Art in Songs Trivia

1. The music may have died, and so did the artist in question, but who wrote "Vincent", sometimes misidentified as "Starry Starry Night"?

From Quiz Rocking the Easel

Answer: Don McLean

From the "American Pie" album, "Vincent" was released six months after Don McLean's megahit single "American Pie". The lyrics alluded to Vincent van Gogh's painting "Starry Night" as well as other paintings unnamed, and his life in general. The song was on the "Billboard Hot 100" chart for twelve weeks in 1972.

From Quiz Painters and Paintings in Song

Answer: Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds

"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" was recorded for the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album. Julian Lennon was still in nursery school when he brought home a drawing he had done titled "Lucy-in the sky with Diamonds". John composed the song and it was credited to Lennon/McCartney. When it became rumored that the first letters spelled out LSD the BBC banned the song. John Lennon vigorously denied any such connection with drugs to the song. Ironically "Day Tripper" and "Got to Get You Into My Life" were later revealed by members of the band to actually be about drug use but they were never banned. "Lovely Rita" was also from the 1967 "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album. "Strawberry Fields Forever" was from their "Magical Mystery Tour" LP and "Tell Me What You See" was a cut from their 1965 "Help" album.

From Quiz When Rock and Art Blend

Answer: Sticky Fingers & Love You Live

Andy Warhol has an infamous connection with rock music, not only producing and advising The Velvet Underground, but also designing their 'peelable' banana album artwork for their first record.

From Quiz Rocking the Easel

Answer: Andy Warhol

Whether it was his artwork, or his ability to change appearance, Bowie took a liking to Andy Warhol and wrote "Warhol" about him in 1971. It was on his "Hunky Dory" album and was the B-side of the "Changes" single in 1972.

From Quiz Painters and Paintings in Song

Answer: Harry Chapin

"Flowers Are Red" was a Harry Chapin composition about a boy who was drawing flowers in school in a variety of colors. He was advised by the teacher that flowers are red. He continued to paint them in different colors until he was told to stand in the corner. "Living Room Suite" was Harry's tenth album. Tom Chapin played banjo on the album and The Cowsills provided backing vocals. Harry Chapin died in 1981 in an auto crash while en route to a concert in New York. Jim Reeves died in a 1964 plane crash. Bobby Darin passed in 1973 from complications after heart surgery and Jim Croce was killed in a plane crash in 1973.

From Quiz When Rock and Art Blend

Answer: Spain

The Spanish cover featured an image of a woman's fingers emerging from an open can of treacle, much more wholesome!

From Quiz Rocking the Easel

Answer: Willem de Kooning

De Kooning was one of the founders of the avant-garde New York School of art. He got to America from the Netherlands in 1926 by stowing away on a ship bound for Brazil. The Manic Street Preachers performed the song "Interiors (Song for Willem de Kooning)" on their 1996 CD "Everything Must Go", which looked at artists of several genres.

From Quiz Songs in the Footsteps of Artworks

Answer: King Crimson

King Crimson's lyricist Richard Palmer-James excelled in his portrayal of "The Night Watch". I can only recommend you to listen to the song while looking at the painting. Lyrics: http://lyrics.rockmagic.net/lyrics/king_crimson/starless_and_bible_black_1974.html#04 Audio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiIIo9nKBSA Painting and description from the website of the Amsterdam Rijksmuseum: http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/aria/aria_assets/SK-C-5?lang=en (click to enlarge) The song is from "Starless and Bible Black" (1974). The album name is a quotation from Dylan Thomas' play "Under Milk Wood" (1953).

From Quiz When Rock and Art Blend

Answer: Elton John

Elton just sings and plays piano, but Dylan also illustrated the cover work for 'Music from the Big Pink' by The Band.

From Quiz Rocking the Easel

Answer: The Stranglers

The English punk band The Stranglers recorded "Goodbye Toulouse" in 1977, singing about walking the streets where Lautrec lived. It didn't mention that he died from complications of alcoholism and syphilis.

From Quiz Painters and Paintings in Song

Answer: Captain Carey, U.S.A.

"Mona Lisa" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song after the song was featured in "Captain Carey, U.S.A.". The song also became a Number One hit for Nat King Cole and in 1992 his version was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In 1943 Cole released a song titled "Straighten Up and Fly Right" which came to the attention of Capitol Records. He enjoyed a long career with Capitol and released many Top Ten hits. He also appeared on several television shows and in over two dozen films. "Sunset Boulevard" (1950) starred William Holden and Gloria Swanson. "There's No Business Like Show Business" and "Anything You Can Do" were both from the 1950 film, "Annie Get Your Gun". Betty Grable and Dan Dailey starred in "My Blue Heaven" in 1950.

From Quiz When Rock and Art Blend

Answer: Jamie Reid

Reid's concept for the 4th Pistols' single 'Holidays In the Sun' was immediately halted after it was discovered that all he did was tamper with poster graphics from an English travel company. In amongst the other clues in this question, Peter Saville did most of the work for Joy Division & Factory Records.

From Quiz Rocking the Easel

Answer: Pictures of Matchstick Men

Lowry painted many pictures of industrial districts in northwest England in the mid-20th century. The people characterized in them were often called "matchstick men". The Status Quo song was written by its lead singer, Francis Rossi, with Lowry in mind as he wrote the lyrics.

From Quiz Painters and Paintings in Song

Answer: Paul McCartney and Wings

"Band on the Run" was the third album released by Paul McCartney and Wings. "Jet" and "Helen Wheels" were other successful songs from the LP. Paul played keyboards, piano, bass guitars, and drums on the album's recordings. Percussion was done by Paul McCartney and Ginger Baker. The "Band on the Run" album topped the US album charts and remained on the charts for over 100 weeks. Pink Floyd released "The Dark Side of the Moon" in 1973. "ELO 2" was a 1973 album from Electric Light Orchestra and Seals and Crofts released the "Diamond Girl" album in 1973.

From Quiz When Rock and Art Blend

Answer: Wham

He may not be as rich or successful as George Michael, but Paul Simonon, bass player from The Clash, is now a very successful artist in his own right, commanding large sums of money for his canvas examples of life in London.

From Quiz Rocking the Easel

Answer: Max Ernst

Ernst became interested in painting from his father; his contempt for authority came from pushing back against his father's strict discipline. He began working in earnest (so to speak) after being released from the German army at the end of World War I. The band Mission of Burma, formed in 1979. "Max Ernst's Dream" was on their 2004 CD "ONoffON".

From Quiz Painters and Paintings in Song

Answer: The Kinks

"Give the People What They Want" was the 21st album released by the Kinks. They released their first album, "Kinks", in 1964 featuring their debut hit, "You Really Got Me". "Destroyer" was a successful US single release from the LP. In 1968 the group released a concept album, "The Village Green Preservation Society", which contained a song titled "Picture Book". Radiohead did not form until 1985 and Oasis formed in Manchester in 1991. The early lineup of Dire Straits featured Mark and David Knopfler.

From Quiz When Rock and Art Blend

Answer: John Entwhistle

John was quite an illustrator, as his 'connect the dots' design on the cover shows. Martin Sharpe, an Australian artist, was responsible for the cover art for artists such as Cream and Tiny Tim (who he also managed)!

From Quiz Rocking the Easel

Answer: The Weepies

Chagall was an early Modernist painter who also worked with stained glass, tapestries and ceramics. A Russian Jew, he moved to France to express his artistic style. The Weepies, an indie folk duo who originated in Boston, wrote the song "Painting by Chagall" for their 2006 CD "Say I Am You".

From Quiz Painters and Paintings in Song

Answer: "White Light/White Heat"-Velvet Undeground

"White Light/White Heat" was an album by Velvet Underground released in 1968 that featured the faint photograph of a skull tattoo taken by photographer Billy Name. Billy was a photographer who was affiliated with Warhol's studio called The Factory. Andy Warhol managed the Velvet Underground and in addition to releasing successful albums they became the house band at The Factory. Andy Warhol was born Andrew Warhola in 1928 and studied art at the School of Fine Arts at the Carnegie Institute of Technology in his home town of Pittsburgh. Warhol designed the cover art for The Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers" in 1971 and "Love You Live" six years later. "Silk Electric" was a 1982 album by Diana Ross that featured a likeness of her painted by Warhol.

From Quiz When Rock and Art Blend

Answer: Black Sabbath

Fitting that Ozzy should choose such an artist for Sabbath's greatest triumph! As anyone who saw 'The Osbournes' realises, Ozzy doesn't mind bringing out the crayons himself!

From Quiz Rocking the Easel

Answer: Cowboy Junkies

Basquiat's career began as a graffiti artist in New York's Lower East Side in the 1970s. His works matured into social commentary and the problems of African-Americans in a predominately Caucasian culture. The Cowboy Junkies included the song on their 2007 CD "At the End of Paths Taken".

From Quiz Painters and Paintings in Song

Answer: Neil Young

Neil Young recorded "Prairie Wind" in 2005 prior to undergoing surgery for an aneurysm. He recovered a performed the debut live performance of "Prairie Wind" on August 18th and 19th, a month before the album was released by Reprise Records. The album debuted at Number 11 in the US and remained on the charts for half a year. Young's "Prairie Wind" was nominated for Grammys in the "Best Rock Album of the Year" and "Best Rock Solo Performance" categories in 2008. Neil's wife Pegi and his long time friend Emmylou Harris provided backing vocals. Stephen Stills met Neil in 1965 when he was performing in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The two relocated to California where they eventually formed Buffalo Springfield.

From Quiz When Rock and Art Blend

Answer: Patti Smith

Perhaps the sensitive nature of the photo sprung from the fact that Robert and Patti had had a previous relationship. Mapplethorpe also went on to shoot the cover for the New York band Television's debut 'Marquee Moon'.

From Quiz Rocking the Easel

Answer: John Cale

Magritte is often remembered for his paintings of umbrellas and bowler hats. His paintings have influenced pop and minimalist art. John Cale (like the salad ingredient kale, get it?), sometimes called an "art rocker", wrote the appreciative song "Magritte" for his "HoboSapiens" CD, which was released in 2003.

From Quiz Painters and Paintings in Song

Answer: Citizen Cope

Memphis native Clarence Greenwood was raised in Washington DC and relocated to Brooklyn. He adopted the stage name Citizen Cope and began writing and recording material that ended up being recorded by such artists as Dido, Ritchie Havens and Carlos Santana. His tireless touring has led to a large and loyal fan base. Many of his songs have been featured on television shows and film soundtracks. "Pablo Picasso" has been heard on the "Six Degrees", "Starved" and "Related" TV series. "Let Me Love You" was a 2005 release by Mario Dewar Barrett who took the name Mario. Patrick "Sleepy" Brown released "The Way You Move" with Outkast in 2004. Moses Mortimer Barrett III went by the name of Petey Pablo and recorded "Freek-a-Leek" in 2004.

From Quiz When Rock and Art Blend

Answer: The Birthday Party

Installing comic book artists is not unusual. Janis Joplin called upon another comic book artist to do the honours on her 'Big Thrills' album, Mr. Robert Crumb.

From Quiz Rocking the Easel

Answer: Modern Lovers

Pablo Picasso had several influences in his works, and in turn influenced many others. He is associated with cubism, classicism and surrealism. The Modern Lovers, from Massachusetts, are associated with punk rock, and are sometimes called the godfathers of the genre. Frontman Jonathan Richman spent much time at The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Perhaps that's where he came up with the idea that while some men have trouble picking up girls, Picasso would not have had that problem.

From Quiz Painters and Paintings in Song

Answer: Bob Dylan

"Dylan and the Dead" was a live 1989 album release that featured excerpts from the "Dylan and the Dead" tour. The Band released their version of Dylan's "When I Paint My Masterpiece" on their 1971 "Cahoots" album. Dylan and the Band performed the song together at a New Year's Eve concert in 1971. Bob Weir sang lead vocals when The Grateful Dead performed the song and Weir continued to perform the song after Garcia's death when he was with the group Ratdog. "Wild World" was a 1971 single by Cat Stevens. Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary released "Wedding Song (There Is Love)" in 1971. Judy Collins' version of "Amazing Grace" was on the charts in 1971.

From Quiz Songs in the Footsteps of Artworks

Answer: Silent Hedges

Bauhaus took their name from the German architecture school and art movement. Their interpretation of "art for art's sake" led them to include a lot of references to artists and artworks in their songs. The book title "Brave New World" is taken from Miranda's speech in act 5 of Shakespeare's "The Tempest". It so happened that I coincidentally purchased my copy of the Bauhaus LP "The Sky's Gone Out" (1982) and my English copy of Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World". Reading the book and listening to the album's second track, I noticed the beautiful collage woven therein. Lyrics: http://www.waste.org/bauhaus/l/silenthedges.html Online book with a search feature: http://www.classicreader.com/booktoc.php/sid.1/bookid.1279/ Time for a nice closure to this quiz - The Doors took their name from Aldous Huxley's book "The Doors of Perception". In turn, Huxley borrowed this name from a quote by a poet: "If the doors of perception were cleansed, every thing would appear to man as it is: infinite". And this infinite loop brings us right back to the first question of this quiz - the poet to whom the quote belongs is William Blake. Hope you enjoyed to test your knowledge and/or to learn from this humble effort of mine, and hope to see you playing my other quizzes.

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