"The Music Man" Songs Trivia Quiz

Answer: gander

"Not the Model T at all, take a gander at the store. At the modern store, at the present day store. At the present day, modern, departmentalized grocery store."

"Rock Island" is a song that is chanted by the travelling salesmen on the train. The salesmen are discussing how their products have changed and that there doesn't seem to be any need to have stores anymore when a salesman can take the products right to the customers. The conversation later turns to talking of the infamous Professor Harold Hill, a salesman who is ruining business.
To "take a gander at" is old fashioned slang for "take a look at".

Answer: December

"We can be cold as a falling thermometer in December if you ask about our weather in July. And we're so by God stubborn we could stand touching noses for a week at a time and never see eye to eye."

In this scene, Professor Harold Hill has just arrived in River City, Iowa. The townspeople are explaining to him, in no uncertain terms, that they don't like outsiders.

Answer: judgement

"But just as I say, it takes judgement, brains, and maturity to score in a balkline game."

"Trouble" is a song that Harold Hill half chants, half sings with the townspeople joining in occasionally. Harold is trying to convince the people that a pool table will corrupt the youth of River City.
A balkline is a line that is parallel to the end of a billiard table that the opening shots are made behind in billiard games.

Answer: Paul Bunyan

"I know all about your standards,and if you don't mind my saying so, there's not a man alive who could hope to measure up to your blend of Paul Bunyan, Saint Pat, and Noah Webster you've concocted for yourself out of your Irish imagination, your Iowa stubborness and your library full of books!"

"Piano Lesson" is sung by Marian and Mrs. Paroo in the parlour of the Paroo house. Marian has just told her mother about Harold Hill, and they are arguing about Marian's lack of a husband. Amaryllis, Marian's diligent piano student, is practicing an exercise, which becomes the tune for their song.
Paul Bunyan is a character of American folklore. He supposedly had superhuman strength and a blue ox named Babe.
Saint Pat (Saint Patrick) was a Christian missionary. He is also the patron saint of Ireland. It makes sense that Mrs. Paroo would mention him because she is Irish.
Noah Webster was an American who created one of the first dictionaries.

Answer: dreams

"Sweet dreams be yours, dear, if dreams there be. Sweet dreams to carry you close to me. I wish they may and I wish they might, now goodnight, my someone, goodnight."

"Goodnight My Someone" is sung by Marian and Amaryllis. Amaryllis is crying because she is afraid that she will never be loved by a boy. Marian tells her that until the right person comes along, she can think about the man she will meet someday.

Answer: counterpoint

"Seventy-six trombones hit the counterpoint, while a hundred and ten cornets blazed away. To the rhythm of 'Harch, Harch, Harch!' all the kids began to march, and they're marching still right today!"

"Seventy-Six Trombones" is sung by Harold Hill. He is trying to convince the townspeople that by having their kids join his boys band, all the youth will be better behaved and stay off the streets.
A counterpoint is when two or more instruments play different lines of music at the same time. Together the lines are harmonious but still are easily recognised as individual lines.

Answer: confuse

"Your apprehensions confuse me, dear, puzzle and mystify."
"Sincere" is sung by the school board (Jacey Squires, Oliver Hix, Ewart Dunlop, and Olin Britt). Harold Hill is confronted by the members of the school board, who are asking for his credentials. Because he doesn't have any credentials, Harold has to figure out a way to get away from them. He shows them that they are all very good singers. While the quartet is singing "Sincere", Harold Hill slips away.

Answer: snarl

"I snarl, I hiss. How can ignorance be compared to bliss? I spark, I fizz for the lady who knows what time it is. I cheer, I rave for the virtue I'm too late to save. The sadder-but-wiser girl for me."

"The Sadder-But-Wiser Girl" is sung by Harold Hill and Marcellus. Marcellus is trying to get Harold to start seeing a Sunday School teacher. Harold Hill is explaining to Marcellus that he doen't want just any old girl. He wants a girl who already knows something about love.

Answer: Balzac

"He left River City the library building, but he left all the books to her. Chaucer! Rabelais! Balzac!"

"Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little" is sung by the wives of the school board (Maud Dunlop, Mrs. Squires, Alma Hix, and Avis Grubb), Ethel Toffelmier, and Mrs. Shinn. They are singing to Harold Hill and explaining all the gossip they have heard about Marian Paroo. One of their main grudges against Marian is that she keeps 'dirty' books in the library, some of which are written by Chaucer, Rabelais, and Balzac. Right after this song ends, the school board shows up, asking for Harold's credetials. He manages to get them singing to the ladies while he slips away again.
Geoffrey Chaucer was an English poet who lived during the 1300's. He is best known for his writing of "The Canterbury Tales".
Francois Rabelais was a French writer during the 1400's and the 1500's. He is best known for his satirical attacks on scholasticism and superstition in books like "Gargantua" and "Pantagruel".
Honore Balzac was a French novelist. His best known work is "La Comedie Humaine", a panorama of French society.

Answer: moonlight

"Now in the moonlight, a man could sing it. In the moonlight. And a fellow would know that his darling had heard ev'ry word of his song,
with the moonlight helping along."

"Marian the Librarian" is sung by Harold Hill. He is in the library with Marian and is trying to convince her of his love for her. Marian really isn't interested and tries her best to ignore him, which isn't easy, considering that everyone in the library is dancing.

Answer: plain, modest

"All I want is a plain man. All I want is a modest man. A quiet man, a gentle man. A straightforward and honest man to sit with me in a cottage somewhere in the state of Iowa..."

"My White Knight" is sung by Marian. Mrs. Paroo and Marian are talking about what kind of man Marian would be satisfied with. Mrs. Paroo is worried that her daughter's standards are too high and that she will never get married.

Answer: bathtub

"I got a box of maple sugar on my birthday.
In March I got a gray mackinaw.
And once I got some grapefruit from Tampa.
Montgomery Ward sent me a bathtub and a cross-cut saw.
O-ho the Wells Fargo Wagon is a-comin' now. Is it a prepaid surprise or C.O.D.?"

"The Wells Fargo Wagon" is sung by the townspeople. They have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Wells Fargo Wagon because of the hope that the band instruments will come. When Gracie Shinn announces that the wagon is coming, they sing this song in anticipation. Winthrop has a large solo in this song. He usually doesn't like talking, but he is so excited about the band that he can't help himself.
The Wells Fargo Wagon was founded by Henry Wells and William Fargo in 1852. It was originally a banking company, but it delivered other goods too.

Answer: pillow

"It's you on my pillow in all my dreams, 'Til once more the morning breaks through. What words could be saner or truer or plainer, than it's you, it's you. Yes, it's you. Oh, yes it's you."

"It's You" is sung by the school board. They are singing this rather short song to their wives, who are practicing the dance they will be performing under the watchful eye of Mrs. Shinn.

Answer: feet

"But the woman who'll kiss on the third time round, head in the clouds, feet on the ground, she's the girl he's glad he's found- She's his shipoopi."

"Shipoopi" is sung mostly by Marcellus. He is singing for a group of eager young teenagers, who want to try out some new dance steps. Harold and Marian get pulled into the dance during the song.

Answer: silver

"You had a golden shimmer in your hair and silver shoes for all to see! We know that you will soon unfold a forgiving heart of purest gold. Here, where a woman's heart should be."

"Pick-a-Little Reprise" is sung by the wives of the schoolboard and Ethel Toffelmier. They have had a change of heart about Marian after they try reading her 'dirty' books and discovered how entertaining these books could be! Now they are trying to make it up to Marian after all the unkind things they said about her.

Answer: fancy

"So here is my love song, not fancy or fine. Lida Rose, oh won't you be mine? Lida Rose, oh Lida Rose, oh Lida Rose."

"Lida Rose" is sung by the school board. They have just been deputized by the mayor and are asking Harold Hill for his credentials again. Harold tells them that he has the credentials in his motel room and they seem satisfied. Harold manages to get them singing for a third time and gets away again.
"Lida Rose" is sung at the same time as Marian is singing "Will I Ever Tell You?".

Answer: sweet

"Sweet and low, sweet and low. How sweet that memory so long ago. Forever, oh yes, forever. Will I ever tell you? Ah, no."

"Will I Ever Tell You?" is sung by Marian. She is sitting on the porch with Mrs. Paroo and thinking about Harold Hill.
This song is sung at the same time as "Lida Rose".

Answer: logical

"If you'd like to have a logical explanation how I happened on this elegant syncopation. I will say without a moment of hesitation: There is just one place that can light my face and that's
Gary, Indiana,
Gary, Indiana,
not Louisiana, Paris, France, New York or Rome.
But Gary, Indiana,
Gary, Indiana,
Gary, Indiana, my home sweet home."

"Gary, Indiana" is sung by Winthrop. He is excited because Harold has taught him this song.
Winthrop sings this song with a lisp, so remember that every "s" sounds like a "th".
Gary, Indiana was founded when a new steel mill was built. The town was named after the chairman of the steel company, Elbert H. Gary.

Answer: roses

"And there was music, and there were wonderful roses. They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows of dawn and dew. There was love all around, but I never heard it singing. No, I never heard it at all, till there was you."

"Till There Was You" is sung by Marian and Harold. They are at the footbridge and Marian confesses that she is in love with Harold.

Answer: Minuet in G

Harold Hill is sure that he is going to prison, until Tommy shows up with a marching band! They are a bit out of tune, but the townspeople love them anyway. Parents think that any song their children play is beautiful, no matter how horrible it sounds.