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Quiz about Anatomy of a Song The Promised Land

Anatomy of a Song: "The Promised Land" Quiz

When rock and roll music was 'born' in the late 1950s, Chuck Berry was there at the bedside. See what you remember about one of his best-known songs.

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

Author
darksplash

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
348,841

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
167

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In his song "The Promised Land", Chuck Berry sang about a trip from coast to coast. Where was his 'home'? Hint

Baltimore, Maryland

Portland, Maine

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Norfolk, Virginia

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. When Chuck Berry sang about a coast to coast journey in "The Promised Land", where was the destination? Hint

California

Oregon

Nevada

New Mexico

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. In "The Promised Land", how did Chuck Berry set off to travel coast-to-coast? Hint

Greyhound bus

United 707

Amtrak train

Cadillac DeVille

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. Chuck Berry famously sang about a journey across America, but had a spot of bother. Where did his means of transport break down? Hint

Birmingham, Alabama

Bristow, Oklahoma

Des Moines, Idaho

Austin, Texas

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. Having been left stranded by a mechanical defect, Chuck Berry picked up another mode of transport. What was it? Hint

Automobile

Plane

Train

Ship

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. Despite his troubled journey to "The Promised Land", Chuck Berry knew he had friends who could help. Where were they? Hint

Portland, Oregon

Boise, Idaho

Houston, Texas

Denver, Colorado

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. After a stop in the mid west, Chuck Berry sang about some clothes his friends gave him to travel on to "The Promised Land". What did he wear? Hint

A kimono

Blue jeans

A silk suit

T-shirt

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. After leaving some friends behind, Chuck Berry hopped a plane, and promptly fell asleep. Where did he wake up? Hint

Diving into Denver

High over Albuquerque

Flyin' over Dallas

Stacked over Seattle

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. When Chuck Berry was flying to the promised land, the in-flight meal was a little bit better than we often expect. What did he eat? Hint

Sushi

Irish Stew

Smoked salmon

T-bone steak

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Question 10 of 10

10. After landing at his destination, Chuck Berry hurried to find a telephone. What number did he want the operator to connect to? Hint

Pennsylvania six five o o o

Beverly Hills nine o two one o

Springfield six o five

Tidewater four ten o nine

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In his song "The Promised Land", Chuck Berry sang about a trip from coast to coast. Where was his 'home'?

Answer: Norfolk, Virginia

"I left my home in Norfolk Virginia..."
"The Promised Land" was on Berry's 1964 album "St. Louis to Liverpool". The track was released as a single the following year.

2. When Chuck Berry sang about a coast to coast journey in "The Promised Land", where was the destination?

Answer: California

"I left my home in Norfolk Virginia
California on my mind..."
Berry claimed to have written the song while in prison for transporting a girl across state lines "for immoral purposes".

3. In "The Promised Land", how did Chuck Berry set off to travel coast-to-coast?

Answer: Greyhound bus

"I straddled that Greyhound
And rode on into Raleigh
And on across Caroline..."
Among those to cover "The Promised Land" were The Band, James Taylor and Elvis Presley, who took it to Number 14 in the US charts and Number Nine in the UK in 1974.

4. Chuck Berry famously sang about a journey across America, but had a spot of bother. Where did his means of transport break down?

Answer: Birmingham, Alabama

"We had motor trouble that turned into a struggle
Halfway across Alabam'
Well that hound broke down and left us all stranded
In downtown Birmingham..."
The British rocker Dave Edmunds had a Number Five hit in Australia hit with the song in 1972. (This was the first version I ever heard).

5. Having been left stranded by a mechanical defect, Chuck Berry picked up another mode of transport. What was it?

Answer: Train

"Right away I brought me a through train ticket
Ridin' across Mississippi clean
And I was on that midnight flyer out of Birmingham
Smoking into New Orleans.."
Berry claimed to have used an atlas to plot his journey from East to West.

6. Despite his troubled journey to "The Promised Land", Chuck Berry knew he had friends who could help. Where were they?

Answer: Houston, Texas

"Somebody help me get out of Louisiana
Just to help me get to Houston Town
There are people there who care a little about me
And they won't let the poor boy down..."

Bruce Springsteen also wrote a song called "The Promised Land":
"On a rattlesnake speedway in the Utah desert
I pick up my money and head back into town
Driving cross the Waynesboro county line
I got the radio on and I'm just killing time..."

7. After a stop in the mid west, Chuck Berry sang about some clothes his friends gave him to travel on to "The Promised Land". What did he wear?

Answer: A silk suit

"Sure as you're born they bought me a silk suit
Put luggage in my hand,.."
Elvis Presley's version of the song was played in the 1997 movie "Men in Black".

8. After leaving some friends behind, Chuck Berry hopped a plane, and promptly fell asleep. Where did he wake up?

Answer: High over Albuquerque

"I woke up high over Albuquerque
On a jet to the promised land..."
Meat Loaf, James Taylor and The Grateful Dead all covered the song.

9. When Chuck Berry was flying to the promised land, the in-flight meal was a little bit better than we often expect. What did he eat?

Answer: T-bone steak

"Working on a T-bone steak a la carte
Flying over to the golden state
Ah when the pilot told us in thirteen minutes
He would set us at the terminal gate..."
Chuck Berry was born in St Louis, Missouri, on October 18th 1926. A respected bluesman, he was among the generation who ushered in the new world of 'rock and roll'.
Well-known Berry songs included
"School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes the Bell)" (1956); "Roll Over Beethoven" (1956); "Sweet Little Sixteen" (1958); "Johnny B. Goode" (1957); and "You Never Can Tell" (1963).

10. After landing at his destination, Chuck Berry hurried to find a telephone. What number did he want the operator to connect to?

Answer: Tidewater four ten o nine

"Los Angeles, give me Norfolk Virginia
Tidewater four ten o nine
Tell the folks back home this is the promised land calling
And the poor boy is on the line..."
Berry had a US Number 41 hit with "The Promised Land" in 1965. Despite four times topping the R&B charts, his solo US Hot 100 Number One was "My Ding-a-Ling", which also topped the UK charts in 1974.

Source: Author darksplash

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