# Cool but useless music trivia **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 17, 2004, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250 "2004-08-17T15:53:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/201 "2004-08-20T16:48:51Z")
Cool and useless musical trivia, eh? How’s this? The theme song from _The Flintstones_ shares the same chord changes as _I Got Rhythm_. Musical? Check. Trivial? Check. Useless? High degree of pobability. Cool? Check, and double check. ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/202 "2004-08-20T16:53:33Z")
Sorry about the googling thing. When I googled it, I was lucky enough to choose a text-search only (since that’s what I’m used to). As for Madonna trivia, anyone here will tell you that I bring the pain. Just ask [Otto](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4985077&postcount=12), he knows (To read the thread he posted in, click the link on the top right hand side, too bad I saw it too late to post). My **username** is two Madonna references. Much love, kfl, SDMB Random Lesbian and Madonna Fanatic[sup]TM[/sup] Back on topic, Madonna and William Orbit collaborated on the theme song for the short-lived tv series _Wonderland_. This was Madonna’s only foray into composing for television, which is fitting since she never watches any. When she was invited to guest star on _Will & Grace_, she told the producers she’d never seen any episodes. They compiled some tapes for her, she watched them, then called them back and said; “I’ll do it, but only if all my scenes are with Karen.” ---
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/203 "2004-08-20T17:58:02Z")
There was a Winnipeg band called _Chad Allen and the Silvertones_. Randy Bachman was the guitartist. They morphed into _Chad Allen and the Reflexions_. There was a legal flap with the name, so they scrambled for a new one and came up with _Chad Allen and The Expressions_ who released _Shakin All Over_. They put Guess Who? on the single (_His Girl_), as a promotional gimmick, and released it. Infighting caused the departure of Bob Ashley and Chad Allen. The survivors asked Burton Cummings of _The Devrons_ to join. Not having a name, they just kept Guess Who and added “The” . They released _His Girl_, which was their first hit. This site [http://community-2.webtv.net/mmchadbourne/AHO/page3.html](http://community-2.webtv.net/mmchadbourne/AHO/page3.html) has a pretty good chronolgy. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/204 "2004-08-20T19:40:37Z")
We’ve had some discussion about **10 cc** and **The Loving Spoonful** being (or not being) references to semen. Just for completeness, the other band name of which this has been said is **Pearl Jam**. And now for the trivia… - 70s keyboard wizard Rick Wakemen is playing the piano on Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’. - Nelson Riddle was the genius big band arranger usually remembered for his outstanding work with Frank Sinatra during the ‘Capitol’ years. Less well-known is the fact that he scored the music for the ‘Batman’ movie (the original one with Adam West and Burt Ward). - novelty act Napolean XIV recorded a minor hit single called ‘They’re Coming To Take Me Away’. The B side was the exact same song played backwards. - of the three members of ZZ Top, the only one who doesn’t have a beard is the one whose name is ‘Beard’. - you could make an endless loop of Pink FLoyd’s ‘The Wall’. It starts and ends with a small section of speech, edited so that the end of the album (OK, double album) leaves off exactly where the start picks up. - Queen used to proudly declare ‘No synthesisers!’ on the sleeve notes to their albums (e.g. ‘Night At The Opera’) to distance themselves from the rife over-use of synths in the 70s and 80s. They dropped the practice when they themselves started… um… using synths. - ‘Frankie Goes To Hollywood’ got their name from a Frank Sinatra LP - you can still stay at the hotel where Janis Joplin died. It’s called the Highland Gardens hotel, in west Hollywood, and it’s open for business. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/205 "2004-08-20T20:58:16Z")
> [@ianzin](#): > > ‘Frankie Goes To Hollywood’ got their name from a Frank Sinatra LP Nope. From a headline. In Variety, according to the first link. Sinatra never did an album of that name. [http://www.musicweb.uk.net/encyclopaedia/f/F78.HTM](http://www.musicweb.uk.net/encyclopaedia/f/F78.HTM) [http://www.mtv.com/bands/az/frankie\_goes\_to\_hollywood/bio.jhtml](http://www.mtv.com/bands/az/frankie_goes_to_hollywood/bio.jhtml) Google is just a click away, guys. :smack: Anyway, let’s try these and you can smack me if I’m wrong. The Chordettes were the first group to appear on American Bandstand, August 5, 1957. The Miracles _Greatest Hits from the Beginning_ was the first rock double album, preceding _Blonde on Blonde_ by a year. Most people know that Steely Dan is the name of a dildo in William Burroughs’ _Naked Lunch_. Most people don’t remember that Soft Machine is the name of Burroughs’ third novel and gave that band its name. David Bowie killed both Bing Crosby and Marc Bolan. Not really, but he did appear in their last tv programs and they each died within two months of singing with him. Toni Basil, who should have be put to sleep for “Mickey,” was probably born in 1943, although she sometimes gives the date as 1950. The earlier date explains how she could have been the choreographer for such seminal 60s projects as _Shindig,_ _The T.A.M.I. Show,_, _Viva Las Vegas,_ and _Pajama Party_. Rod Stewart played harmonica on Millie Small’s 1964 _My Boy Lollipop_, probably the first ska song to be a U.S. hit. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/206 "2004-08-20T21:16:30Z")
> [@kung fu lola](#): > > Sorry about the googling thing. When I googled it, I was lucky enough to choose a text-search only (since that’s what I’m used to). > > As for Madonna trivia, anyone here will tell you that I bring the pain. Just ask [Otto](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4985077&postcount=12), he knows (To read the thread he posted in, click the link on the top right hand side, too bad I saw it too late to post). > My **username** is two Madonna references. > > Much love, > > kfl, SDMB Random Lesbian and Madonna Fanatic[sup]TM[/sup] > > Back on topic, Madonna and William Orbit collaborated on the theme song for the short-lived tv series _Wonderland_. This was Madonna’s only foray into composing for television, which is fitting since she never watches any. > When she was invited to guest star on _Will & Grace_, she told the producers she’d never seen any episodes. They compiled some tapes for her, she watched them, then called them back and said; “I’ll do it, but only if all my scenes are with Karen.” Geez! You are the fanatic, aren’t you! Here’s three questions: What size dress does Madonna wear? Who did she say was the love of her life? What do you think her best movie was? ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/207 "2004-08-20T22:01:53Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > Rod Stewart played harmonica on Millie Small’s 1964 _My Boy Lollipop_, probably the first ska song to be a U.S. hit. This turns out to be one of those urban legends. From [this website](http://ubb.mojo4music.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB5&Number=202474&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=3&o=&fpart=1): > [@](#): > > The guy who played the harmonica solo on ‘My Boy Lollipop’ was Pete Hogman. > The confusion arose because the band that Rod Stewart was in at the time – Jimmy Powell & The Five Dimensions – were approached to back Millie on the single. However, before the session took place, Stewart left the group and was replaced by Hogman, and it was he who performed harmonica duties. > > Funnily enough, Hogman apparently also bore a physical resemblance to Stewart (and Junior Wood), so that probably added to the confusion too! ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/208 "2004-08-20T23:34:36Z")
> [@ianzin](#): > > - you could make an endless loop of Pink FLoyd’s ‘The Wall’. It starts and ends with a small section of speech, edited so that the end of the album (OK, double album) leaves off exactly where the start picks up. Specifically: First words: “we came in?” Last words: “Isn’t this where” The same music starts and ends the album as well, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/209 "2004-08-20T23:46:36Z")
The song “Her Majesty” on **Abbey Road** was originally slotted in between “Mean Mr. Mustard” and “Polythene Pam”; that is why the beginning and ending are cut so abruptly. Apparently it was stuck at the end of the record at the last minute, but I’m too lazy to research a consensus on whose decision it was (although what I’ve seen so far says it was Paul). Although **Let it Be** was the last album released by the Fab (before the breakup, that is), it was recorded before **Abbey Road**. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2004, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/210 "2004-08-20T23:57:13Z")
> [@fishbicycle](#): > > This turns out to be one of those urban legends. From [this website](http://ubb.mojo4music.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB5&Number=202474&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=3&o=&fpart=1): Nice catch. I checked two supposedly authoritative independent sources on that one, too. But it’s not evidently an urban legend, but a should-be-trustable source who spread the mistake. [http://www.brumbeat.net/jimmypow.htm](http://www.brumbeat.net/jimmypow.htm) > [@](#): > > In 1964, The Five Dimensions were hired to provide backing for Jamaican singer Millie Small on her hit recording of My Boy Lollipop. It has long been thought Rod Stewart played harmonica on the record - a story he has since denied, but according to guitarist Kenny White, it was a guy called Pete Hogman who played on the session. Pete apparently looked very much like Rod in appearance so it’s likely that Millie Small’s manager Chris Blackwell (who also managed Birmingham’s Spencer Davis Group) was mistaken in identifying him. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/211 "2004-08-21T00:20:40Z")
> [@Running with Scissors](#): > > The song “Her Majesty” on **Abbey Road** was originally slotted in between “Mean Mr. Mustard” and “Polythene Pam”; that is why the beginning and ending are cut so abruptly. Apparently it was stuck at the end of the record at the last minute, but I’m too lazy to research a consensus on whose decision it was (although what I’ve seen so far says it was Paul). Paul instructed “Her Majesty” to be cut from the **Abbey Road** master reel and thrown away, but the Abbey Road tape op was under orders from EMI to never throw away anything the Beatles recorded, so he stuck the song on the end of the reel after a few seconds of leader tape. Paul supposedly liked the idea when he heard about it and the album was issued that way. ---
**Author:** ![sulamith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@sulamith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sulamith)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/212 "2004-08-21T01:23:18Z")
Well, I am mostly a lurker here, but I thought I had a few things to contribute that someone might find interesting. The Boyd sisters are worth a mention. Patti Boyd was married to George Harrison and Eric Clapton fell hoplessly in love with her. She is supposedly the inspiration for “Wonderful Tonight” and “Layla”. When she and Eric finally got together, it didn’t last. Her sister Jenny was married to Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac. Jenny had an affiar with one of the post-Peter Green FM guitarists… I can’t recall if it was Danny Kirwan or Jeremy Spencer, but anyway, Mick fired the dude, which meant he needed another guitarist. Mick hired Lindsey Buckingham, who wouldn’t come into the group without his girlfriend, Stevie Nicks. Mick agreed to take Stevie, on a trial basis, but made it clear if it didn’t work out she was out. Of course, Stevie became the star of the group, and later had an affair with Mick, so he obviously warmed up to her. Mick and John Mcvie were once part of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. John and Mick also play bass and drums on Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London”. Stevie sings backup and Lindsey plays guitar on Walter Egan’s “Magnet and Steel”, and John Stewart’s “Gold”. Stevie had a romance with Don Henley and became pregnant. Stevie told him about the pregnancy, and Don was cold to her. She said she could have an abortion, all the while wanting Don to tell her not to, because she really wanted the baby very much. Don told her to go ahead and get rid of it, so she did. She wrote the song “Sara” about that chapter of her life. As you can see I am the resident Fleetwood Mac expert. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/213 "2004-08-21T01:25:05Z")
> [@sulamith](#): > > Patti Boyd was married to George Harrison and Eric Clapton fell hoplessly in love with her. She is supposedly the inspiration for “Wonderful Tonight” and “Layla”. I don’t think there’s really any ‘supposedly’ to that. And she’s also the inspiration for Harrison’s song Something. ---
**Author:** ![sulamith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@sulamith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sulamith)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/214 "2004-08-21T01:49:37Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I don’t think there’s really any ‘supposedly’ to that. And she’s also the inspiration for Harrison’s song Something. Well, yah, I just said that because I have never read anything that said for sure. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/215 "2004-08-21T01:58:20Z")
> [@sulamith](#): > > Her sister Jenny was married to Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac. Jenny had an affiar with one of the post-Peter Green FM guitarists… I can’t recall if it was Danny Kirwan or Jeremy Spencer, but anyway, Mick fired the dude, which meant he needed another guitarist. Mick hired Lindsey Buckingham, who wouldn’t come into the group without his girlfriend, Stevie Nicks. Cite? Spencer left in 1970 and Kirwan in 1972. There was also Bob Weston who came and went in 1972 and Bob Welch who was in from 1971-1974. Buckingham didn’t join until 1975. I did find this story: > [@](#): > > The rush of touring and recording began to take its toll – especially on Danny Kirwan. He always had chronic stage fright and this together with the fact that he was forced to be more in the spotlight as the only lead guitarist left in the band made him lose control over himself. Under the influence of alcohol, he became aggressive. One night he got into a heated discussion with Bob Welch about something really trivial like tuning. He got so irritated with Bob that he smashed his own head against the wall , wrecked his guitar. and refused to go on stage for that nights performance. When Danny criticized the rest of the band after the concert, Mick fired him and the rest of the tour was cancelled. from [here](http://www.fmlegacy.com/storypart1a.html). There’s also this: > [@](#): > > In that moment, Mick and John were only interested in hiring Lindsey Buckingham, because they were really looking for someone to replace Bob Welch. Once they realized that Buckingham/Nicks were a package deal, they hired both of them. ---
**Author:** ![sulamith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@sulamith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sulamith)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/216 "2004-08-21T02:10:02Z")
Yeah, Mr. Blue Sky, it must have been Bob Welch. I have a documentary from the Bravo channel on Mick, but haven’t watched it in a while. It talks about all that stuff with Jenny on there. I couldn’t remember which guitarist it was. Lindsey has always maintained the the guitarist slot in FM is cursed, because they have all gone crazy in one way or another. Poor Peter Green. To this day, John Mcvie says that if he ever gats his hands on the folks who gave him the bad acid he will kill them wit his bare hands. ---
**Author:** ![sulamith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@sulamith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sulamith)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/217 "2004-08-21T02:12:41Z")
Oh, and it couldn’t have been Jeremy Spencer, either anyway, because he ran off with the Hari Christnas or something like that, didn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/218 "2004-08-21T02:15:21Z")
> [@sulamith](#): > > Yeah, Mr. Blue Sky, it must have been Bob Welch. I read a little closer from that site: > [@](#): > > While they were on the road in America in 1973 to support “Mystery To Me”, Mick realized something was terribly wrong. Band mate Bob Weston was spending more and more time with Mick’s wife Jenny. It wasn’t long before Mick found out that his wife was having an affair with his bandmate. Mick laid low for a while, not making any decisions, until he finally had enough. Bob was let go although it’s not clear which bandmember actually told him that he was out of the band. Bob Welch then called their manager, Clifford Davis, and told him that the rest of the tour would have to be cancelled. That would explain why Weston lasted less than a year! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/219 "2004-08-21T02:17:04Z")
> [@sulamith](#): > > Oh, and it couldn’t have been Jeremy Spencer, either anyway, because he ran off with the Hari Christnas or something like that, didn’t he? Close enough: > [@](#): > > In 1971, Fleetwood Mac was touring the U.S. with its new lineup, when suddenly Jeremy Spencer left his LA hotel room and never returned. After two days of searching. they ended up finding Jeremy at the Children of God ‘headquarters’ with his hair shaved off. Although it was initially unclear as to why Jeremy had run off and done this, Fleetwood Mac’s manager Clifford Davis did eventually get to speak to Jeremy and ask him why he had joined this ‘cult’. He discovered that he was indeed with them because he wanted to be. ---
**Author:** ![sulamith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@sulamith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sulamith)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2004, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250/220 "2004-08-21T02:51:22Z")
I knew I remembered that from somewhere. Ha! Now you see why I am a fan of this band. They are crazy as hell, and this doesn’t even begin to get into the whole Stevie and Lindsey on-and-off thing for years that involved episodes like them fighting and smacking each other around, (Lindsey kicked Stevie on stage in New Zealand on the Tusk Tour) then snatching each others clothes off and having sex on top of amplifiers barely out of sight of roadies. Whew! And the music is pretty good, too. 😉 The only band with a better story than FM is Skynyrd, IMHO. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-but-useless-music-trivia/260250.md?page=12)