Famous Samples trivia
Famous Samples Mini Quiz
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
Which instrument did Jim Gordon play on the Incredible Bongo Band's "Apache"?
Former Derek and the Dominos drummer Jim Gordon played the drums, while King Errisson added bongos and other percussion.
Which group used James Brown's "Funky Drummer" break in "Fight the Power"?
The 1989 protest anthem paired Brown's break with hip-hop's confrontational message and other sampled sounds.
Who wrote and produced Lyn Collins's "Think (About It)"?
James Brown wrote and produced the song for his People Records label, while Lyn Collins supplied the lead vocal.
The Think Break comes from which Lyn Collins song?
Lyn Collins released the funk track in 1972, and its drum and vocal passages later became famous samples.
Which Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock hit prominently used the Think Break?
The 1988 track loops the drum break and also uses vocal fragments from Lyn Collins's recording.
Which musician played the drums on the Amen Break?
Gregory Coleman played the brief solo while the rest of The Winstons dropped out, creating a clean loop for samplers.
Which British group first made "Apache" a major hit before the bongo-band cover?
The Shadows' 1960 version reached No. 1 in the U.K., years before the Incredible Bongo Band's 1973 recording.
In sampling, what is the Amen Break?
The other musicians stop during the passage, leaving drummer Gregory Coleman's isolated rhythm easy for samplers to loop and manipulate.
Which musician played the famous drum break on James Brown's "Funky Drummer"?
The break's syncopated groove became one of recorded music's most sampled drum passages.
What made the break from "Funky Drummer" useful for hip-hop sampling?
Its compact, syncopated groove could repeat under new vocals and rhythms without the full song.