Yet another attempt at internet-proof trivia/puzzle (category: music)

[QuikSand]

It would appear that I don't learn my lesson...

Anwyay, back in the day I used to enjoy thinking of nuggets that could be twisted into a trivia question or a puzzle, and sharing them here. I'll try to rekindle the spirit a bit... and I will take great pains to be as clear as I possibly can. This is *not* a true trivia question due to its obvious subjectivity, but I'm hopeful that at least for some thread-watchers, it might turn out to be an interesting fox hunt.

- - - -

The setup:

Mrs Q and I recently engaged in a brief round of "Mount Rushmore" (same setup as here) trying to think the four most deserving (by the traditional rules of the Mount Rushmore game, criteria are left to the participant) songs by a certain musical act (here I will awkwardly use the term "act" rather than anything clearly singular or plural). The act in question is one that has a wide enough body of work for this to be a substantive question, as should become clear later.

As is our custom, with a good Mount Rushmore game between us, we agreed to think of our own lists first, and then to share. So, we did, and after sharing our thoughts we found that we were pretty much in synch on three songs, and only ended up quibbling a bit about how to finish the mountainside with a fourth.

Okay, nothing provocative yet, all that happens all the time. (Yes, marry me and you get to play these stupid mind/puzzle games during pretty much every road trip, late night, wait in line, and so forth... poor thing)

So, a couple of days ago, we had occasion to think of this act again.

And since I had a wireless device in hand as we did so, I fired up Wikipedia to quickly research the act. And found that the act had posted a sizable number of #1 songs (US charts). Sizable is in the eye of the beholder, but I wouldn't be using that term if it were only two or three.

Still, nothing surprising yet...

Okay - the weird twist is this: When Mrs Q. and I agreed on the "three sure things" that we wanted on the Mount Rushmore of songs by this act, we agreed on three songs that were missing from the act's sizable #1 hits list. I found that noteworthy and strange, and felt that it was curious enough to try to morph into a puzzle here.

So... the puzzle is to guess the act, of course. I don't claim that my answer is the only answer that might fit the general fact pattern above, and the subjectivity involved makes that sort of pointless. But I think from the above, and your own sleuthing/thinking, (and perhaps one tiny hidden hint in the setup above) someone can probably summon up the specific act that we were discussing, and probably then the three songs that we agreed were mountain-worthy despite never getting to #1.

So, there's a "right" answer in that weird sense, but maybe there's an interesting embedded discussion of other acts that might fit the bill -- reaching substantial commercial success of the sort that a #1 song suggests, but arguably best known/remembered/loved for other material that didn't reach that apex. Or something like that.

And there's a bonus prize (yes, an extra helping of "respect and admiration of your peers") if you can find the deliberately hidden hint and the theory behind how that could have helped to solve the puzzle.



I hope this works, and that you/we can get some enjoyment from the puzzle...

[Toddzilla]

Billy Joel


/obligatory

[Grover]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

Billy Joel


/obligatory

I laughed.

[QuikSand]

I cried.

[cartman]

Lemme see if maybe I am on the right track:

The act is the Beatles.
The deliberately hidden hint is "three sure things", which could map to John, Paul and George as artists that could stand alone on their own, unlike poor Ringo.

[Subby]

The Beatles

Getting better...all the time

[Grover]

The Beatles was the first act that popped into my head as well.

What I'm trying to discern in my head is if the songs in question were released as singles or should have been. The line "Never reached #1" leads me to believe that they were singles.

My second thought, that I quickly dismissed was Led Zeppelin because they released very few singles and the hidden hint being "three sure things" for Page, Jones and Plant, because of Bonham's death. Like I said, I quickly discounted the Led Zeppelin theory.

[QuikSand]

Perfectly fine guesswork, but I don't see how I'd start off my list of 4 Beatles songs and not stumble across one of their #1 hits. Not the target.

[QuikSand]

All singles, no tricky language there.

[CrimsonFox]

Quik, I really don't understand this. DO you not know the answer? It's not sounding like you do. Are you looking for help? Or quizzing us.

I don't even know where the question is in all that.

[Grover]

He's quizzing us.

What is the band, what are the four songs, three of which did not reach #1 as singles.

[CrimsonFox]

So this act has a ton of singles and their "four best" feature 3 that are NOT number ones?

[CrimsonFox]

Is the 4th a number one?

[cartman]

My next guess would be The Who. But, amazingly, they didn't have any #1 songs in the US.

[Grover]

Originally Posted by cartman

My next guess would be The Who. But, amazingly, they didn't have any #1 songs in the US.

Wow, that is amazing.

[CrimsonFox]

How about Eagles?

Non-Number-Ones:
"Witchy Woman"
"Already Gone"
"I Can't Tell You Why"

with #1:
"Hotel California"

[CrimsonFox]

Although "Life in the Fast Lane", "Take It Easy", or "Take It To The Limit" might be in there too. Surprisingly "Desperado" was never released as a single.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

So this act has a ton of singles and their "four best" feature 3 that are NOT number ones?

Good nutshell, with the caveat that the "three best" were according to two specific, though reasonable, people. That and the fact that there are more than a trivial number or #1 songs that we didn't place into that tier seems like the hook to me.

[Grover]

The Rolling Stones?

Sympathy For the Devil
Street Fighting Man
You Can't Always Get What You want
Satisfaction

[cartman]

Hmmm... possibly the Beach Boys? They had a bunch of #1s, but 'Calfornia Girls', 'Wouldn't It Be Nice', and 'God Only Knows' didn't reach the top spot.

[CrimsonFox]

I thought of Stones for sure but haven't gotten there yet.

[Grover]

Amazingly, Gimme Shelter was never released as a single, and that is by far my favorite Stones song.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

How about Eagles?

Non-Number-Ones:
"Witchy Woman"
"Already Gone"
"I Can't Tell You Why"

with #1:
"Hotel California"

Defensible guess... but let me be clear. Mrs Q came up with her 4, and I did with mine. We agreed on 3 songs, and then bickered over the 4th.

I don't see any way two reasonable people could debate The Eagles without putting Hotel California onto the list of sure things. In our case, I'd assert that the three songs we picked for our act were at least strong picks, and not subject to any similar attack for having omitted something obvious.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Grover

The Rolling Stones?

Sympathy For the Devil
Street Fighting Man
You Can't Always Get What You want
Satisfaction

That's not a bad list, to be honest. Might be at least as good a fit as the act we were discussing.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by cartman

Hmmm... possibly the Beach Boys? They had a bunch of #1s, but 'Calfornia Girls', 'Wouldn't It Be Nice', and 'God Only Knows' didn't reach the top spot.

Hmm, another good entry. Might be that the quirkiness of getting to #1 makes this a bit more wide open than I had expected.

[QuikSand]

(leaving for a while, please don't interpret silence as lack of caring, just have family duties)

[CrimsonFox]

Gee grover you've picked some of my favorites there. We should definitely hang out.

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Defensible guess... but let me be clear. Mrs Q came up with her 4, and I did with mine. We agreed on 3 songs, and then bickered over the 4th.

I don't see any way two reasonable people could debate The Eagles without putting Hotel California onto the list of sure things. In our case, I'd assert that the three songs we picked for our act were at least strong picks, and not subject to any similar attack for having omitted something obvious.

Wait so the NON-#1's were the three songs you totally agreed on to begin with and you bickered about the #1?

I would say that HOtel would be the obvious one you agreed upon and then picked three others from the other six, 2 of which you agreed and the other you bickered about.

[rjolley]

How about Prince?

Purple Rain, Sign o' the Times, U Got the Look, and a few others could be among his best songs that never hit #1.

[CrimsonFox]

Not Hall and Oates. Everything that was good made it to #1.

[Grover]

My question is... are we talking US charting singles or US/UK, etc?

[CrimsonFox]

How about Elton John:
The 3 Non #1's:
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Rocket Man
Your Song
The Number 1:
Bennie and the Jets OR Crocodile Rock (The bicker choice)

[Grover]

Van Halen?

Non-#1s...
Mean Street
Hot For Teacher
Running With the Devil

#1
Jump

[digamma]

I am not musically inclined, so I am looking for the hint...wondering if it might be in this sentence:

Yes, marry me and you get to play these stupid mind/puzzle games during pretty much every road trip, late night, wait in line, and so forth... poor thing.

Reason being, I'm thinking the "road trip," "late night," "wait in line," "and so forth" and "poor thing" might refer to five different songs. The three agreed upon and the two differences.

[Pyser]

I'm gonna guess Chicago

25 or 6 to 4
Feeling Stronger Every Day
Saturday in the Park
Just you N Me

hell, most of their songs didn't hit #1, but 3 did, and if you count the AC chart (Does that count?) they have like 8 more, and only You're the Inspiration would be one you'd expect.

edit: as to how it ties in, i chose the "couple days ago we ago we had occasion to think of this act again", for saturday in the park - think it was the 4th of july.

[Grover]

Next thought:

Johnny Cash

Non-#1s
Man In Black
Hurt
Big River

#1
I Walk The Line or Ring of Fire

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by Pyser

I'm gonna guess Chicago

25 or 6 to 4
Feeling Stronger Every Day
Saturday in the Park
Just you N Me

hell, most of their songs didn't hit #1, but 3 did, and if you count the AC chart (Does that count?) they have like 8 more, and only You're the Inspiration would be one you'd expect.

I don't think a reasonable person would like "You're the Inspiration"
And I would think Beginnings and Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is? would be in there.
"Hard for me to Say I'm Sorry" would have a chance too. Not sure the numbers of those tho.

[dzilla77]

I'm gonna guess Tom Petty:
Refugee
Here Comes my Girl
Breakdown

and The Waiting was number 1

[Pyser]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

I don't think a reasonable person would like "You're the Inspiration"
And I would think Beginnings and Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is? would be in there.
"Hard for me to Say I'm Sorry" would have a chance too. Not sure the numbers of those tho.

beginnings hit #1 on the AC chart. doesn't anybody really know what time it is peaked at 5.

[JediKooter]

The Beach Boys were my guess.

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

the bee gees? 3 gibb bros hence the 3 sure things. i'll have to look at the singles...

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

How about Elton John:
The 3 Non #1's:
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Rocket Man
Your Song
The Number 1:
Bennie and the Jets OR Crocodile Rock (The bicker choice)

I was thinking Elton John as well, with the three non #1s being "Rocket Man", "Candle In The Wind" and "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues".

[Shkspr]

Going off US charts, possibly Queen?

(non #1s)
We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions
Bohemian Rhapsody
Radio Gaga

And then argue over whether

(US #1 hits)
Another One Bites the Dust
or
Crazy Little Thing Called Love

is the fourth.

[sabotai]

I think people may be focusing on the "three sure things" too much as the hint. I don't think QS would purposely quote and bold the part that's supposed to be a tiny, hidden clue.........unless he was counting on us thinking that......

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by NorvTurnerOverdrive

the bee gees? 3 gibb bros hence the 3 sure things. i'll have to look at the singles...

I thought of them too, but, they didn't have that many number ones and it seems from reading the OP, that this group/band/person had a lot ("the act's sizable #1 hits list") of number ones.

[dzilla77]

Actually I think digamma got the hint - that sentence which is what led me to choose the four songs I chose.

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

I thought of them too, but, they didn't have that many number ones and it seems from reading the OP, that this group/band/person had a lot ("the act's sizable #1 hits list") of number ones.

they had 9. idk. i look at their singles list and my eyes glaze over. i'm sure they nailed stayin alive. everything else, shurg. nights on broadway maybe.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Grover

Van Halen?

Non-#1s...
Mean Street
Hot For Teacher
Running With the Devil

#1
Jump

don't think it can be this, b/c surely Jump would be in both lists?

I thought Cartman's Beach Boys guess was perfect. Interesting.

[Grover]

Originally Posted by Radii

don't think it can be this, b/c surely Jump would be in both lists?

I thought Cartman's Beach Boys guess was perfect. Interesting.

You're probably right. I took another look at their #1s and nothing really jumps out.

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by sabotai

I was thinking Elton John as well, with the three non #1s being "Rocket Man", "Candle In The Wind" and "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues".

Yeah I'm pretty positive it is Elton.