How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : Blancmange, A Flock Of Seagulls, Eurythmics, Animal Nightlife, Naked Eyes, Crowded House, Whitesnake, Michael Jackson, Def Leppard, Debbie Gibson, Guns N’ Roses, Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram
They are the performers of twelve vintage love songs that were ranked in various charts, this week (29/52) BUT … in the Eighties 80s.
1. What change did Blancmange make to the lyrics in their cover of ABBA’s ‘The Day Before You Came’ ?
- A Replaced Marilyn French with Barbara Cartland
- B Added a new verse about London
- C Mentioned Dallas in the chorus
2. Where was the music video for A Flock of Seagulls’ “The More You Live, The More You Love” filmed?
- A London Eye
- B Giant’s Causeway
- C Eiffel Tower
3. Which Eurythmics member produced “When Tomorrow Comes”?
- A Pat Seymour
- B David A. Stewart
- C Annie Lennox
4. What musical style is “Love Is Just The Great Pretender” by Animal Nightlife associated with?
- A Punk Rock
- B Synth-pop
- C Sophisti-pop
5. What instrument is prominently featured in Naked Eyes’ version of “Always Something There To Remind Me”?
- A Saxophone
- B Fairlight CMI synthesizer
- C Electric Guitar
6. Which activity is depicted in the music video for Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over”?
- A Dancing in the rain
- B Performing household chores
- C Riding bicycles through the city
7. For whom was “Is This Love” by Whitesnake initially written?
- A Tina Turner
- B Bonnie Tyler
- C Cher
8. What language is recited at the start of Michael Jackson’s “Liberian Girl”?
- A Zulu
- B Swahili
- C Afrikaans
9. How did producer Mutt Lange originally present “Love Bites” to Def Leppard?
- A As a reggae track
- B As a blues ballad
- C As a country ballad
10. What record does Debbie Gibson hold in relation to her song “Foolish Beat”?
- A Most streamed 80s song
- B Youngest artist to have a number-one single
- C First artist to produce and perform a song solo
11. Which member of Guns N’ Roses contributed to writing “Patience”?
- A Slash
- B Izzy Stradlin
- C Axl Rose
12. What awards did “Somewhere Out There” win?
- A Two Grammy Awards
- B Two Oscar Awards
- C One Golden Globe Award
Tracklist
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1 . Blancmange – The Day Before You CameFeatured on the 1984 album “Mange Tout”.
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2 . A Flock Of Seagulls – The More You Live The More You LoveFeatured on the 1984 album “The Story of a Young Heart”.
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3 . Eurythmics – When Tomorrow ComesFeatured on the 1986 album “Revenge“.
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4 . Animal Nightlife – Love Is Just The Great PretenderFeatured on the 1985 album “Shangri-La”.
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5 . Naked Eyes – Always Something There To Remind MeFeatured on the 1983 album “Burning Bridges”.
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6 . Crowded House – Don’t Dream It’s OverFeatured on the 1986 album “Crowded House“.
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7 . Whitesnake – Is This LoveFeatured on the 1987 album “Whitesnake”.
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8 . Michael Jackson – Liberian GirlFeatured on the 1987 album “Bad“.
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9 . Def Leppard – Love BitesFeatured on the 1987 album “Hysteria“.
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10 . Debbie Gibson – Foolish BeatFeatured on the 1987 album “Out of the Blue”.
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11 . Guns N’ Roses – PatienceFeatured on the 1988 album “G N’ R Lies”. |
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12 . Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram – Somewhere Out ThereFeatured on the 1986 album “An American Tail”.
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And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. Blancmange’s version includes a few notable changes, notably replacing Marilyn French with Barbara Cartland. This subtle tweak shifts the tone slightly in its lyrical references. Additionally, the song ends with an interpolation of the *Coronation Street* theme.
2. The music video for A Flock of Seagulls’ song was filmed at the iconic Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. Its dramatic landscapes provided a fitting backdrop for the new wave aesthetic.
3. David A. Stewart was the producer behind “When Tomorrow Comes,” contributing not only as co-writer but also ensuring the track’s production aligned with Eurythmics’ evolving sound during the mid-80s.
4. Known for its breezy jazz-funk groove, ‘Love Is Just The Great Pretender’ falls under the sophisti-pop genre. This style blends jazz, soul, and pop, which is evident in the track’s polished production.
5. Naked Eyes’ rendition of “Always Something There To Remind Me” is notable for its heavy use of the Fairlight CMI synthesizer. This gave the song its signature 80s synth-pop sound.
6. The video for “Don’t Dream It’s Over” creatively portrays Neil Finn and band members performing everyday household chores, juxtaposing mundane tasks with the song’s themes of hope and perseverance.
7. Originally, ‘Is This Love’ was intended for Tina Turner, highlighting David Coverdale’s songwriting versatility. Ultimately, it became a hit for Whitesnake, marking a shift in their style.
8. “Liberian Girl” starts with Swahili phrases voiced by Letta Mbulu, though the language is not native to Liberia. The inclusion provides an exotic twist to the song’s romantic theme.
9. ‘Love Bites’ was first introduced to Def Leppard as a country ballad by producer Mutt Lange. The band reimagined it as a glam metal power ballad, integrating R&B vocal influences.
10. At 17, Debbie Gibson became the youngest artist to write, produce, and perform a number-one single with ‘Foolish Beat,’ a record she continues to hold for female artists in the chart’s history.
11. Guitarist Izzy Stradlin contributed to ‘Patience,’ with Axl Rose also shaping its lyrics. Known for its acoustic guitar work, the track discusses the relational challenges of waiting and longing.
12. ‘Somewhere Out There’ won two Grammy Awards: Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television and Song of the Year. Its broad appeal was bolstered by animated film tie-ins and heartfelt lyrics.
For THE FULL ‘L’AMOUR TOUJOURS’ COLLECTION click here
