Jailhouse Rock Trivia Quiz

Answer: Three

"Maxwell's Silver Hammer" was recorded by The Beatles for their 1969 "Abbey Road" album. Maxwell commits three murders in the song. First he kills Joan, then the teacher, then the judge.

"Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
Came down upon her head
Do do do do do
Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
Made sure that she was dead"

Answer: Reno

"Folsom Prison Blues" was recorded by Johnny Cash as a single in 1955. It was released on his "With His Hot and Blue Guitar" album in 1957. He recorded a live version at the actual Folsom Prison which went to number one on the country charts in 1968. In the song, he shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.

"When I was just a baby my mama told me. Son,
Always be a good boy, don't ever play with guns.
But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die
When I hear that whistle blowing, I hang my head and cry."

Answer: FBI

"Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" was released on The Hollies album "Distant Light" in 1972. It went to second spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1972. The subject of the song was working for the F.B.I.

"Saturday night I was down town
Working for the F.B.I.
Sitting in a nest of bad men
Whiskey bottles piling high"

Answer: A bank

Boney M released "Ma Baker" in 1977 on their album "Love for Sale". It reached first position in their home country Germany and even managed a second place on the UK chart. The song is based on the story of legendary outlaw Ma Barker. In the lyrics of the song, Ma Baker and her sons are trapped in a bank after robbing it and the police show up before they can make their escape.

"One day they robbed a bank
It was last foray
The cops appeared too soon
They couldn't get away
With all the loot they had
It made them mighty mad
And so they shot it out
Ma Baker and her sons
They didn't want to hang
They died with blazing guns
And so the story ends
Of one who left no friends"

Answer: Armed robbery & murder

"Whiskey in the Jar" is an Irish traditional song which Metallica recorded in 1999 for their album "Garage Inc.". This song has been recorded by other bands such as Thin Lizzy and The Pogues.

The armed robbery is mentioned in the first verse:

"As I was goin' over the Cork and Kerry mountains
I saw Captain Farrell and his money he was countin'
I first produced my pistol and then produced my rapier
I said stand and deliver or the devil he may take ya"

Murder is mentioned in the third verse:

"Being drunk and weary I went to Molly's chamber
Takin' my money with me, but I never knew the danger
For about six or maybe seven in walked Captain Farrell
I jumped up, fired off my pistols and I shot him with both barrels"

Answer: Alcatraz

"Thug" was recorded by ZZ Top for their "Eliminator" album in 1983. The album did fairly well on the UK chart, reaching a respectable third place as well as a ninth place on the US charts. In the song "Thug" they speak about escaping from Alcatraz.

"I had a friend down in Alcatraz
he had the money and machine guns stashed
We busted out June 21
we gonna rob, steal totin' our guns alright!"

Answer: Mirror

"Stand and Deliver" was the lead single from the 1981 Adam Ant album "Prince Charming". The song entered the UK charts in top position. In the lyrics, the dandy highwayman's "weapon" is a mirror.


"Stand and deliver
Your money or your life
Hoh!

Try to use a mirror
Not a bullet or a knife
Hoh!"

Answer: Fender guitar

"Wasted Youth" is a spoken word song released on the 1993 album "Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell", Meat Loaf's sixth studio album. Not only a number one album in the US, it also reached top position in the UK, Australia, Austria, The Netherlands, Sweden and Germany. In the song, he kills a boy with a Fender guitar.

"I remember everything!
I remember every little thing as if it happened only yesterday.
I was barely seventeen and I once killed a boy with a Fender guitar
I don't remember if it was a Telecaster or a Stratocaster"

Answer: Aerosmith

Aerosmith recorded "Janie's Got a Gun" for their 1989 album "Pump". The song reached top spot on the Australian charts and managed a fourth on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and a second place on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. It was not so well received in the UK, only managing a seventy-sixth place on the UK Singles chart. On VH1's "100 Greatest '80s Songs" list, the song is ranked in position thirty-seven.

Answer: John F. Kennedy

Billy Joel recorded "We Didn't Start the FIre" in 1989 for his album "Storm Front". The song reached top spot on the US charts and was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Record of the Year". The song lyrics refer to historical headlines from 1949 through to the 1980s. The presidential assassination which is mentioned, is that of John F. Kennedy.

"Pope Paul, Malcolm X, British politician sex
JFK, blown away, what else do I have to say"