Blues Standards Trivia Quiz

Answer: the outskirts of town

"I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town" was first recorded by Casey Bill Weldon in 1936. Weldon played slide guitar and was a member of the Memphis Jug Band. This song has been covered by such notables as Leadbelly, Big Bill Broonzy, B.B. King and Ray Charles.

Answer: Ain't Nobody's Business if I Do

According to the song, it ain't nobody's business if:
1. "I should take a notion to jump into the ocean."
2. "I go to church on Sunday and I shimmy down on Monday."
3. "If my friend ain't got no money and I say, 'All right, take all of mine honey.'"
4. "I lend her my last nickel and it leaves me in a pickle."
This song has been recorded by Bessie Smith, Frank Stokes and Jimmy Witherspoon.

Answer: Friday

Friday has traditionally been payday. The "eagle flies" is a euphemism for being paid. Of course, according to the song, after getting paid on Friday "Saturday I go out to play."
"Stormy Monday" is a T-Bone Walker song, first recorded in 1947.

Answer: let the good times roll

"Let the Good Times Roll" was first recorded in 1946 by Louis Jordan. Rolling Stone named Jordan to their list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time," placing him at 59th. In addition to "Let the Good Times Roll," Jordan also wrote "Caladonia," "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'," "Ain't That Just Like a Woman," and "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens."
He was a big influence on Ray Charles.

Answer: T-Bone Shuffle

T-Bone's real name was Aaron Thibeaux Walker. He is believed to be the first person to record with an electric guitar. Whether he actually was the first or not, he was certainly a pioneer. B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and Chuck Berry have all cited him as a musical influence.

Answer: Everyday I Have the Blues

"Nobody Loves Me But My Mother" is an actual B.B. King song. The lyrics are great:
"Nobody loves me but my mother and she could be jiving too."
"Low Down and Dirty Blues" is a George Benson song. "Poor Man's Blues" is by Bessie Smith.

Answer: Chicago

As performed by many artists, this song has a long instrumental break in it. In the "Blues Brothers" movie, the Blues Brothers Band was playing "Sweet Home Chicago" as Jake and Elwood snuck away from all the members of the Illinois law enforcement community who were at their show.

Answer: Mean Old Frisco

"Mean Old Frisco" was originally recorded in 1942 on the Bluebird label. Bluebird was a subsidiary of RCA Victor and mainly produced blues and jazz. Some big names in blues music recorded on the Bluebird label. According to the Cascade Blues Association website, Bluebird also recorded Memphis Slim, Big Maceo, Bill "Jazz" Gillum, Tampa Red, Memphis Minnie, Sonny Boy Williamson, Lonnie Johnson, Leadbelly, and Big Bill Broonzy.

Answer: it hurts me, too

Tampa Red originally recorded "It Hurts Me Too." Tampa Red, who was from Tampa and had red hair, recorded with "The Hokum Boys" and "Tampa Red's Hokum Jug Band." Hokum refers to a type of blues music that was laced with humorous wording and euphemisms about sex. Hokum songs include "Elevator Papa, Switchboard Mama," "My Stove's in Good Condition," "Bananaman Blues" and "Please Warm My Weiner."

Answer: Dust My Broom

Although the song has come to be associated with Elmore James, "Dust My Broom" was actually written by Robert Johnson. Elmore named his band "The Broomdusters" after the song.

Answer: See See Rider

Ma Rainey recorded "See See Rider" in 1924. She has been called the "Mother of the Blues." There was a Pa Rainey, too, but he was not the "Father of the Blues." That title was popularly bestowed on W.C. Handy. Handy was also cited as the "Father of the Blues" in a 2002 United States Senate resolution.

Answer: Crossroads Blues

While it may be a common belief that "Crossroads Blues" is about a blues musician who meets the devil, (a devil who calls himself Legba,) at a forlorn crossroads at midnight it seems more likely that the song is about the dangers of a black man of his time being caught alone outside after dark.

A popular expression of Johnson's time was "Don't let the sun go down on you." Johnson talks about "standing at the crossroads, trying to flag a ride...everybody pass me by" and "sun's going down, dark's gonna catch me here."

Answer: The Things That I Used to Do

"The Things That I Used to Do" was a Guitar Slim song. It was recorded in 1953 and produced by Ray Charles. Slim, whose real name was Eddie Jones, claimed the song came to him in a dream. In his dream, the devil and an angel had a song-playing contest. The devil's song, "The Things I Used to Do," was a blues number so naturally he won.

Answer: a matchbox

Blind Lemon was born in Coutchman, TX. He was one of the central figures in the Deep Ellum blues area of Dallas. Deep Ellum was centered around Elm Street. This was an area of Dallas that was removed from downtown. It was so far from downtown that no one wanted to set up a business there.

It then became an area for African Americans. They set up stores, clubs and restaurants. Due to its location it was known as Deep Elm which became Deep Ellum.

Answer: Boogie Chillun

John Lee Hooker is known as the "Father of the Boogie." Beginning in 1948 he recorded for over two dozen labels using many aliases including: John Lee Cooker, John Lee Booker, Texas Slim, Birmingham Sam & His Magic Guitar, Johnny Williams, Delta John and Sir John Lee Hooker.

His boogie guitar style influenced many rockers including George Thorogood, John Mayall, Canned Heat, ZZ Top and Foghat. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.