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Quiz about Richard Thompson more or less

Richard Thompson (more or less) Quiz

Not only an outstanding guitarist, but a wonderful songwriter. This quiz will focus mostly on the Fairport Convention days, and the first three Richard and Linda Thompson albums.

A multiple-choice quiz by agony. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
agony

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
284,043

Updated
Jun 18 24

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
298

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. "I was under the Calvary Cross
The pale-faced lady she said to me
'I've watched you with my one ______ eye'."

What was the eye she was watching with? Hint

blind

bad

green

red

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. Which song from "Bright Lights..." are these lyrics from?

"You can be a gambler
Who never drew a hand
You can be a sailor
Who never left dry land" Hint

The End of the Rainbow

When I Get to the Border

Withered and Died

Down Where the Drunkards Roll

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. What Fairport Convention song are these words from?

"If you really mean it, it all comes round again"

Answer: (four words)

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. Which words fill in the blank?

"Tongues talk fire and eyes cry rivers
Indian givers, _______________" Hint

nerves of wire

hearts of stone

give me shivers

take it back

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. "Rise for the hangman
His pleasure is that you should rise
He's the ______________
At the jester's assize"

So, what's the hangman, at this assize? Hint

man in the white wig

fool in motley

judge and the jury

full blooded champion

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. "If you see a box of pine
With a name that looks like mine
Say I drowned in a barrel of wine..."

What song is this lyric from? Hint

We'll Sing Hallelujah

Beat the Retreat

Streets of Paradise

When I Get to the Border

7. In which song can you find these words?

"Dancing 'till my feet don't touch the ground
I lose my mind and dance forever
Lose my mind and dance forever
Turn my world around
Turn my world around" Hint

First Light

Night Comes In

Sweet Surrender

I'll Regret it All in the Morning

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. "Cat got your tongue, says Frankie to Annie, girl
You haven't said a word all night
Well, Annie she smiled and she took another bite
___________ made her feel all right, all right
___________ made her feel all right"

Which words fill the blank? Hint

All that Meat and No Potatoes

Creme Tangerine

Hokey Pokey

Animal Crackers

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. On which Fairport Convention album was this song originally released?

"Within the fire and out upon the sea
Crazy man Michael was walking
He met with a raven with eyes black as coals
And shortly they were a-talking" Hint

What we did on our Holidays

Liege and Lief

Unhalfbricking

Fairport Convention

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Which song are these lyrics from?

"There was Alice the butcher, Tidy and Gunn
Who couldn't see where they were heading
It was sixteen days and sixteen nights..."
Hint

Painted Ladies

Genesis Hall

Cajun Woman

Nobody's Wedding

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. "I was under the Calvary Cross The pale-faced lady she said to me 'I've watched you with my one ______ eye'." What was the eye she was watching with?

Answer: green

"Everything you do
Everything you do
You do for me...."

The live version of "Calvary Cross" that first appeared on "(guitar, vocal)" (1976) is probably one of the best showcases of Thompson's guitar talents. The song first appeared on 1974's "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight".

2. Which song from "Bright Lights..." are these lyrics from? "You can be a gambler Who never drew a hand You can be a sailor Who never left dry land"

Answer: Down Where the Drunkards Roll

"...You can be Lord Jesus
All the world will understand
Down where the drunkards roll
Down where the drunkards roll"

This was the first album that Richard and Linda Thompson made together, and is still one of my favourites. It was released in the US as part of the double album, "Richard Thompson Live (more or less)".

3. What Fairport Convention song are these words from? "If you really mean it, it all comes round again"

Answer: Meet on the Ledge

"Meet on the Ledge", from 1969's "What we did on our Holidays", became something of an anthem for Fairport Convention. Richard Thompson wrote it while he was still in his teens.

4. Which words fill in the blank? "Tongues talk fire and eyes cry rivers Indian givers, _______________"

Answer: hearts of stone

"A Heart Needs a Home", from the Richard and Linda Thompson album "Hokey Pokey", of 1975. Linda's beautiful vocals make this one a heartbreaker.

5. "Rise for the hangman His pleasure is that you should rise He's the ______________ At the jester's assize" So, what's the hangman, at this assize?

Answer: judge and the jury

"Poor Will and the Jolly Hangman", is another signature Thompson tune. It was written with Dave Swarbrick.

This was originally recorded for Fairport's "Full House" album, but was left off because Thompson was not happy with the vocals. I understand it has been added to later releases of the album, but my vinyl copy has no sign of it. It was first released on "(guitar, vocal)", or on the second disc of "Richard Thompson Live (more or less)" in the States.

6. "If you see a box of pine With a name that looks like mine Say I drowned in a barrel of wine..." What song is this lyric from?

Answer: When I Get to the Border

"Monday morning, Monday morning
Closing in on me
I'm packin' up and I'm a-runnin' away
To where nobody thinks of me"

"When I Get to the Border", from "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight", features great concertina work by John Kirkpatrick.

7. In which song can you find these words? "Dancing 'till my feet don't touch the ground I lose my mind and dance forever Lose my mind and dance forever Turn my world around Turn my world around"

Answer: Night Comes In

"O the songs
Pour down like silver
They can only
Only break my heart
Drink the wine
The wine of lovers
Lovers tired of being apart"

From 1975's "Pour Down Like Silver", "Night Comes In" is generally accepted as being about Thompson's initiation into Sufism.

The live version, recorded at Oxford Polytechnic in November 1975 and first released on "(guitar, vocal)", is, in my opinion, the definitive Richard Thompson track. If you only ever have to hear one of his songs, this is the one.

8. "Cat got your tongue, says Frankie to Annie, girl You haven't said a word all night Well, Annie she smiled and she took another bite ___________ made her feel all right, all right ___________ made her feel all right" Which words fill the blank?

Answer: Hokey Pokey

"Hokey Pokey", is from the 1975 album of the same name. It was subtitled "The Ice Cream Song" - whatever you say, Richard.

The incorrect answer options were from songs by The Beatles, Shirley Temple, and Fats Waller.

9. On which Fairport Convention album was this song originally released? "Within the fire and out upon the sea Crazy man Michael was walking He met with a raven with eyes black as coals And shortly they were a-talking"

Answer: Liege and Lief

This song was also written with Dave Swarbrick, for the brilliant 1969 "Liege and Lief". Hmmm, might be time for a Sandy Denny quiz, what do you think?

10. Which song are these lyrics from? "There was Alice the butcher, Tidy and Gunn Who couldn't see where they were heading It was sixteen days and sixteen nights..."

Answer: Nobody's Wedding

From Thompson's first solo album after leaving Fairport Convention, "Henry the Human Fly" (1972).

"Everybody came to nobody's wedding
Everybody knew it was bound to be a hoot
What can you do when nothing else is cooking
Make your own amusement, bring a pile of loot"

Source: Author agony

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ertrum before going online.
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