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 Michael, Cyndi Lauper, Marky Mark And The Funky Bunch, Vic Reeves & The Wonder Stuff, The Lightning Seeds, The Smashing Pumpkins, Hooverphonic, Pet Shop Boys, Levellers, Moby, Massive Attack, Madonna
They are the performers of twelve vintage amusing, puzzling and sometimes shocking videos of songs that were ranked in various charts, this week (44/52) BUT… in the Nineties 90s.
1. What unusual sound appears in George Michael’s “Outside”?
- A School bell
- B Police siren
- C Church bell
2. Who originally wrote “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” before Cyndi Lauper’s 1994 version?
- A Robert Hazard
- B Cyndi Lauper
- C Rick James
3. Which Lou Reed song does “Wildside” by Marky Mark sample?
- A Sweet Jane
- B Walk on the Wild Side
- C Perfect Day
4. Which British comedian collaborated on the 1991 cover of “Dizzy”?
- A Stephen Fry
- B Rowan Atkinson
- C Vic Reeves
5. “What If…” by The Lightning Seeds belongs to which album?
- A Cloudcuckooland
- B Dizzy Heights
- C Sense
6. Which prestigious award did The Smashing Pumpkins’ song win in 1997?
- A MTV Music Video Award
- B Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance
- C American Music Award
7. Which famous soul artist’s track was sampled in Hooverphonic’s “2 Wicky”?
- A Isaac Hayes
- B Marvin Gaye
- C James Brown
8. The Pet Shop Boys’ cover of “Go West” prominently uses the chord progression from which classical piece?
- A Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel
- B Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber
- C Air on the G String by J.S. Bach
9. What was the name of the studio where the Levellers recorded “Hope Street”?
- A Abbey Road Studios
- B Metway Studio
- C Sunset Sound
10. Moby’s “Feeling So Real” features vocals by whom?
- A Angie Brown
- B Rozz Morehead
- C Wendy Smith
11. In which city was the video for Massive Attack’s “Sly” filmed?
- A London
- B Paris
- C New York City
12. What was controversial about Madonna’s “Drowned World/Substitute for Love” music video?
- A References to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales
- B Religious imagery
- C Nudity
For TWELVE more ‘Vous Avez Dit Bizarre’ – Vintage 90s Music Videos – week 44/52 – click here
Tracklist
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1 . George Michael – OutsideFeatured on the 1998 album “Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael”.
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2 . Cyndi Lauper – Hey Now [Girls Just Want to Have Fun]Featured on the 1993 album “She’s So Unusual“.
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3 . Marky Mark And The Funky Bunch – WildsideFeatured on the 1991 album “Music for the People”.
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4 . Vic Reeves & The Wonder Stuff – DizzyFeatured on the 1991 album “I Will Cure You”.
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5 . The Lightning Seeds – What If…Featured on the 1996 album “Dizzy Heights”.
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6 . The Smashing Pumpkins – Bullet with Butterfly WingsFeatured on the 1995 album “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness”.
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7 . Hooverphonic – 2 WickyFeatured on the 1996 album “A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular”.
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8 . Pet Shop Boys – Go WestFeatured on the 1993 album “Very“.
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9 . Levellers – Hope StreetFeatured on the 1995 album “Zeitgeist”.
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10 . Moby – Feeling So RealFeatured on the 1994 album “Everything Is Wrong“.
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11 . Massive Attack – SlyFeatured on the 1994 album “Protection“. |
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12 . Madonna – Drowned World / Substitute For LoveFeatured on the 1998 album “Ray of Light“.
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And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. The sound of a police siren adds an unexpected twist to “Outside.” The song, released after a two-year gap, marked a successful return for George Michael with distinctive elements like disco strings.
2. Robert Hazard penned the original “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” Cyndi Lauper’s rendition turned it into a classic, later reinvigorated with a 1994 rework.
3. “Wildside” features a prominent sample from Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side.” The track discusses serious topics relevant to its time and features Mark Wahlberg on vocals.
4. Comedian Vic Reeves lent his unique style to the 1991 cover of “Dizzy.” The track achieved commercial success and topped the UK charts.
5. “What If…” can be found on The Lightning Seeds’ album Dizzy Heights. The song reflects the band’s melodic pop style of the mid-1990s.
6. The Smashing Pumpkins won the Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1997. The song broke into the top 40 of the U.S. charts, reaching a peak at number 22.
7. “2 Wicky” includes a sample from Isaac Hayes’ cover of “Walk On By.” The track stands out with its atmospheric sound and film soundtrack appearances.
8. The Pet Shop Boys’ “Go West” creatively weaves in Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel. The 1993 cover is richly layered and iconic in its own right.
9. “Hope Street” was recorded at Metway Studio. The Levellers acquired the Brighton facility in 1994, marking a significant turning point for the band.
10. Rozz Morehead provided guest vocals for “Feeling So Real.” Moby produced and wrote the track, which achieved notable chart success, especially in dance categories.
11. The music video for “Sly” was filmed in New York City. Directed by Stéphane Sednaoui, the video matched the song’s atmospheric qualities.
12. Madonna’s “Drowned World/Substitute for Love” video drew criticism for perceived references to Princess Diana’s death. Madonna clarified the content focused on her relationship with fame.