Assorted Lyrics Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Doors

The lyrics come from the 1967 song "People Are Strange" which appeared on "Strange Days", the second studio album of the American rock band The Doors. It was covered by British rock group Echo & the Bunnymen for the soundtrack of the 1987 film "Lost Boys" with their version subsequently released as a single in 1988.

The image clue is of a kitchen which includes various doors, perhaps in a Parisienne apartment. Lead singer of The Doors, Jim Morrison, died in his girlfriend's apartment in Paris during 1971. As a result he has been listed as a member of the 27 Club, joining Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones in dying at the age of 27. The band never really recovered from Jim Morrison's death.

Answer: Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

Originally recorded by American vocal group The Miracles in 1965, "The Tracks Of My Tears" (which includes these lyrics) charted in the US but not initially the UK. It was re-released and charted in the UK during 1969 by which time the group were known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. One of their more successful tracks, it has been covered many times. Linda Ronstadt did a version in 1975, as well as the Miracles' 1965 hit "Ooh Baby Baby" in 1978, performing both with Smokey Robinson in TV special on Motown music in 1983.

The image clue shows a nest of robin's pale blue eggs, one hatched with smoke emerging. This, perhaps, could be a robin's son (or a daughter).

Answer: Soundgarden

Written by Chris Cornell, these lyrics from "Black Hole Sun" were first recorded by American rock band Soundgarden and released in 1994, the third single from their album "Superunknown" (1994). It was the most successful single from that album and became the band's best known song, all sparked by a misheard comment by a news anchor (as explained by Cornell to 'Uncut Magazine' in 2014).

The image shows a desert-type garden with loudspeakers overlooking a patio with table and chair.

Answer: Pearl Jam

These lyrics come from the song "Jeremy". American rock band Pearl Jam released the single from their debut album "Ten" in 1991. Its inspirations were two school shooting incidents, one involving a student called Jeremy Wade Delle. It was the music video which sparked interest and made the song popular. It was not the original video but one made at the record label Epic's behest. It was made by Mark Pellington and gained four MTV Video Music Awards in 1993.

The image shows pearls being used as jam.

Answer: Ian Brown (Stone Roses)

Ian Brown was part of the English rock band The Stone Roses when it was formed in 1983. It split up in 1996 before reuniting for the period 2011 to 2017. During the pause Ian Brown pursued a solo career, releasing his first album "Unfinished Monkey Business" in 1998. The lyrics come from the single "Corpses in Their Mouths", which was one of three singles released from his album. The song's title can be found in "The Revolution of Everyday Life" (1967) by Belgian author Raoul Vaneigem.

The image shows part of a rose bush with rose buds, a reference to his former band.

Answer: Soul Asylum

'Runaway Train' (1993) was released as the third single from American alternative rock Soul Asylum's 1992 album "Grave Dancers Union". It is a song about hopelessness and despair, and did well in the charts around the world. The various music video versions featured a number of missing children. Roughly two-thirds were subsequently found, although a number of these had been killed.

The image shows the inside of a shoe shop. Shoes have soles and the image is meant to suggest a refuge for soles or 'soul asylum'.

Answer: The Bangles

"Manic Monday", written by American musician Prince in 1984, was first released as a single from the studio album "Different Lights" (1986) by American pop group the Bangles. Originally written for the Prince-created group Apollonia 6, he offered it to the Bangles after hearing their debut 1984 album "All Over the Place". It was written under the pseudonym 'Christopher', also the name of a character he played in the 1986 rom-com film "Under the Cherry Moon". "Manic Monday" later appeared in his posthumous demo album "Originals" in 2019.

The image shows a henna-decorated hand for a wedding. It also shows some bangles.

Answer: Goo Goo Dolls

The lyrics are from verse 3 of the single "Iris" by American alternative rock band the Goo Goo Dolls. Lead vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik was asked to write the song for the soundtrack of the 1998 film "City of Angels", starring Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan. The promotion of the soundtrack and its two singles ("Iris" and Alanis Morrissette's "Uninvited") helped both their next albums - Morrissette's "Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie" and Goo Goo Dolls "Dizzie Up the Girl", both released in late 1998. "Iris" was included in the latter.

The image is of a couple of competitors during a mud run and the band's name might be an apt title for the image.

Answer: Mr. Big

"To Be With You" is a 1991 single from American rock band "Mr Big", coming from their second album "Lean into It" (1991). It topped the charts in 12 countries. The song was inspired by a girl seen by an admirer going through a succession of poor relationships. Music journalist Larry Flick from Billboard magazine reviewed the single, saying "headbangers get folky on this harmonious strummer". Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine described it as a "campfire-singalong ballad".

That is probably the closest connection to the lions in the image. The big cat is the hint for the band's name.

Answer: Counting Crows

These lyrics can be found in the debut single of the debut album of American rock band Counting Crows. The charting single is "Mr. Jones" and the album "August and Everything After", both released in 1993. Adam Duritz, lead vocalist and principal songwriter for the band, has linked the song's name to American social commentator Jonathan Pontell's 'Generation Jones', that cohort of people born between 1954 and 1965. As trailing-edge Boomers, perhaps the name has more to do with 'keeping up with the Joneses'.

The image shows some birds in a tree. They are meant to be crows but could be ravens. If counting, there are about twenty of them.