Nick Heyward was the lead vocalist for Haircut 100’s “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl).” His distinctive voice and the band’s melodic style contributed to its chart success.
9. Bros’ “When Will I Be Famous?” video was directed by Andy Morahan, although some sources incorrectly credited Julian Caidan. The mix-up shouldn’t overshadow the song’s impact.
10. The inspiration for “Too Nice to Talk To” stemmed from Dave Wakeling’s experiences at Barbarella’s nightclub in Birmingham, reflecting on missed social connections.
11. “Freedom” from Wham!’s *Make It Big* album reached number one in several countries. Its catchy tune and wide appeal cemented its international hit status during the ’80s.
12. Silver Bullet’s “20 Seconds to Comply” prominently features the phrase “20 seconds to comply,” adding urgency and chaos that defined its place in the Britcore scene.
For THE FULL ‘MUSIC FOR THE DANCERS’ COLLECTION click here
