The "Ba ba ding a dong ding Blue Moon" Story

It was an ordinary day. Opening my emails to see what I should save and what is Junk Mail. Got an email from my friend Bill who lives in Arizona. We correspond quite often and he will stop for a visit when he returns to the area to visit with old friends. Bill sent me the "Doo-Wop Test." Now, for those who are reading that have no idea what that is, I feel sorry for you. You never had the chance to experience some of the best music ever created. The name "Doo-Wop" is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African America communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. Philadelphia is known as the home to many of the great "Doo-Wop" artists of that time. Built upon vocal harmony, "Doo-Wop" was one of the most mainstream, pop-oriented R&B styles of the 1950s and 1960s. During this time, singers would gather on street corners and in subways, generally in groups of three to six, and break into a Capella arrangements that would mimic instruments. The bass singing "bom-bom-bom, a guitar rendered as "shang-a-lang and brass sounds as doooo-wop-wop. I can still remember songs such as Earth Angel by The Penguins, Only You and The Great Pretender by The Platters, Why Do Fools Fall in Love by Frankie Lymon, Book of Love by the Monotones, Blue Moon by the Marcels, and Who put the Bomp? by Barry Mann. Some of these artists were featured on American Bandstand when it started in 1952 in Philadelphia, hosted first by Bob Horn and eventually by Dick Clark. Show went national in 1957. Well, I took the test that Bill sent to me and had 23 of the 30 questions correct. But, you have to remember I had a part-time job at Grants Department Store at the Lancaster Shopping Center. Worked in the record department, so I got a chance for a few years to listen to all the "Doo-Wop" music. Take the test and see how you do. After the test is a song you may remember and while watching the video you will see a white 1958 chevy that looks exactly like the one I had in the early 60s and close to the end at Mel's Diner, you will see a pink and white '55 Ford just like I had before the Chevy. Click on "Watch on YouTube" to hear the song. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Doo-Wop Test

1. When did ''Little Suzie'' finally wake up?
(a) The movie's over, it's 2 o'clock
(b) The movie's over, it's 3 o'clock
(c) The movie's over, it's 4 o'clock

2. ''Rock Around The Clock'' was used in what movie?
(a) Rebel Without A Cause
(b) Blackboard Jungle
(c) The Wild Ones

3. What's missing from a Rock & Roll standpoint? Earth _____
(a) Angel
(b) Mother
(c) Worm

4. ''I found my thrill . . .'' where?
(a) Kansas City
(b) Heartbreak Hotel
(c) Blueberry Hill

5. ''Please turn on your magic beam, _____ _____ bring me a dream,'':
(a) Mr. Sandman
(b) Earth Angel
(c) Dream Lover

6. For which label did Elvis Presley first record?
(a) Atlantic
(b) RCA
(c) Sun

7. He asked, ''Why's everybody always pickin' on me?'' Who was he?
(a) Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
(b) Charlie Brown
(c) Buster Brown

8. In Bobby Darin's ''Mack The Knife,'' the one with the knife, was named:
(a) MacHeath
(b) MacCloud
(c) MacNamara

9. Name the song with ''A-wop bop a-loo bop a-lop bam boom.''
(a) Good Golly, Miss Molly
(b) Be-Bop-A-Lula
(c) Tutti Fruitti

10. Who is generally given credit for originating the term ''Rock And Roll''?
(a) Dick Clark
(b) Wolfman Jack
(c) Alan Freed

11. In 1957, he left the music business to become a preacher:
(a) Little Richard
(b) Frankie Lymon
(c) Tony Orlando

12. Paul Anka's ''Puppy Love'' is written to what star?
(a) Susan Gibbs
(b) Connie Francis
(c) Annette Funicello

13. The Everly Brothers were ........
(a) Pete and Dick
(b) Don and Phil
(c) Bob and Bill

14. The Big Bopper's real name was:
(a) Jiles P. Richardson
(b) Roy Iddings Jr.
(c) Marion Michael Morrison

15. In 1959, Berry Gordy, Jr. started a small record company called...
(a) Decca
(b) Cameo
(c) Motown

16. Edd Brynes had a hit with ''Kookie, Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb''. What TV show was he on?
(a) 77 Sunset Strip
(b) Hawaiian Eye
(c) Surfside Six

17. In 1960 Bobby Darin married:
(a) Carol Lynley
(b) Sandra Dee
(c) Natalie Wood

18. They were a one hit wonder with ''Book Of Love'':
(a) The Penguins
(b) The Monotones
(c) The Moonglows

19. The Everly Brothers sang a song called ''Till I ______ You.''
(a) Loved
(b) Kissed
(c) Met

20. Chuck Berry sang ''Oh, ___________, why can't you be true?''
(a) Suzie Q
(b) Peggy Sue
(c) Maybelline

21. ''Wooly _______''
(a) Mammouth
(b) Bully
(c) Pully

22. ''I'm like a one-eyed cat . . . ."
(a) can't go into town no more
(b) sleepin' on a cold hard floor
(c) peepin' in a seafood store

23. ''Sometimes I wonder what I'm gonna do . . . . .....''
(a) cause there ain't no answer for a life without booze
(b) cause there ain't no cure for the summertime blues
(c) cause my car's gassed up and I'm ready to cruise

24. ''They often call me Speedo, but my real name is ..... . . .''
(a) Mr. Earl
(b) Jackie Pearl
(c) Milton Berle

25. ''You're my Fanny and nobody else's ......''
(a) girl
(b) butt
(c) love

26. ''I want you to play with my . . . ''
(a) heart
(b) dreams
(c) ding a ling

27. ''Be Bop A Lula .......''
(a) she's got the rabies
(b) she's my baby.
(c) she loves me, maybe

28. ''Fine Love, Fine Kissing ...''
(a) right here
(b) fifty cents
(c) just for you

29. ''He wore black denim trousers and . . .''
(a) a pink carnation
(b) pink leotards
(c) motorcycle boots

30. ''I got a gal named . ... .''
(a) Jenny Zamboni
(b) Gerri Mahoney
(c) Boney Maroney

Answers:

Scroll Down so you aren't tempted to cheat ( as if cheating were needed here).
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1. (c) The movie's over, it's 4 o'clock
2. (b) Blackboard Jungle
3. (a) Angel
4. (c) Blueberry Hill
5. (a) Mr. Sandman
6. (c) Sun
7. (b) Charlie Brown
8. (a) Mac Heath
9. (c) Tutti Fruitti
10. (c) Alan Freed
11. (a) Little Richard
12. (c) Annette Funicello
13. (b) Don and Phil
14. (a) Jiles P. Richardson
15. (c) Motown
16. (a) 77 Sunset Strip
17. (b) Sandra Dee
18. (b) The Monotones
19. (b) Kissed
20. (c) Maybelline
21. (b) Bully
22. (c) peepin' in a sea food store
23. (b) cause there ain't no cure for the summertime blues

24. (a) Mr. Earl
25. (b) butt
26. (c) ding a ling
27. (b) she's my baby
28. (a) right here
29. (c) motorcycle boots
30. (c) Boney Maroney