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Remembering Harry Chapin Trivia Quiz

Singer of songs, teller of tales...a quiz about the man and his music.

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

Author
Oddball

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
62,581

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
10 / 15

Plays
1280

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. In what city does the song 'Taxi' take place? Hint

San Francisco

New York

Boston

Baltimore

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Question 2 of 15

2. In the song 'Taxi', what was the name of Harry's fare? Hint

Sue

Sharon

Sally

Cecily

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Question 3 of 15

3. Our fare in 'Taxi' wanted to be an actress in her younger days. What did Harry want to do? Hint

Fly

Surf

Farm

Ski

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Question 4 of 15

4. Harry Chapin was born Dec. 7, 1942 in what area of New York City? Hint

Staten Island

Queens

Brooklyn

Harlem

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Question 5 of 15

5. Which of the following Chapins did not play as part of the Chapin Brothers folk group? Hint

James

Steve

Tom

Josh

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Question 6 of 15

6. In the song 'W.O.L.D', our deejay worked his way back to Boise, Idaho from what other town? Hint

Albequerque, NM

Portland, ME

Sacramento, CA

Tulsa, OK

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Question 7 of 15

7. In the song 'Cats In The Cradle', the singer mentions his son's age only once. How old was he? Hint

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Question 8 of 15

8. Harry Chapin's brother Tom achieved fame as the TV host of what children's show? Hint

Winky Dink and You

Make A Wish

Discovery

H.R. Pufnstuf

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Question 9 of 15

9. What was the name of Harry Chapin's 1975 Broadway musical? Hint

'Chapin'

'The Night That Made America Famous'

'Verities and Balderdash'

'Heads And Tails'

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Question 10 of 15

10. In the song 'A Better Place To Be', where does the night watchman work? Hint

Miller's Bar and Grill

Miller's Steelworks

Miller's Tool And Die

Miller's Auto Parts

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Question 11 of 15

11. In the song 'Mr. Tanner', the title character, a cleaner of clothes, tried his hand at what occupation? Hint

Actor

Artist

Dancer

Singer

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Question 12 of 15

12. In one of Chapin's concert favorites, Scranton, PA was inundated in one horrific accident by 30,000 pounds of what?

Answer: (Mashed, to boot...)

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Question 13 of 15

13. Chapin's last single, 1980's 'Sequel', was in fact a sequel to what earlier hit? Hint

'W.O.L.D.'

'Circle'

'Cat's In The Cradle'

'Taxi'

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Question 14 of 15

14. Harry Chapin died July 16, 1981 under what circumstances? Hint

A heart attack while recording in the studio

Car accident enroute to a concert

Fell ill while walking in a park

Collapsed after a television appearence

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Question 15 of 15

15. Chapin wrote and directed a documentary film that was nominated for an Academy Award in 1968. What was it called? Hint

'Mother And Daughter: The Loving War'

'Cutting Loose'

'Legendary Champions'

'Cotton Patch Gospel'

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In what city does the song 'Taxi' take place?

Answer: San Francisco

'It was rainin' hard in 'Frisco'...

2. In the song 'Taxi', what was the name of Harry's fare?

Answer: Sue

...and she said, 'How are ya, Harry?' I said 'How are ya, Sue'...

3. Our fare in 'Taxi' wanted to be an actress in her younger days. What did Harry want to do?

Answer: Fly

'She was gonna be an actress and I was gonna learn to fly...'

4. Harry Chapin was born Dec. 7, 1942 in what area of New York City?

Answer: Brooklyn

Harry, born one year after the attack on Pearl Harbor, was the son of Jim Chapin, a drummer who performed with the likes of Tommy Dorsey and Woody Herman. In the 70's, Jim opened many of his son's concerts with his own Dixieland jazz band.

5. Which of the following Chapins did not play as part of the Chapin Brothers folk group?

Answer: Josh

Elder brother James played keyboard and bongos before leaving for college. Younger brothers Steve and Tom stayed on to become two of Harry's backup group. Josh is one of Harry's sons.

6. In the song 'W.O.L.D', our deejay worked his way back to Boise, Idaho from what other town?

Answer: Tulsa, OK

'So I drifted on down to Tulsa, Oklahoma to do me a late night talk show...' They are the only two towns mentioned in the song.

7. In the song 'Cats In The Cradle', the singer mentions his son's age only once. How old was he?

Answer: 10

'My son turned ten just the other day...' 'Cats' was Chapin's only song to reach Number One on the U.S. charts.

8. Harry Chapin's brother Tom achieved fame as the TV host of what children's show?

Answer: Make A Wish

Harry often contributed songs to his brother's show.

9. What was the name of Harry Chapin's 1975 Broadway musical?

Answer: 'The Night That Made America Famous'

The show garnered two Tony award nominations. 'Chapin' was the name of a musical at the Hollywood Improvisation Theatre based on his stories. 'Balderdash' and 'Tails' are two of Chapin's albums.

10. In the song 'A Better Place To Be', where does the night watchman work?

Answer: Miller's Tool And Die

'I am the midnight watchman down at Miller's Tool and Die and I watch the metal rusting, and I watch the time go by...'

11. In the song 'Mr. Tanner', the title character, a cleaner of clothes, tried his hand at what occupation?

Answer: Singer

As Chapin tells it, 'Music was his life, it was not his livelyhood'. When he finally got the chance to sing professionally, 'no one could accuse (the critics) of being overkind', so he returned and only sang to himself thereafter.

12. In one of Chapin's concert favorites, Scranton, PA was inundated in one horrific accident by 30,000 pounds of what?

Answer: Bananas

Chapin alternately ended the song with 'Yes, We Have No Bananas'.

13. Chapin's last single, 1980's 'Sequel', was in fact a sequel to what earlier hit?

Answer: 'Taxi'

In the song, Harry, the former cab driver, had become a famous singer while Sue had gotten a divorce.

14. Harry Chapin died July 16, 1981 under what circumstances?

Answer: Car accident enroute to a concert

Chapin was on his way to one of his many benefit concerts at the time he was involved in a car accident on the Long Island Expressway near Jericho, New York. Medical reports indicate Chapin also suffered a major heart attack, but to this day, it's not clear if the attack occurred before or after the accident. During his lifetime, Chapin had raised over five million dollars for various causes, most notably world hunger.

15. Chapin wrote and directed a documentary film that was nominated for an Academy Award in 1968. What was it called?

Answer: 'Legendary Champions'

A documentary about heavyweight boxing champions from 1882-1929 included clips with Jack Dempsey, James Jeffries, Jess Willard and others. Chapin wrote the music for 'Gospel', 'Cutting Loose' also had a bit part in 'Mother and Daughter'.

Source: Author Oddball

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ltc717 before going online.
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