How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Pet Shop Boys, AC/DC, Squeeze, Beastie Boys, Jim Steinman, Glenn Frey, The Cure, The Clash, The Specials, Joan Armatrading, Madonna
They are the performers of twelve vintage amusing, puzzling and sometimes shocking videos of songs that were ranked in various charts, this week (28/52) BUT … in the Eighties 80s.
1. Which award did Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s ‘Two Tribes’ win in 1984?
- A Grammy Award
- B Ivor Novello
- C Brit Award
2. ‘It’s A Sin’ features what unique background sound captured by the Pet Shop Boys?
- A Westminster Cathedral Mass
- B Traffic noises
- C Sea waves
3. Which instrument features prominently in the AC/DC song ‘Danger’ ?
- A Piano
- B Blues guitar
- C Violin
4. What inspired the samples used in Squeeze’s ‘Last Time Forever’ 12-inch version?
- A A painting
- B The Shining film
- C A radio broadcast
5. Which band’s album title is referenced in Beastie Boys’ ‘No Sleep Till Brooklyn’ ?
- A Motörhead
- B Metallica
- C Slayer
6. Which artist originally intended to record Jim Steinman’s ‘Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through’ ?
- A Bruce Springsteen
- B Meat Loaf
- C David Bowie
7. ‘Smuggler’s Blues’ by Glenn Frey influenced which television series episode?
- A Dallas
- B Miami Vice
- C Magnum P.I.
8. What notable electronic instrument did The Cure employ in ‘The Walk’ ?
- A Moog synthesizer
- B Oberheim OB-8
- C Yamaha DX7
9. In The Clash’s ‘Rock the Casbah,’ why was drummer Topper Headon absent from the video?
- A Personal issues
- B Injury
- C Tour commitments
10. What production element begins The Specials’ ‘Rat Race’ ?
- A Piano intro
- B Guitar riff
- C Drum solo
11. Which musician played bass on Joan Armatrading’s ‘Me Myself I’ ?
- A John Paul Jones
- B Marcus Miller
- C Sting
12. How many singles from Madonna’s ‘True Blue’ reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100?
- A Three
- B Five
- C Four
For TWELVE more ‘Vous Avez Dit Bizarre’ – Vintage 80s Music Videos – week 28/52 – click here
Tracklist
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1 . Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Two TribesFeatured on the 1984 album “Welcome To The Pleasuredome“.
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2 . Pet Shop Boys – It’s A SinFeatured on the 1987 album “Actually“.
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3 . AC/DC – DangerFeatured on the 1985 album “Fly On the Wall”.
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4 . Squeeze – Last Time ForeverFeatured on the 1985 album “Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti”.
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5 . Beastie Boys – No Sleep Till BrooklynFeatured on the 1986 album “Licensed To Ill“.
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6 . Jim Steinman – Rock and Roll Dreams Come ThroughFeatured on the 1981 album “Bad for Good”.
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7 . Glenn Frey – Smuggler’s BluesFeatured on the 1984 album “The Allnighter”.
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8 . The Cure – The Walk
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9 . The Clash – Rock the CasbahFeatured on the 1982 album “Combat Rock“.
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10 . The Specials – Rat Race
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11 . Joan Armatrading – Me Myself IFeatured on the 1980 album “Me Myself I”. |
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12 . Madonna – Papa Don’t PreachFeatured on the 1986 album “True Blue“.
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And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. B. ‘Two Tribes’ snagged the Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically in 1984. The track reigned on the UK charts, making waves with its anti-war effects.
2. A. ‘It’s A Sin’ cleverly uses a recording of a Mass from Westminster Cathedral. The track’s confession-like themes echo through its dramatic synth beats.
3. B. The blues guitar provides the key backbone for AC/DC’s ‘Danger,’ adding a gritty, stripped-down sound to their signature rock flair.
4. B. Squeeze incorporated sounds from ‘The Shining’ into the 12-inch version of ‘Last Time Forever.’ These eerie samples are mysterious and distinct.
5. A. ‘No Sleep Till Brooklyn’ winks at Motörhead’s album ‘No Sleep ’til Hammersmith.’ The title nod highlights the band’s rock-meets-rap style.
6. B. The song was initially meant for Meat Loaf, but circumstances pushed Jim Steinman to record ‘Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through’ himself.
7. B. ‘Smuggler’s Blues’ found fame beyond radio, inspiring a Miami Vice episode title and featuring Glenn Frey on-screen.
8. B. The Oberheim OB-8 gave ‘The Walk’ its synthetic edge, marking The Cure’s experimentation with electronic sounds.
9. A. Topper Headon, creator of the notable drum pattern, missed the ‘Rock the Casbah’ video session due to personal issues.
10. A. ‘Rat Race’ opens with a distinctive piano intro, a John Barry-inspired nod, setting the stage for The Specials’ critique of societal norms.
11. B. Marcus Miller’s bass work is part of what makes ‘Me Myself I’ memorable. His talents add a notable depth to Joan Armatrading’s classic track.
12. B. Madonna’s ‘True Blue’ spun out a quintet of top-five hits, showcasing her pop dominance with catchy, chart-topping tunes.