More Random Musical Lyrics! Trivia Quiz

Answer: God

This line is from the penultimate number, "Valjean's Death", in the famous 1980 "Les Miserables" musical, based on the 1862 novel of the same name by Victor Hugo, with the musical adaptation by Schonberg, Boublil and Natel. It is performed by Jean Valjean as he is dying, followed by his spirit, escorted by Fantine and Eponine, being taken up to heaven.

A reprise of the rousing "Do You Hear the People Sing" then brings this disturbing and passionate, beautifully written musical to its close.

Answer: Cardboard trees

Based on the 1950 movie of the same name, the 1993 musical "Sunset Boulevard" by Andrew Lloyd Webber, tells the story of a faded silent movie star who has written a dreadful script believing it will be her great comeback role - encouraged by the shadowy figure of Max, her butler, who has loved her for years and continues to shield her from reality, and a down at heel screenwriter, Joe Gillis, who, though sorry for Norma, is quite happy to take advantage of her delusions.

As the deceptions continue in the tragedy, Norma drops by the studio lot to talk to Cecil de Mille about her "film", where she is welcomed by the crew who remember her from the old days - and where she remembers all the trappings of a film set. This is where she sings "As If We Never Said Goodbye". The musical spirals on down to its tragic ending from here.

Answer: Time to come

Based on Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 work "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde", this musical, "Jekyll & Hyde", with a re-write or two here and there, made its debut in Houston, Texas, 1990. It has proved to be surprisingly successful ever since. Interestingly, its original Broadway stint (1997-2001) saw US actor David Hasselhoff playing the lead male role for several months as well - hopefully wearing more clothes than was his wont in "Baywatch".

The lyrics quoted in the above question are from the song "Letting Go", vocalised by Emma Carew (daughter of Sir Danvers Carew) after her father has expressed concerns about her plans to marry Dr Jekyll. It is a beautiful duet about a father reluctantly agreeing to let his daughter move towards her future, and one of the sweeter songs in an otherwise very dark tale or prostitution, very gory murders, a psychological struggle over the very nature of man, and meddling with the very fabric of human DNA itself.

Answer: Waiting sky

This lovely song is taken from Rogers and Hammerstein's musical "Oklahoma" which was introduced to audience everywhere from 1943 onwards. It was the first musical written by this immensely talented pair, and was based on the play "Green Grow the Lilacs", written by Lynne Riggs in 1931.

The movie production of this excellent musical was made in 1955. One of the slower number in the show, "Out of My Dreams" is performed immediately prior to a somewhat psychedelic dream sequence in which Laurey's subconscious reveals that it is Curly she loves - and the threat that is posed to Curly from the dark threatening figure of Jud who is obsessed by her. An eternal triangle in the cornfields of Oklahoma.

Answer: Beaus

"All the girls hand me their second hand beaus" is from the rarely heard, rarely played second chorus of this old song - possibly because it was a little saucy for the times. For example, the lines "Even my pajamas when I don 'em / Have somebody else's 'nitials on 'em" possibly raised a few eyebrows in the 1920s. "Second Hand Rose" was introduced in the "Ziegfeld Follies of 1921" and cheekily performed by the great Fanny Brice.

This was not a very popular show at the time, but the song is actually quite funny, particularly when the listeners are informed that the singer's love life has a second hand quality to it as well. "Even Jake the plumber he's the man I adore.

He had the nerve to tell me he's been married before...".

Answer: Or two

This song is from the ever popular musical "Grease", adapted for film in 1978. Set in the late 1950s, it is based around the love lives of senior school students at Rydell High, and stars the beautiful Olivia Newton-John and the ever so appealing John Travolta. Co-starring Stockard Channing as Betty Rizzo, a girl who is quite comfortable with her lively love life, the usually brazen Rizzo is rather vulnerable in this number.

She believes she's fallen pregnant to Kenicke (Jeff Conaway), but denies he's the father when he confronts her about it - because he thoughtlessly refers to it as his "mistake". Rizzo sings this number as a kind of dual defence of her lifestyle ("There are worse things I could do, than go with a boy or two. Even though the neighbors think I'm trashy and no good..."), but also when she reveals she genuinely cares for Kenicke and doesn't want to force him to take her on ("But to cry in front of you / That's the worst thing I could do").

Answer: A little war

Lerner and Loewe's 1960 musical "Camelot" is based on "The Once and Future King" novel written by T.S. White in 1958 - and that in turn was given birth from the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Lady Guenevere sings the "Simple Joys of Maidenhood" in Act I of this musical while she is still happily single, and not particularly delighted about her forthcoming nuptials with the equally reluctant King Arthur. Reluctant, that is, until the pair first set eyes on one another, and before Lancelot, in the form of temptation, happens along.

The 1967 follow up movie production of this tale stars Richard Harris as King Arthur, Vanessa Redgrave as the Lady Guenevere and Franco Nero as Lancelot, but the premiere on Broadway in 1960 saw Richard Burton, brimming with animal magnetism, as Arthur, the lovely Julie Andrews as Guenevere, and Robert Goulet (I almost typed Goulash) as Lancelot.

Answer: Everything we see

"The Lion King" stage production hit the boards in 1997, and was based on the 1994 Walt Disney film of the same name. A follow up animated version followed in 2019 with discussions under way for follow up works of the franchise. It all gets rather confusing, to be honest, as to who sang what and where. Songs from the original film were included in the second version, and also in the stage version with some taken out and new ones added in.

"They Live in You" (by Elton John and Tim Rice) was in neither movie production, but beautifully delivered in the stage production, where Simba's father, King Mufasa scolds the young prince for his misbehaviour and disobedience, reminding him of the great kings of the past who watch over everything they do - and how one day, he, Mufasa, will be watching over Simba in turn. Shape up or ship out my boy, in other words.

Answer: They were born

This is from the song "God Help the Outcasts", from "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", a rather heart-rending movie based on Victor Hugo's 1831 novel of the same name, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures in 1996. The show was then adapted to be a stage musical in 1999, using the songs from the movie. The movie's ending is lighter than the original very grim novel, thank goodness. "God Help the Outcasts" is a song performed by Esmeralda - although in the movie in which Demi Moore provided the voice of Esmeralda, Heidi Mollenhauer sang this song.

In this number, with poor rejected Quasimodo hidden in the shadows, Esmeralda pleads to God for protection of the poor, the outcasts, and the Roma such as herself from racism, discrimination and the simply ghastly Judge Claude Frollo. It's a very moving number that can bring tears to the eye - particular with the longing on the face of the gentle, unloved Quasimodo intermixed with the lyrics .

Answer: Happy as we

Yet another musical, based on an original Edna Ferber 1926 novel of the same name, "Show Boat" opened on Broadway in 1927, but may be more familiar from the film adaptation made in 1951. It takes place on the grand old "Cotton Blossom" show boat along the Mississippi, over a period of 40 years. The main themes running through this production are the rampant racism of the times; true love with a few hiccups along the way between Magnolia (played in the movie by Kathryn Grayson) and Gaylord (the delicious Howard Keel); and tragic enduring love of a mixed race marriage between Julie (Ava Gardner) and Steve (Robert Sterling) which was against the laws of that time.

"Why Do I love You" is a number performed by Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel in their characters of Magnolia and Gaylord, during the happier early days of their marriage. It's to be wondered if many people would recognise this tune today however, for, as the years have passed, it's the numbers "Ol Man River" and "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" that have really stood the test of time.