How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : Lloyd Cole And The Commotions, Status Quo, Naked Eyes, Pretenders, The Motorcycle Boy, Aztec Camera, Age Of Chance, The Jacksons, Paul Young, Rush, Alison Moyet, The Creatures
They are the performers of twelve “lip sync” music videos that were ranked in various charts, this week (41/52) BUT … in the Eighties 80s.
1. Which character inspired the lyrics of Lloyd Cole and the Commotions’ “My Bag”?
- A Holden Caulfield
- B Jay Gatsby
- C Protagonist of “Bright Lights, Big City”
2. What unique contribution does Noddy Holder make to Status Quo’s “In the Army Now”?
- A He plays harmonica
- B He shouts a single line
- C He plays the drums
3. Who recorded background vocals for Naked Eyes’ “Promises, Promises” remixes?
- A Cyndi Lauper
- B Madonna
- C Debbie Harry
4. Which artist released a cover of “Back on the Chain Gang” in Spanish in 1995?
- A Jennifer Lopez
- B Shakira
- C Selena
5. Which producer worked on The Motorcycle Boy’s “Big Rock Candy Mountain”?
- A Steve Lillywhite
- B Pat Collier
- C Brian Eno
6. What marked the major stylistic shift in Aztec Camera’s “Deep and Wide and Tall”?
- A From synth-pop to punk
- B From R&B to indie
- C From indie to R&B
7. Which design collective worked with Age of Chance on artwork?
- A Hipgnosis
- B Storm Studios
- C The Designers Republic
8. Who did not participate in “2300 Jackson Street”?
- A Jermaine Jackson
- B La Toya Jackson
- C Marlon Jackson
9. What chart position did Paul Young’s “Wonderland” reach in the UK?
- A Number 24
- B Number 44
- C Number 14
10. What is the thematic focus of Rush’s “The Big Money”?
- A Teenage rebellion
- B The power of wealth
- C Space exploration
11. Who performed the duet in Alison Moyet’s “Sleep Like Breathing”?
- A David Bowie
- B David Freeman
- C David Byrne
12. Where was The Creatures’ “Standing There” recorded?
- A In a castle
- B In a former convent
- C In a lighthouse
Tracklist
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1 . Lloyd Cole And The Commotions – My BagFeatured on the 1987 album “Mainstream”.
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2 . Status Quo – In The Army NowFeatured on the 1986 album “In the Army Now”.
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3 . Naked Eyes – Promises, PromisesFeatured on the 1983 album “Burning Bridges”.
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4 . Pretenders – Back On The Chain GangFeatured on the 1982 album “Learning to Crawl”.
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5 . The Motorcycle Boy – Big Rock Candy MountainFeatured on the 1989 album “Scarlet”.
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6 . Aztec Camera – Deep And Wide And TallFeatured on the 1987 album “Love”.
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7 . Age Of Chance – Don’t Get Mad Get Even
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8 . The Jacksons – 2300 Jackson StreetFeatured on the 1989 album “2300 Jackson Street”.
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9 . Paul Young – WonderlandFeatured on the 1986 album “Between Two Fires”.
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10 . Rush – The Big MoneyFeatured on the 1985 album “Power Windows”.
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11 . Alison Moyet – Sleep Like BreathingFeatured on the 1987 album “Raindancing”. |
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12 . The Creatures – Standing ThereFeatured on the 1989 album “Boomerang”.
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And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. The song “My Bag” features references inspired by the protagonist of Jay McInerney’s novel “Bright Lights, Big City”. The character’s experiences as a young professional with a cocaine habit largely influenced its lyrics.
2. Noddy Holder contributes a single shouted line to Status Quo’s “In the Army Now”. His brief but emphatic appearance adds a unique touch to the track.
3. Naked Eyes’ “Promises, Promises” remixes feature background vocals by Madonna. These versions were later compiled in 2001.
4. In 1995, Selena released a Spanish-language version of “Back on the Chain Gang”, titled “Fotos y Recuerdos”. This cover adds cultural depth to the Pretenders’ classic.
5. The Motorcycle Boy’s debut single “Big Rock Candy Mountain” was produced by Pat Collier. His previous work with The Soft Boys and Katrina and The Waves supported its critically receptive production.
6. Aztec Camera’s “Deep and Wide and Tall” marks a shift from indie to R&B. This change showcased the band’s evolving sound and was well-received in the UK.
7. Age of Chance collaborated with The Designers Republic for their cover art. The visually striking designs complemented the band’s eclectic musical style.
8. La Toya Jackson did not contribute to “2300 Jackson Street”. Her absence was due to an estrangement from the family at the time.
9. Paul Young’s “Wonderland” reached number 24 on the UK Singles Chart. The track contributed to the success of his platinum-certified album “Between Two Fires”.
10. Rush’s “The Big Money” explores wealth’s dual nature through wordplay, highlighting its power and potential for corruption. The progressive rock track contrasts positive and negative aspects of financial influence.
11. “Sleep Like Breathing” features a duet between Alison Moyet and David Freeman. This collaboration is a hallmark of her second studio album, “Raindancing”.
12. “Standing There” by The Creatures was recorded in a former convent. This unusual setting contributed to the distinctive sound characteristic of their album “Boomerang”.
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