FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 5, 2019

DEAR JERRY: I have always loved answer songs. A good one is "I Put the Bomp in the Bomp” (Frankie Lymon) as an answer to Barry Mann’s "Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp). I would love to have a list of answer songs and figured you’d be the best one to answer that question.
—David Libert, Maitland Fla.

DEAR DAVID: A true answer song needs to respond directly to the matters set forth in the tuneful object of its inspiration. Usually, but not always, they are by a singer of the opposite gender. They should also be released as soon as possible after the song they are answering. Finally, parodies are not the same as answer songs.

Just for the period from 1959 to 1969, I came up with over 75 answer songs. We'll add more as we come across them:

1959: "Oh! Carol" (Neil Sedaka) / "Oh, Neil" (Carole King)
1959: "Long Black Veil" (Lefty Frizzell) / "My Long Black Veil" (Marijohn Wilkin)
1959: "The Battle of New Orleans" (Johnny Horton) / "The Answer to the Battle Of New Orleans (The Road To Chalamette)" (Jimmie Driftwood)
1959: "The Battle of New Orleans" (Johnny Horton) / "The Battle of New Orleans (Special Version)" [British answer] (Johnny Horton)
1960: "Tell Laura I Love Her" (Ray Peterson) / "Tell Tommy I Miss Him" (Marilyn Michaels)
1960: "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" (Hank Locklin) / "(I Can't Help You) I'm Falling, Too" (Skeeter Davis)
1960: "Save the Last Dance for Me" (Drifters) / "I'll Save the Last Dance for You" (Damita Jo)
1960: "Are You Lonesome To-night?" (Elvis Presley) / "Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight" (Dodie Stevens)
1960: "Chain Gang" (Sam Cooke) / "The Sound of My Man (On the Chain Gang)" (Theola Kilgore)
1960: "He'll Have to Go" (Jim Reeves) / "He'll Have to Stay" (Jeanne Black)
1960: "There's Something on Your Mind" (Bobby Marchan) / "There's Nothing on My Mind" (Teen Queens)
1960: "Shop Around" (Miracles) / "Don't Let Him Shop Around" (Debbie Dean)
1960: "Burning Bridges" (Jack Scott) / "You Burned the Bridges" (Bobbie Jean)
1961: "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (Shirelles) / "Yes I Will Love You Tomorrow" (Jon E. Holiday)
1961: "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (Shirelles) / "Not Just Tomorrow, But Always" (Bertell Dache)
1961: "Ebony Eyes" (Everly Brothers) / "Flight 1203" (Beverly Sisters)
1961: "Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp) (Barry Mann) / "I Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)" (Frankie Lymon)
1961: "Little Sister" (Elvis Presley) / "Hey Memphis" (Lavern Baker)
1961: "Daddy's Home" (Shep and the Limelites) / "Sorry, Daddy" (Sweethearts)
1961: "Mother-in-Law" (Ernie K. Doe) / "Son-in-Law" (Blossoms)
1961: "Tower of Strength" (Gene McDaniels) / "You Don't Have to Be a Tower of Strength" (Gloria Lynne)
1961: "Wooden Heart" (Elvis Presley) (Joe Dowell) / "(I Know That) Your Heart's Not Made of Wood" (Joyce Heath
1961: "Wooden Heart" (Elvis Presley) (Joe Dowell) / "(I Know That) Your Heart's Not Made of Wood" (Terri Dean)
1961: "Wooden Heart" (Elvis Presley) (Joe Dowell) / "(I Know That) Your Heart's Not Made of Wood" (Marie Ann)
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) / "He Takes Good Care of Your Baby" (Carole King)
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" [to hit the road Jack] (Chantels)
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: "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" (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: "Walk on By" (Leroy Van Dyke) / "I'll Just Walk on By" (Margie Singleton)
1961: "Hello Walls" (Faron Young) / "Hello Fool" (Ralph Emery)
1961: "Big Bad John" (Jimmy Dean) / "Small Sad Sam" (Phil McLean)
1961: "Fool #1" (Brenda Lee) / "No, You're Not the Fool" (Marc Stewart)
1961: 'Calendar Girl" (Neil Sedaka) / Calendar Boy (Stacy Ames)
1961: "I'm a Little Mixed Up" (Betty James) / "I'm Not Mixed Up Anymore" (Betty James)
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" (4 Seasons) / "Jerry (I'm Your Sherry)" (Tracey Dey)
1962 "500 Miles" (Peter, Paul & Mary) / "He's Comin' Home" (Mary Taylor)
1962: "Duke of Earl" (Gene Chandler) / "Duchess of Earl" (Pearlettes)
1962: "Wolverton Mountain" (Claude King) / "I'm the Girl from Wolverton Mountain" (Jo Ann Campbell)
1962: "My Wife Can't Cook" (Lonnie Russ) / "So What if I Can't Cook" (Little Alice)
1962: "You Beat Me to the Punch" (Mary Wells) / "You Threw a Lucky Punch" (Gene Chandler)
1962: "Come Back Silly Girl" (Lettermen) / "I'll Never Come Back (Silly Boy)" (4 Cal-Quettes)
1962: "Bobby's Girl" (Marcie Blane) / "Stay Away From Bobby" (Sherry Sisters)
1962: "Charlie's Shoes" (Billy Walker) / "The Answer to Charlie's Shoes" (Jonie Mosby)
1962: "Good Luck Charm" (Elvis Presley) / "Don't Wanna Be Another Good Luck Charm" (Jo of Judy & Jo)
1962: "She's Got You" (Patsy Cline) / "She Can Have You" (Judy of Judy & Jo)
1962: "Please Don't Ask About Barbara" (Bobby Vee) / "Is It True What They Say About Barbara?" (Mike Regal)
1963: "Easier Said Than Done" (Essex) / "I'll Believe It When I See It" (Sierras)
1963: "Sugar Shack" (Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs) / "Sugar Shack Queen" (Georgia Lynn)
1963: "Detroit City" (Bobby Bare) / "Why Don'tcha Come Home" (Shirley Ray)
1963: "500 Miles Away From Home" (Bobby Bare) / "He's Comin' Home" (Mary Taylor)
1963: "It's My Party" (Lesley Gore) / "Judy's Turn to Cry" (Lesley Gore)
1963: "My Boyfriend's Back" (Angels) / "Your Boyfriend's Back" (Bobby Comstock & the Counts)
1964: "Mr. Lonely" (Bobby Vinton) / "Little Miss Lonely" (Mikie Harris)
1964: "Dang Me" (Roger Miller) / "Dern Ya" (Ruby Wright)
1965: "King of the Road" (Roger Miller) / "Queen of the House" (Jody Miller)
1965: "This Diamond Ring" (Gary Lewis and the Playboys) / "Gary, Please Don't Sell My Diamond Ring" (Wendy Hill)
1965: "Eve of Destruction" (Barry McGuire) / "Dawn of Correction" (Spokesmen)
1965: "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" (James Brown) / "Mama's Got a Bag of Her Own" (Anna King)
1965: "Count Me In" (Gary Lewis and the Playboys) / "I'll Count You In" (Little Jonna Jaye)
1965: "This Diamond Ring" (Gary Lewis and the Playboys) / "(Gary, Please Don't Sell) My Diamond Ring" (Wendy Hill)
1966: "Almost Persuaded" (David Houston) / "He Was Almost Persuaded" (Donna Harris)
1966: "Evil on Your Mind" (Jan Howard) / "Evil Off My Mind" (Burl Ives)
1966: "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" (Napoleon XIV) / "They Took You Away - I'm Glad, I'm Glad" (Josephine) "Down on the Funny Farm" (Josephine XIII)
1966: "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" (Napoleon XIV) / "Down on the Funny Farm" (Josephine XIII)
1966: "When a Man Loves a Woman" (Percy Sledge) / "When a Woman Loves a Man" (Esther Phillips)
1967: "Don't Come Home A'Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)" (Loretta Lynn) / "I Come Home A'Drinkin' (To a Worn-Out Wife Like You" (Jay Lee Webb)
1968: "Honey" (Bobby Goldsboro) / "Honey (I Miss You Too)" (Margaret Lewis)
1969: "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" (Kenny Rogers) / "Billy, I've Got to Go to Town" (Geraldine Stevens)

The highest ranking answer song is "He'll Have to Stay," by Jeanne Black, which peaked at No. 4 nationally. "He'll Have to Go" did slightly better, reaching No. 2.

Five others did make the Top 40: Jody Miller's "Queen of the House"; "I'll Be There" and "I'll Save the Last Dance for You," both by Damita Jo; "Dawn of Correction," by the Spokesmen; and Jo Ann Campbell's "I'm the Girl from Wolverton Mountain."