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Quiz about Songs Not Sung
Quiz about Songs Not Sung

Songs Not Sung Trivia Quiz


Some singers have left an indelible impression on the world, even though their time here was heartbreakingly short. Please join me in recognising some of the artists who died before all of their songs were sung.

A multiple-choice quiz by Nannanut. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
Nannanut
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
204,380
Updated
Jul 23 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
998
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 96 (10/10), Nhoj_too (10/10), tinkerbell5251 (8/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. She called Lester Young "Pres", and he dubbed her "Lady Day". Billie Holiday was one of the greatest female jazz singers of the 20th century. This artist truly felt every note she sang, but lost her struggle with heroin at only 44. One of her most memorable offerings - "Strange Fruit" - was a courageous song about what terrible subject? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Buddy Holly died in a plane crash in 1959, with two other musical greats - J.R. Richardson (the Big Bopper) and Ritchie Valens. Holly was considered one of the great singer song writers of the 50s. He involved himself in every aspect of his music, from writing songs, to arranging and record production. His famous song "Peggy Sue" was originally called "Cindy Lou"?


Question 3 of 10
3. Jimi Hendrix was a self taught, left handed guitarist who played a re-strung Fender Stratocaster - upside down. Hendrix died in London in 1970. In his early years, he left the USA and played in England, where he had success with the trio "The Jimi Hendrix Experience". He returned to perform in the USA in the mid 60s, and delivered a legendary set - ending in the lighting of his guitar. Where was this guitar burning performed? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Janis Joplin was the hard living, rock singing icon of the 1960s. She rebelled against society in her teens, and found her way to San Francisco and fame in the mid 60s. She died of a heroin overdose in 1970. When asked to name her early musical influences, she said the blues were her inspiration - which artist did she particularly credit? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Jim Morrison was a lover of poetry and wanted to be a writer. He got the chance to experiment with his writing when he joined with an old school friend - Ray Manzerak - and "The Doors" were formed. Morrison died in his bath in Paris in 1971, but not before leaving the world such classics as "Light My Fire" and "Break on Through". What was the last "Doors" album produced before he died? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Just as Jim Croce's musical career was really beginning to take hold, he was killed in a plane crash in 1973. He had already had hits with "Time in a Bottle", "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" and "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown". Many of his songs are a soulful mixture of love and regrets. After his death there was enough material to release a posthumous album. What was its name? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Mama Cass Elliot was a big lady with an even bigger voice. She died of a massive heart attack in 1974. When she started her career, she was singing with Denny Doherty in a group called "The Mugwumps". Doherty left the group and joined John and Michelle Phillips. Cass was desperate to join them and followed the group wherever it played. What was the name of the trio? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Freddie Mercury had an amazing career as lead singer for the band "Queen". In November 1991, Mercury announced to the world that he had AIDS. He died the next day. As lead singer of the group, he brought the world legendary songs such as "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Another One Bites The Dust" and "We Will Rock You". Ever aware of presentation and style, Mercury also created the initial "Queen" Crest logo. What was the inspiration for this design? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Karen Carpenter died of heart failure as a complication of Anorexia Nervosa in February 1983. Combining with her brother Richard in the duo "The Carpenters", her peerless voice brought the world the hits "Superstar", "Rainy Days And Mondays", "Sing", and "Top Of The World". What instrument did Karen play?
Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Songbird Eva Cassidy made "Over the Rainbow" truly her own. Her beautiful voice graced this world for a short time, but the songs she sang will live forever. She died of advanced melanoma in 1996.
Eva covered a song by Sting which has become one of her most famous offerings. What is its name?
Hint



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quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. She called Lester Young "Pres", and he dubbed her "Lady Day". Billie Holiday was one of the greatest female jazz singers of the 20th century. This artist truly felt every note she sang, but lost her struggle with heroin at only 44. One of her most memorable offerings - "Strange Fruit" - was a courageous song about what terrible subject?

Answer: A lynching

Billie Holiday (1915 - 1959) was the consumate artist. She sang with honesty and her life and emotions were poured into her songs. She also showed great courage in singing about forbidden topics. The song "Strange Fruit" describes lynching in stark and brutal terms.

"Southern trees bear strange fruit
Blood on the leaves
Blood at the root
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze"

Billie died in New York at the age of 44.

"God bless the child"
2. Buddy Holly died in a plane crash in 1959, with two other musical greats - J.R. Richardson (the Big Bopper) and Ritchie Valens. Holly was considered one of the great singer song writers of the 50s. He involved himself in every aspect of his music, from writing songs, to arranging and record production. His famous song "Peggy Sue" was originally called "Cindy Lou"?

Answer: True

Buddy Holly (1936 - 1959) was born in Lubbock, Texas - and gained early local fame in a duo "Buddy and Bob" with Bob Montgomery. As his career progressed, he performed as a solo artist and with his group "The Crickets". Jerry Allison - one of the band members - suggested the name change for the song "Peggy Sue", and it was a huge hit. In 1959 - after a performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa - Holly chartered a small plane to get him to his next stop. He had laundry that needed doing. The plane crashed 15 minutes after takeoff. Buddy Holly was only 22.

"Now and forever 'til the end of time"
3. Jimi Hendrix was a self taught, left handed guitarist who played a re-strung Fender Stratocaster - upside down. Hendrix died in London in 1970. In his early years, he left the USA and played in England, where he had success with the trio "The Jimi Hendrix Experience". He returned to perform in the USA in the mid 60s, and delivered a legendary set - ending in the lighting of his guitar. Where was this guitar burning performed?

Answer: The Monterey Pop Festival

Jimi Hendrix (1942 - 1970) stunned audiences when he set fire to his guitar to end his set at the Pop Festival. The burning is now considered to be one of the defining moments in rock history. His "Star Spangled Banner", "Purple Haze" and "All Along the Watchtower" are an enduring legacy. Hendrix died in London in September 1970. He was 27. The coroner found evidence of Seconol in Hendrix's blood but did not rule his death as suicide.

"And the wind cried Mary"
4. Janis Joplin was the hard living, rock singing icon of the 1960s. She rebelled against society in her teens, and found her way to San Francisco and fame in the mid 60s. She died of a heroin overdose in 1970. When asked to name her early musical influences, she said the blues were her inspiration - which artist did she particularly credit?

Answer: All of them

Janis Joplin (1943 - 1970) was the gritty, powerful singer that no-one wanted to know in high school. She left home and settled in San Francisco in 1966. She lived hard, and played hard as lead singer for "Big Brother and the Holding Company". She also had a successful solo career after leaving the group. Her gutsy, bluesy style left us with enduring memories of songs like "Me and Bobby McGee", "Ball and Chain" and "Piece of My Heart". She struggled with her addiction to drugs and alcohol and died of an overdose of heroin in 1970. She was 27.

"Come on, take another little piece of my heart now baby"
5. Jim Morrison was a lover of poetry and wanted to be a writer. He got the chance to experiment with his writing when he joined with an old school friend - Ray Manzerak - and "The Doors" were formed. Morrison died in his bath in Paris in 1971, but not before leaving the world such classics as "Light My Fire" and "Break on Through". What was the last "Doors" album produced before he died?

Answer: L.A. Woman

Jim Morrison (1943 - 1971) has had his work described as a blend of poetry and insanity. The group's early success with albums "The Doors" and "Strange Days" was not to continue, as fans watched Morrison battle alcohol and gain weight. The group was banned in sixteen US states for "lewd and lascivious behaviour" in 1969. The group finished the album "L.A. Woman" not long before Morrison's death. It features the classics "Riders On The Storm" and "Love Her Madly". After "L.A. Woman", Morrison finally headed to Paris to write. He died there in 1971. He was 27.

"Try to set the night on fire"
6. Just as Jim Croce's musical career was really beginning to take hold, he was killed in a plane crash in 1973. He had already had hits with "Time in a Bottle", "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" and "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown". Many of his songs are a soulful mixture of love and regrets. After his death there was enough material to release a posthumous album. What was its name?

Answer: I Got a Name

Jim Croce (1943 - 1973) left a legacy of beautiful music, and his album "I Got a Name" features several number one hits. The title song "I Got a Name" and "I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song" are as fresh today as when they were first released. Jim Croce was 30 years old when he died.

"Rollin' me down the highway
Movin' ahead so life won't pass me by"
7. Mama Cass Elliot was a big lady with an even bigger voice. She died of a massive heart attack in 1974. When she started her career, she was singing with Denny Doherty in a group called "The Mugwumps". Doherty left the group and joined John and Michelle Phillips. Cass was desperate to join them and followed the group wherever it played. What was the name of the trio?

Answer: The New Journeymen

Mamma Cass Elliot (1941 - 1974) desperately wanted to sing with "The New Journeymen", and finally convinced the members when they were performing in the Virgin Islands. The four formed "The Mamas and The Papas", and went on to produce four albums before breaking up. Songs like "Monday Monday", "California Dreaming" and "I Saw Her Again Last Night" are timeless and highlight the group's incredible success over the years 1965-1968.
When the group split, Cass Elliot went on to have a successful career of her own, with hits including "It's Gettin' Better" and "Make Your Own Kind of Music".

She died in London in July 1974. She was 32.

"All the leaves are brown
And the sky is grey"
8. Freddie Mercury had an amazing career as lead singer for the band "Queen". In November 1991, Mercury announced to the world that he had AIDS. He died the next day. As lead singer of the group, he brought the world legendary songs such as "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Another One Bites The Dust" and "We Will Rock You". Ever aware of presentation and style, Mercury also created the initial "Queen" Crest logo. What was the inspiration for this design?

Answer: The Zodiac signs of the bandmembers

Freddie Mercury (1946 - 1991) was lead singer for the 20 "Queen" albums recorded during his lifetime. He designed the "Queen" Crest logo by combining two lions for Roger Taylor and John Deacon, who are both Leos. The lions in turn are holding up a "Q" around a crown. The crab on top represents Brian May's sign - Cancer. Freddie also included two fairies for himself. His sign was Virgo. Freddie Mercury died in November 1991. He was 45.

"Any way the wind blows, doesn't really matter to me"
9. Karen Carpenter died of heart failure as a complication of Anorexia Nervosa in February 1983. Combining with her brother Richard in the duo "The Carpenters", her peerless voice brought the world the hits "Superstar", "Rainy Days And Mondays", "Sing", and "Top Of The World". What instrument did Karen play?

Answer: All of these

Karen Carpenter (1950 - 1983) was the drummer for The Carpenters, a talent which she said came completely naturally. The flute and the glockenspiel were instruments she learnt at school. The duo's first single was a ballad version of "Ticket to Ride". The pair went on to have a string of 16 consecutive Top 20 hits. Karen battled her insidious disease unsuccessfully for some years, but died in 1983. She was 32.

"Walking around some kind of lonely clown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down"
10. Songbird Eva Cassidy made "Over the Rainbow" truly her own. Her beautiful voice graced this world for a short time, but the songs she sang will live forever. She died of advanced melanoma in 1996. Eva covered a song by Sting which has become one of her most famous offerings. What is its name?

Answer: Fields of Gold

Eva Cassidy (1963 - 1996) sang her songs for just a few years. She recorded "Fields of Gold" in January of 1996, and she died in the November of that same year. The album "Songbird" was compiled in 1998 after her death. "Fields of Gold" was chosen to be the first song on the album. When Sting heard Eva's version of his song he said "I thought it was a beautiful rendition. I've rarely heard a voice of such purity". Eva Cassidy was just 33 when she died.

"You'll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley"
Source: Author Nannanut

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