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Sound Effects in Songs Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Sound Effects in Songs Quizzes, Trivia

Sound Effects in Songs Trivia

Sound Effects in Songs Trivia Quizzes

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6 quizzes and 60 trivia questions.
1.
  Songs Containing Sound Effects.   top quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Many songs recorded through the years have included catchy or unusual sound effects. This quiz is about some of them.
Tough, 10 Qns, shanteyman, Nov 22 12
Tough
shanteyman
361 plays
2.
  Unusual Instruments in Rock Music   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Through the years many artists used unusual instruments to play solos or backing tracks in some of their songs in an effort to sound unique. This quiz is about some of them.
Average, 10 Qns, shanteyman, Nov 22 12
Average
shanteyman
385 plays
3.
  Boom, Bang, Crash! Noises in Song   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Pop music is, to some people, just a noise... I thought I would try to see just how noisy it is.
Average, 10 Qns, DaveH1960, Nov 22 12
Average
DaveH1960
464 plays
4.
  What's That Sound? Quiz Challenge    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a fun small quiz about different sounds in songs. It contains questions about song titles and lyrics. It's my first quiz so please people, don't be too hard on me.
Average, 10 Qns, imsgchg, Nov 22 12
Average
imsgchg
376 plays
5.
  Onomatopoeia in Music   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Onomatopoeia, according to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, is "the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it." Whew, that was long.
Average, 10 Qns, sfrano08, Nov 22 12
Average
sfrano08
603 plays
6.
  10 Questions: What's That Sound? Multiple Choice Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I was jamming to a tune on the radio the other day and heard something "other" than words or instrumental music within the song. Can you guess what I heard?
Difficult, 10 Qns, TemptressToo, Jul 24 24
Difficult
TemptressToo
Jul 24 24
285 plays
trivia question Quick Question
The Troggs' British Invasion era song, "Wild Thing", featured an ocarina as the solo instrument. Who was the lead vocalist for The Troggs?

From Quiz "Unusual Instruments in Rock Music"





Sound Effects in Songs Trivia Questions

2. Which 1964 US Top Forty hit by the Ronettes received a Grammy nomination in 1965 for Special or Novel Effects?

From Quiz Songs Containing Sound Effects.

Answer: Walkin' in the Rain

"Walking in the Rain" reached number 23 in 1964. Larry Levine was responsible for the sound effects of thunder and lightning on the recording. Larry also garnered the Grammy Award for "Best Engineered Recording - Non-Classical" in 1966 for Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass' recording of "A Taste of Honey". "Walking in the Rain" would be the final Top Forty hit by The Ronettes and was the only song produced by Spector to receive a Grammy nomination. Jay and the Americans recorded a version in 1970 that reached Number 19 in the US. "But You're Mine" was a 1965 Top Forty from Sonny and Cher. Cher sang backup on "Walkin' in the Rain". "Give Us Your Blessings" by The Shangri-Las reached Number 29 in 1965. "Nowhere to Run" was a 1965 Top Ten by Martha and The Vandellas.

3. Lulu won the Eurovision song contest in 1969 with this very noisy song, what was it called?

From Quiz Boom, Bang, Crash! Noises in Song

Answer: Boom Bang-A-Bang

OK, this is probably not too well known in America but it did reach number two in England and number one in other European countries. It was one of three songs that tied for first place in the contest that year. 'Bing Tiddle-Tiddle Bong' was a parody of 'Boom Bang-A-Bang' by Monty Python. #Useless Information# This record was one of a number of recordings that were banned by the BBC during the Gulf war in 1991.

4. Which song did NOT feature whistling as part of the song?

From Quiz Unusual Instruments in Rock Music

Answer: "Handy Man"-Del Shannon

Del Shannon's version of "Handy Man" featured a Mellotron as the lead instrument, the same instrument that was used on his 1960 mega-hit, "Runaway". "Handy Man" was composed by Jimmy Jones and Otis Blackwell. Jones had been a member of a group called The Sparks Of Rhythm and they recorded the first version of the song. Jimmy Jones then recorded the song in 1959 and it became a 1960 Top Ten hit on the US Billboard charts. Del Shannon recorded a version four years later, followed by a Number Four rendition by James Taylor in 1977. Taylor's rendition earned him a second Grammy Award. "Daydream" featured a whistling solo and was a US Number Two hit for the Lovin' Spoonful in 1966. "Sukiyaki" featured a whistling section in the 1963 Kyo Sakamoto song. Gene Pitney's "Only Love Can Break A Heart" also featured whistling.

5. George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley formed a band known by what onomatopoeic name?

From Quiz Onomatopoeia in Music

Answer: Wham!

Michael and Ridgeley joined forces in 1981. For a little while, they were called "Wham! UK" because of a naming dispute with another band.

6. Which 1981 US Number One release featured the sounds of a typewriter and a typewriter bell?

From Quiz Songs Containing Sound Effects.

Answer: 9 to 5

"9 to 5" was written and performed by Dolly Parton for the 1980 movie "Nine to Five". Dolly walked away with Grammys for "Best Country Song" and "Best Country Vocal Performance, Female" for the song. The song was included in Dolly's 1980 US Number One Country album "9 to 5 and Odd Jobs". "9 to 5" was the second song to top both the US Country and US Pop charts. "Harper Valley PTA" by Jeannie C. Riley accomplished the feat first in 1968. "She Works Hard for the Money" was a single and album by Donna Summer in 1983. "Working My Way Back to You / Forgive Me, Girl" was by The Spinners in 1979. "Back On The Chain Gang" by Pretenders came out in 1983.

7. Reaching number two in the US and number three in the UK, who had a hit with 'Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)' in 1966? (Not Nancy Sinatra)

From Quiz Boom, Bang, Crash! Noises in Song

Answer: Cher

Written by Sonny Bono and taken from the album 'The Sonny Side of Cher' the recording was a hit in many parts of the world. The reference to Nancy Sinatra? She also released a version in 1966. #Useless Information# This was Cher's first top three hit in the UK and her last until the 'Shoop Shoop Song' 22 years later.

8. Which 1962 Top Ten hit by Dion featured a kazoo as a solo instrument?

From Quiz Unusual Instruments in Rock Music

Answer: Little Diane

"Little Diane" was a Number Eight hit by Dion in 1962 and featured a kazoo solo. After beginning his career with The Belmonts, Dion recorded his first solo album in 1960 titled "Alone with Dion". "Lonely Teenager" was a single release from the LP and reached Number 12 on the US Billboard charts. After releasing a couple of unsuccessful follow-up singles he released a song called "The Majestic". When disc jockeys began playing the flip side titled "The Wanderer", the song became a hit and rejuvenated Dion's career. The 1961 releases, "The Wanderer" and "The Majestic", both featured a saxophone. There was no solo in the 1959 hit, "A Teenager in Love".

9. The lyric "Wham, bam, thank you ma'am" appears in which David Bowie song?

From Quiz Onomatopoeia in Music

Answer: Suffragette City

This track is number ten on the Bowie album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars". Bowie offered the song to the band Mott the Hoople before recording it for himself.

10. What sound effect is heard on the Pink Floyd song "Wish You Were Here?

From Quiz Songs Containing Sound Effects.

Answer: Wind blowing

"Wish You Were Here" was the title track from Pink Floyd's 1975 album of the same name. The final solo on the song is cross-faded with wind sounds along with the guitar solo. Stephane Grappelli played a violin solo near the end of the song which was barely audible. "Wish You Were Here" was one of the few songs that Roger Waters and David Gilmour collaborated on and one of the only songs that Roger Waters performed live in his solo concerts that they wrote together. Pink Floyd first performed "Wish You Were Here" live in 1977. Producer Alan Parson layered the clock noises on "Time" from the bands 1973 "Dark Side of the Moon album. A clock ticking is among the many effects on "Speak To Me", also from "Dark Side of the Moon". Oars creaking splashing can be heard on the beginning of Pink Floyd's "Signs Of Life", recorded in 1987.

11. The Troggs' British Invasion era song, "Wild Thing", featured an ocarina as the solo instrument. Who was the lead vocalist for The Troggs?

From Quiz Unusual Instruments in Rock Music

Answer: Reg Presley

"Wild Thing" was originally recorded by a New-York-based group called The Wild Ones in 1965. The following year The Troggs reached the US Number One spot with Reg Presley handling the vocals on their version. A musical director named Colin Fretcher played the ocarina on the recording. Reg Presley was born Reginald Maurice Ball and composed the band's follow-up hit, "Love is All Around". Freddie Garrity fronted Freddie and the Dreamers. Wayne Fontana was born Glyn Ellis and formed The Mindbenders in 1962. Colin Edward Michael Blunstone sang vocals for The Zombies.

12. The song "Tutti Frutti", featuring the opening line "Womp-bomp-a-loom-op-a-womp-bam-boom!" was originally sung by which rock n' roll pioneer?

From Quiz Onomatopoeia in Music

Answer: Little Richard

Reverend Richard Wayne Penniman wrote "Tutti Frutti" in 1955. Little Richard's vibrant stage presence, frenetic piano playing, and excited singing made him an American icon.

13. Which 1980 Billy Joel Top Ten single featured the sound of breaking glass during the intro?

From Quiz Songs Containing Sound Effects.

Answer: You May Be Right

"You May Be Right" was from Joel's 1980 "Glass Houses" album. It was the opening track on side one. The sound of glass was inspired by the photo of Billy Joel throwing a rock at a glass window on the cover. "You May Be Right" reached Number Seven in the US. "Glass Houses" was the third album by Billy Joel produced by Phil Ramone. "It's Still Rock & Roll to Me" was another hit single from the album. "Big Shot" was a 1979 release from Billy Joel. Helicopter sounds were used in the 1983 single "Goodnight Saigon". The US Number 20 single "Pressure" came out in 1982.

14. 'Pistol shots rang out in a bar-room night' is the first line of a noisily titled Bob Dylan song, but which one is it?

From Quiz Boom, Bang, Crash! Noises in Song

Answer: Hurricane

A song protesting about the imprisonment of Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter for the murder of a barman in New Jersey in 1966.

15. When the song ends you hear "with a cluck-cluck here and a cluck-cluck there". Your cousin hurries in changing the song, but the damage is done, you already know what kid's song that was.

From Quiz What's That Sound?

Answer: Old McDonald Had a Farm

This is a kid's song that shows the kids the different sounds of the different animals you could find in a farm.

16. Which 1963 single by Jan and Dean featured the sound of motors revving up before the intro?

From Quiz Songs Containing Sound Effects.

Answer: Drag City

"Drag City" reached Number Ten on the US charts. Jan Berry and Roger Christian partnered with Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys to write the song. Jan Berry and Brian Wilson also wrote Jan and Dean's Number One single, "Surf City". "Drag City" was also the title of an album by Jan and Dean featuring such racing related songs as "Little Deuce Coupe", "Dead Man's Curve" and "Sting Ray". "Dead Man's Curve" (1964) featured the sound of tires screeching near the end of the song. "The Little Old Lady from Pasadena" (1964) did not feature any sound effects and "Schlock Rod Part 1" was the flip side of "Drag City".

17. 1969 and there was 'Something in the Air' but what was the name of the 'one-hit-wonder' band who had a hit with this track?

From Quiz Boom, Bang, Crash! Noises in Song

Answer: Thunderclap Newman

Thunderclap Newman was a group created by Pete Townshend (the guitarist from The Who) to sing songs written by John 'Speedie' Keene (a 'roadie' for the Who.) 'Something in the Air' was number one for three weeks in the UK and was their only top 40 hit.

18. Which track on "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" featured a harp intro?

From Quiz Unusual Instruments in Rock Music

Answer: She's Leaving Home

When Sheila Bromberg played the harp on "She's leaving Home" she became the first female musician to play on a Beatles session. When George Martin was not immediately available to compose the string score for the song, Paul McCartney hired Decca arranger Mike Leander. Although Martin expressed disappointment he produced the song. None of the Beatles played an instrument on "She's Leaving Home". Among the instruments played on "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" were a svarmandal and a guiro. In addition to playing drums on "When I'm Sixty-Four", Ringo played the tubular bells. "Good Morning, Good Morning" featured the brass instruments of Sounds Incorporated. Geoff Emerick engineered the animal sounds.

19. The song that followed said: "When I was a little biddy boy My Grandma bought me a cute little toy Two Silver bells on a string She told me it was my..." What is the sound that completes that verse?

From Quiz What's That Sound?

Answer: Ding A Ling

"Ding A Ling", it's a Chuck Berry song from 1972. A song like this had already been recorded three times before, by different people, under different titles, and with some lyrics variations, but Berry's version was the one which topped the charts.

20. Which type of pedal, used by many guitarists, is intended to imitate the human voice?

From Quiz Onomatopoeia in Music

Answer: Wah-wah pedal

The first Wah-wah pedal was created by Warwick Electronics Inc. in 1966. The pedal has a filter which goes back and forth between many frequencies, creating the desired effect.

21. "The kids in Bristol are sharp as a pistol When they do". What did they do according to The Dovells in 1961?

From Quiz Boom, Bang, Crash! Noises in Song

Answer: Bristol Stomp

This version reached number two on the Billboard charts in 1961 and was about a new dance craze called 'The Stomp'.

22. Which wind instrument did Brian Jones play on the 1967 US Number One hit "Ruby Tuesday"?

From Quiz Unusual Instruments in Rock Music

Answer: Recorder

In addition to playing guitar for the Rolling Stones, Brian Jones played a variety of instruments on several of the Rolling Stones' sessions. On "Ruby Tuesday" he played a recorder throughout the song. Brian was a founding member of the group. Among the other instruments he played on Rolling Stones recordings were a sitar ("Paint It Black"), organ ("Let's Spend the Night Together"), dulcimer ("Lady Jane"), harpsichord ("Lady Jane") and autoharp ("You Got the Silver"). He played the oboe on "Dandelion" and the Mellotron on several tracks including "She's A Rainbow" and "2000 Light Years from Home".

23. Suddenly you decide to put on one of your old records. You put the first one you grab. It's from the Hollies! Guess what song it is. Here's a clue: it's about a kind of bird.

From Quiz What's That Sound?

Answer: Rockin' Robin

This song was actually written in 1958 by Leon Rene a.k.a. Jimmie Thomas. It was first recorded by Bobby Day in 1958, later the Hollies made a cover in 1964 (on their first album).

24. What British band reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart May 18, 2008, with their song "That's Not My Name"?

From Quiz Onomatopoeia in Music

Answer: The Ting Tings

The Ting Tings are Jules de Martino and Katie White. Their debut album, "We Started Nothing", reached #1 in the UK.

25. Which unusual item was heard during the recording of The Beatles' "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" (1969)?

From Quiz Songs Containing Sound Effects.

Answer: Anvil banging

"Maxwell's Silver Hammer" was recorded while John Lennon was recuperating from an automobile accident. Yoko Ono was also recovering and spent time in the studio in a double bed. "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" was intended for the 1968 album "The Beatles" but was not completed in time. The band worked laboriously on the song because Paul had conceived it as a single. Ringo Starr played an anvil during the recording. Mal Evans played the anvil during a taping of the "Let it Be" film. The sound of a rotary phone dialing can be heard in "Come Together". One example of backward tape looping done by The Beatles can be heard on "Tomorrow Never Knows". "Yellow Submarine" featured the sounds of bubbles and water.

26. Both David (Lord) Sutch and Jay Hawkins adopted the same noisy name, what was this?

From Quiz Boom, Bang, Crash! Noises in Song

Answer: screaming & screamin' & screamin

Screaming Lord Sutch - never really a lord - a singer (although not very 'vocally talented', according to himself), Radio Station owner in the 1960s and politician for the Monster Raving Loony party. Probably best known for his song 'Jack The Ripper' which was released in 1963 and immediately banned by the BBC. Screaming Jay Hawkins - Real name Jalacy Hawkins - was born in Ohio in 1929. His best known record being (of course) 'I Put a Spell on You', which was released in 1956. Hawkins' version did not show on the charts although a number of later cover versions have.

27. Which 1986 Paul Simon hit featured a penny whistle solo?

From Quiz Unusual Instruments in Rock Music

Answer: You Can Call Me Al

"You Can Call Me Al" was the first single release from Paul's 1986 "Graceland" album. The penny whistle was played by a South African musician named Jy Morr Goldberg. The bass guitar solo was coincidentally recorded by Bakithi Kumalo on his birthday. The second half of the bass solo is actually a reversed version of the first half. "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" featured backing vocals by Phoebe Snow, Patti Austin and Valerie Simpson. Whitney Houston's mom, Cissy Houston, sang background vocals on "Mother and Child Reunion". "Kodachrome" was from Simon's 1973 "There Goes Rhymin' Simon" LP.

28. What innovative dance group, which originated in England, uses their bodies and everyday objects to create music?

From Quiz Onomatopoeia in Music

Answer: Stomp

You see a lot of street performers trying to imitate "Stomp", but none can. The members of "Stomp" use whatever they have around them to make their music, most notably trash cans, which they use as drums.

29. Which song featured gunfire and airplanes bombing noises while a bagpipe was playing as special effects?

From Quiz Songs Containing Sound Effects.

Answer: "Sky Pilot"-The Animals

A bagpipe can be heard along with war noises during "Sky Pilot". Eric Burdon and The Animals released "Sky Pilot" as a single from their "The Twain Shall Meet" album. It had to be spread over both side of the 45RPM record because the length of the song. "Sky Pilot (Parts 1 & 2)" made it to Number 14 in the US. The song refers to a military chaplain. "Run Through the Jungle" (1970) by Creedence Clearwater Revival featured guitar playback imitating sounds of the jungle. "Indiana Wants Me" (1970) by R. Dean Taylor featured such realistic police sirens people listening on their car radios often pulled over. Dire Straits did not use any sound effects in "Brothers in Arms" (1985).

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