Let The Children Sing! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pink Floyd

"Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" was released as a single and reached number one in the UK. The single sold over four million copies throughout the world and was nominated for a Grammy award. The protest song, written by bassist Roger Waters, includes a children's choir and lyrics protesting corporal punishment, abuse and rigid rules.

The children's choir were from the Islington School and did not receive any royalties for their part in the song. They received tickets to a concert, an album and a single.

The school received some money but there was no contract with the children to pay them. They lodged a successful claim for royalties in 2004.

Answer: We Belong

"We Belong" was released in 1984 as the lead single from her sixth studio album. The song was a departure from the usual hard rock type vocals and feel and did well for Benatar. It reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and also reached top ten in Australia, Germany, Switzerland and Netherlands.

She received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. While shooting the video for the song, she discovered she was pregnant with her first child. A children's choir, heard in the song, are included in the video.

Answer: Talk Talk

"Happiness is Easy" is the first track on the 1986 Talk Talk album "The Colour of Spring." It was not released as a single which is a shame because it is a really good song. Coming in close to six and a half minutes long, it is a reflection on organized religion.

The children can be heard singing along to the chorus. Talk Talk had a couple of big hits, notably "It's My Life" and "Life's What You Make It' and enjoyed more recognition from fellow musicians than the public.

Answer: Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" was released as a single in 1971 and has become an annual favorite at Christmas time. It was released by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir and is also a Vietnam protest song. The song was recorded in October of 1971, with John and Yoko recording a couple of demos at their apartments in New York.

A recording session took place on the 28th of October followed by about thirty children, most of whom were four to twelve years of age, from the Harlem Community Choir who added backing tracks.

Answer: M.I.A.

The song "Paper Planes" was released in 2008 by hip hop artist M.I.A. The lyrics talk about the stereotypes of Third World immigrants. The song was a massive hit, reaching top ten in Canada, the United States and United Kingdom. It was highly rated by critics and included in end of year top song lists. The song was seen as a nod to poor or disaffected people, both in lyrics and in her approach to recording. She invited street kids that she met in Brixton, England to sing on the chorus of the song.

MTV censored some of the lyrics of the song that referenced drug use as well as the sound of gun shots which prompted M.I.A. to publicly express her disappointment with that decision. MTV seemed to not understand that the song was satire and a dig on the negative perceptions associated with immigrants.

Answer: Wings

"Wings" (also written as "Wing$") was released in 2011, the first single from the debut studio album by hip hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. The song is all about the evils of consumerism and reached number forty on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop chart. The kids are featured with no rap accompaniment by Macklemore about midway through the song and their vocals are uncredited.

In the original version there are several references to the company Nike. Macklemore agreed to have the song used in commercials for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game and guess what was removed in a heavily edited version of the song? If you guessed almost all references to Nike, you'd be right. The song and accompanying video became an NBA promotional piece, leading to charges that they sold out. They responded with a lengthy social media post about why they did not sell out.

Answer: The Rolling Stones

"You Can't Always Get What You Want" is in my opinion one of the greatest songs of all time. The song was originally released in 1969 as a B-side to "Honky Tonk Woman". It was re-released in 1973 where it only reached number forty-two on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was listed as the 100th greatest song of all time by "Rolling Stone" magazine in its 2004 list. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and recorded over two days in November 1968.

There are two versions of the song, a single version which is less than five minutes long and an album version that is seven and a half minutes long. The song opens with the London Bach Choir singing the opening lines. In 2012 and 2013 the band were accompanied by the Voce Chamber Choir and the London Youth Choir for performances of the song.

Answer: Jay-Z

Jay-Z released the song "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" in 1998 and it was a very big hit for him. It reached top ten is several countries including Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. He was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance and the song reached platinum status in July 2015.

The song includes samples from the song "It's the Hard Knock Life" from the 1977 musical "Annie."

Answer: Toy Soldiers

"Toy Soldiers" was the second single released from the album "Martika." It was released in 1989 and spent two weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Martika wrote it about a friend who was battling cocaine addiction. In 2009 VH1 placed this song as one of the top one hundred songs of the 1980s. Martika is accompanied on the song by former castmates of the children's TV program "Kids: Incorporated." Those former castmates include Fergie and Rahsaan Patterson.

She was also accompanied by child actors Kimberley McCullough and Devyn Puett.

Answer: Scream

The song "School" is the first track on the Supertramp album "Crime of the Century." It was written by Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies and Hodgson has said that the song was inspired by his time at boarding school. Children's voices can be heard at about the one minute twenty second mark, followed by some squealing and sounds of children playing and then as the music builds there is a girl's scream that can be heard at the one minute forty-five second mark. Drums kick in at this time as the song takes an upturn in tempo. Of the scream, Hodgson has said "obviously, it's a school playground but that scream does represent a lot more" (from an interview with Jeff Parets of Acoustic Storm in 2010.)