Odd Lyric Out Trivia Quiz

Answer: I can hear the little ones trying

The lyrics in "At the End of the Day" are actually "And the righteous hurry past/THEY DON'T hear the little ones CRYING." The line "Help us in our shame" is from the song "Look Down" (when the show moves to Paris) and "Every day..." is from the song of the same name (sung by Marius and Cosette after the barricades fall). I won't insult you and tell you where the other lyric is from. :-)

Answer: Money makes the world go round

This lyric is actually from the song "Money, Money" in "Cabaret," another Kander & Ebb classic. "He had it coming" is the chorus of "The Cell Block Tango" while "My sister is now unfortunately deceased" comes from Velma's number "I Can't Do It Alone." The line "She could get run over by a two-ton truck" is from the song "I Know a Girl," which is found on the Revival recording but not the 1975 original cast or movie soundtracks.

Answer: Animals locked inside cars at a zoo

The lyric in the "Alive" reprise is actually "Animals TRAPPED BEHIND BARS at a zoo," which makes more sense anyway. "You cannot choose but to lose control" is from "Confrontation," while "Once, before it's time to say 'Adieu' world" is from Lucy's "A New Life." "I could turn to drink..." is from the song entitled "Engagement Party."

Answer: 529,300 minutes

Any true "Rent"-head will know that the Act II opener "Seasons of Love" goes "525,600 minutes." I made up the numbers for the fake lyric. "I'm certain that cur..." is from Angel's "Today 4 U," the handcuff line is Roger's from "Light My Candle," and "To Sondheim" is one of the many exclaimations in "La Vie Boheme."

Answer: Mamma wants to know

Of all the things described in the "Rose's Turn," nowhere does it say that "Mamma wants to know." "Give me a chance..." is from "Some People," while Louise sings "Do you think I'll get my wish" in her Act I solo "Little Lamb." "Grind your behind til you're banned" is from the absolutely hilarious "You Gotta Get a Gimmmick" (the line is Mazzeppa's, if you must know).

Answer: There's the mugger who lives next door

Tracy does sing the praises of her next door neighbor in "Good Morning, Baltimore," but tells us he's a flasher, not a mugger. "'Cause you shout non-stop" is from "Momma, I'm a Big Girl Now," and "I hit the stage..." is from "Miss Baltimore Crabs." The eyeball line is from the post-show ditty warning against drinking and driving at prom.

Answer: Never you fear

The lyric "Never you fear" is actually from the song "My Friends" in another Sondheim show (and in my opinion his masterpiece), "Sweeney Todd." "Daughter like a flower" is from the Act I finale "Ever After," "The birds are singing sweetly" is from "Hello, Little Girl," and "You were greedy..." is from "Your Fault."

Answer: Sweep some more, kid

During "Downtown (Skid Row)," Seymour tells the audience that when he asks what he's for, God tells him to "Sweep THAT FLOOR kid." "Just say you'll incorporate" is from "Mushnik & Son" and "Feel the sturm and drang..." is from the Opening. "Watch him suck up that gas" is one of the various exclaimations the Trio makes during "Dentist!"

Answer: You won't believe it

The patrons exiting the preview of "Funny Boy" sing "You CAN'T CONCEIVE it," not "won't believe it." The lyric about the Holy Grail is from Max's part during "We Can Do It" (sung while Leo is singing something completely different). "On a great big casting couch" is from "I Wanne Be a Producer," while "Half the audience were Jews" is from "Where Did We Go Right?"

Answer: He needs me

Okay, this one was a little tough because all the lyrics are sung against a person(s) singing different words. "This is piss" is an insult Sweeney using during "Pirelli's Miracle Elixir." Mrs. Lovett sings "Think of all them pies" during "A Little Priest" right before they begin discussing how the various pies will taste. Anthony and Johanna sing "I loved you even as I saw you" during the quartet version of "Johanna" (sung with the Judge and Beadle).

The lyric "He needs me" is actually from one of Dot's songs in Sondheim's "Sunday in the Park with George."

Answer: And if the crowd were dumb enough, I still could win them yet

During Mrs. Meers' song, when she reminisces about her stint as Juliet she sings "And if the HOUSE were BIG enough, I still could PLAY HER yet." "New, improved, and rearranged" is from Muzzy's "Only in New York" and "Barney Schriber, C.P.A" is Ms. Flannery's lost love in "Forget About the Boy." "Give me fat boy's famous arrow" is from the 11 o'clock showstopper "Gimme, Gimme."

Answer: I'm so sorry Mr. Cripple

Although both are equally hilarious and surprising sharp social satires, the lyric "I'm so sorry Mr. Cripple" is from the "South Park" Movie, not "Avenue Q." Interestingly, all the lyrics I chose are Gary Coleman's (he's a funny character). The one about money is from "It Sucks to be Me," the CEO line is from "Schadenfruede," and "Bigotry has never been exlusively white" is from the hilarious (and oh-so-true) "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist."

Answer: Knock one out of the park

"Go like a bat outta you know where" is from "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo." "Just one more case..." is from Lola's "A Little Brains, a Little Talent," and "With nothin' seperating us but air" is from the Act II group number "The Game." I totally made up the fake lyric.

Answer: How to lie down on the job

During the opening number "How to Succeed," the book offers many helpful suggestions on how to get ahead in business, but it does not mention lying down on the job (although it does provide ways to avoid actually working). "Something inside of me dies" is from "Coffee Break," "Executive policy..." is from "The Company Way," and the dress line is from the song "Paris Original."

Answer: Fame is why

The finale "Why We Tell the Story" gives many reasons the Storytellers have told the audience Ti Moune's tale, but fame is not one of them. "The music of the breezes..." is from the opening number "We Dance." Ti Moune begs the gods to not "single me out and then forget me" in "Waiting for Life," while Asaka promises to give her grass "for making your bed" during "Mama Will Provide."

Answer: I heard this new dance that they're doing in Brooklyn

The lyric in "Come Up to My Office" is actually "I KNOW this new dance that they're doing in MANHATTAN" (after all, you can't really "hear" a dance). "Give him scary, hairy palms" is from the song "Real Big News!" "We're gonna roll like thunder" is from "Blues: Feel the Rain Fall" (the Chain Gang song). "In a future..." is from Miss Phagan's (the mother of the deceased) solo "My Child Will Forgive Me."

Answer: And wouldn't you rather be a right handed flea

In "Simple Joys," the Leading Player asks the audience "And wouldn't you rather be a LEFT-handed flea?" I was unaware the fleas had hands, myself ;-) "Foibles and fables" comes from the opening number "Magic to Do," "While we sing..." is from "Morning Glow," and "Sages tweet that age is sweet" is from the song "No Time at All" sung by Pippin's sassy grandmother, Bertha (orignally played on Broadway by Irene Ryan of "The Beverly Hillbillies").

Answer: Still too proud to fall

"No more complaining I'm trashy or loud" is from the song "Just One Step," which is about a woman threatening to commit suicide because of her stingy and cheating husband. "I'll be singing 'Hold on'" is from the closing, "Hear My Song." "Who always is hot when its time for the shot" is from "The Steam Train," sung by a man who dreams of becoming the next great basketball player. "Still too proud to fall" is actually a lyric from Brown's first Broadway musical, "Parade."

Answer: Everybody is somebody in Oz

"Think of it as personality dialysis" is from Kristin Chenoworth's showstopping "Popular." "Look toward the western skies" is one of the lines in "Defying Gravity," while Boq sings "Because you are so beautiful" during "Dancing Through Life." I completely made up the first lyric.

Answer: Onward to vict'ry I go

Although the title song (also known as "I, Don Quixote") is reprised several times throughout the show with different lyrics, "Onward to vict'ry I go" is never one of them. Sancho sings "Make me sneeze, make my cry" in "I Like Him," while Aldonza sings "In a stable laid flat on your back" in the song named after her.

The Padre sings about Dulcinea being "only flame and air" during "To Each His Dulcinea."