How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : George Benson, Tom Verlaine, D’Angelo, George Michael, Glen Hansard, Keith Urban, Otis Redding, Brian Molko, David Clayton~Thomas, Ben Howard, Morrissey, Neil Diamond
They are the Male Balladeers selected among the 341 Posts we publish this week.
1. Who presented George Benson’s live performance of “Shiver” on “Top of the Pops” in 1986?
- A Gary Davies
- B Janice Long
- C Simon Mayo
2. What marked Television’s return with the song “Call Mr. Lee”?
- A Reunion tour
- B A fourteen-year album hiatus
- C A new band member
3. What unique element did D’Angelo’s “Really Love” include in its live SNL performance?
- A Interpretive dance
- B Spoken Spanish introduction
- C Harp solo
4. What cover song did George Michael perform at Wembley in 2007?
- A “Rocket Man” by Elton John
- B “Idol” by Elton John
- C “Bennie and the Jets” by Elton John
5. In which film did Glen Hansard’s “When Your Mind’s Made Up” gain recognition?
- A *Once*
- B *Begin Again*
- C *Sing Street*
6. Which aspect of Keith Urban’s “Golden Road” album contributed significantly to its success?
- A Innovative album cover
- B Grammy-winning single
- C Multi-city launch tour
7. Which soul artist co-wrote “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” with Otis Redding?
- A Sam Cooke
- B Jerry Butler
- C Percy Sledge
8. What theme is prevalent in Placebo’s “My Sweet Prince”?
- A Celebratory love
- B Adventure and travel
- C Addiction or destructive relationship
9. How did Blood, Sweat & Tears reintroduce “God Bless The Child” to audiences?
- A Country music festival
- B Fusion of rock and jazz
- C String quartet arrangement
10. What notable feature opens Ben Howard’s song “Promise”?
- A A crackling campfire sound
- B A thunderstorm sample
- C A train whistle
11. What evidence is there of Morrissey performing “Satellite of Love” at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert?
- A Performances by other artists
- B No documented evidence
- C Official concert DVD
12. How did Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand’s duet of “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” come about?
- A Requested by a talk show host
- B Radio spliced their solo versions
- C Their managers arranged it
Tracklist
1 . George Benson . ShiverOn English TV today, George Benson at ‘Top Of The Pops’ (1986) |
2 . Tom Verlaine . Call Mr Lee (w/ Television) |
3 . D’Angelo . Really Love (w/ The Vanguard)Sony publish D’Angelo’s third album . ‘Black Messiah’ (2014) |
4 . George Michael . Idol |
5 . Glen Hansard . When Your Mind’s Made Up |
6 . Keith Urban . Country RoadDixie, Sting, Alison et al pay ‘A Tribute To James Taylor’ (2006) |
7 . Otis Redding . I’ve Been Loving You Too Long |
8 . Brian Molko . My Sweet Prince (w/ Placebo)As we wish Brian Molko . Happy Birthday, the day is perfect for . ‘Placebo at their bests’ post |
9 . David Clayton~Thomas . God Bless the Child (w/ Blood Sweat and Tears)Columbia publish ‘Blood, Sweat . Tears’ eponymous second album featuring ‘Spinning Wheel’ (1968) |
10 . Ben Howard . Promise |
11 . Morrissey . Satellite of Love |
12 . Neil Diamond . You Don’t Bring Me Flowers |
And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. George Benson performed “Shiver” on “Top of the Pops” presented by Janice Long. This performance highlighted his blend of R&B and pop, marking his international prominence.
2. “Call Mr. Lee” marked Television’s return with a new album after a fourteen-year hiatus. The song prominently features their signature guitar interplay.
3. D’Angelo’s “Really Love” on SNL featured a spoken Spanish introduction, adding a unique touch to the soulful and orchestral blend of the track.
4. George Michael performed Elton John’s “Idol” at Wembley in 2007, notably part of a major return to live appearances after a gap in his career.
5. Glen Hansard’s “When Your Mind’s Made Up” was featured in the film *Once*, where it gained wide recognition along with standout vocal dynamics.
6. The Grammy-winning single “You’ll Think of Me” on Keith Urban’s “Golden Road” was pivotal, earning him accolades and boosting the album’s success.
7. “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” co-written by Otis Redding and Jerry Butler, became a significant hit, cementing Redding’s place in soul music.
8. Placebo’s “My Sweet Prince” is often interpreted as exploring themes of addiction or a destructive relationship, though definitive meanings were not publicly declared.
9. Blood, Sweat & Tears reintroduced “God Bless The Child” using a fusion of rock and jazz, showcasing their unique blend of genres.
10. Ben Howard’s “Promise” opens with the sound of a crackling campfire, setting a soothing tone for the introspective track.
11. Morrissey has not documented a performance of “Satellite of Love” at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, leaving no evidence of such an event.
12. Radio stations’ splicing of Diamond and Streisand’s solo versions of “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” catalyzed their official duet, which achieved commercial success.
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