Answer Songs

An answer song, response song, or answer record, is a song made in answer of a previous song, normally by another artist. The concept became widespread in the blues and R&B in the 1930s to the 1950s.
The Midnighters' (1954) R&B hit "Work With Me Annie", and its sequel song "Annie Had a Baby" (1954). Answer songs include "Annie's Answer" (1954One of the longest answer record cycles was started by Hank Ballard and the Midnight) by the El-Dorados, "Annie Pulled a Humbug" (1954) by the Midnights, "Wallflower (Roll With Me Henry)" (1955) by Etta James, and "I'm the Father of Annie's Baby" (1955), by Danny Taylor. The Midnighters also recorded an "answer to the answer": "Henry's Got Flat Feet (Can't Dance No More)" (1955).

Click on songs to see video.

1951 Sixty Minute Man (The Dominoes) / "Can't Do Sixty No More" ( The Dominoes) 1955

1954 "Work With Me, Annie" (The Midnighters / "Annie's Answer"   (El Dorados)

1954 "Work With Me, Annie" (The Midnighters) / Annie Pulled A Hum Bug / (Midnights)

1954 "Work With Me, Annie" (The Midnighters) /" The Wallflower (Roll With Me Henry}" (Etta James)

1954 "Work With Me, Annie" (The Midnighters) "I'm the Father of Annie's Baby" (Danny Taylor) - 1955

1954 "Work With Me, Annie" (The Midnighters) / "Henry's Got Flat Feet (Can't Dance No More)" (Hank Ballard and the Midnighters) - 1955

1955 "Mannish Boy" (Muddy Waters) / "I'm a Man" (Bo Diddley) which also happened to be a response to "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man", an earlier song by
          Muddy Waters in 1954.

1957 "Get A Job" (The Silhouettes) / "I Got a Job" (Miracles)

!957 'Get A Job" (The Silhouettes) / "I Found a Job" ( Heartbeats) - 1958

1957: 'Get A Job' (The Silhouettes) / "I Got A Job" (The Tempos)

1957 "Get A Job" (The Silhouettes) / "I Got Fired" (The Mistakes)

1958 Chantilly Lace (The Big Bopper) / "That Makes It" Jayne Mansfield's response to The Big Bopper's "Chantilly Lace" (1958), suggesting what the girl may have been saying at
         the other end of the line.

1958 Mr. Lee ( The Bobbettes) / "I Shot Mr. Lee"  (Bobbettes)

1958: "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" (Johnny Cash) / "Return of the Teenage Queen" (Tommy Tucker)

1958: "The All American Boy" (Bill Parsons) / "Bandstand Baby" (Jan & Jerry)

1958 "Oh Carol" (Neil Sedaka) / "Oh Neil" (Carole King)

1959: "Tall Paul" (Annette) / "Short Mort" (Carole King)

1959:  "All American Boy" (Bill Parsons) / "The Return Of The All American Boy" (Billy Adams)

1960: "Tell Laura I Love Her" (Recorded by both Ray Peterson and Ricky Valence) / "Tell Tommy I Miss Him" (Marilyn Michaels). Versions of this answer song  were also released
           by Skeeter Davis and Laura Lee.

1960: "Save the Last Dance for Me" (The Drifters) / "I'll Save the Last Dance for You" (Damita Jo)

1960: "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (Elvis Presley) / "Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight" (Dodie Stevens)

!960  Are You Lonesome Tonight (Elvis Presley) - Yes I'm Lonesome Tonight (Thelma Carpenter)

1960: "Chain Gang" (Sam Cooke) / "The Sound of My Man (On the Chain Gang)" (Theola Kilgore)

1960: "There's Something on Your Mind" (Bobby Marchan) / "There's Nothing on My Mind" (The Teen Queens)

1960: "Shop Around" (The Miracles) / "Don't Let Him Shop Around" (Debbie Dean)

1960: "Alley-Oop" (Hollywood Argyles) / "Alley Oop Was a Two-Dab Man" (Gary Paxton/Hollywood Argyles)

1961 "Little Sister" (Elvis Presley) / "Hey Memphis" (LaVern Baker).

1961: "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (The Shirelles) / "Yes I Will Love You Tomorrow" (Jon E. Holiday)

1961: "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (The Shirelles) / "Not Just Tomorrow, But Always" (Bertell Dache)

1961: "Daddy's Home" (Shep and the Limelites) / "Sorry, Daddy" (The Sweethearts)

1961: "Mother-In-Law" (Ernie K. Doe) / "Son-in-Law" (The Blossoms)

1961: "Tower of Strength" (Gene McDaniels) / "You Don't Have to Be a Tower of Strength" (Gloria Lynne)

1961: "Wooden Heart" (Joe Dowell) / "(I Know That) Your Heart's Not Made of Wood" (Terri Dean)

1961 Wooden Heart (Joe Dowell) / "(I Know That) Your Heart's Not Made Of Wood" (Marie Ann)

1961: "Take Good Care of My Baby" (Bobby Vee) / "He Takes Good Care of Your Baby" (Carole King)

1961: "Take Good Care of My Baby" (Bobby Vee) / "You Should Know I'm Still Your Baby" (Sammi Lynn)

1961: "Take Good Care of My Baby" (Bobby Vee) / "I'll Take Good Care of Your Baby" (Ralph Emery)

1961: "Hit the Road Jack" (Ray Charles) / "Well, I Told You" (The Chantels)

1961 "Hit the Road Jack" (Ray Charles) / "Come Back, Jack" (Nina Simone)

1961: "Fool #1" (Brenda Lee) / "No, You're Not the Fool" (Marc Stewart)

1961: "Runaround Sue" (Dion) / "I'm No Run Around" (Ginger Davis and the Snaps)

1961: "Runaround Sue" (Dion) / "Stay-at-Home Sue" (Linda Laurie)

1961: "Runaround Sue" (Dion) / "Runaround Sue's Getting Married" (Danny Jordan)

1961: "Stand By Me" (Ben E. King) / "I'll Be There" (Damita Jo)

1961: "I Like It Like That" (Chris Kenner) / "I Don't Like It Like That" (The Bobbettes)

1961: "Jimmy's Girl" (Johnny Tillotson) / "I'm No Longer Jimmy's Girl" (Betty Jayne and the Teenettes)

1961: "Tossin' and Turnin'" (Bobby Lewis) / "Walkin' and Talkin'" (Venus)

1961: "Big Bad John" (Jimmy Dean) / "Small Sad Sam" (Phil McLean)

1961 'Big Bad John' (Jimmy Dean) / "My Big John" (Dottie West).

1962 "Ballad of a Teenage Queen' (Johnny Cash) / " Return of the Teenage Queen" (Tommy Tucker)

1961: "Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)' (Barry Mann) / "I Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)" (Frankie Lymon)

1961 "Shop Around (Miracles) / "Don'cha Shop Around" ( Laurie Davis) Separate response

!961 "Shop Around (Miracles) / Don't Let Him Shop Around' ( Debbie Dean) Separate response

1962: "Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello" (Elvis Presley) / "Just Tell Him Jane Said Hello" (Gerri Granger)

1962: "Roses Are Red (My Love)" (Bobby Vinton) / "Long as the Rose Is Red" (Florraine Darlin)

1962: "Bring It on Home to Me" (Sam Cooke) / "I'll Bring It on Home To You" (Carla Thomas)

1962: "Sherry" (The 4 Seasons) / "Jerry (I'm Your Sherry)" (Tracey Dey)

1962: "Duke of Earl" (Gene Chandler) / "Duchess of Earl" (The Pearlettes)

1962: "You Beat Me to the Punch" (Mary Wells) / "You Threw a Lucky Punch" (Gene Chandler)

1962: "Good Luck Charm" (Elvis Presley) / "Don't Wanna Be Another Good Luck Charm" (Jo - of Judy & Jo)

1962: "Please Don't Ask About Barbara" (Bobby Vee) / "Is It True What They Say About Barbara?" (Mike Regal)

1962 'Wolverton Mountain" (Claude King) / "(I'm the Girl from) Wolverton Mountain" ( Jo Ann Campbell)

1963: "Easier Said Than Done" (The Essex) / "I'll Believe It When I See It" (The Sierras)

1963: "Sugar Shack" (Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs) / "Sugar Shack Queen" (Georgia Lynn)

1963: "500 Miles Away From Home" (Bobby Bare) / "He's Comin' Home" (Mary Taylor With Tommy Allsup Group)

1963 'It's My Party (Leslie Gore) / "Judy's Turn to Cry" (Lesley Gore).

1963 "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" (Neil Sedaka) / "It Hurts to Be Sixteen" (Andrea Carrol)

1964: "Mr. Lonely" (Bobby Vinton) / "Little Miss Lonely" (Mikie Harris)

1964  'Be My Baby' (Ronettes) / "Don't Worry Baby" (Beach Boys)

1964 'The Boy From New York City (Ad Libs) / "The Girl From New York New York City" (Beach Boys)