The Songs of Russell Crowe Trivia Quiz

Answer: Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts

Short name is TOFOG, pronounced "toe-fog". There are several stories about the origin of the name - here is the one I find the most plausible: When Russell was doing an ADR session (analog dialogue replacement) for his movie "Virtuosity" (1995), sound effects for a fight scene were marked as "thirty odd foot of grunts", since film is measured in feet. And somehow it just sounded right (to him, at least!). The rest is history. ---

Russell plays guitar and does the lead vocals for the band. He writes almost all his own songs, often in partnership with Dean Cochran, TOFOG guitar player.

Answer: sane

From the cd of the same name (1999). The rest of it: "Soon as you're leaving, I need you again/ I'm left with my dreaming/ It's just not the same!" --- The lover in this song needs a little confidence!

Answer: "Things Have Got to Change"

"Big Blue" is the blue plaid flannel shirt Russell has been photographed wearing around the world. In this video, "Big Blue" gets to nap with Russell, is wadded up and flung around, and even goes for a ride in the bed of Russell's truck. The song is on "Bastard Life or Clarity" aka BLOC (2001) and the "Texas" concert dvd (2001). The video can be seen at www.gruntland.com. ---

"Circus" is on "Gaslight" (1998). "TPK" is on the cd of the same name (1995). "Memorial Day" is on BLOC and the "Texas" concert dvd.

Answer: "What's Her Name"

From the song and cd of the same title (1997). The identity of this lucky lady is a well-kept secret, but there is plenty of speculation! ---

"Somebody Else's Princess" is on "BLOC" and the "Texas" concert dvd. "Wendy" is on "Gaslight", "BLOC", and the "Texas" concert dvd. "High Horse Honey" is on "TPK".

Answer: The eyewitness refused to testify.

In Russell's spoken intro: "He was accused of shooting two people in a pub in Fitzroy, one of them was a ten-year-old kid called Nicholas. But he got off, because the eyewitness refused to testify." ---

Barry Kable was a real person, an alcoholic who often had to be taken to a shelter by Dean Cochran, when Dean was working for the Sydney City Mission.

Answer: "Nowhere"

Kevin Durand, from "Mystery, Alaska" helps out. The song was inspired by thoughts of LA. On "Gaslight" and the "Texas" concert dvd. ---

"Hold You" is on BLOC. "You Treat Me Like Chocolate" is on "Gaslight". "Inside Her Eyes" is on "Inside Her Eyes".

Answer: grandfather

His maternal grandfather was a cinematographer in World War II, who was awarded a medal by the Queen. This is the medal Russell was wearing on his tux at the 2001 Academy Awards, when he won his first Best Actor Oscar for "Gladiator". The song is on "BLOC" and the "Texas" concert dvd.

Answer: "All the White Circles"

One cotton dress was dark blue with white polka dots on it - aha! She was a very frustrating young lady, who got a bottle of red wine poured over her head. On "What's Her Name?" and the "Texas" concert dvd. ---

"Inside Her Eyes" is on the cd of the same name. "High Horse Honey" is on "TPK." "Swept Away Bayou" is on "BLOC".

Answer: "Someone's Trying to Kill Me"

Lyrics go like this: "Somebody's trying to kill me, it could be myself. I have it on the highest authority - I'm just no good for my own health." Say it ain't so, Russell! On "Gaslight". ---

"You Treat Me Like Chocolate" is on "Gaslight". "Memorial Day" and "The Night Davey Hit the Train" are on "BLOC" and "Texas."

Answer: "I Wanna Be Like Marlon Brando"

Scary, huh? Russell said he had not seen any Brando movies when he wrote this song as a kid in New Zealand.

Answer: "The Photograph Kills"

From the cd of the same name. A snippet is heard when SID 6.7 drives up in the utility van, in "Virtuosity" (1995). ---

"Hold You" is on "BLOC". "What You Want Me to Forget" is on "Gaslight" and "Texas". "Somebody Else's Princess" is on "BLOC" and "Texas".

Answer: "Someone's Trying to Kill Me", "Castlebuilder", "Danielle"

These are hidden, bonus tracks on "Gaslight", which are not listed anywhere on the cd. ---

"Hold You", "Judas Cart", "Memorial Day" and "Sail Those Same Oceans" are on "BLOC". "Inside Her Eyes" is from the cd of the same name. "The Photograph Kills" is from the cd of the same name. "Eternity", "What's Her Name?" and "Oblique is My Love" are from "Gaslight". "What's Her Name" and "Oblique is My Love" are also on "What's Her Name". "Judas Cart", "What's Her Name" and "Memorial Day" are also on "Texas".

Answer: chocolate

From "You Treat Me Like Chocolate", on "Gaslight". Sweet and dark - hmmmmm. A viola is an unusual companion to the guitar on this song.

Answer: little boy

The song "Wendy" is based on a girl Russell once worked with, a single mom who was trying to get by and keep her little boy in her life. Lyrics go like this: "Wendy's got a little boy and no one else/
Sometimes that just gets too much for her." On "Gaslight", "BLOC" and "Texas".

Answer: Roman Antix

This is scary, too. Russell formed Roman Antix with Dean Cochran in the early 80's.

Answer: "Danielle", " Wendy", "You Treat Me like Chocolate", "Castlebuilder"

Although Russell has been writing incredible music with partners for many years, some of his most beautiful and moving songs are solo efforts. These are my personal favorites. ---

"Circus" was written by Don Walker. "Legend of Barry Kable", "Somebody Else's Princess", "Someone's Trying to Kill Me", "Eternity", "Things Have Got to Change", "Memorial Day" and "Swept Away Bayou" were written by Russell with Dean Cochran (TOFOG's guitar player). "Oblique is My Love" and "Sail Those Same Oceans" were written by Russell, Dean and Garth Adam (TOFOG's bass player). "David" was written by Russell, Dean, Garth and Dave Kelly (TOFOG's drummer). "The Photograph Kills" was written by Russell, Dean, Garth and a couple other guys.

Answer: Not right now.

Lyrics go like this: "I want babies, just not right now, just not right now, no, just not right now." On "Gaslight".

Answer: "Oblique is My Love"

"Oh, bleak is my love." ---

This song is a love letter home to Australia. On "Gaslight" and "What's Her Name". ---

"The Photograph Kills" is on the cd of the same name. "Judas Cart" is on "BLOC" and "Texas". "Inside Her Eyes" is on the cd of the same name.

Answer: "Other Ways of Speaking"

This is a very beautiful song about how two friends try to communicate. Part of it is included on the "Texas" concert dvd (2001). The other three songs are on this dvd, too.

Answer: expecting me to move

From "Danielle", on "Gaslight". A pretty sad and lonely line, from a pretty sad and lonely song.

Answer: "What's Her Name", "Oblique is My Love", "Legend of Barry Kable"

These songs were recorded in Melbourne in 1997. On "Gaslight". ---

"All the White Circles", "Big Jet Planes" and "What's Her Name" are on "What's Her Name". "Sail Those Same Oceans", "Hold You" and "Somebody Else's Princess" are on "BLOC". "The Photograph Kills" and "High Horse Honey" are "The Photograph Kills". "Inside Her Eyes" is on "Inside Her Eyes."

Answer: suicide

In these lyrics, Russell is talking to bandmate Dean Cochran, and former movie co-stars Daniel Pollock and Ben Mendelssohn. From "BLOC" and "Texas".

Answer: "Judas Cart"

This is a heartbreaking song in which a little girl is taken away from her father. From "BLOC" and "Texas". ---

"She's Not Impressed" and "What You Want Me to Forget?" are on "Gaslight". "What You Want Me to Forget?" is also on "Texas". "The Photograph Kills" is on the cd of the same name.

Answer: ballroom dancer and snake trainer

Is the world ready for more than one Russell Crowe? The song "David", on "Gaslight" and "Texas", ponders about people with the same name. In Sydney, Russell Crowe the ballroom dancer was photographed at age 13 for Life magazine. Russell Crowe the snake trainer comes from Florida and was arrested for abusing his snake.

Answer: Texas

Filmed mostly in Austin, Texas (strangely enough!), it documents the 2000 TOFOG concert series. The dvd is a very limited edition and has been shown at many film festivals around the world. In keeping with TOFOG's typical quirkiness, it is set up as an oil well drilling log, and has many different levels, accessible only by trial-and-error, psychic abilities, holding your tongue JUST right or beating the dvd against the side of your TV. Oh, yeah - or by interpreting cryptic clues on the band's website. :)