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Billy Bragg Trivia Quiz

How much do you know about the Bard of Barking?

A multiple-choice quiz by 50ftqueenie. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
50ftqueenie

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
252,714

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
454

Awards
Top 10% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Where in the UK was Billy Bragg born? Hint

Cheltenham

Essex

Cheshire

Kent

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Question 2 of 10

2. Billy Bragg formed his first band in 1977; what were they called? Hint

Riff Raff

Hoi Polloi

The Rabble

Rank and File

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Question 3 of 10

3. After the failure of his first band, Billy Bragg left his music career behind to do what? Hint

Join the Navy

Join the Army

Join the Territorial Army

Join the Royal Air Force

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Question 4 of 10

4. What was the name of Billy Bragg's first album? Hint

Brewing up with Billy Bragg

Life's a Riot with Spy Vs. Spy

Talking with the Taxman About Poetry

Workers Playtime

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which of Billy Bragg's songs did Kirsty MacColl have a hit with? Hint

A New England

She's Leaving Home

Levi Stubbs' Tears

Days Like These

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which of Billy Bragg's albums took its name from a poem? Hint

England, Half English

The Internationale

Talking with the Taxman about Poetry

Reaching to the Converted

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Question 7 of 10

7. In the late 1990s, Billy Bragg set about putting which singer's unrecorded lyrics to music? Hint

Woody Guthrie

Johnny Cash

Lead Belly

Cisco Houston

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Question 8 of 10

8. In 2003, Billy Bragg celebrated his long career with a double-CD retrospective called? Hint

Must I Paint you a Picture?

England, Half English

Bloke on Bloke

Victim of Geography

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Question 9 of 10

9. In 2005 Billy Bragg sang a set of songs to celebrate which singer's birthday? Hint

Kirsty MacColl

Joe Strummer

Joey Ramone

Johnny Cash

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Question 10 of 10

10. What is the name of Billy Bragg's book that was published in 2006? Hint

Take Down the Union Jack

Still Suitable for Miners

The Progressive Patriot: A Search for Belonging

Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Where in the UK was Billy Bragg born?

Answer: Essex

Billy Bragg was born in Essex on December 20th, 1957; he grew up in Barking, Essex. Bragg is often affectionately referred to as the Bard of Barking.

2. Billy Bragg formed his first band in 1977; what were they called?

Answer: Riff Raff

Bragg got together with his neighbour and long-time friend Wiggy to form Riff Raff. They toured the pubs and clubs of London and released a few singles including "I Wanna be a Cosmonaut". Success eluded them and the band split in 1981.

3. After the failure of his first band, Billy Bragg left his music career behind to do what?

Answer: Join the Army

Billy Bragg joined the army in 1981 shortly after the demise of his band Riff Raff. He bought his way out of the army for the sum of �175 after completing his basic training and deciding the army life wasn't for him.

4. What was the name of Billy Bragg's first album?

Answer: Life's a Riot with Spy Vs. Spy

After Billy Bragg left the army he busked and gigged his way around London. He blagged his way into Charisma records with a demo after pretending to be a television repair man. The album was released on Charisma's Independent subsidiary Utility. The album received no publicity as the record company were struggling financially.

The album was eventually re-released on the Go! Discs label and found its way into the UK album chart.

5. Which of Billy Bragg's songs did Kirsty MacColl have a hit with?

Answer: A New England

Billy Bragg wrote two extra verses especially for Kirsty; "A New England" reached Number seven in the UK single chart in 1985. Since Kirsty's death in 2000 Billy has included those extra verses when performing "A New England".

6. Which of Billy Bragg's albums took its name from a poem?

Answer: Talking with the Taxman about Poetry

"Talking with the Taxman about Poetry" was Billy Bragg's third album; he took the name from Vladimir Mayakovsky's poem. The poem was translated into English and printed on the inner sleeve of the album.

7. In the late 1990s, Billy Bragg set about putting which singer's unrecorded lyrics to music?

Answer: Woody Guthrie

Nora Guthrie, the daughter of Woody approached Billy Bragg with the aim of getting her father's unrecorded lyrics set to music. At the time of Guthrie's death in 1967 he had left a vast collection of 2500 songs behind. Bragg collaborated with the band Wilco and singer Natalie Merchant for the project. Two albums subsequently followed: "Mermaid Avenue" which was released in 1998 and "Mermaid Avenue Vol.II" which was released in 2000. Both albums were Grammy-award nominated.

8. In 2003, Billy Bragg celebrated his long career with a double-CD retrospective called?

Answer: Must I Paint you a Picture?

"Must I Paint you a Picture?" was released in 2003 celebrating Bragg's twenty five years of making music.

9. In 2005 Billy Bragg sang a set of songs to celebrate which singer's birthday?

Answer: Joe Strummer

Billy Bragg joined the Levellers onstage at the "Beautiful Days Festival" in Devon to perform a short set of songs by The Clash to celebrate what would have been Joe Strummer's birthday. Bragg sang "Police and Thieves" and played guitar and sang backing vocals on "Police on my Back" and "English Civil War". Joe Strummer died in 2002.

10. What is the name of Billy Bragg's book that was published in 2006?

Answer: The Progressive Patriot: A Search for Belonging

"The Progressive Patriot: A Search for Belonging" is Bragg's semi-autobiographical take on what it means to be English in the twenty first century.

Source: Author 50ftqueenie

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ralzzz before going online.
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