Music Quiz Questions
Check the box for all answers or click on each question for its answer. New! is an addition in the last month.
157. Though denied by its author as the source of his inspiration, what musical work has strong resemblance to the story of a mythical village called Germelshausen that fell under a curse
and appears for only one day every century?
Brigadoon by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe
The story involves two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every hundred years. Tommy, one of the tourists, falls in love with Fiona, a young woman from Brigadoon. Lerner, however, denied that he had based the book on an older story and stated that he didn't learn of the existence of the Germelshausen story until after he had completed the first draft of Brigadoon.
156. In December 1971, Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention were playing in a concert when the casino venue they were in caught fire due to an over-zealous member of the audience firing a a flare gun into the rattan covered ceiling.
This is the true origin story of what rock classic?
"Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple
The resulting fire destroyed the entire casino complex, along with all the Mothers' equipment. The "smoke on the water" that became the title of the song (credited to bass guitarist Roger Glover, who related how the title occurred to him when he suddenly woke from a dream a few days later) referred to the smoke from the fire spreading over Lake Geneva from the burning casino as the members of Deep Purple watched the fire from their hotel. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_on_the_Water)
155. In 2013 to encourage the use of zebra crossings, Kolkata's police employed what image
from the world of music with the caption "If they can, why can't you?"?
that of The Beatles crossing Abbey Road
Hoardings across the city were put up with the album cover. (http://www.mid-day.com/news/2013/feb/190213-kolkata-police-using-beatles-abbey- road-cover-to-educate-jaywalkers.htm)
154. In December 1989, along with “I Fought The Law” by The Clash, what hard rock song was famously used by the US Military to ferret out a hiding Noriega from the Vatican
Embassy? Van Halen's "Panama"
The Howard Stern Show was also played. (http://ivarfjeld.com/2010/04/30/when-heavy-rock-was-used-to-get-general-noriega-out- of-vatican-protection/)
153. An aversion therapy called the 'Ludovico technique' from the 1971 classic A Clockwork
Orange features which composer's music? Kudos if you can name the piece too.
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
It involved forcing a patient to watch violent images for long periods of time, while under the effect of a nausea-inducing drug. The aim of the therapy is to make the patient experience severe nausea when experiencing or even thinking about violence, thus attempting to solve societal crime. In the movie, the subject develops a severe aversion to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, one of his favorite pieces of classical music, due to its use as a background score for the films during his treatment.
152. Composer Philip Glass's 'Portrait Trilogy' of operas consists of Einstein on the
Beach, Akhnaten andSatyagraha with the last one focusing on whom?
Mahatma Gandhi
The title refers to Gandhi's concept of non-violent resistance to injustice. The text of the opera is from theBhagavad Gita which is sung in the original Sanskrit.
151. In 2010 Sony signed a $250 million deal to retain distribution rights to whose works, a
fall-out from a 2009 incident?
Michael Jackson's (1958-2009)
It was the largest music contract ever.
150. Talking about which of his hits did Eric Clapton say:
"...It's no good to write a deliberate anti-X song and hope that it will catch. Because the general thing is that people will be upset by that. It would disturb them to have someone else shoving something down their throat. So the best thing to do is offer something that seems ambiguous..."
"Cocaine" (x-drug)
149. A West End theatre that opened in 1881 to perform the comic operas of Gilbert and
Sullivan was built on the site of a palace that was called as what?
Savoy Palace
The duos work became known as the Savoy Operas as a result.
148. Talking about what 1977 rock classic did a band member say that his physics training helped him in designing the "stomp, stomp, clap" section of the song? Get this right or
you'd have mud on your face!
Queen's "We Will Rock You"
It was written by Brian May and he wanted to create the sound of thousands of people stomping and clapping without any echo. May holds a doctorate in astrophysics.
147. After a premiere in 1952, the creator of a certain work said the following words. Name him.
They missed the point. There’s no such thing as ... What they thought was ..., because they didn’t know how to listen, was full of accidental ... You could hear the wind stirring outside during the first ... During the second, raindrops began pattering the roof, and during the third the people themselves made all kinds of interesting ... as they talked or walked out.
John Cage after the premiere of 4'33"
It was composed in 1952 for any instrument (or combination of instruments), and the score instructs the performer not to play the instrument during the entire duration of the piece throughout the three movements (which, for the first performance, were divided into thirty seconds for the first, two minutes and twenty-three seconds for the second, and one minute and forty seconds for the third).
146. When this classical music suite was written in the period of 1914-16, it consisted of seven parts, and not eight, for astrological reasons. When a discovery was made in 1930, the composer was urged to add an eight part but refused. In 2006 the work was said to have became complete again.
What are we talking about?
Planets by Gustav Holst
The concept of the work is astrological rather than astronomical and hence Earth is not included. Each movement is intended to convey ideas and emotions associated with the influence of the planets on the psyche, not the Roman deities. The 1930 discovery/2006 change talks about Pluto.
145. What is the better known name of Violin Sonata in G minor by Giuseppe Tartini that the
composer said was played to him in a dream by Satan himself?
the Devil's Trill sonata
It is famous for being extremely technically demanding.
144. In which country did the dictator Rafael Trujillo promote the merengue style of
music/dance into the country's national music?
Dominican Republic
Trujillo was the dictator of the country from the 1930 to 1961. Merengue is a type of music and dance that originated in Dominican Republic.
143. "March of the Volunteers" was the second most played tune at the award ceremonies of
what 2012 event?
the London Olympics
It is the national anthem of China.
142. The titular object fashioned by dwarf Alberich is the focus of what monumental work of
music?
the Ring Cycle by Wagner
It follows the struggles of gods, heroes, and several mythical creatures over the eponymous magic ring that grants domination over the entire world. Wagner wrote them over the course of about twenty-six years, from 1848 to 1874. The four operas that constitute the Ring cycle are, in sequence: Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold), Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), Siegfried and Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods). A full performance of the cycle takes place over four nights at the opera, with a total playing time of about 15 hours, depending on the conductor's pacing.
141. The cold infection of which superstar of music was the subject of Gay Talese's 1966
article for Esquire, a piece now considered a landmark in journalism?
Frank Sinatra (Frank Sinatra Has a Cold)
It was called by Vanity Fair as "the greatest literary-nonfiction story of the 20th century".
140. As its lyrics attest, what 1974 rock classic that celebrates a place was written in response
to two songs of Neil Young that were derogatory of the American South?
"Sweet Home Alabama"
The lyrics of the song have the words "Well I heard mister Young sing about her; Well, I heard ole Neil put her down; Well, I hope Neil Young will remember; A Southern man don't need him around anyhow." Neil Young's songs are "Southern Man" and "Alabama".
139. In what 1843 opera does Senta throws herself into the ocean to break the curse of a
legendary ship?
The Flying Dutchman by Wagner In folklore, it is a ship that can never make port, doomed to sail the oceans forever and the sight of it is a portent of doom.
138. What custom in the world of classical music originates from the belief that at the premiere
of a Handel's musical event, King George II did so and the crowd followed suit?
standing during the Hallelujah Chorus of Messiah
There is no convincing evidence that the king was present; the first reference to the practice of standing appears in a letter dated 1756.
137. According to the lyrics of a 1931 song by Noël Coward, what is it that the Japanese don't care to do, the Chinese wouldn't dare to do and the Hindus and Argentines avoid it as they
sleep firmly from twelve to one?
"go out in the midday sun" ("Mad Dogs and Englishmen")
136. What song by The Doors that has a strong reference to the Oedipus complex got them
fired from theWhisky a Go Go nightclub in West Hollywood?
"The End"
The climax of the song has the lines, "Father/ Yes son?/ I want to kill you/ Mother, I want to ..." (with the next words screamed out unintelligibly).
135. What musical instrument that takes its name from a muse was used in riverboats and in
circuses because of its loudness?
the calliope
It produces sound by sending a gas, originally steam or more recently compressed air, through large whistles, originally locomotive whistles. Even some small calliopes are audible for miles around. The steam calliope is also known as a steam organ or steam piano.
134. Which 1977 musical was inspired by a magazine article about Bay Ridge kids of Brooklyn whose working class lives were said to be so empty that they lived just to dance
on the weekend?
Saturday Night Fever
The movie inspired one of the best selling soundtrack of all time.
133. The title of what well-known piano waltz comes from the composer's specification that it must be played with both hands held sideways, little fingers down, striking the keys with a
particular type motion?
"Chopsticks" It was written in 1877 by the British composer Euphemia Allen under the pseudonym Arthur de Lulli.
132. In 1934 when a Broadway production As Thousands Cheer played this song, the producers were taken to court by the Hill family for using it without paying royalty as they owned the melody.
What ubiquitous song?
"Happy Birthday to You"
The melody comes from the song "Good Morning to All", which was written and composed by American siblings Patty Hill and Mildred J. Hill in 1893. According to some sources, the song is still under copyright.
131. In 1989, rocker Ted Nugent made a multi-million dollar bid to purchase what company to shut it down as he felt it's ubiquitous sounds were representative of everything "uncool"
about music?
Muzak
It is best known for distribution of background music (best known as 'elevator music') to retail stores and other companies.
130. Which breakthrough hit for Queen contains the phrase "Let them eat cake", a quote often
attributed to Marie Antoinette?
"Killer Queen"
129. When an American theater director was reading about the travels of Henry Kissinger, he came across the figure of Mao and thought "there's an opera in there." What work resulted
when he proposed this idea to a composer?
the opera Nixon in China by John Adams
128. The phrase "it's better to burn out than to fade away" from Neil Young's classic song "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)" became better known after being quoted in whose 1994
suicide note?
Nirvana's Kurt Cobain
Young later said that he was so shaken that he dedicated his 1994 album Sleeps with Angels to Cobain. Because of Cobain's suicide, in live concerts he now emphasizes the line "once you're gone you can't come back."
127. The English actor Michael Crawford is best associated with the title role in which
successful musical?
The Phantom of the Opera
126. The short poem And did those feet in ancient time by William Blake that features the
phrase 'dark satanic mills' is best known in what musical context?
as the anthem Jerusalem
It is considered to be England's most popular patriotic song and there have even been calls to give it official status. The music for this poem was written by Sir Hubert Parry in 1916. The most famous version was orchestrated by Sir Edward Elgar in 1922 and upon hearing it for the first time, King George V said that he preferred it over God Save the King.
125. In 2009, a Face to Face tour featuring Elton John and Billy Joel was promoted as '(X)
Man meets (Y) Man'. Can you fill-in the missing words?
Rocket, Piano
124. What is the term given to a musical that uses previously released popular songs as its
musical score, examples of which are Mamma Mia! and Jersey Boys?
a jukebox musical
The term was first coined in the 1940s in reference to motion pictures consisting largely of hit recordings.
123. Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac avoided black clothing to distance herself from the dark
arts associations surrounding her as a result of which of the band's hit song?
"Rhiannon"
Rhiannon is a prominent figure in Welsh mythology and this myth was the inspiration for the song.
122. "My nickname of X came from Giorgio Gomelsky. He coined it as a good pun. He kept saying I was a fast player, so he put together the slow handclap phrase into X as a play on words."
These are the words of which guitarist?
Eric Clapton (X - 'Slowhand')
121. Which 90s concert tour consisting of female artists was named after the first wife of
Adam in Jewish myth?
Lilith Fair
It was founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010.
120. Due to the large number of languages used in the European Union, its anthem is purely instrumental. Despite this, the German lyrics from what work of Friedrich Schiller,
connected to Beethoven, are often sung when the anthem is played?
Ode to Joy
It is best known for its musical setting by Beethoven in the final movement of his Ninth Symphony.
119. What is a 'mondegreen', two examples of which are "there's a bathroom on the right" and
"'scuse me while I kiss this guy"?
mishearing/misinterpretation of a phrase in a song/poem
American writer Sylvia Wright coined the term in her essay The Death of Lady Mondegreen published in Harper's Magazine in November 1954. The top three mondegreens submitted regularly to mondegreen expert Jon Carroll are: 1. Gladly, the cross-eyed bear (from the line in the hymn "Keep Thou My Way" by Fanny Crosby, "Kept by Thy tender care, gladly the cross I'll bear") Carroll and many others quote it as "Gladly the cross I'd bear". 2. There's a bathroom on the right (the line at the end of each verse of "Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival: "There's a bad moon on the rise") 3. 'Scuse me while I kiss this guy (from a lyric in the song "Purple Haze", by Jimi Hendrix: "'Scuse me while I kiss the sky")
118. The Köchel-Verzeichnis is a complete catalog of the compositions of whom?
Mozart (1756–91)
It was originally created by Ludwig von Köchel and is abbreviated K or KV. For example, Mozart's Requiem in D minor was, according to Köchel's counting, the 626th piece Mozart composed. Thus, the piece is designated K. 626 or KV 626. Köchel catalogue numbers not only attempt to establish chronology, but also give a helpful shorthand to refer to Mozart's works.
117. Which singer nicknamed 'Mama Africa' popularized African music in the US in the 1960s
and is best known for her song "Pata Pata"?
Miriam Makeba (1932-2008)
116. Which overture written by Felix Mendelssohn was inspired by the echoes of a Scottish sea
cave that he visited in 1829 and was named for it?
"Fingal's Cave" overture
Mendelssohn's overture popularized the cave as a tourist destination. It is a sea cave on the uninhabited island of Staffa, in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Its size and naturally arched roof, and the eerie sounds produced by the echoes of waves, give it the atmosphere of a natural cathedral.
115. If the Julliard School is to New York, the Berklee College of Music is to which city?
Boston
It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world.
114. The Italian soprano Renata Tebaldi who is acclaimed as one of the most beloved opera
singers of all time was known for her rivalry with which other legendary soprano?
Maria Callas
113. What hymn was written by John Newton in 1748 after he thought he was saved from
death at sea?
"Amazing Grace"
112. Which member of the rap group Public Enemy became famous for popularizing the role
of the 'hype man' on stage and for his penchant for wearing large hats and clocks?
Flavor Flav
111. Containing the characters of Nanki-Poo, Ko-Ko and Pooh-Bah, which opera's alternate
title is The Town of Titipu?
The Mikado
It is the most frequently performed Savoy Opera.
110. Clang! The Avedis Zildjian Company is best known for producing and popularizing what
musical instruments?
cymbals
109. The country singer and former convict Merle Haggard turned his life around after
listening to which other great perform at San Quentin prison?
Johnny Cash
Haggard attended three of Johnny Cash's concerts at San Quentin. Seeing Cash perform encouraged Haggard to straighten up and pursue his singing. Several years later, at another Cash concert, Haggard came up to Johnny and told him, "I certainly enjoyed your show at San Quentin." Cash said "Merle, I don't remember you bein' in that show." Merle Haggard said, "Johnny, I wasn't in that show, I was in the audience."
108. Which 1974 song made famous by the girl group 'Labelle' is most famous for its sexually suggestive chorus of 'voulez-vous coucher avec moi (ce soir)?' that translates as 'Do you
want to sleep with me (tonight)?'? "Lady Marmalade"
The song has received many cover versions over the years. The 2001 version by singers Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa, and Pink was a single for the Moulin Rouge! film's soundtrack.
107. If anyone is singing the "Horst-Wessel-Lied", you should definitely avoid their company.
Why?
it was the anthem of the Nazi party from 1930 to 1945
From 1933 to 1945 the Nazis made it a co-national anthem of Germany, along with the first stanza of Deutschlandlied. The lyrics were written in 1929 by Horst Wessel. Wessel was murdered by a Communist party member in February 1930, and Nazi propagandist Dr. Joseph Goebbels made him a martyr of the Nazi movement.
106. What is the common subtitle of the holiday favorite "The Christmas Song" written in 1944
by vocalist Mel Tormé and Bob Wells?
"Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" or "Merry Christmas to You"
According to Tormé, the song was written during a blistering hot summer. In an effort to “stay cool by thinking cool,” the most-performed (according to BMI) Christmas song was born.
105. Bruce Springsteen's best-selling 1985 album Born in the U.S.A. produced a record-tying string of seven top 10 singles. What two other albums produced separately by a brother
and sister also share this distinction?
Michael Jackson's Thriller and Janet Jackson's Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814
104. Which classic song of Elton John that satirizes the greed and glitz of the early '70s music scene contains the lyrics "we'll kill the fatted calf tonight, so stick around, you're gonna
hear electric music, solid walls of sound"?
"Bennie and the Jets"
It first appeared on the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album in 1973.
103. 'Kling Klang' is the private music studio of which highly influential electronic music band
from Germany?
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is currently listed as the most deserving band who has yet to receive enshrinement to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame according to the website, www.notinhalloffame.com.
102. The annual music festival 'Lollapalooza' was conceived and created in 1991 by singer
Perry Farrell of which band as a farewell tour for his band?
Jane's Addiction
101. 'Spinderella' was the DJ and rapper for which 'spicy' girl group?
Salt-N-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa is the best selling female rap act.
100. Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus fronted which popular band of the early 90's that later fell
into infamy?
Milli Vanilli
The act became one of the most popular pop acts in the late 1980s and early 1990s. However, their success turned to infamy when their Grammy was revoked after it was revealed that the lead vocals on the record were not the actual voices of Morvan and Pilatus. In 1998, ten years after Milli Vanilli's initial debut, Pilatus was found dead in a Frankfurt hotel of an apparent drug overdose.
99. The Queen song "Radio Ga Ga" is said to be the main inspiration behind the name of what
current day hit singer?
Lady Gaga
98. Which musical piece associated with the US military is also known as "Butterfield's
Lullaby", or by the lyrics of its second verse, "Day is Done"?
"Taps"
It concludes many military funerals conducted with honors at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as hundreds of others around the United States. "Taps" is also sounded nightly in military installations at non-deployed locations to indicate that it is "lights out."
97. Which 1995 song of which the 'Bayside Boys Mix' became the best known version was
ranked as the #1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of all Time by VH1 in 2002?
"Macarena" by Los Del Rio
96. "Hail to the Chief", the march primarily associated with the President of the US has verses
derived from which narrative poem of Walter Scott?
The Lady of the Lake
95. The lyrics of which song first put to music by Pete Seeger in 1959 and later made famous
by The Byrds were taken almost entirely from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible? "Turn! Turn! Turn! (to Everything There is a Season)"
The lines are open to myriad interpretations, but as a song they are commonly performed as a plea for world peace, with an emphasis on the closing line: "a time for peace, I swear it's not too late." This line and the title phrase "Turn! Turn! Turn!" are the only parts of the lyric written by Seeger himself.
94. Which American song that remains a fundamental part of a jazz musicians' repertoire has
been called 'the jazzman's Hamlet' and has also been used as an NHL team name?
"St. Louis Blues"
It was composed by W.C. Handy in the blues style. Published in September 1914 by Handy's own company, it later gained such popularity that it inspired the dance step the "Foxtrot".
93. Which enormously influential classical composer spent much of his career as a court
musician for the wealthy Hungarian aristocratic Esterházy family?
Joseph Haydn
Isolated from other composers and trends in music until the later part of his long life, he was, as he put it, "forced to become original". He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these genres.
92. 'The Jordanaires' are an American singing group formed in 1948 best known for backing
many of whose recordings?
Elvis Presley's
They are best known across the world as the backup vocalists for a number of Elvis Presley's hit singles, with whom they performed for more than fifteen years and backed up on well over 100 different songs (singles and album cuts, on television and in a number of films).
91. The formula 'birthplace of Elvis' + 'a term of endearment' gives which 1972 hit song of
Van Morrison?
"Tupelo Honey"
90. Which 1980 supergroup consisting of George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan decided to use a word with a single 'L' instead of a double 'L' in their name because the band started in America and consisted of three Americans and only two
Britons?
Traveling Wilburys "Wilburys" was a slang term coined by Harrison and Lynne during the recording of Cloud Nine as a pet name for various types of equipment in the recording studio.
89. Which city in Germany is famed for hosting the annual Wagner festival?
Bayreuth
Wagner himself conceived of and promoted the idea of a special festival to showcase his own works, in particular his monumental cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen and Parsifal. Performances take place in a specially designed theatre, the Festspielhaus.
88. Which 1944 pop standard by Frank Loesser has a man attempting to convince his date to
stay with him because of the weather?
"Baby, It's Cold Outside"
The female voice in the song is called "The Mouse" and the male "The Wolf." In 1948, after years of informally performing the song at various parties, Loesser sold its rights to MGM, which inserted the song into its 1949 motion picture, Neptune's Daughter. The film featured two performances of the song: one by Ricardo Montalbán and Esther Williams and the other by Red Skelton and Betty Garrett. These performances earned Loesser an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
87. Which Puccini opera features the characters of Ping, Pang and Pong?
Turandot
86. Which fictional astronaut created by David Bowie appears in his songs "Space Oddity",
"Ashes to Ashes" and "Hallo Spaceboy"?
Major Tom
85. Which power ballad from the 1981 album Escape is the most downloaded song from
iTunes that is not released in the 21st century?
"Don't Stop Believing" by Journey
The song has been included in many TV shows and movies, including The Sopranos, Glee, and a cover version of the song in Family Guy, and the movies The Comebacks and Bedtime Stories.
84. "Love is a rebellious bird, that nobody can tame" are two famous lines from the
'Habanera' aria in which renowned opera?
Carmen by Bizet
83. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, which song usually sung to congratulate a person is the second-most popular song following "Happy Birthday to You" in the English language?
"For He's a Jolly Good Fellow"
The tune comes from the French song "Malbrouk" which it has been claimed was composed the night after the Battle of Malplaquet (one of the main battles of the War of the Spanish Succession) in 1709.
82. Which rock concert held on December 6, 1969 was speculated to be a 'Woodstock West'
but became infamous after it was marred by considerable violence?
Altamont Free Concert
Filmmakers Albert and David Maysles shot footage of the event and incorporated it into a documentary film entitled Gimme Shelter (1970).
81. Released in 1990, what is the title of the first greatest hits compilation album by
Madonna?
The Immaculate Collection
The album includes eight of her twelve U.S. number one singles and five of thirteen U.K. number ones. Originally titled Ultra Madonna, the name was changed as Warner Bros felt that it was too similar to the name of dance artist Ultra Naté. Madonna dedicated the album to "The Pope, my divine inspiration". This led to many believing it was dedicated to Pope John Paul II, but it was actually dedicated to her brother, Christopher Ciccone, who had spent the year on tour with Madonna ("The Pope" is one of his nicknames).
80. Which German synthpop group that was popular in the 1980s is best known for the hits
"Big in Japan" and "Forever Young"?
Alphaville
79. In vocal jazz, what is the style in which vocal improvisation is made with random
syllables or even without words?
scat singing
Scat singing gives singers the ability to sing improvised melodies and rhythms, to create the equivalent of an instrumental solo using their voice. Ella Fitzgerald is generally considered one of the great scat singers in jazz history.
78. What is the name of the coronation anthem composed by Handel using texts from the
King James Bible that has been sung at every British coronation service since 1727?
"Zadok the Priest"
It is one of the four Coronation Anthems that Handel composed for the coronation of George II of Great Britain in 1727.
77. Traditionally believed to be a set of variations from 'I know that my redeemer liveth' from Handel's Messiah, what is the most common name for a melody used by a set of clock
bells to strike the hour?
"Westminster Chimes"
It was written in 1793 for a new clock in St Mary the Great, the University Church in Cambridge and there is some doubt over exactly who composed it. In the mid-19th century the chime was adopted by the clock tower at the Palace of Westminster (where Big Ben hangs), whence its fame spread. It is now possibly the most commonly used chime for striking clocks.
76. Sung by Domenico Modugno, "Nel blu dipinto di blu" (literally "In the blue painted blue") is the only song ever by an Italian artist to reach number one on the Billboard Hot
100. What is it popularly known as?
"Volare"
It is also the only foreign-language recording (sung entirely in Italian) to take this top honor.
75. In the 1970s, which symbol became widely known as a sign of welcome after it was the central theme of a popular song recorded by Tony Orlando and Dawn in which it was tied
around an oak tree?
a yellow ribbon from "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree"
In the song, it was the sign a released convict requested from his wife or lover, to indicate that she still wanted him and that he would therefore be welcome to return home. He would be able to see it from the bus driving by their house, and would stay on the bus in the absence of the ribbon. He turned out to be very welcome: there were a hundred yellow ribbons. During the Iran hostage crisis, the yellow ribbon was used a symbol of support for the hostages held at the U.S. embassy in Tehran. The yellow ribbon saw renewed popularity in the United States during the Gulf War in the early 1990s.
74. The trio of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash that formed the folk rock/rock
supergroup known as Crosby, Stills, & Nash (CSN) originally came from which bands?
Crosby - The Byrds, Stills - Buffalo Springfield, Nash - The Hollies
The group's name is augmented to Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young (CSNY) when including occasional fourth member Neil Young. (Thanks to Susan Shaffer for sending in a correction.)
73. Which musical instrument invented by the physicist Torricelli gets its name from a tradition identifying the angel who blows the horn to announce Judgment Day in
Christinity? Gabriel's horn
72. In the American music industry, what is the term given to the illegal practice of payment by record companies for the broadcast of recordings on music radio, in which the song is
presented as being part of the normal day's broadcast?
payola
The term has come to refer to any secret payment made to cast a product in a positive light (such as obtaining positive reviews). Under US law, a radio station can play a specific song in exchange for money, but this must be disclosed on the air as being sponsored airtime, and that play of the song should not be counted as a "regular airplay." The term gets its name as a take-off of the names of some early record-playing machines, such as Victrola or Rockola.
71. Which surf guitarist is best known for his rendition of "Misirlou" which plays in the titles
of the movie Pulp Fiction?
Dick Dale
70. Which much-covered New Orleans song tells of a parade collision between two 'tribes' of
Mardi Gras Indians was written under the original title "Jock-A-Mo" in 1954?
"Iko Iko"
The song was popularised by The Dixie Cups in 1965. It has also been covered by Cyndi Lauper, the Grateful Dead, Cowboy Mouth, Warren Zevon, Long John Baldry, Dave Matthews & Friends, Indigo Girls, The Ordinary Boys, Glass Candy, and Sharon, Lois & Bram among others. Aaron Carter covered the song for The Little Vampire soundtrack, and The Belle Stars' cover was featured in the film Rain Man.
69. The Voyager Golden Record is a phonograph record included in the two Voyager spacecraft that contains 27 selected recordings said to portray the diversity of life and
culture on Earth. Who is the most represented artist?
Johann Sebastian Bach
Bach's compositions comprise three of the 27 recordings chosen.
68. Which 20th-century German composer is most famous for his Carmina Burana whose best-known movement is "O Fortuna" referenced in numerous movies and television
commercials?
Carl Orff (1895-1982)
It was hugely popular in Nazi Germany after its premiere in Frankfurt in 1937, receiving numerous performances. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_orff)
67. Which musical instrument named after its Russian inventor is unique in that it is designed
to be played without being touched?
the theremin
The controlling section generally consists of two metal antennas to sense the relative position of the player's hands. These sensors control audio oscillator(s) for frequency from one hand, and volume from the other. The electric signals from the theremin are amplified and sent to a loudspeaker. To play the theremin, the player moves his hands around the two metal antennas, which control the instrument's frequency (pitch) and amplitude (volume). The theremin is widely associated with "alien", surreal, and eerie-sounding portamento, glissando, tremolo, and vibrato sounds, due to its use in film soundtracks such as Spellbound and The Lost Weekend.
66. The lyrics of which famous 'song' come from the poem Defence of Fort McHenry written
in 1814?
"The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the US
Francis Scott Key, a 35-year-old amateur poet, wrote Defence of Fort McHenry after seeing the bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland by British ships in Chesapeake Bay during the War of 1812. The poem was set to the tune of a popular British drinking song, written by John Stafford Smith for the Anacreontic Society, a London social club.
65. With respect to Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, what is specifically common to the songs "Blue Suede Shoes", "Mr. Tambourine Man", and "Walk This
Way"?
songs that made it to the list twice under different artists
1) "Blue Suede Shoes," by Carl Perkins (1956; #95), covered by Elvis Presley (1956; #423) 2)"Mr. Tambourine Man," by Bob Dylan (1965; #106), covered by The Byrds (1965; #79) 3)"Walk This Way," by Aerosmith (1975; #336), remade with Run-D.M.C. (1987; #287).
64. Which song written by the Hungarian pianist and composer Rezső Seress in 1933 was marketed as 'Hungarian suicide song' as it was mistakenly believed to have inspired
hundreds of suicides?
"Gloomy Sunday"
There have been several urban legends regarding the song over the years, mostly involving it being allegedly connected with various numbers of suicides, and radio networks reacting by purportedly banning the song.
63. Mike Rutherford, a founding member of Genesis also formed which other English band in 1985 that had hits like "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)", "All I Need Is a
Miracle", "Over My Shoulder" and "The Living Years"?
Mike + The Mechanics
62. Which protest song sung by Pete Seeger and Joan Baez became a key anthem of the US
civil rights movement as well as with the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa?
"We Shall Overcome"
61. What is the musical term for a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of an
instrument?
pizzicato
60. To explore the rock and roll genre that is far removed from country music, which best
selling American music star created an alter ego called Chris Gaines ?
Garth Brooks
59. By what name does the blue's guitarist B.B. King call his guitars?
Lucille
In the winter of 1949, King played at a dance hall in Twist, Arkansas. In order to heat the hall, a barrel half-filled with kerosene was lit, a fairly common practice. During a performance, two men began to fight, knocking over the burning barrel and sending burning fuel across the floor. This triggered an evacuation. Once outside, King realized that he had left his guitar inside the burning building. He entered the blaze to retrieve his guitar, a Gibson acoustic. Two people died in the fire. The next day, King learned that the two men were fighting over a woman named Lucille. King named that first guitar Lucille, as well as every one he owned since that near-fatal experience, as a reminder never again to do something as stupid as run into a burning building.
58. Which famous Irish traditional song about a highwayman (usually in the Cork and Kerry
mountains) was given a rock veneer by the rock band Thin Lizzy?
"Whiskey in the Jar"
57. In the 1985 hit song "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits, who made a cameo appearance
singing the iconic falsetto introduction "I want my MTV"?
Sting
Sting has stated that his only contribution was the "I Want My MTV" line, which was sung in partial parody of his own song "Don't Stand So Close to Me", originally recorded by The Police. When Dire Straits performed "Money For Nothing" at the 1985 Live Aid Concert at Wembley Stadium, the performance featured a guest appearance by Sting. As a result of this performance, this helped launch not only the song, but Dire Straits themselves into international superstars. "Money for Nothing" won the Grammy for the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with a Vocal in 1985 at the 28th annual Grammy Awards.
56. Which Swedish pop group went through the names 'Kalinin Prospect', CAD (Computer- Aided Disco) and Tech-Noir before settling on their present name as nobody could
remember their previous names?
Ace of Base
They settled on Ace of Base, because they were the "masters of their studio", the basement of a car-repair shop.
55. In his novel Howard's End, E.M. Forster refers to which Beethoven composition as “the
most sublime noise that ever penetrated into the ear of man.”?
The 5th Symphony
This symphony is one of the most popular and well-known compositions in all of European classical music, and one of the most often-played symphonies. It comprises four movements: an opening sonata allegro, an andante, and a fast scherzo which leads attacca to the finale. First performed in Vienna's Theater an der Wien in 1808, the work achieved its prodigious reputation soon afterwards. At the time, E.T.A. Hoffmann described the symphony as "one of the most important works of the time".
54. What is the musical technique of 'word painting' (also known as tone painting or text
painting)?
having the music mimic the literal meaning of a song
For example, ascending scales would accompany lyrics about going up; slow, dark music would accompany lyrics about death.
53. Which British musician who worked on engineering projects as Paul McCartney's 'Wild Life' and Pink Floyd's' The Dark Side of the Moon' also started an eponymous progressive
rock band that was active between 1975 and 1987?
Alan Parsons
52. Which 1968 album released by George Harrison is notable for being the first official solo
album by one of The Beatles?
Wonderwall Music
51. Which 1982 song by the London punk rock group 'The Clash' is about Iran's outlawing of rock music, and also become the unofficial anthem for the Armed Forces during the Gulf
War conflicts? "Rock the Casbah"
The song was inspired by the banning of rock music in Iran under Ayatollah Khomeini. The song gives a fabulist account of the ban being defied by the population, who proceed to "rock the casbah". The King orders jet fighters to bomb any people in violation of the ban. The pilots ignore the orders, and instead play rock music on their cockpit radios.
50. Can you connect the singer Bobby McFerrin with the mystic Meher Baba?
"Don't Worry, Be Happy"
Meher Baba (1894-1969) often used the expression "Don't worry, be happy" when cabling his followers in the west. Later, in the 1960's, this well used expression by Baba was printed up on inspiration cards and even day-glo posters of the era. In 1988, Bobby McFerrin noticed a similar poster in the apartment of the jazz band Tuck & Patti in San Francisco. Inspired by the expression's charm and simplicity, McFerrin wrote the now famous song.
49. Which English rock group was formed in 1980 by the remaining members of Joy Division
after it's lead singer Ian Curtis committed suicide?
New Order
New Order melded post-punk and electronic dance, and became one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the 1980s. Though the band were shadowed by the legacy of Joy Division in their first years, their immersion in the New York City dance scene of the early 1980s introduced them to dance music. The band's 1983 hit "Blue Monday", saw them fully embrace dance music and synthesized instruments, and has been described as the best-selling 12" single of all time.
48. Which American singer/songwriter was been nominated for an Academy awards 15 times before he finally won for writing the song "If I Didn't Have You" for the movie Monsters,
Inc.?
Randy Newman
Newman is noted for his practice of writing lyrics from the perspective of a "character" far removed from Newman's own biography, often utilizing the literary device of an unreliable narrator. For example, the 1972 song "Sail Away" is written as slave trader's sales pitch to attract slaves, while the narrator of "Political Science" is a U.S. nationalist who complains of worldwide ingratitude toward America and proposes a brutally ironic final solution ("Let's drop the big one").
47. Which 1989 music video of Madonna attracted criticism for showing images like her making love to Saint Martin de Porres, use of Catholic iconography including a scene
where she develops stigmata as well as cross burning? "Like a Prayer"
The video topped MTV's countdown of 100 Videos That Broke The Rules in 2005, and for the 25th anniversary of MTV, viewers voted the video as the Most Groundbreaking Music Video of All Time.
46. Still not ready to make nice, which country/rock band from the US courted controversy
when its lead singer criticized George W. Bush ten days before the 2003 invasion of Iraq?
The Dixie Chicks
The ensuing controversy cost the group half of their concert audience attendance in the United States as chronicled in the 2006 documentary Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing. The full text of the statement Natalie Maines made was: Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.
45. The music video for which song by the British group The Buggles was the first to be
shown on MTV when the music channel debuted on August 1, 1981?
"Video Killed the Radio Star"
On February 27, 2000 it also became the millionth video to be aired on MTV.
44. Which pioneer of rock & roll music, famous for the songs "Johnny B. Goode", "Maybellene" and "Rock & Roll Music" was praised by John Lennon as "If you tried to
give rock and roll another name, you might call it X."?
Chuck Berry
Berry was among the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986. He received Kennedy Center Honors in 2000 in a "class" with Mikhail Baryshnikov, Plácido Domingo, Angela Lansbury, and Clint Eastwood. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Chuck Berry #5 on their list of The Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. He was also ranked 6th on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
43. Which Pink Floyd single provided the band's only number-one hit in the UK, the US,
West Germany and many other countries?
Part II of "Another Brick in the Wall"
It is best known for the line "We Don't Need No Education". It is a protest song against rigid schooling in general and boarding schools in particular which has led to the song being banned in several countries. This single also gave Pink Floyd a Grammy nomination for Best Performance by a Rock Duo or Group but they lost to Bob Seger's "Against the Wind".
42. Even people who never took a music class can play John Cage's composition that is titled
4'33". How come?
The score instructs the performer not to play anything during the entire duration of the piece!
Although commonly perceived as "four minutes thirty-three seconds of silence", the piece actually consists of the sounds of the environment that the listeners hear while it is performed. Over the years, 4′33″ became Cage's most famous and most controversial composition.
41. Which Arabic singer was referred to as the 'Lady' by Charles De Gaulle and as the 'Incomparable Voice' by Maria Callas and has been a significant influence on a number of
musicians, both in the Arab world and beyond?
Umm Kulthum (1898-1975)
Umm Kulthum is remembered in the Arab world as one of the greatest singers and musicians who have ever lived and even today, she has retained a near mythical status amongst young Arabs. Her funeral was attended by over 4 million mourners.
40. Which collection of orchestral movements were composed by George Frideric Handel in
1717 at the request of King George I? These are also his best known work.
"Water Music"
A legend follows that Handel composed the Water Music to regain the favour of King George I.
39. Which controversial 1992 song by the punk band Body Count was co-written by the
group's vocalist Ice-T and provoked a national debate about freedom of speech in the US?
"Cop Killer"
38. Whose posthumous compilation album Legend (1984) is the best-selling reggae album
ever, with sales of more than 12 million copies?
Bob Marley (1945-1981)
37. Which 1968 rock album is seen as the peak of Jimi Hendrix's mastery of the electric guitar, and also features a cover version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" and
"Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", a staple of both radio and guitar repertoire?
Electric Ladyland
In 2005 Q magazine readers voted Electric Ladyland the 38th greatest album of all time; in 2003 the TV network VH1 placed it at number 72. In 2003, Rolling Stone declared it the 54th greatest album of all time.
36. Which composer of the 20th century is widely known as 'the dean of American
composers'?
Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
Copland's music achieved a difficult balance between modern music and American folk styles, and the open, slowly changing harmonies of many of his works are said to evoke the vast American landscape. Aside from composing, Copland taught, presented music- related lectures, wrote books and articles, and served as a conductor.
35. Released on 8 May, 1970, what is the twelfth and final original album by The Beatles?
Let It Be
Previously this site incorrectly listed Abbey Road (1969) as the last released album. It was in fact the last album started by The Beatles although its release preceded that of Let It Be. (Many thanks to Andrew H for sending in the correction.)
34. The first album by the rock group Pink Floyd The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967) was
named after a chapter in which children's classic?
The Wind in the Willows
However, the songs on the album are not directly related to the contents of the book.
33. According to Opera America, what 'flutters' to the no.1 spot in the list of the 20 most-
performed operas in North America?
Madama Butterfly
It is an opera in three acts (originally two acts) by Giacomo Puccini. The opera belongs essentially to the city of Nagasaki, and according to American scholar Arthur Groos was based on events that actually occurred there in the early 1890s. Japan's best-known opera singer Miura Tamaki won international fame for her performances as Cio-Cio-san and her statue, together with that of Puccini, can be found in Nagasaki's Glover Garden.
32. Which feisty country singer's banned songs include "Rated X" - about the double standards divorced women face, "Wings Upon Your Horns" - about the loss of teenage virginity and "The Pill" - about a wife and mother becoming liberated via the birth control
pill?
Loretta Lynn
Her song "Dear Uncle Sam", released in 1966, was an early protest of the Vietnam War, and was added to live sets during the current Iraq War.
31. A Bobby soxer is a 1940s term denoting the over zealous fans of which pop idol? Frank Sinatra
In May 1941, Sinatra was at the top of the male singer polls in the Billboard and Downbeat magazines. His appeal to bobby soxers revealed a whole new audience for popular music, which had been recorded mainly for adults up to that time.
30. The 1967 film The Graduatep features the songs of which duo as the director Mike
Nichols had become obsessed with their music while shooting the film?
Simon & Garfunkel
29. The hillbilly wins! Which instrumental song played on screen by Ronny Cox and Billy
Redden won the 1974 Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance?
"Dueling Banjos" from Deliverance
The song was originally composed by Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith and Don Reno as Feuding Banjos in 1955. In the film, the boy Lonny eventually outplays Drew Ballinger.
28. Name the only two non-US/UK bands to achieve a #1 hit in both the UK and the US?
Men at Work for "Down Under" (1982) and ABBA for "Dancing Queen" (1976)
"Down Under" was re-released as an unofficial theme song during Australia's successful 1983 America's Cup challenge, and has become an unofficial national anthem for many Aussies. (Thanks to Jon M for sending in a correction.)
27. What is the better known name of the English singer Yusuf Islam who converted to Islam
in 1977 at the height of his fame?
Cat Stevens
26. About which manager of his group did Paul McCartney say "If anyone was the Fifth
Beatle, it was X."?
Brian Epstein
He also managed numerous other groups like Gerry & The Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, and solo artists like Cilla Black.
25. By his own request, which Austrian composer was buried next to Beethoven in 1828?
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
He wrote some 600 Lieder, seven completed symphonies, the famous Unfinished Symphony, liturgical music, operas, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music. He is particularly noted for his genius for original melodic and harmonic writing.
24. Which iconic music figure was recognized by a plethora of (mostly self-bestowed) titles, including Soul Brother Number One, Mr. Dynamite, The Hardest Working Man in Show
Business, and the best-known, the Godfather of Soul?
James Brown (1933-2006)
As a prolific singer, songwriter, bandleader, and record producer, Brown was a pivotal force in the evolution of gospel and rhythm and blues into soul and funk. He left his mark on numerous other musical genres, including rock, jazz, disco, dance and electronic music, reggae and hip hop.
23. 'The Doors' generated a controversy with the single "Hello, I Love You" in 1968 when the press pointed out it's resemblance to the 1965 hit "All Day and All of the Night" of which
band?
The Kinks
Members of the Kinks have concurred with music critics: Kinks guitarist Dave Davies has been known to add snippets of "Hello, I Love You" during solo live performances of "All Day and All of the Night" as a sarcastic commentary on the subject.
22. Which musical phenomenon adapted from a 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux tells the story
of Erik?
The Phantom of the Opera
It is now the longest running Broadway show in history and also the most lucrative entertainment enterprise of all time, with its worldwide box office over the past 20 years out-grossing even the highest grossing film in history, Titanic. The story is about a man named Erik, the Phantom of the Opera, an eccentric, physically deformed genius who terrorizes the Opera Garnier in Paris, France. He builds his home beneath it and takes the love of his life, a beautiful soprano, under his wing.
21. What musical work, the only one in that genre by an all-time great, tells the story of
Leonore rescuing her husband Florestan from death in a prison?
the opera Fidelio by Beethoven
The opera is a central work of Beethoven's so-called "middle period," and like much of Beethoven's music of this time it emphasizes heroism.
20. Bruce Springsteen won an Oscar for which song/film in 1994?
"Streets of Philadelphia" from Philadelphia
The song, along with the film, was applauded by many for its sympathetic portrayal of a gay man dying of AIDS. The music video for the song shows Springsteen's actual vocal performance, recorded using a hidden microphone, to a prerecorded instrumental track. This was a technique developed on the "Brilliant Disguise" video.
19. What term describes a person who makes or repairs stringed instruments?
a luthier
The word luthier comes from the French (its word for lute is "luth"). The makers that originally built lutes eventually built violins and other string instruments as well, but the appellation remained.
18. Which rock group's name comes from the UK Social Security form for unemployment
benefit?
UB40 (UB40 = Unemployment Benefit, Form 40)
UB40 are arguably the number one reggae act of all time in terms of record sales (over 55 million), chart positions and touring schedule.
17. Which iconic opera stereotype plays in the background as helicopters swoop in to
annihilate a village in one of the opening scenes of the movie Apocalypse Now?
"Ride of the Valkyries"
16. Peter O'Toole sings the song "The Man Who Broke The bank At Monte Carlo" in an echo
canyon in which 1962 epic?
Lawrence of Arabia
The song was probably inspired by the exploits of Charles Wells, who broke the bank on many occasions on the first two of his three trips.
15. Which former Beatle was a disciple of the Indian sitar maestro Ravi Shankar?
George Harrison
14. The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time was a special issue of Rolling Stone published in 2003 which had Jimi Hendrix at no.1. Which American Southern Rock band was the most
represented with 4 of its guitarists making the list?
the Allman Brothers Band
Duane Allman (2nd), Warren Haynes (23rd), Dickey Betts (58th), and Derek Trucks (81st).
13. What is the title of Led Zeppelin's concert film that was taken from a song on their
album Houses of the Holy?
The Song Remains the Same The recording of the film took place during three nights of concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York in 1973, during the band's Houses of the Holy tour.
12. Which song written by the poet Banjo Paterson is Australia's most widely known folk
song?
"Waltzing Matilda"
There have been persistent calls for the establishment of "Waltzing Matilda" as the national anthem instead of the current national anthem, "Advance Australia Fair". The song is recognisable and easily sung, but its lyrics, narrating the story of a swagman, the Australian equivalent of a tramp, render it unlikely to ever gain acceptance in official circles.
11. Presidency of the United States is important. In Billy Joel's song "We Didn't Start The
Fire", who are the only two people mentioned twice?
JFK and Nixon
The song was a huge commercial success and provided Billy Joel with his third, and final, Billboard #1 hit. Although the song ranked #1 in the US, and #7 in the UK, Blender magazine ranked "We Didn't Start the Fire" #44 on its list of the 50 worst songs ever.
10. Who, along with Beethoven and Bach, is part of the 3 Bs of music?
Brahms (1883-1897)
Brahms wrote, among others, a number of major works for orchestra, including four symphonies, two piano concertos, and the pair of orchestral overtures. Despite his reputation as a serious composer of complex musical designs, some of Brahms's commercially successful compositions were aimed at the large contemporary market of domestic music making, and are small-scale and popular in intention.
9. Which set of 30 keyboard techniques were written by Johann Sebastian Bach to reportedly
cure insomnia?
"The Goldberg Variations" published in 1741
It was once seen as a boring technical exercise but is today considered one of the most important examples of its form. Today, the emotional content and range of the work is increasingly realised, and it has become a favorite work of many classical music listeners. The Variations are widely performed and recorded, and have been the subject of many articles, books and analytical studies.
8. What genre of music regarded as the first truly American musical form is identified with
the composer Scott Joplin? ragtime
The defining characteristic of ragtime music is a specific type of syncopation in which melodic accents fall between metrical beats. This results in a melody that seems to be avoiding some metrical beats of the accompaniment by emphasizing notes that either anticipate or follow the beat. The intended effect on the listener is actually to accentuate the beat, thereby inducing the listener to move to the music.
7. Which iconic American contralto is best remembered for her performance on Easter in
1939 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.?
Marian Anderson
On January 27, 2005, a commemorative U.S. postage stamp honored Marian Anderson as part of the Black Heritage series.
6. In the movie The Bridge on the River Kwai what was the tune whistled by Colonel
Nicholson and his men?
"Colonel Bogie's March"
5. Which Italian record producer is best known for his work with Donna Summer during the era of disco and also won music related Oscars for his work in Midnight
Express, Flashdance and Top Gun?
Giorgio Moroder
He won in these categories: Best Original Score for Midnight Express (1978); Best Song for "Flashdance...What a Feeling", from the Flashdance (1983); and Best Song for "Take My Breath Away", from Top Gun (1986).
4. What song was written and performed by Billy Joel to underscore the plight of fishermen
on Long Island?
"The Downeaster Alexa"
It is from the album Storm Front that also had the hits "We didn't start the fire", "I Go To Extremes", "Leningrad" and the ballad "And So It Goes".
3. Which punk band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 but refused to attend the induction calling the museum a "piss stain"? Maybe they did not find any
'filthy lucre' there!
the Sex Pistols
Although their initial career lasted only three years and produced only four singles and one studio album, the Sex Pistols have been described by the BBC as "the definitive English punk rock band." The Pistols are widely credited with initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and creating the first generation gap within rock and roll.
2. A famous remark often attributed to Brian Eno is that while only a few thousand people bought a record of this band, almost every single one of the purchasers was inspired to
start their own band. Which influential rock band was Eno referring to?
the Velvet Underground
1. Jimi Hendrix presented the broken parts of the guitar that he destroyed on-stage at the
1968 Miami Pop Festival to whom? Not sure if the recipient named it Moon Unit.
Frank Zappa
After Hendrix's death in 1970, Zappa rebuilt the instrument and played it extensively during the 1970s and 1980s.
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