A Deck of Lyrics Trivia Quiz

Answer: Three

Recorded in February 1969 at the San Quentin State Prison, "A Boy Named Sue" became one of Cash's most popular singles. The song exists in both censored and uncensored versions due to some mild profanity.

The card is hidden in the very first line: "My daddy left home when I was three."

Answer: Seven

Based on the biblical text of the book of Revelation, Marley's 1973 release "Rasta Man Chant" echoes the dooming prophecies brought upon the sinful Babylon.

The card appears after the first instrumental sequence, in the line "And I hear the angel with the seven seals say."

Answer: Queen

I've chosen the Roy Orbison recording out of the many possible for this classic actually written in 1862 by Stephen Foster. Other popular recordings include the ones by Steve Conway, Bing Crosby and Tony Orlando.

The card appears after the first quatrain: "Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song."

Answer: Six

"Go to Hell" is one of Megadeth's lesser known productions and it was never released on any of their albums, instead appearing on their 1995 EP "Hidden Treasures" along with seven other tracks, most of which had been written for films.

The card appears both in "As they bury me now six feet there my body lies" and the later "My only friend's the goat With six six six between his horns."

Answer: Ace

The song that inspired this whole quiz was the first single released from ABBA's "Super Trouper" album in 1980. It was one of their biggest and longest-lasting successes, remaining in many charts, including the Billboard Hot 100, for over twenty weeks.

The card is in plain sight at the end of the first verse: "Nothing more to say / no more ace to play."

Answer: Jack

In spite of the "heaven" theme, this song doesn't have the seven or the king, but rather the lowly jack. The original version by Bob Dylan (1973) does not include the lyrics segment mentioning Jack; that was added only for the 1990 Guns N'Roses recording.

The line with the card is the first of the inserted, spoken, segment made to resemble a phone call and reads "You just better start sniffin' your own rank subjugation, Jack."

Answer: Four

"Human Nature" was one of the comparatively less successful singles from Michael Jackson's record-breaking 1982 album "Thriller". Altogether, six of the nine songs on that album were released as singles throughout late 1982 and 1983 before finally topping it all with the title track.

The card appears in the second stanza, in the line "Four walls won't hold me tonight"

Answer: King

I hope the famous segment "And it goes like this / the fourth, the fifth / a minor fall and a major lift" did not mislead you with regard to this often covered 1984 release. It is a staple choice at talent shows. Cohen performed the song with different sets of lyrics.

The card is in a reference to David at the very end of the first verse: "The baffled king composing Hallelujah."

Answer: Nine

"Piano Man" is an autobiographical song by Billy Joel, referring to his own time as a lounge performer in Los Angeles in the early 1970s. It was only a moderate success upon release but, over time, became his signature song.

The card is in the opening line "It's nine o'clock on a Saturday."

Answer: Five

"Nothin' To Die For" is a 2007 recording by Tim McGraw, appearing on his his album "Let it Go". It was reasonably successful in the US Hot Country Songs, peaking at number five, but otherwise had a mixed to negative reception, being criticized as too much of a public service announcement against drunk driving and alcoholism.

The card is right in the opener: "Stopped to have a few at five now you're crossing that center line for the third time."

Answer: Joker

Like many of the "Magical Mystery Tour" songs, "I Am the Walrus" is a somewhat psychedelic song, building on Lewis Carroll's poem "The Walrus and the Carpenter". Apart from the album release, it was also the B-side of the 1967 single "Hello Goodbye".

The card appears near the end, in "Don't you think the joker laughs at you."

(In case anyone wonders why I didn't pick "Come Together" and its more famous "Got to be a joker / he just do what he please" line - that song was ineligible because of a second card: "One and one and one is three.")

Answer: Deuce

You may recall this song as a 1976 Billboard number one by Manfred Mann's Earth Band, but the original was Bruce Springsteen's first single, released in early 1973. It was not commercially successful in that incarnation. The Mann version slightly changed the lyrics in a few places.

The card appears in the chorus: "He was blinded by the light / cut loose like a deuce" while the Manfred Mann version has "...revved up like a deuce".

Answer: Ten

The traditional hymn "Amazing Grace" exists in many different recordings, varying the verses chosen for the performance. The very slow rendition by country star Billy Ray Cyrus includes a verse that was not in the original 1779 "Olney Hymns" but made popular by the novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin".

This version includes the card: "When we've been there ten thousand years /
Bright shining as the sun."

Answer: Eight

"Highway Star" is one of the singles from Deep Purple's 1972 album "Machine Head". Recording the album proved to be rather difficult for the ban because of the fire at the Montreux Casino referenced in "Smoke on the Water", a song also on that album.

The card appears at the end of the third verse, after the first guitar solo: "Eight cylinders all mine."

Answer: Two

By virtue of the shuffle, the most recent track in this deck of cards is also the last one. "Sorry" was a 2015 release by Justin Bieber that helped make him only the twelfth artist in the history of the Billboard Top 100 to succeed himself in the number one slot, when his own "Love Yourself" replaced it at the top on February 13, 2016.

The card appears near the middle of the song "But you know that there is no innocent one in this game for two" and I admit it was slightly cheaty to use both "two" and "deuce", but there just isn't a fifteenth rank in a normal deck.