How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : Men At Work, ZZ Top, Duran Duran, Living Colour, Tracey Ullman, David Bowie, Heaven 17, Bucks Fizz, Echo & The Bunnymen, The The, The Cure, Guns N’ Roses
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 Eighties 80s.
1. What was the inspiration behind Men at Work’s “Who Can It Be Now?” according to Colin Hay?
- A A dream about an alien invasion
- B Living in a Melbourne apartment
- C A competitive chess match
2. Who was responsible for the choreography in ZZ Top’s music video for their 1986 single?
- A Paula Abdul
- B Bob Fosse
- C Debbie Allen
3. In Duran Duran’s “Union of the Snake” music video, which uncredited future star made an appearance?
- A Jennifer Connelly
- B Matthew McConaughey
- C Scarlett Johansson
4. What aspect of youth culture inspired Vernon Reid to write “Glamour Boys”?
- A Street art and graffiti
- B New York City nightlife
- C High school proms
5. Who originally recorded the song “Helpless” before Tracey Ullman?
- A The Beatles
- B The Four Tops
- C The Supremes
6. Which of the following best describes the inspiration behind David Bowie’s 1984 single written solely by him?
- A A science fiction novel
- B Eddie Cochran’s style
- C A Shakespeare play
7. What unique feature is present in Heaven 17’s single “This Is Mine”?
- A A didgeridoo solo
- B A flugelhorn solo
- C A theremin interlude
8. Which visual theme features prominently in the music video for Bucks Fizz’s “Golden Days”?
- A A futuristic city
- B 1920s film stars
- C A haunted house
9. For which 1986 film soundtrack was Echo & the Bunnymen’s “Bring On the Dancing Horses” recorded?
- A Some Kind of Wonderful
- B Pretty in Pink
- C Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
10. What was the distinctive aspect of the release connected to The The’s “Infected” album?
- A A graphic novel
- B A video film project
- C A comic book series
11. Which literary work inspired the song and video for The Cure’s single written in 1981?
- A 1984 by George Orwell
- B A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
- C A novel by Penelope Farmer
12. Which classic rock band’s song featured as a B-side to the debut album single by Guns N’ Roses?
- A Led Zeppelin
- B AC/DC
- C Black Sabbath
For TWELVE more ‘Vous Avez Dit Bizarre’ – Vintage 80s Music Videos – week 44/52 – click here
Tracklist
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1 . Men At Work – Who Can It Be Now?Featured on the 1981 album “Business as Usual“.
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2 . ZZ Top – Velcro FlyFeatured on the 1985 album “Afterburner”.
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3 . Duran Duran – Union Of The SnakeFeatured on the 1983 album “Seven and the Ragged Tiger”.
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4 . Living Colour – Glamour BoysFeatured on the 1988 album “Vivid“.
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5 . Tracey Ullman – HelplessFeatured on the 1984 album “You Caught Me Out”.
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6 . David Bowie – Blue JeanFeatured on the 1984 album “Tonight“.
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7 . Heaven 17 – This Is MineFeatured on the 1984 album “How Men Are”.
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8 . Bucks Fizz – Golden DaysFeatured on the 1984 album “I Hear Talk”.
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9 . Echo & The Bunnymen – Bring on The Dancing HorsesFeatured on the 1985 album “Songs to Learn and Sing”.
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10 . The The – InfectedFeatured on the 1986 album “Infected“.
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11 . The Cure – Charlotte Sometimes
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12 . Guns N’ Roses – Welcome To The JungleFeatured on the 1987 album “Appetite for Destruction“.
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And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. Colin Hay wrote “Who Can It Be Now?” based on his experiences living in a Melbourne apartment. He found inspiration in feelings of isolation and a desire to escape this setting.
2. The music video choreography for ZZ Top’s 1986 single was designed by Paula Abdul. She helped with the hand movements and rehearsed with the band.
3. Jennifer Connelly made an uncredited appearance in the music video for “Union of the Snake.” This marked her screen debut despite her role not being officially recognized in the credits.
4. Vernon Reid was inspired by New York City nightlife to write “Glamour Boys.” He focused on the wealth and entitlement exhibited by privileged youth.
5. The Four Tops originally recorded “Helpless” before Tracey Ullman. Ullman’s version was released in 1984 but did not chart as successfully as the original.
6. David Bowie’s 1984 single was inspired by Eddie Cochran’s style. Bowie described it as a piece of sexist rock ‘n roll akin to his earlier works.
7. Heaven 17’s “This Is Mine” features a flugelhorn solo played by Michael Harris. The Phenix Horns also contributed to the track, enriching its synth-pop sound.
8. Bucks Fizz’s “Golden Days” featured a 1920s film star theme in its music video. Cheryl Baker portrayed the central character in this nostalgic setting.
9. “Bring On the Dancing Horses” was recorded for the soundtrack of the film Pretty in Pink. Echo & the Bunnymen’s song added a unique sound to the film’s music collection.
10. A video film project was part of the release for The The’s “Infected” album. The videos explored various themes and were premiered on British television.
11. A novel by Penelope Farmer inspired The Cure’s single and video. The story of time-traveling girls is reflected in the lyrics and visuals, contributing to the song’s narrative depth.
12. The debut album single by Guns N’ Roses included a live version of AC/DC’s “Whole Lotta Rosie” as a B-side. This connection highlighted the band’s classic rock influences.