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Famous Blue Raincoat Trivia Quiz

Knowing the lyrics is not enough for this quiz; how much do you know about the 'story behind the song'?

A multiple-choice quiz by Rowena8482. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
Rowena8482

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
273,961

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
368

Question 1 of 10

1. According to Leonard Cohen, what make was the "famous blue" raincoat? Hint

Louis Vuitton

Cochrane

Burberry

Abercrombie & Fitch

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Question 2 of 10

2. The song shares a plot with a novel by Cohen. Which one? Hint

The Energy of Slaves

The Favourite Game

Beautiful Losers

Death of a Lady's Man

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Question 3 of 10

3. A lawsuit was brought on Cohen's behalf over a 1977 number one hit that it was claimed was plagiarised from "Famous Blue Raincoat." Who sang the song in question? Hint

The Carpenters

Leo Sayer

The Bee Gees

Elton John

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Question 4 of 10

4. There is a line in the lyric which asks "Did you ever go clear?"
Which religion, with which Cohen was briefly involved, offered believers "a clear path"? Hint

Jainism

Mormonism

Scientology

Zoroastrianism

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Question 5 of 10

5. Cohen has said that the "Lili Marlene" line in the lyrics came from a late night elevator meeting with a young woman who was looking for Kris Kristofferson. Who was she? Hint

Marianne Faithfull

Joni Mitchell

Janis Joplin

Joan Baez

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Question 6 of 10

6. In an interview in 1993, Cohen said of the song "I never felt I really sealed that song; I never felt the _______ was finished."
Which word completes the quote? Hint

Story

Decorating

Imagery

Carpentry

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which of Cohen's albums does "Famous Blue Raincoat" first appear on? Hint

Songs From A Room

Recent Songs

New Skin for the Old Ceremony

Songs of Love and Hate

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Question 8 of 10

8. A Hebrew version of the song was recorded in 1993. Who sang it?
Hint

Sharon Lifshitz

Idan Raichel

Yoni Rechter

David Broza

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Question 9 of 10

9. The original lyric ends with the words "Sincerely L.Cohen," but how does Jennifer Warnes cover version end?

Answer: (Three Words 9,1,6 - no comma)

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Question 10 of 10

10. On her 1987 tour, Joan Baez sang "Famous Blue Raincoat" live at a concert in which venue in Bilbao, Spain? Hint

Opera House

Bullring

Town Hall

Public Gardens

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. According to Leonard Cohen, what make was the "famous blue" raincoat?

Answer: Burberry

It is in the liner notes of his 1975 album "The Best of Leonard Cohen" that he refers to the coat and we find out it was stolen from him in New York in the early 1970s.

2. The song shares a plot with a novel by Cohen. Which one?

Answer: Beautiful Losers

Canadian classic novel "Beautiful Losers" was first published in 1966, and,like the song, tells the story of a love triangle between two men and a woman who is married to one of them.

3. A lawsuit was brought on Cohen's behalf over a 1977 number one hit that it was claimed was plagiarised from "Famous Blue Raincoat." Who sang the song in question?

Answer: Leo Sayer

"When I Need You," written by Albert Hammond and Carol Bayer Sager was a massive hit for Leo Sayer, and reached number one in both the UK and the US charts.
The court case brought on behalf of Cohen was settled out of court.

4. There is a line in the lyric which asks "Did you ever go clear?" Which religion, with which Cohen was briefly involved, offered believers "a clear path"?

Answer: Scientology

When he first heard of Scientology, Cohen referred to it as "some crackpot religion," then he joined them to "rule the world" and had difficulty extricating himself later on.
He was eventually given a "release certificate" in June 1968.

5. Cohen has said that the "Lili Marlene" line in the lyrics came from a late night elevator meeting with a young woman who was looking for Kris Kristofferson. Who was she?

Answer: Janis Joplin

Cohen wrote his song "Chelsea Hotel #2" for Janis Joplin.
The actual Hotel Chelsea is in Manhattan, New York.

6. In an interview in 1993, Cohen said of the song "I never felt I really sealed that song; I never felt the _______ was finished." Which word completes the quote?

Answer: Carpentry

The interview was published in "Details" magazine. Cohen said that although he felt the song was unfinished, he had so few good songs written that he had to include it on the album he was making anyway.

7. Which of Cohen's albums does "Famous Blue Raincoat" first appear on?

Answer: Songs of Love and Hate

"Songs of Love and Hate" was released in 1971, and was Cohen's third album. A remastered CD version was also released in 1995.

8. A Hebrew version of the song was recorded in 1993. Who sang it?

Answer: Sharon Lifshitz

The Hebrew lyrics were written by Tzruya Lahav, and the song appeared on Sharon's album "Kav HaOsher" released in 1993.
Lahav is also known as "Suki" and she was a member of Bruce Springsteen's backing group The E Street Band in the 1970s.

9. The original lyric ends with the words "Sincerely L.Cohen," but how does Jennifer Warnes cover version end?

Answer: sincerely a friend

Jennifer Warnes' version was released as a single in 1987 backed with "First We Take Manahttan" and went to number 33 in the UK singles chart and number 72 in the US Billboard Top 100 chart.

10. On her 1987 tour, Joan Baez sang "Famous Blue Raincoat" live at a concert in which venue in Bilbao, Spain?

Answer: Bullring

The recording of the concert was released as "Diamonds and Dust in the Bullring" and featured five songs in Spanish and one in Basque, as well as six in English. "Famous Blue Raincoat" was the only song not to have been previously played and/or recorded by Joan before that concert.

Source: Author Rowena8482

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