"All Through the Night" : Story of a Song Online Quiz | Music

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. As a traditional ballad, the lyrics of "All Through the Night" were translated from the native language of a particular part of Britain. Which was that?

Answer: Wales

The melody to "Ar Hyd y Nos" was first published by Bardd y Brenin, Edward Jones 1752-1824, in 'Musical Relicks of the Welsh Bards' in 1784. His title meant 'The King's Bard'. Jones was a harpist, collector of folk tunes and arranger.
In more recent times, the Welsh songwriter Max Boyce name-checked the ballad in one of his most famous pieces, 'Hymns and Arias':
"And we were singing, hymns and arias
Land of my fathers, Ar Hyd y Nos".

2. Which family relationship fills the blank in these lyrics from the traditional ballad "All Through the Night": "Sleep my ____ and peace attend thee All through the night Guardian angels God will send thee All through the night"?

Answer: Child

"Sleep my child and peace attend thee
All through the night
Guardian angels God will send thee
All through the night"
In 2008, the website suite101.com suggested that these lyrics made the song suitable for the funeral of a child.

3. Who first noted the melody that became most associated with the ballad "All Through the Night"?

Answer: Edward Jones

Jones noted the music in 1884, though the melody was probably a lot older. The original Welsh lyrics were written by John Ceiriog Hughes (1832-1887).
The poet Amelia Opie (1769-1853) wrote English lyrics, "Here beneath a willow weepeth poor Mary Ann."
Sir Harold Boulton (1859-1935) wrote an English version in 1884 which remains familiar today. He was a noted songwriter, and one of his most famous compositions was "The Skye Boat Song".
Many verses have been added over the years and versions vary.

4. In the Ballad "All Through the Night", what was the narrator doing as the first verse drew to a close?

Answer: Keeping a vigil

"Soft the drowsy hours are creeping
Hill and vale in slumber steeping
I my loving vigil keeping
All through the night"
The ballad was also adapted to a Christmas theme with lines such as: "Through your dreams you're swiftly stealing
Visions of delight revealing
Christmas time is so appealing
All through the night"

5. With which of these musical events was a form of the ballad "All Through the Night" associated for many years?

Answer: Last Night of the Proms

"Ar Hyd y Nos", the Welsh original was traditionally sung at the Last Night of the Prom, from the Royal Albert Hall in London, representing Wales.
"Holl amrantau'r s�r ddywedant
Ar hyd y nos
Dyma'r ffordd i fro gogoniant
Ar hyd y nos"

6. Which of these operas featured the melody that was used for the ballad "All Through the Night"?

Answer: The Beggar's Opera

'The Beggar's Opera' was written by John Gay and was first performed in London in 1728, with regular revivals every since. It used tunes and songs familiar to ordinary people and was seen as a satire on 'high brow' Italian opera - though the melodies used have varied at differing times. It was made into a movie in 1953, with Sir Laurence Olivier in a starring role.

7. In the ballad "All Through the Night", who, or what, was keeping watch?

Answer: The moon

"While the moon her watch is keeping
All through the night
While the weary world is sleeping
All through the night"
The Glenn Miller Orchestra recorded the song, as did Paul Robeson, Vera Lynn, Aled Jones, Marilyn Horne, Peter Paul & Mary, Perry Como, and the Black Dyke Mills Band - and many others.

8. The ballad "All Through the Night" was most often sung with just two verses. However, an Irish version added two more. In the third verse of this version, which of these musical instruments did "a minstrel lonely" play?

Answer: A harp

"Though I roam a minstrel lonely
All through the night
My true harp shall praise sing only
All through the night"
Cyndi Lauper recorded a pop song called "All Through The Night":
"All through the night
I'll be awake and I'll be with you
All through the night
This precious time when time is new
Oh, all through the night today
Knowing that we feel the same without saying"
Lou Reid also had a similarly named song:
"Don't you feel so lonely when it's in the afternoon
and you gotta face it
all through the night
Don't it make you believe
that something's gonna have to happen soon
oh baby, all through the night
All through the night
oh baby, all through the night..."

9. Which of these hymns was sung to the melody of the ballad "All Through the Night"?

Answer: God Who Made The Earth And Heaven

The words to this Lutheran hymn were credited to Reginald Heber, Richard Whately and William Mercer.
"God, who made the earth and heaven
Darkness and light
You the day for work have given
For rest the night
May your angel guards defend us
Slumber sweet your mercy send us
Holy dreams and hopes attend u
All through the night"
[See www.lutheran-hymnal.com/lyrics/lw492.htm]

10. One version of the ballad "All Through the Night" had four verses. In the fourth, what was "a solemn bell" doing?

Answer: Ringing

"Hark, a solemn bell is ringing
Clear through the night
Thou, my love, art heavenward winging
Home through the night "
These lyrics were frequently sung by Sheryl Crow.
Status Quo, meanwhile, also recorded a song of that name:
"All through the night, oh, all through the night
All through the night, lonely day, lonely night
All alone again, I never get my way
I don't remember when it's never been the same
I know what I've been looking for
But now I know it's what I'm living for
I want you back again
I never get my way"

Source: Author darksplash

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ralzzz before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

"All Through the Night" : Story of a Song Quiz

These questions are based on the traditional, and very lovely, British ballad. (Not to be confused with modern rock and pop songs of the same name.)

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