Ipod Shuffle 24: R.E.M. Quiz | Music

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. We'll open the quiz with the one of the most critically acclaimed albums in R.E.M.'s discography: "Automatic for the People". A band member from what band provides string arrangements on "Nightswimming" and "Everybody Hurts"?

Answer: Led Zeppelin

John Paul Jones, former band member of Led Zeppelin, worked with R.E.M. on "Automatic for the People". The album had six singles.

It has been my experience that there are a handful of albums that become a constant mainstay in one's life. "Automatic for the People", along with Bob Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited", Love's "Forever Changes", and The Doors' "The Doors" are four such albums for me.

2. One of my favorite R.E.M. songs is a fairly obscure track called "Photograph", released in 1993 on a compilation album called "Born to Choose". Who sings with Michael Stipe on this track?

Answer: Natalie Merchant

Natalie Merchant provides vocals with Stipe on this fantastic song. The album was done for Brooklyn Women's Anti-Rape Exchange and Women's Health Action and Mobilization, which is an abortion organization. While I cannot support abortion, musically "Photograph" is such a great recording I wish they had shoehorned it onto their 1992 masterpiece "Automatic for the People".

Here is the full track list.

1. R.E.M. with Natalie Merchant, "Photograph"
2. Matthew Sweet, "She Said She Said" (Lennon/McCartney)
3. Sugar, "Running Out of Time"
4. Mekons, "Born to Choose"
5. John Trudell, "Rant 'n Roll"
6. Tom Waits, "Filipino Box Spring Hog"
7. Lucinda Williams,"Pancakes"
8. Pavement, "Greenlander"
9. NRBQ, "Don't Talk About My Music"
10. Cowboy Junkies, "Lost My Driving Wheel"
11. Soundgarden, "HIV Baby"
12. Helmet, "Distracted"

3. What classic rock group actually recorded an album with R.E.M. minus Michael Stipe after R.E.M. covered one of their songs?

Answer: The Troggs

In 1991, R.E.M. recorded The Troggs' hit "Love is All Around" for the radio show "Rockline". The Troggs' manager heard about the recording, and ultimately R.E.M. and The Troggs met and in 1992 released a collaboration album called "Athens Andover", after the hometown of R.E.M. (Athens, Georgia) and The Troggs (Andover, Hampshire). Bill Berry, Mike Mills, and Peter Buck recorded the album with The Troggs. Michael Stipe was not involved in the recording.

The band recorded "Love is All Around" a second time for the soundtrack "I Shot Andy Warhol" and it was included on the 1997 single "How the West Was Won And Where It Got Us" as a B-Side.

4. What song features a thirty second instrumental after the track finishes? This song was a radio hit.

Answer: Bang and Blame

"Bang and Blame" was the band's biggest single in America after "Shiny Happy People". From 1995 to 2009, "Bang and Blame" is the last song by R.E.M. to break the Top Forty in Billboard's Hot 100.

5. What major radio hit has R.E.M. since disowned?

Answer: Shiny Happy People

"Shiny Happy People" was the last Top Ten hit R.E.M. had in the 1990s, peaking at Number Ten in the Billboard Hot 100 and at Number Six in the UK Singles chart, making it the only R.E.M. song to break the top ten in both countries. Stipe does not like the song at all and the track was not included on their 2003 compilation album "In Time".

6. In the 1980s and 1990s, R.E.M. worked with Scott Litt as their producer. During that time period how many R.E.M. studio albums did Scott Litt produce?

Answer: Six

Scott Litt produced the following records: "Document", "Green', "Out of Time", "Automatic for the People", "Monster", and "New Adventures in Hi-Fi". "Document" became the band's first platinum album and gave R.E.M. one of four Top Ten hits on the Billboard Top 100 ("The One I Love)".

7. In 1987 after Rolling Stone named R.E.M. the best band in America, Bill Berry said they were not the best band. According to Berry, who did that honor go to?

Answer: Pylon

Another favorite recording of mine by R.E.M. is their cover of "Crazy" by Pylon, which was a B-side of both the "Driver 8" and "Wendell Gee" singles. R.E.M. held Pylon in high esteem and felt they were a better band than themselves. Like R.E.M., Pylon is from Athens, Georgia. R.E.M. even convinced Pylon to reform and open their 1989 Green tour.

8. The band, using the instrumental backing track of one of their own songs, recorded Michael Stipe reading the liner notes of "The Joy of Knowing Jesus", a religious gospel album by The Revelaires. This recording is called "Voice of Harold". What song are they using the the instrumental for on this recording?

Answer: 7 Chinese Bros

It's worth having "Dead Letter Office" just to be able to listen to "Voice of Harold". Unfortunately for me, "Voice of Harold" ruined "7 Chines Bros" as I always think of "Voice of Harold" whenever I hear the actual song on "Reckoning". The band issued "Voice of Harold" as the B-Side to "So. Central Rain". "So. Central Rain" was the second R.E.M. single to chart on the Billboard Top 100, peaking at Number 85.

9. Both Pearl Jam and R.E.M. do exclusive fan-club Christmas singles and in 1997 did a joint Christmas Single. What was the R.E.M. song on that single?

Answer: Live for Today

The 1997 Christmas Single has R.E.M. on the A-Side with "Live for Today". On the B-Side, Pearl Jam's track was "Happy When I'm Crying". Pearl Jam's track samples R.E.M.'s track.

10. What R.E.M. single was their first number one hit in Japan and a U.K. Top Ten hit?

Answer: Imitation of Life

"Imitation of Life" was R.E.M.'s lead single from the 2001 album "Reveal". Although the single did not do well on the American charts, it did quite well in both Japan and the United Kingdom.

R.E.M. wrote "The Lifting", the opening track for "Reveal", about the same character in "Daysleeper".

Pattie Smith appears on "E-Bow the Letter", another personal favorite of mine.

Source: Author berenlazarus

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Ipod Shuffle 24: R.E.M. Trivia Quiz

The iPod is playing some great alt-college rock by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee R.E.M.! General trivia, following the iPod shuffle format.

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