Coffee or Tea Trivia Quiz

Answer: One More Cup of Coffee

On 'One more Cup of Coffee' Emmylou Harris helps out on the vocals. Bob wrote this song alone, but seven of the other nine songs on 'Desire' he co-wrote with Jacques Levy.

Answer: Getting To Know You

Originally, the award winning songwriters, Rodgers and Hammerstein, were keen to have Rex Harrison in the role of the King. He was committed elsewhere so it went to Yul Brynner, who also got the role in the film version.

Answer: Hallelujah I Love Her So

'Hallelujah' was just one of Ray's self-penned tunes. In his biography, musician/producer etc., Quincy Jones, recollects how he met and befriended Ray, age 16, in Seattle in 1957 and they actually did gigs together. Quincy was 14 at the time. What a world.

Answer: Pennyroyal

The album 'In Utero' included 'Pennyroyal Tea', written by Kurt Cobain in 1990. An interesting insight into the recording of this album is found in the Gillian G. Gaar book '33 1/3 - Nirvana's In Utero'.

Answer: Black Coffee

Paul co-wrote 'Black Coffee' with Sonny Burke. Among many great singers Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald recorded versions. The other three choices earned Paul Oscars. He also wrote the lyrics for such disparate tunes as 'The Deadwood Stage (Whip Crack Away)' and 'Lara's Theme' amongst many others.

Answer: Englishman in New York

Sting met Englishman Quentin Crisp (nee Denis Charles Pratt, 25 Dec 1908-21 Nov 1999) on the set of the film 'The Bride'. Part one of Quentin's autobiography, called 'The Naked Civil Servant', was published in 1968. After a television play based on the book was shown on BBC Quentin became a gay icon. Over the next 30 years he continued writing as well as acting in films and giving one-man shows. He even lived in New York for a time.

Answer: The Coffee Cantata

"Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht" is the German title, with the text by Christian Friedrich Henrici. Although a cantata by name, this piece can be staged as a 'mini opera'. One line that the heroine sings to her father about her need for coffee translates as 'If I can't drink my bowl of coffee three times daily, then in my torment I will shrivel up like a piece of roast goat'. I know how the girl feels.

Answer: Up on Cripple Creek

All the choices are songs from the self titled album 'The Band'. 'Up on Cripple Creek' was written by their guitarist Robbie Robertson. Levon Helm, my favourite singing drummer, took the vocal lead. Desert island disc for me is this album plus 'The Big Pink' on a CD.
(Levon sings 'That's how that little sweet thing of mine puts a donut in my tea' in 'The Last Waltz' film version).

Answer: Brazil

That's 'An Awful Lot of Coffee', not 'A Lot of Awful Coffee'. Written by Bob Hilliard and Dick Miles, Frank Sinatra was the first to make it popular. My favourite verse is,
'A politician's daughter,
Was accused of drinking water,
And was fined a great big 50 dollar bill,
They've got an awful lot of coffee in Brazil'

Cream also recorded a tune called 'The Coffee Song' (no relation) which appeared solely on the Swedish version of 'Fresh Cream'. Go figure.

This question is dedicated to my fellow team member 'gloriabrazil'.

Answer: Lovely Rita

From 'Sgt Peppers' album. According to the 'Lovely Rita' entry in the Craig Cross book, 'The Beatles: Day-by-Day, Song-by-Song, Record-by-Record' this song is about, 'a shy office worker, who seduces the warden in an attempt to get him off the fine'.