How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.

The subjects du jour are : Gregory Isaacs, Robbie Williams, Ben Harper, Don McLean, Leonard Cohen, Milton Nascimento, Lou Reed, Caetano Veloso, Thom Yorke, Jamie Cullum, David Sylvian, Bon Iver

They are the Male Balladeers selected among the 438 Posts we publish this week.

1. Where did Gregory Isaacs famously perform “Night Nurse” in 1983?

  • A Reggae Sunsplash
  • B Woodstock
  • C Glastonbury

2. On which TV show did Robbie Williams perform “Ghosts” with Jools Holland?

  • A Top of the Pops
  • B Later… with Jools Holland
  • C The X Factor

3. Which track did Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite perform at Paste Studio NYC in 2018?

  • A Love and Trust
  • B Burn One Down
  • C Steal My Kisses

4. What event inspired Lori Lieberman to write notes that led to “Killing Me Softly with His Song”?

  • A Don McLean’s Troubadour performance
  • B Bob Dylan’s Madison Square Garden show
  • C Simon & Garfunkel’s Central Park concert

5. Which Leonard Cohen album features “Because Of”?

  • A I’m Your Man
  • B Dear Heather
  • C Various Positions

6. Which language is “Rouxinol” by Milton Nascimento sung in?

  • A Spanish
  • B Portuguese
  • C French

7. On which Lou Reed album does “Tell It to Your Heart” appear?

  • A Transformer
  • B Berlin
  • C Mistrial

8. What movement is Caetano Veloso associated with in Brazil?

  • A Bossa Nova
  • B Tropicália
  • C Samba

9. In which year did Thom Yorke perform at the Bridge School Benefit concert?

  • A 1997
  • B 2002
  • C 2010

10. Who collaborated with Jamie Cullum on “Make Someone Happy”?

  • A Diana Krall
  • B Jef Neve
  • C Norah Jones

11. Which guitarist contributed to David Sylvian’s “Wave”?

  • A Robert Fripp
  • B Eric Clapton
  • C Jeff Beck

12. Which song from Bon Iver’s debut album was performed at HMV Hammersmith Apollo in 2011?

  • A Flume
  • B Skinny Love
  • C Holocene

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Tracklist

1 . Gregory Isaacs . Night Nurse

Lifted from : We remember Gregory Isaacs. ‘Gregorian Chant’

2 . Robbie Williams . Ghosts

Lifted from : Robbie Williams releases ‘Intensive Care,’ his sixth studio album featuring ‘Tripping,’ ‘Advertising Space’ and ‘Sin Sin Sin’ (2005)

3 . Ben Harper . Love And Trust (w/ Charlie Musselwhite)

Lifted from : Happy Birthday Ben Harper. ‘The Harper He Comes’

4 . Don McLean . Empty Chairs

Lifted from : United Artists Records publish Don McLean’s second album . ‘American Pie’ (1971)

5 . Leonard Cohen . Because Of

Lifted from : Columbia publish Leonard Cohen’s eleventh album . ‘Dear Heather’ (2004)

6 . Milton Nascimento . O rouxinol

Lifted from : Feliz Aniversário Milton Nascimento. ‘Nascimento and Co’

7 . Lou Reed . Tell It to Your Heart

Lifted from : We remember Lou Reed. ‘Reed Loud and Clear’

8 . Caetano Veloso . Maria

Lifted from : On TV today, Caetano Veloso at ‘Ensaio’ (1992)

9 . Thom Yorke . Paranoid Android

Lifted from : Thom Yorke supports . school project (2002)

10 . Jamie Cullum . Make Someone Happy (w/ Jef Neve)

Lifted from : Jamie Cullum visits Amsterdam (2014)

11 . David Sylvian . Wave (w/ Robert Fripp)

Lifted from : David Sylvian meets Robert Fripp in Tokyo (1993)

12 . Bon Iver . Flume

Lifted from : Bon Iver sings in London (2011)

And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:

1. Gregory Isaacs took the stage at the 1983 Reggae Sunsplash, turning it into a scene of reggae history. His performance of “Night Nurse” is a timeless reminder of the festival’s influence.

2. Robbie Williams made his mark on “Later… with Jools Holland.” The live rendition of “Ghosts” exemplified the show’s commitment to genuine musical exchanges.

3. At Paste Studio NYC, Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite played “Love and Trust.” The performance showcased their harmonious blues collaboration.

4. Lori Lieberman’s inspiration came from Don McLean’s performance at the Troubadour. Her emotional experience there led to the classic hit “Killing Me Softly with His Song.”

5. Leonard Cohen’s “Dear Heather” includes “Because Of.” The track highlights his shift towards spoken-word poetry and introspective themes.

6. Milton Nascimento’s “Rouxinol” is beautifully sung in Portuguese. The song exemplifies his dedication to Música Popular Brasileira.

7. “Tell It to Your Heart” is found on Lou Reed’s album “Mistrial.” The track continues his exploration of narrative songwriting.

8. Caetano Veloso is a key figure in the Tropicália movement. His work fused diverse sounds, making significant cultural waves in Brazil.

9. In 2002, Thom Yorke took part in the Bridge School Benefit. His acoustic “Paranoid Android” offered a new interpretation to listeners.

10. Jamie Cullum and Jef Neve teamed up on “Make Someone Happy.” Their jazz partnership brought a classic standard to life.

11. Robert Fripp lent his guitar skills to David Sylvian’s “Wave.” The track marked the start of an enduring creative relationship.

12. Bon Iver revisited “Flume” at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2011. The performance highlighted Justin Vernon’s atmospheric style and lyrical depth from his debut album.

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(*) According to our own statistics, updated on November 16, 2025