How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : Tom Tom Club, Men At Work, The Vapors, Paul McCartney, Chas and Dave, Big Audio Dynamite, Suzanne Vega, Giorgio Moroder & Philip Oakey, Adam Ant, Captain Sensible, ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic, Kate Bush
They are the performers of twelve vintage amusing, puzzling and sometimes shocking videos of songs that were ranked in various charts, this week (30/52) BUT … in the Eighties 80s.
1. What genre influences are most prominent in The Weeknd’s “Take My Breath”?
- A Country and Bluegrass
- B Disco and Synthwave
- C Jazz and Swing
2. Who are the primary producers of “Take My Breath”?
- A Max Martin, Oscar Holter, and The Weeknd
- B Timbaland and Pharrell Williams
- C Dr. Dre and Quincy Jones
3. In his track “Blinding Lights,” what era of music does The Weeknd draw inspiration from?
- A The 1990s
- B The 1980s
- C The 1970s
4. Which album features “Blinding Lights” as a track?
- A *Starboy*
- B *After Hours*
- C *Beauty Behind the Madness*
5. What notable certification did “Blinding Lights” achieve in the United States?
- A Gold
- B Diamond
- C Platinum
6. What is the thematic focus of the lyrics in “Blinding Lights”?
- A Political rebellion
- B Desire for a partner
- C Adventure and exploration
7. Who directed the music video for “Take My Breath”?
- A Cliqua
- B Spike Jonze
- C David Fincher
8. What was a significant concern regarding the music video for “Take My Breath”?
- A Environmental impact
- B Epilepsy risk due to strobe lighting
- C Cultural sensitivity
9. In which year was “Blinding Lights” officially released?
- A 2018
- B 2019
- C 2020
10. Which mixing engineer worked on “Blinding Lights”?
- A Chris Lord-Alge
- B Serban Ghenea
- C Tony Maserati
11. How did “Blinding Lights” perform on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart?
- A It failed to enter the top 50
- B It reached number one and broke records
- C It peaked at number 30
12. Which album includes the song “Take My Breath”?
- A *Starboy*
- B *Beauty Behind the Madness*
- C *Dawn FM*
1. Which musical instrument’s sound features prominently in Tom Tom Club’s “Wordy Rappinghood”?
- A Typewriter
- B Guitar
- C Piano
2. Which US TV show did Men At Work perform “It’s a Mistake” on in 1983?
- A Late Night with David Letterman
- B Saturday Night Live
- C American Bandstand
3. What event is The Vapors’ song “Jimmie Jones” centered around?
- A Moon landing
- B Jonestown massacre
- C Woodstock
4. Which famous British actor appears in the music video for Paul McCartney’s “Take It Away”?
- A Sir Alec Guinness
- B John Hurt
- C Sir Christopher Lee
5. For what purpose was Chas & Dave’s “Margate” originally written?
- A A film soundtrack
- B A beer advertisement
- C A travel documentary
6. Which famous punk rockers appear in the “Medicine Show” video by Big Audio Dynamite?
- A Johnny Rotten and Joe Strummer
- B Sid Vicious and Joey Ramone
- C Mick Jones and Neneh Cherry
7. Which famous NYC diner was the inspiration for Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner”?
- A Junior’s
- B Katz’s Delicatessen
- C Tom’s Restaurant
8. On which chart did “Goodbye Bad Times” by Giorgio Moroder & Philip Oakey perform better?
- A UK Albums Chart
- B Australian Singles Chart
- C Billboard Hot 100
9. Who co-wrote “Goody Two Shoes” with Adam Ant?
- A Marco Pirroni
- B Mick Jagger
- C George Michael
10. What other famous game is referenced in Captain Sensible’s “There Are More Snakes Than Ladders”?
- A Monopoly
- B Snakes and Ladders
- C Chess
11. What iconic music video set was used for Weird Al’ Yankovic’s “Fat” video?
- A “Thriller”
- B “Bad”
- C “Smooth Criminal”
12. What synthesizer did Kate Bush use in “Babooshka,” noted for being among the first in this song?
- A Moog
- B Fairlight CMI
- C Roland Jupiter-8
For TWELVE more ‘Vous Avez Dit Bizarre’ – Vintage 80s Music Videos – week 30/52 – click here
Tracklist
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1 . Tom Tom Club – Wordy RappinghoodFeatured on the 1981 album “Tom Tom Club >“.
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2 . Men At Work – It’s a MistakeFeatured on the 1983 album “Cargo”.
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3 . The Vapors – Jimmie JonesFeatured on the 1981 album “Magnets”.
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4 . Paul McCartney – Take It AwayFeatured on the 1982 album “Tug of War“.
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5 . Chas and Dave – MargateFeatured on the 1982 album “Job Lot”.
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6 . Big Audio Dynamite – Medicine ShowFeatured on the 1985 album “This Is Big Audio Dynamite!”.
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7 . Suzanne Vega – Toms DinerFeatured on the 1987 album “Solitude Standing“.
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8 . Giorgio Moroder & Philip Oakey – Goodbye Bad TimesFeatured on the 1985 album “Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder”.
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9 . Adam Ant – Goody Two ShoesFeatured on the 1982 album “Friend or Foe”.
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10 . Captain Sensible – There’s More Snakes Than Ladders
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11 . ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic – FatFeatured on the 1988 album “Even Worse”. |
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12 . Kate Bush – BabooshkaFeatured on the 1980 album “Never for Ever“.
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And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. The song features the sound of a typewriter as part of its eclectic musical style. This unexpected choice adds to the track’s playful and inventive character.
2. Men At Work performed “It’s a Mistake” on Saturday Night Live in October 1983, adding to the song’s exposure in the United States.
3. “Jimmie Jones” by The Vapors references the infamous Jonestown massacre led by cult leader Jim Jones in 1978, highlighting the dark narrative of the song.
4. The music video for “Take It Away” features the esteemed John Hurt, adding a touch of theatrical class to the visual presentation.
5. Originally penned for a beer advertisement, “Margate” evolved into a full song, celebrating a nostalgic trip to the seaside.
6. Mick Jones and Neneh Cherry appear in the “Medicine Show” video, aligning with the band’s distinct style and collaborative spirit.
7. Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner” was inspired by Tom’s Restaurant in New York City, a regular haunt during her college days.
8. “Goodbye Bad Times” performed better on the Australian Singles Chart, peaking at number 26, compared to its performance in the UK.
9. Adam Ant teamed up with Marco Pirroni to co-write “Goody Two Shoes,” marking the start of his successful solo career.
10. The song title references the game Snakes and Ladders, using its metaphorical balance of ups and downs to highlight life’s vicissitudes.
11. “Fat” was filmed using the actual subway set from Michael Jackson’s “Bad” video, underscoring Yankovic’s parody approach.
12. Kate Bush utilized the Fairlight CMI synthesizer in “Babooshka,” marking a leap forward in music production technology at the time.
And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. “Take My Breath” is heavily influenced by disco, dance-pop, and synthwave, showing a clear nod to 1980s music patterns. These influences are reflected in its upbeat, pulsating rhythm and synthesizer layers.
2. The Weeknd collaborated with renowned producers Max Martin and Oscar Holter on “Take My Breath,” contributing to its glossy production style that combines catchy melodies with a retro aura.
3. “Blinding Lights” pays homage to the 1980s, drawing on the era’s synth-heavy sound and musical vibe. This nostalgic influence is key to its electropop and synthwave style.
4. The song “Blinding Lights” is featured on The Weeknd’s fourth studio album, *After Hours*, released in 2020. The album’s dark, atmospheric themes complement the song’s longing nature.
5. In the United States, “Blinding Lights” was certified Diamond by the RIAA, marking over 10 million units sold. This certification highlights its widespread success and popularity.
6. The lyrics of “Blinding Lights” revolve around the desire for a partner, emphasizing the emotional connection and longing to be reunited, particularly during nighttime.
7. Director Cliqua was responsible for the visually striking “Take My Breath” music video, employing intense strobe lighting to create a dynamic visual experience for viewers.
8. Concerns about strobe lighting leading to potential epilepsy risks resulted in the “Take My Breath” music video being pulled from IMAX screenings, drawing attention to possible health hazards.
9. Officially, “Blinding Lights” was released in 2019 as part of a lead-up to The Weeknd’s album *After Hours*. Its success continued into the following years.
10. Mixing engineer Serban Ghenea lent his expertise to “Blinding Lights,” ensuring its polished sound quality that contributed to its chart-topping success.
11. “Blinding Lights” proved a commercial triumph, reaching number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and setting longevity and performance records, surpassing previous chart milestones.
12. “Take My Breath” is from the album *Dawn FM*, released by The Weeknd as part of his 2022 music endeavors. Its chart performance helped solidify the album’s success.