The Race Is On Quiz | Something in Common

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which race is missing from the following lyric? "Ah me lads, ye shud only seen us gannin', We pass'd the foaks upon the road just as they wor stannin'; Thor wes lots o' lads an' lasses there, all wi' smiling faces, Gawn alang the Scotswood Road, to see the -----"

Answer: Blaydon Races

"Blaydon Races" is a folk song written by George Ridley. Blaydon itself is in Gateshead, and the races used to take place about a mile west of the town. They stopped in 1916 and a power station was later built on the site.

The song is now the unofficial anthem of of Tyneside and can frequently be heard echoing round the terraces of Newcastle United Football Club.

2. Which word is missing from the lyric of "The Race is On"? "Now, the race is on and here comes ---- up the backstretch Heartaches are a-going to the inside My tears are holding back They're tryin' not to fall."

Answer: Pride

Written and recorded by country music artist George Jones "The Race is On" was a number three on the Billboard Country Chart in early 1965. In the same year singer Jack Jones, who is no relation, also released a version of the song. His was more of a pop version. Alvin and the Chipmunks also covered it on their album "Chipmunks a Go-Go".

3. From the musical "My Fair Lady", what is the correct title of this song? "Every duke and earl and peer is here Everyone who should be here is here What a smashing, positively dashing spectacle The Ascot opening day"

Answer: Ascot Gavotte

This is performed by the whole Company. Henry Higgins has taken Eliza Doolittle to Ascot races as a test. She makes a good impression with her upper class accent and manners, but when urging on a horse lapses back into pure Cockney.

4. Complete the title of the song this lyric is from. "Race with the ----"? "Move, hot-rod, move man Move, hot-rod, move man Move, hot-rod, move me on down the line."

Answer: Devil

Recorded by Gene Vincent in 1956 "Race with the Devil" was a follow up to his big hit single "Be-Bop-A-Lula". It did not achieve the same success, making only number 96 on the Billboard chart. The song remained part of his live act and was always popular with audiences. Gene Vincent was the first inductee into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

5. From which song, written around 1849, is this the chorus? "Gwine to run all night! Gwine to run all day! I'll bet my money on de bob-tail nag Somebody bet on de bay."

Answer: Camptown Races

Written by Stephen Foster, who wrote all of the listed song choices, "Camptown Races" was written to be sung by a minstrel troupe. Minstrel shows were a very popular form of entertainment in America. In the pre civil war era minstrel troupes were normally white people in black-face make up, but after the civil war there were troupes of black minstrels.

These shows had virtually disappeared by early in the 20th century, having been replaced by vaudeville.

6. This lyric is from "Tell Laura I Love Her". What sort of race did Tommy enter? "Laura and Tommy were lovers He wanted to give her everything Flowers, presents, and most of all, a wedding ring."

Answer: Stock car

Tommy entered a stock car race for the thousand dollar prize. Instead he crashed and died. "Tell Laura I Love Her" was recorded by Ricky Valance in 1960 and reached number one on the UK singles chart. Decca Records had a version by Ray Peterson, but decided not to release it on the grounds it was tasteless and vulgar.

They destroyed all the copies, and then had to sit back and watch Columbia take the top spot with the Richie Valens version.

7. Which Jan and Dean song is this lyric from? "I was cruisin' in my Stingray late one night When an XKE pulled up on the right And rolled down the window of his shiny new Jag And challenged me then and there to a drag."

Answer: Dead Man's Curve

Duo Jan and Dean were part of the "surf sound" made popular by The Beach Boys in the 1960s. "Dead Man's Curve", a song about a street drag race on a notoriously dangerous road, was released in 1964 and made number 8 on the Billboard chart.

Eerily William Berry, one half of the duo, sustained serious head injuries in a 1966 car crash only a short distance from the real Dead Man's Curve.

8. Which "Race" song does this lyric come from? "You think you had the last laugh Now you know this can't be true Even though the sun shines down upon you now Sometimes you must feel blue"

Answer: Race Among The Ruins

From the album "Summertime Dream" this song was recorded by Canadian singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. Released in 1976 the album also contained "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". This made number one on the Canadian charts while "Race Among The Ruins" peaked at number 65.

9. This lyric is from "Run For The Roses". Which horse race is it dedicated to? "Born in the valley And raised in the trees Of Western Kentucky On wobbly knees With mama beside you To help you along You'll soon be a growing up strong."

Answer: Kentucky Derby

Performed by Dan Fogelberg, this song follows the life of a race horse from birth in Kentucky through to his appearance in the famous Derby race. It first appeared on the 1981 album "The Innocent Age", and was released as a single the following year. It has become the unofficial anthem of the Kentucky Derby.

10. What is the missing word from this Bruce Springsteen lyric? "I got a sixty-nine ---- with a 396 Fuelie heads and a Hurst on the floor She's waiting tonight down in the parking lot Outside the Seven-Eleven store."

Answer: Chevy

The song is "Racing in The Street", and is from the album "Darkness on the Edge of Town", which was released in 1978. It reflects the love of street racing and muscle cars that flourished in America in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Over the years it has regularly featured in Bruce Springsteen's live performances.

Source: Author Christinap

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor kyleisalive before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

The Race Is On Trivia Quiz

All of the following lyrics come from songs that deal with races or racing in one form or another.

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