Is This Your Kind Of Town - Musically Speaking? Quiz

Answer: Moscow

"Midnight In Moscow" was written by Vasily Solovyov-Sedoi/Mikhail Matusovosky/Kenny Ball. It peaked at number two for Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen on the UK Singles Chart in 1961. It also peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962.

The song was originally written as "Leningrad Nights", in 1955. The Soviet Ministry of Culture suggested a song about Moscow nights might be more appropriate and the title and original lyrics were changed. Singer/Actor Vladimir Troshin was the first person to record the song and it won first prize in an international song contest, held in Moscow in 1957. It was also a hit in China.

Question submitted by shipyardbernie

Answer: Plymouth

The song, released in the UK in 1981, appeared on the soundtrack album "Songs from The Catherine Wheel" - David Byrne's musical score for choreographer Twyla Tharp's dance project of the same name held at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City. It was also broadcast on the PBS channel.

Question submitted by english_gent

Answer: New Orleans

"The City Of New Orleans" was Guthrie's only Top-40 hit, peaking at number 18 in 1972. It was one of only two hits he would have on the Billboard Hot 100.

The City Of New Orleans train was operated by the Illinois Central Railroad and ran from New Orleans to Chicago from 1947 to 1971 before being discontinued along with the majority of passenger trains, (and before Amtrak came along).

Because of the popularity of Arlo Guthrie's song, the name was brought back in 1981, by Amtrak, and runs between Chicago and Carbondale, Illinois.

Question submitted by kennell

Answer: Chicago

Little Junior Parker and His Band (1958) and Magic Sam (1967) are just a couple of the artists who charted in the RB Charts with their renditions of "Sweet Home Chicago". The Blues Brothers sang it in the concert scene in their 1980 film, and John Belushi's character dedicated the song to Magic Sam.

On February 21, 2012, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama hosted a celebration of blues music, held in the East Room of the White House. At one point. President Obama joined in singing the first verse of "Sweet Home Chicago".

Question submitted by JamesFree

Answer: New Orleans

"New Orleans" a number six hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for Gary (U.S.) Bonds in November 1960, was followed by a rousing version in 1965 by Eddie Hodges. New Orleans was founded in the early 1700s by French colonists and has been through a number of changes since then. The British tried unsuccessfully to capture the city in the war of 1812.

The city has been the victim of floods and Hurricanes the most famous of which was Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which affected more than 80% of the city and resulted in more than 1800 fatalities. New Orleans is very resilient and extensive rebuilding has seen the city recapture all of its vibrance.

The city is famous for many things but mostly for its music. Dixieland style Jazz, Zydeco and Cajun music abound. For people of my generation we thank New Orleans for Little Richard, Fats Domino, Larry Williams and Dr John to name a few of the Rock and Roll pioneers.

Gary (U.S.) Bonds had further hits in the 1960s including a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961 with "A Quarter to Three".

Eddie Hodges was a child actor who starred with Frank Sinatra in "High Hopes" and had a pop hit in 1961 with "I'm Gonna Knock on Your Door".

Question submitted by Desimac

Answer: Westminister

"Westminister Waltz" was written by Canadian Robert Farnon. It was recorded and released by Robert Farnon and His Orchestra in 1956. It gained fame when used by the BBC in the long running radio programme "In Town Tonight" which ran from 1933 to 1960, with a short break in 1937.

Composer, conductor, musical arranger and trumpet player Robert Joseph Farnon was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He won four Ivor Novello Awards, which included one for outstanding services to British music in 1991. He won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement for "Lament", in 1996 and was awarded the Order of Canada in 1998.

Robert Farnon died in 2005 at the age of 87, at a hospice near his home on the isle of Guernsey, Channel Islands, UK, where he had lived for 40 years.

Question submitted by Waitakere

Answer: New York, New York, USA

"New York State of Mind" was released on the album "Turnstiles" in 1976, recorded after he moved back to New York City from California.

Billy Joel was born on May 9, 1949 in the Bronx, New York but moved as a young child to the town of Hicksville on Long Island, New York. Although he moved to California for three years in the early to mid 70s, where he composed and recorded his signature song "Piano Man", he moved back to New York where he continued his music career.

Billy Joel composed 33 top 40 hits, was nominated for 23 Grammy awards and won 6, and has been inducted into both the Song Writers and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame. He was also one of the first first rock artists to have a tour in the Soviet Union, which took place in 1987.

Question submitted by dekeaunt

Answer: Leith

"Sunshine on Leith" was also the title of The Proclaimers' second LP, released in 1988 and was its second track.

The song was adopted by Hibernian football fans, which the twins were staunch supporters of, during the "Hands Off Hibs" campaign in 1990, and has been sung during games since in both the good times and the bad.

It was also voted, in June 2018, to be the UK's favourite football anthem.

Actor David Tennant, a huge fan of The Proclaimers, also recorded the song for the charity album "BBC Children in Need: Got It Covered", which was released in 2019.

Question submitted by english_gent

Answer: Winslow

"Well, I'm a-standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona/Such a fine sight to see" was the lyric from "Take It Easy", the debut single by the Eagles; it was written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey. It appeared on their eponymous debut album, "Eagles". It was released on May 1 1972 and peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on July 22 1972.

The Eagles formed in 1971 with the help of Linda Ronstadt, while performing as her backing band. They were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s, with five number one singles, six number one albums. They won six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards and have also sold more than 200 million records worldwide.

Question submitted by nebwary

Answer: Dover

"The White Cliffs of Dover", music by Walter Kent, lyrics by Nat Burton is a song written in the early days of WWII and made famous by singer Vera Lynn. The song was written after the start of the German bombing of England and before the USA and Soviet Union finally joined England.

The song looks toward a happier future when the bombing is ended and the war is over, picturing bluebirds flying over the white cliffs and children who have been evacuated from the cities have been returned to their homes.

Vera Lynn made the song famous during the war and it's been covered by many artists in the decades since. In the US it was recorded by the Checkers in 1953 and again by the Righteous Brothers in 1966.

Dover is a town in South East England in the county of Kent. It's a major port for ferries to France. The cliffs are made of layers of finely grained white limestone and were often the first identifiable feature to be seen by allied pilots returning from the aerial wars.

Question submitted by dekeaunt