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Prine John Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
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John Prine Trivia

John Prine Trivia Quizzes

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4 John Prine quizzes and 45 John Prine trivia questions.
1.
  Sing Along with John Prine   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
If you've ever been to a John Prine concert, you've noticed that you can barely hear him over the sound of the audience singing along. They know all the words to all the songs. Do you?
Average, 15 Qns, agony, Feb 05 10
Average
agony editor
842 plays
2.
  Hello In There: The Songs Of John Prine    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
If you had Bob Dylan as an admirer you must have been doing something right as a songwriter. Very many people agreed with Dylan's assessment of John Prine. Here are ten questions about Prine and his songs.
Average, 10 Qns, darksplash, Apr 08 20
Average
darksplash
Apr 08 20
115 plays
3.
  Sam Stone   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a classic John Prine song which has been covered by many. My first quiz on Funtrivia.com, so I hope you enjoy it.
Average, 10 Qns, cyanidemum, Apr 02 20
Average
cyanidemum
Apr 02 20
365 plays
4.
  More lyrics of John Prine    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I had so much fun singing my way through Agony's quiz on John Prine lyrics, I just had to come up with my own. Hey, it's John Prine, he deserves at least two quizzes! Ten questions, five great songs, multiple choice.
Average, 10 Qns, dwcdaid, Nov 27 04
Average
dwcdaid
579 plays
trivia question Quick Question
In "Illegal Smile", in the morning, who/what seemed like his only friend?

From Quiz "More lyrics of John Prine"




Related Topics
  Folk Music [Music] (40 quizzes)


John Prine Trivia Questions
1. Where *exactly* was Sam Stone serving, according to the song?

From Quiz Sam Stone

Answer: overseas

The author doesn't actually mention the name of the war, although it is widely assumed that he has returned from the Vietnam war which ended in 1975. "Sam Stone came home, To his wife and family After serving in the conflict overseas."

2. From "They Ought to Name a Drink After You": "The more I drink the..."

From Quiz More lyrics of John Prine

Answer: Less I feel blue

"Oh I get drunk most every night, seems like all we do is fight, the more I drink, the less I feel blue."

3. "I am an old woman, named after my mother. My old man is another ..."

From Quiz Sing Along with John Prine

Answer: child that's grown old

"If dreams were lightning, and thunder was desire, this old house would have burnt down a long time ago." "Angel from Montgomery", from his first album "John Prine"(1971). Bonnie Raitt covered this song on her "Streetlights" album (1974). In the Raitt version, this lyric goes "If dreams were thunder, and lightning was desire..."

4. When "Time" magazine compiled a list of "All-TIME 100 Songs", they included John Prine's "Angel Of Montgomery". Whose cover of the song did they rave about?

From Quiz Hello In There: The Songs Of John Prine

Answer: Bonnie Raitt

"I am an old woman named after my mother My old man is another child that's grown old If dreams were lightning thunder was desire This old house would have burnt down a long time ago "Make me an angel that flies from Montgom'ry Make me a poster of an old rodeo Just give me one thing that I can hold on to To believe in this living is just a hard way to go..." "Time" noted: "Bonnie Raitt's rich, raw cover made the song famous and didn't hurt her career either; in 2000 she told Performing Songwriter magazine, 'I think 'Angel from Montgomery' probably meant more to my fans and my body of work than any other song.'" While "Time" did not rank the 100 songs they listed, in other places this has been listed as the best cover of any John Prine song.

5. What great accolade did he come home with?

From Quiz Sam Stone

Answer: Purple Heart

"With a Purple Heart and a monkey on his back." The Purple Heart is awared to those serving with the U.S. military who have been wounded or killed in service. It is a very honorable award. Sadly, he also returned home with a heroin addiction which is referred to as the monkey on his back.

6. Also in "They Ought to Name a Drink After You": the first time John suggests a name for the drink, what name is it?

From Quiz More lyrics of John Prine

Answer: Bloody Mary

Later in the song he also suggests "Near Beer". I'm not sure where the heck that came from.

7. "He said he would have taken the other road, but he didn't think...."

From Quiz Sing Along with John Prine

Answer: the lake was that deep

"Bottomless Lake" from the album "Aimless Love" (1984). This was the first John Prine release from his own independent label, "Oh Boy Records".

8. According to a John Prine song, what "won't get you into Heaven any more"?

From Quiz Hello In There: The Songs Of John Prine

Answer: Flag decal

"While digesting Reader's Digest in the back of a dirty book store A plastic flag, with gum on the back fell out on the floor Well, I picked it up and I ran outside, slapped it on my window shield And if I could see old Betsy Ross I'd tell her how good I feel. "But your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore They're already overcrowded from your dirty little war Now Jesus don't like killin', no matter what the reason's for And your flag decal won't get you into Heaven anymore..." "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" was on Prine's first album in 1971. In 2017 in a Billboard feature on "John Prine's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks", the song was listed at number four. "Billboard" noted this remained a divisive song: "His more conservative fan base will sometimes walk out of performances when he does this Vietnam protest number, while many have cheered in agreement over the years."

9. The author describes children in an unusual fashion, although using a common saying. What is the term he uses?

From Quiz Sam Stone

Answer: little pitchers

The phrase used is "little pitchers have big ears" which means that young children often overhear something they should not. The shape of a pitcher's handles are likened to ears.

10. From "Please Don't Bury Me": "Sell my heart to the junkman and give my love to..."

From Quiz More lyrics of John Prine

Answer: Rose

"Venus de Milo can have my arms, look out I've got your nose, sell my heart to the junkman and give my love to Rose."

11. She "read romance magazines up in her room, felt just like Sunday on Saturday afternoon", and he "envisioned the details of romantic scenes, after midnight in the quiet of the barracks latrines". Who are they?

From Quiz Sing Along with John Prine

Answer: Donald and Lydia

"Donald and Lydia" from the first album. John Prine says that the picture of Donald came easily to him, but that Lydia "the fat girl daughter of Virginia and Ray" was more difficult.

12. Sam took to illegal activities to pay for his habit. According to the song, what was the monetary value of his habit?

From Quiz Sam Stone

Answer: $100

"He went to work when he'd spent his last dime And Sammy took to stealing When he got that empty feeling For a hundred dollar habit without overtime. "

13. Later in "Please Don't Bury Me", to where does John want his stomach sent?

From Quiz More lyrics of John Prine

Answer: Milwaukee

"Send my stomach to Milwuakee if they run out of beer." I tried to ask what happens after they send his mouth way down south, but the answer got censored. Those of you who know this song, you know what line I'm referring to, so please laugh anyway.

14. "I just stepped down from the airplane When I heard her say...."

From Quiz Sing Along with John Prine

Answer: wacka wacka nooka likka

From "German Afternoons" (1986). "Let's Talk Dirty in Hawaiian" ("Would you like a lei?"). This album was nominated for a Grammy award.

15. "And the gold rolled through his veins Like a thousand __________ ________,"

From Quiz Sam Stone

Answer: railroad trains

"And the gold rolled through his veins Like a thousand railroad trains," This is quite a dramatic description of the hit from his drugs.

16. In "Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone", what would happen if Sabu didn't tour?

From Quiz More lyrics of John Prine

Answer: Sabu would forever rest

"The movie wasn't really doing so hot, said the new producer to the old big shot, it's dying on the edge of the great midwest, Sabu must tour or forever rest."

17. "Traded in a milking cow, for a ... "

From Quiz Sing Along with John Prine

Answer: Singer sewing machine

"Grampa was a Carpenter", from 1973's "Sweet Revenge". "Used to drive to church on Sunday, and take me with him too, stained glass in every window, hearing aids in every pew."

18. According to the song, what did Jesus Christ die for?

From Quiz Sam Stone

Answer: nothing

"Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose." When Johnny Cash covered this song, he changed this line to "Daddy must have known something, I suppose".

19. When "Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone", what do the airlines lose?

From Quiz More lyrics of John Prine

Answer: The elephant's trunk

"Sabu was sad, the whole tour stunk, the airlines lost the elephant's trunk."

20. This song takes the form of questions to a famous advice column, syndicated in many newspapers.

From Quiz Sing Along with John Prine

Answer: Dear Abby

"Dear Abby, Dear Abby, you won't believe this, but my stomach makes noises whenever I kiss..." From "Sweet Revenge". Years after this song came out, a fan sent a non-rhyming paraphrase of one of the verses to "Dear Abby", who answered it in her column.

21. In "Paradise", where is Mulenburg County?

From Quiz More lyrics of John Prine

Answer: Western Kentucky

"When I was a child, my family would travel, down to Western Kentucky, where my parents were born."

22. "It's a half an inch of water and you think you're gonna drown". What song are these words from?

From Quiz Sing Along with John Prine

Answer: That's the Way that the World Goes Round

This song is from the album "Bruised Orange", 1978. This album was produced by John's good friend, Steve Goodman (the writer of "City of New Orleans", among other songs).

23. "We were standing Standing by peaceful waters Standing by peaceful waters Whoa, wah, oh wha, oh Whoa, wah, oh wha, oh..." From which John Prine song are these lyrics taken?

From Quiz Hello In There: The Songs Of John Prine

Answer: Lake Marie

Prine told the story of an Indian tribe that found two white babies in the woods on the Illinois-Wisconsin border. They called one Elizabeth and the other Marie and gave the names also to the twin lakes they lived on. Bob Dylan has named John Prine as one of his favourite songwriters and told MTV: "Prine's stuff is pure Proustian existentialism. Midwestern mindtrips to the nth degree. And he writes beautiful songs. I remember when Kris Kristofferson first brought him on the scene. All that stuff about Sam Stone the soldier junky daddy and Donald and Lydia, where people make love from ten miles away. Nobody but Prine could write like that. If I had to pick one song of his, it might be Lake Marie..."

24. Sam felt that life had lost something important. What was that?

From Quiz Sam Stone

Answer: fun

"But life had lost its fun And there was nothing to be done"

25. In "Paradise", why couldn't his dad take him back to Paradise down by the Green River?

From Quiz More lyrics of John Prine

Answer: Mr. Peabody's coal train had hauled it away

"And Daddy won't you take me back to Mulenberg County, down by the Green River, where Paradise lay? Well I'm sorry my son, but you're too late in asking, Mr. Peabody's coal train has hauled it away."

26. "Woke up this morning, put on my slippers, walked in the kitchen and ..."

From Quiz Sing Along with John Prine

Answer: died

"Please Don't Bury Me" from "Sweet Revenge". John Prine says of this song "It's the best organ-donor campfire song I know of."

27. Where was Sam buried?

From Quiz Sam Stone

Answer: on a local heroes' hill

"But trade his house that he bought on the G. I. Bill For a flag draped casket on a local heroes' hill." Even after his overdose, he was buried as a hero.

28. In "Illegal Smile", in the morning, who/what seemed like his only friend?

From Quiz More lyrics of John Prine

Answer: Total silence

"When I woke up this morning, things were looking bad, seemed like total silence was the only friend I had."

29. "Chased a rainbow down a one-way street - dead end. And all my friends turned out to be ..."

From Quiz Sing Along with John Prine

Answer: insurance salesmen

"Illegal Smile" from "John Prine". This song is a pretty thinly veiled reference to smoking marijuana. "Ah, but fortunately I have the key, to escape reality, and you may see me tonight with an illegal smile, it don't cost very much, but it lasts a long while".

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