How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : Alvin Stardust, Transvision Vamp, The Boomtown Rats, Marc Almond, Hue And Cry, The La’s, XTC, Friends Again, Basia, Midge Ure, The Dream Academy, Talk Talk
They are the performers of twelve “lip sync” music videos that were ranked in various charts, this week (45/52) BUT … in the Eighties 80s.
1. Who originally wrote “A Wonderful Time Up There”?
- A Alvin Stardust
- B Johnny Cash
- C Lee Roy Abernathy
2. Which band features the track “Born to Be Sold”?
- A The Boomtown Rats
- B Transvision Vamp
- C Friends Again
3. What was “Dave” by The Boomtown Rats known as in the United States?
- A Storm
- B Rain
- C Tears
4. What pseudonym does Marc Almond use for writing “Bitter Sweet”?
- A La Magia
- B Annie Hogan
- C He uses his own name
5. Who are the siblings in the band Hue And Cry?
- A Greg and Pat Kane
- B Neil and Stuart Kerr
- C Paul and Chris Thomson
6. Which band released “Way Out” as their debut single?
- A XTC
- B The La’s
- C Talk Talk
7. What is “This World Over” by XTC primarily about?
- A Dealing with fame
- B Nuclear weapons and Cold War anxieties
- C Finding love in a different country
8. Which Scottish band released “State of Art”?
- A Friends Again
- B The Smiths
- C Hue And Cry
9. “Prime Time TV” was the debut single for which singer?
- A Basia
- B Annie Lennox
- C Midge Ure
10. What theme does Midge Ure’s 1988 single from “Answers to Nothing” address?
- A Environmental issues
- B Weaponization of religion
- C Space exploration
11. Which film featured The Dream Academy’s cover of “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want”?
- A Pretty in Pink
- B Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
- C The Breakfast Club
12. What serious subject is tackled in Talk Talk’s single from “Spirit of Eden”?
- A Political corruption
- B Heroin addiction
- C The struggles of the working class
Tracklist
 |
1 . Alvin Stardust – Wonderful Time Up ThereFeatured on the 1993 album “The Hits Go On”.
|
|
|
2 . Transvision Vamp – Born To Be SoldFeatured on the 1989 album “Velveteen”.
|
|
|
3 . The Boomtown Rats – DaveFeatured on the 1984 album “In the Long Grass”.
|
|
|
4 . Marc Almond – Bitter SweetFeatured on the 1988 album “The Stars We Are”.
|
|
|
5 . Hue And Cry – Ordinary AngelFeatured on the 1988 album “Remote”.
|
|
|
6 . The La’s – Way OutFeatured on the 1990 album “The La’s“.
|
|
|
7 . XTC – This World OverFeatured on the 1992 album “The Big Express”.
|
|
|
8 . Friends Again – State Of ArtFeatured on the 1983 album “Trapped and Unwrapped”.
|
|
|
9 . Basia – Prime Time TVFeatured on the 1986 album “Time and Tide“.
|
|
|
10 . Midge Ure – Dear GodFeatured on the 1988 album “Answers to Nothing”.
|
|
|
11 . The Dream Academy – Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
|
|
|
12 . Talk Talk – I Believe In YouFeatured on the 1988 album “Spirit Of Eden“.
|
And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. The song “A Wonderful Time Up There” was originally penned by Lee Roy Abernathy. While Alvin Stardust’s version may be catchy, it’s Abernathy who takes the writing credit.
2. Transvision Vamp provided “Born to Be Sold” to their sophomore album *Velveteen*. It’s a prime example of late ’80s glam-pop.
3. “Dave” took a rainy turn in the U.S., going by “Rain” with different lyrics. It reflects on The Boomtown Rats’ sax player’s heartbreak.
4. Marc Almond wrote “Bitter Sweet” under his own name. Annie Hogan collaborated, but no alias for Almond this time.
5. Sibling dynamics run deep in Hue And Cry, founded by brothers Greg and Pat Kane. Their Scottish soul leaves a mark.
6. The La’s debuted with “Way Out”, stamped by their signature jangling guitars. Notably inexpensive music video to boot.
7. XTC’s “This World Over” tackles the nuclear anxieties of the Cold War, capturing Andy Partridge’s nervous political musings.
8. Friends Again, though short-lived, released “State of Art” in their brief tenure. Scottish flair blends with New Wave elements.
9. Basia kicked off her solo career with “Prime Time TV”, later featuring on her album *Time and Tide*. A dance among TV screens ensued.
10. Ure’s single from “Answers to Nothing” questions religious zealotry with the innocence of a child’s plea. A potent mix of hope and critique.
11. The Dream Academy’s lush cover graced “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, amplifying its cinematic flair through Smiths heritage.
12. Talk Talk’s confronting “Spirit of Eden” track delves into heroin troubles, echoing personal witness rather than glamorized narratives.
For THE FULL ‘ARE WE LIVE?’ COLLECTION click here
