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Bob Dylan's Topical Songs Trivia Quiz

Folk music has a rich tradition of topical songs. These are songs about political or social events.

A multiple-choice quiz by HeathMor. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
HeathMor

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
307,396

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
1165

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Bob Dylan wrote this song about Rubin Carter, a boxer who was convicted of murdering three people in Paterson, NJ in 1967. Hint

Hurricane

Ballad of a Thin Man

Who Killed Davy Moore

Neighborhood Bully

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Question 2 of 10

2. Hattie Carroll, featured in the song "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" was a black woman.

True

False

3. Dylan's song "Oxford Town" was inspired by the riot that took place in Oxford, Mississippi in 1962 when the University of Mississippi enrolled its first African-American student. What was his name? Hint

Davy Moore

George Jackson

Medgar Evers

James Meredith

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Question 4 of 10

4. "Only a Pawn in Their Game" was inspired by the murder of African-American civil rights activist Medgar Evers. Who does Dylan say is the pawn? Hint

The poor black man

The woman

The poor man

The poor white man

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Question 5 of 10

5. What is the song "North Country Blues" about? Hint

The effects of iron mines closing

Murder

The civil rights movement

War protests

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Question 6 of 10

6. When George Jackson died Bob Dylan wrote a song about him entitled "George Jackson". What political movement was Jackson a part of? Hint

He was a member or leader of all of these

The Soledad Brothers

The Black Panther Party

The Black Guerrilla Family

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Question 7 of 10

7. What is the name of the Dylan song that is about a boxer dying in the ring? Hint

He Was a Friend of Mine

Hurricane

Who Killed Davy Moore

Diamond Joe

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Question 8 of 10

8. Bob Dylan wrote two songs with this classic folk singers name in the title

Answer: (Two Words, his son is a folkie too)

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Question 9 of 10

9. "Blowing in the Wind" and "The Times They Are a-Changing" were protest songs which were adopted by the anti-war movement in the 1960s.

True

False

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Question 10 of 10

10. Another Dylan protest song recounts American history and has such resonant lyrics as, "You go threatening my babies/ unborn and unnamed/ well you ain't worth the blood that runs in your veins". Hint

With God on Our side

Gates of Eden

Hollis Brown

Masters of War

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Bob Dylan wrote this song about Rubin Carter, a boxer who was convicted of murdering three people in Paterson, NJ in 1967.

Answer: Hurricane

Dylan writes about police corruption and false imprisonment in this song from his "Desire" album. "Doesn't it make you feel ashamed to live in a land where justice is a game?" he asks America. The story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter was made into a film called "The Hurricane" in 1999 which starred Denzel Washington.

2. Hattie Carroll, featured in the song "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" was a black woman.

Answer: True

Dylan does not mention race, but does refer to classes, in his song about Carroll. Hattie Carroll was assaulted in Baltimore in 1963 with a toy cane by William Zantzinger, the son of a wealthy farmer. She died of a brain hemorrhage 8 hours later. Zantzinger was charged with manslaughter and given a six month sentence, which the judge deferred for a month so he would have time to harvest his tobacco crop.

Answer: James Meredith

Two people were killed and many were injured as a result of this campus riot. "Oxford town in the afternoon, everybody's singing a sorrowful tune, two men died 'neath the Mississippi moon, somebody better investigate soon."

4. "Only a Pawn in Their Game" was inspired by the murder of African-American civil rights activist Medgar Evers. Who does Dylan say is the pawn?

Answer: The poor white man

Medgar Evers was shot in Mississippi by a Ku Klux Klan member. This song, from "The Times They Are a-Changing," is about how politicians use the poor white man like a tool to "keep up the hate".

5. What is the song "North Country Blues" about?

Answer: The effects of iron mines closing

North Country Blues was released on the album, "The Times They Are a-Changing" in 1964. Apparently influenced by Woody Guthrie this song is "considered by some to be one of his most effective in the folk-song genre" according to wikipedia.

6. When George Jackson died Bob Dylan wrote a song about him entitled "George Jackson". What political movement was Jackson a part of?

Answer: He was a member or leader of all of these

Jackson was sentenced to one year to life in prison when he was 18 years old for robbing a gas station at gunpoint. He joined The Black Panther party while in Prison, he formed the Black Guerrilla Family at San Quentin, and he became one of the three Soledad Brothers when they were accused of murdering a guard at Soledad. Jackson wrote "Blood in my Eye" and "Soledad Brother" while in prison; they both were bestsellers.

7. What is the name of the Dylan song that is about a boxer dying in the ring?

Answer: Who Killed Davy Moore

Davy Moore died in 1963 during a fight with Sugar Ramos. Dylan asks who is guilty for his death in this song. "Not I" said "the referee", "The angry crowd", "the manager, puffing on his big cigar", "the gambling man", "the boxing writer", and "the man whose fists laid him low in a cloud of mist". Because they all deny fault the implication is that they are all to blame; that the boxing industry is to blame. (information from wikipedia)

8. Bob Dylan wrote two songs with this classic folk singers name in the title

Answer: Woody Guthrie

Woody Guthrie had been a huge musical influence in Dylan's life. When Dylan was 19 he visited the dying Guthrie in the hospital and sang him his "Song For Woody". Guthrie reportedly stated that Dylan could sing but he wasn't sure he had a handle on song writing. "Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie" is the other song Dylan wrote with Woody's name in the title.

9. "Blowing in the Wind" and "The Times They Are a-Changing" were protest songs which were adopted by the anti-war movement in the 1960s.

Answer: True

Dylan was called the voice of the generation. He was not very fond of the title. "Blowing in the Wind" was ranked number 14 in "The Rolling Stones" list of "500 greatest songs of all time". "The Times They are a-Changing was ranked number 59.

Answer: Masters of War

"Masters of War" was written in 1963. It was released on the album "The Freewheeling Bob Dylan". Dylan told "USA Today" that the song "is supposed to be a pacifistic song against war. It's not an anti-war song."

Source: Author HeathMor

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