How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : Gomez, The Firm, Chef [Isaac Hayes], Crackout, Mike Oldfield, The Orb, Bonnie Prince Billy, The Herbaliser, Duke Special, Arcade Fire, Engineers, The Earlies
They are the performers of twelve (animated only) music videos that reached the charts from the eighties to the noughties.
1. Which Gomez song entered the UK top 40 singles chart in 2004?
- A Put a Little Love In It
- B Catch Me Up
- C Bring It On
2. How did The Firm’s “Star Trekkin’” achieve number one on the UK charts?
- A It included actual Star Trek dialogues
- B It was a campfire song turned parody hit
- C It was on the official Star Trek soundtrack
3. What is unusual about Isaac Hayes’s “Chocolate Salty Balls” in terms of its performance?
- A It was a top-charting song about cooking
- B It was performed live at Woodstock
- C It was banned on most radio stations
4. What was the chart position of Crackout’s “I Am The One” in the UK?
- A Number 12
- B Number 50
- C Number 72
5. “Pictures in the Dark” featured vocals by several artists. Who did not sing on the track?
- A Anita Hegerland
- B Aled Jones
- C Phil Collins
6. Why is “Little Fluffy Clouds” by The Orb notable?
- A It samples an interview with Rickie Lee Jones
- B It includes a Beatles song sample
- C It was banned by BBC Radio 4
7. Which literary reference is included in “Agnes, Queen of Sorrow”?
- A Jane Sinclair by William Carleton
- B Hamlet by Shakespeare
- C Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
8. What is characteristic of the album featuring The Herbaliser’s “Something Wicked”?
- A It was their debut album
- B It was released on the Ninja Tune label
- C It marked their switch to a pop sound
9. Where did “Freewheel” by Duke Special first appear?
- A Songs from the Deep Forest
- B Adventures in Gramophone
- C Duke Special’s self-titled album
10. What unique element was used in recording Arcade Fire’s debut single?
- A A sitar for the melody
- B A drum machine for rhythm
- C A vocal mic for the guitar
11. Who did not form part of Engineers at their founding?
- A Steven Eagles
- B Mark Peters
- C Dan MacBean
12. In what genre is The Earlies’ “Morning Wonder” predominantly categorized?
- A Metal
- B Electronica
- C Folk
Tracklist
 |
1 . Gomez – Catch Me UpFeatured on the 2004 album “Split the Difference”.
|
|
|
2 . The Firm – Star Trekkin’Featured on the 1987 album “Serious Fun”.
|
|
|
3 . Chef [Isaac Hayes] – Chocolate Salty Balls [P.S. I Love You]Featured on the 1998 album “Chef Aid: The South Park Album”.
|
|
|
4 . Crackout – I Am The OneFeatured on the 2001 album “This Is Really Neat”.
|
|
|
5 . Mike Oldfield – Pictures In The Dark
|
|
|
6 . The Orb – Little Fluffy CloudsFeatured on the 1990 album “Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld”.
|
|
|
7 . Bonnie Prince Billy – AgnesFeatured on the 2004 album “Agnes, Queen Of Sorrow”.
|
|
|
8 . The Herbaliser – Something Wicked (w/ Seaming To)Featured on the 2002 album “Something Wicked This Way Comes”.
|
|
|
9 . Duke Special – FreewheelFeatured on the 2005 album “Adventures in Gramophone”.
|
|
|
10 . Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 [Tunnels]Featured on the 2004 album “Funeral“.
|
|
|
11 . Engineers – Come In Out Of The RainFeatured on the 2005 album “Engineers”. |
|
|
12 . The Earlies – Morning WonderFeatured on the 2004 album “These Were the Earlies”.
|
And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. “Catch Me Up” was the Gomez song that entered the UK top 40 singles chart. The band continued their blend of vocalists and rock styles with this release.
2. “Star Trekkin’” reached number one as a self-funded parody song. It cleverly referenced Star Trek lines, using humor to achieve commercial success.
3. “Chocolate Salty Balls” was surprisingly a top-charting culinary tune. Its notoriety was due to its innuendo-laden lyrics and South Park association.
4. “I Am The One” by Crackout reached number 72 on the UK chart. The band relied on limited releases and promotional distribution.
5. “Pictures in the Dark” did not feature Phil Collins. Instead, it included the vocals of Hegerland, Palmer, and Jones.
6. “Little Fluffy Clouds” is notable for sampling Rickie Lee Jones. The song’s nostalgic recollections paired with ambient beats left a lasting impression.
7. “Agnes, Queen of Sorrow” references “Jane Sinclair” by Carleton. The song evokes themes of grief amidst time’s passage.
8. “Something Wicked” by The Herbaliser was released on Ninja Tune. Known for their unique production, they maintained their signature style.
9. “Freewheel” first appeared on “Adventures in Gramophone.” Duke Special refined the track for “Songs from the Deep Forest.”
10. Arcade Fire’s debut used a vocal mic for guitar. This unexpected choice contributed to the distinctive sound of the track.
11. Steven Eagles was not in Engineers at inception. Formed in 2003, they pursued a dreamy, ambient style.
12. “Morning Wonder” by The Earlies falls under folk. The band’s diverse instrumentation draws from multiple musical styles.