How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Dire Straits, Ugly Kid Joe, Bon Jovi, Teenage Fanclub, Echobelly, R.E.M., Aerosmith, Simple Minds, Mariah Carey, Kraftwerk
They are the performers of twelve “live” music videos that were ranked in various charts, this week (44/52) BUT … in the Nineties 90s.
1. Which biblical figure does Bruce Springsteen reference in “Leap of Faith”?
- A King Solomon
- B Moses
- C Adam
2. For whom was Billy Joel’s song “The Downeaster ‘Alexa'” written?
- A His daughter
- B His mother
- C His wife Christie Brinkley
3. Which novel inspired Dire Straits’ lyrics for “Heavy Fuel”?
- A 1984 by George Orwell
- B Money by Martin Amis
- C On the Road by Jack Kerouac
4. What theme is addressed in Ugly Kid Joe’s “So Damn Cool”?
- A Corporate greed
- B Societal pressure
- C Environmental issues
5. Which choir features in Jon Bon Jovi’s 2009 version of “Keep the Faith”?
- A Detroit Youth Choir
- B Norwegian Children’s Choir
- C Washington DC Youth Choir
6. What fashion choice marks the character in Teenage Fanclub’s “The Concept”?
- A Wearing leather jackets
- B Wearing denim
- C Wearing floral prints
7. Which chart position did Echobelly’s “King of the Kerb” achieve in the UK?
- A Number 47
- B Number 25
- C Number 78
8. What inspired the visuals for R.E.M.’s “Bittersweet Me” music video?
- A Italian cinema
- B French New Wave
- C German Expressionism
9. Where was Aerosmith’s “Blind Man” recorded?
- A Power Station, NYC
- B Abbey Road Studios, London
- C Sunset Sound, Los Angeles
10. Which song opens Simple Minds’ album “Real Life”?
- A Let There Be Love
- B Real Life
- C See the Lights
11. Who initially intended to perform Mariah Carey’s “Hero”?
- A Whitney Houston
- B Gloria Estefan
- C Aretha Franklin
12. What year was Kraftwerk’s “Radioactivity” first released?
- A 1980
- B 1976
- C 1975
Tracklist
 |
1 . Bruce Springsteen – Leap Of FaithFeatured on the 1992 album “Lucky Town“.
|
|
|
2 . Billy Joel – That’s Not Her StyleFeatured on the 1989 album “Storm Front”.
|
|
|
3 . Dire Straits – Heavy FuelFeatured on the 1991 album “On Every Street”.
|
|
|
4 . Ugly Kid Joe – So Damn CoolFeatured on the 1992 album “America’s Least Wanted”.
|
|
|
5 . Bon Jovi – Keep The FaithFeatured on the 1992 album “Keep the Faith“.
|
|
|
6 . Teenage Fanclub – The ConceptFeatured on the 1991 album “Bandwagonesque“.
|
|
|
7 . Echobelly – King Of The KerbFeatured on the 1995 album “On”.
|
|
|
8 . R.E.M. – Bittersweet MeFeatured on the 1996 album “New Adventures in Hi-Fi“.
|
|
|
9 . Aerosmith – Blind ManFeatured on the 1994 album “Big Ones”.
|
|
|
10 . Simple Minds – Real LifeFeatured on the 1991 album “Real Life”.
|
|
|
11 . Mariah Carey – HeroFeatured on the 1993 album “Music Box“. |
|
|
12 . Kraftwerk – RadioactivityFeatured on the 1975 album “Radio-Activity“.
|
And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. Bruce Springsteen’s “Leap of Faith” references Moses, aligning biblical imagery with themes of trust and renewal. The metaphor mirrors personal transformation.
2. Billy Joel’s “The Downeaster ‘Alexa'” was written for his then-wife, Christie Brinkley, featured prominently on the *Storm Front* album released in 1990.
3. “Heavy Fuel” by Dire Straits draws inspiration from Martin Amis’s novel *Money*. The lyrics ironically extol various vices.
4. “So Damn Cool” by Ugly Kid Joe discusses societal pressure. The song delves into themes of identity and escapism.
5. A 2009 version of “Keep the Faith” features the Washington DC Youth Choir. It was part of Jon Bon Jovi’s album *Oh Happy Day*.
6. In Teenage Fanclub’s “The Concept,” a character is noted for consistently wearing denim, a signifier of her personality.
7. “King of the Kerb” by Echobelly reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart following its 1995 release.
8. Inspired by Italian cinema, R.E.M.’s “Bittersweet Me” video employs visual motifs from this film style to complement the song’s themes.
9. Aerosmith’s “Blind Man” was recorded at Power Station in New York City, with additional sessions in Capri, Italy.
10. The song “Real Life” opens Simple Minds’ album of the same name, defining the album’s central motifs.
11. Mariah Carey’s “Hero” was originally intended for Gloria Estefan. Carey kept it and personalized the song, making it a hit.
12. Kraftwerk’s “Radioactivity” was first released as a single in 1976, exploring the interplay between radio waves and nuclear themes.
For THE FULL ‘ARE WE LIVE?’ COLLECTION click here
