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Musical Alphabet Trivia Quiz

25 questions... 25 answers starting with A through to Z (missing out 'Q'). Mostly popular music from the last fifty years.

A multiple-choice quiz by DaveH1960. Estimated time: 7 mins.

Author
DaveH1960

Time
7 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
330,501

Updated
Jul 17 22

# Qns
25

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
17 / 25

Plays
3790

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: kjshear (25/25), Bourman (16/25), Guest 76 (20/25).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 25

1. Starting with 'A'.
Who wrote and recorded 'Annie's Song' in 1974? Hint

John Denver

Gordon Lightfoot

Andy Williams

Glen Campbell

NEXT>

Question 2 of 25

2. On to 'B'.
Neil Sedaka had a hit in the US in both 1962 AND 1976 with different versions of the same song. Which song was this? Hint

Break Out

Breaking Up is Hard to Do

Break Away

Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache

NEXT>

Question 3 of 25

3. 'C' next.
'My Ding-A-Ling' may lead you to this rock 'n' roller better known because he had 'No Particular Place to Go'. Hint

Charlie Rich

Cliff Richard

Chuck Berry

Charlie Daniels

NEXT>

Question 4 of 25

4. 'D' for Dancing.
Which two people were 'Dancing in the Street', at number one, in the UK charts in 1985? Hint

David Bowie and Cliff Richard

David Bowie and Mick Jagger

Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder

Mick Jagger and Janet Jackson

NEXT>

Question 5 of 25

5. 'E' and ELO.
A popular British group in the 1970s.
What did ELO stand for?

Answer: (Three Words - (It's dark in here?))

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Question 6 of 25

6. 'F' for Frankie.
Which 'Frankie' was famously banned by the BBC in 1984 after a DJ smashed a copy of their single live on air, branding it 'obscene'? Hint

Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

Frankie Vaughan

Frankie Knuckles featuring Adeva

NEXT>

Question 7 of 25

7. 'G' is for Grandma.
What did Grandma get run over by? Hint

Dustcart

Buick

Reindeer

Santa's Sleigh

8. 'H' now.
It was a wild and stormy night in February 1959 when Ricardo Esteban Valenzuela Reyes boarded a plane bound for Moorhead Minnesota. The plane didn't reach its destination.
Which 'H' singer also died in this air-crash?

Answer: (One Word - Surname only)

NEXT>

Question 9 of 25

9. 'I' what to do with 'I'?
I know... Which of these songs beginning with 'I' is NOT paired with the correct group / singer? Hint

I Was Made to Love Her / Stevie Wonder 1967

I Can't Explain / The Who 1965

I Get Around / Jan and Dean 1964

I Am A Rock / Simon and Garfunkel 1966

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Question 10 of 25

10. 'J' could be for Joan.
But Joan who? A few clues to help you on your way...Born in 1941 and began recording in 1960.
Known for the album 'Diamonds and Rust' and predominantly for 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down'. She has been recording for 50 years and has released songs in eight languages. She is Joan...?
Hint

Baez

Bright

Bird

Baize

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Question 11 of 25

11. 'K' for Kenny.
Kenny Rogers released a single which reached number two in the UK charts. The single was 'Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town'. But what was the name of Kenny's backing band? Hint

Fifth Edition

First Edition

First Dimension

Fifth Dimension

NEXT>

Question 12 of 25

12. 'L' is for... well you tell me.
This person is a Canadian Country/Folk singer who began his career in 1962 with a song called '(Remember Me) I'm the One' which charted at number three in Canada. He followed this with many more hits including 'Sundown' and 'The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald': His first name is Gordon - what is his family name?

Answer: (One Word - 9 letters (Not heavy handed?))

NEXT>

Question 13 of 25

13. 'M' ah! Here's an easy one.
'Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm' was a single released in April 1994 by whom? Hint

Crash Test Dummies

Crash Test Bunnies

Crash Test Dunnies

Crash Test Rummies

NEXT>

Question 14 of 25

14. 'N'.
Shirley Bassey was adamant in 1973, she released an album, and a single with the same name, which proved how definite she was. What was the title? Hint

Never on Sunday

No No No

Never Never Never

Not Today

NEXT>

Question 15 of 25

15. 'O' oh Dear!!
Who had a hit in 1973 with 'Love Train?'

Answer: (Two Words Do not use punctuation. (one letter and four letters))

NEXT>

Question 16 of 25

16. 'P' three Ps for you here.
In December 1983 Sir Paul McCartney had a number four UK (album) hit; this album reached number 15 in the US. Which album was it? Hint

Pipes of Pan

Poems of Peace

Pan Pipes

Pipes of Peace

NEXT>

Question 17 of 25

17. No 'Q' (Because I can only think of Queen).
So straight on to 'R'.
Ray Stevens had a hit record called 'The Streak', it reached number one in both the US and the UK. But which year was this? Hint

1973

1976

1975

1974

NEXT>

Question 18 of 25

18. 'S'.

Where did the Drifters spend their Saturday nights?

Answer: (Two Words - first word 'The' and then the location.)

NEXT>

Question 19 of 25

19. 'T' for two? not quite!
What did Jim Croce try to put in a bottle in 1973? Hint

Tea

Time

Tequila

Tricks

NEXT>

Question 20 of 25

20. 'U' unlikely answer.
'Unchained Melody' has been labelled as one of the most recorded songs of the 20th Century, but when was it written? Hint

1960

1955

1959

1964

NEXT>

Question 21 of 25

21. 'V'. Very near the end.
A police officer, a native American, a cowboy, a GI, a construction worker and a biker. A strange combination for a hit record but they managed it. What name did they record under? Hint

Village People

Villagers

Villains

Various Strange Persons

NEXT>

Question 22 of 25

22. 'W'.
A band, probably best known for 'American Woman' were The Guess ...? Hint

What

Where

When

Who

NEXT>

Question 23 of 25

23. 'X' and scraping the bottom of the barrel for this one.
A 1970s Punk band, headed by the delightfully named Poly Styrene. Their few hits included... 'The Day the World Turned Day-Glo', 'Oh Bondage Up Yours!' and the incredibly catchy but monotonous 'Germ-Free Adolescent'... Who were they? Hint

X-Rated Kids

X-Ray Spex

X-Cellence Bar None

X-Treme

NEXT>

Question 24 of 25

24. 'Y' (You've nearly finished)
Aretha Franklin (according to her 1972 album), Nina Simone in 1970 and Bob and Marcia in 1970 were all what? Hint

Young Americans

Young, Free and Single

Young and Foolish

Young, Gifted and Black

NEXT>

Question 25 of 25

25. 'Z'.
Possibly only one band could possibly fit with this letter. ZZ Top released an album in 1983 called 'Exterminator'.

True

False

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 15 2024 : kjshear: 25/25
Dec 11 2024 : Bourman: 16/25
Nov 15 2024 : Guest 76: 20/25

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Starting with 'A'. Who wrote and recorded 'Annie's Song' in 1974?

Answer: John Denver

Number one in both the US and the UK, this song was written about Denver's then wife Annie (who is never mentioned by name anywhere in the song).

2. On to 'B'. Neil Sedaka had a hit in the US in both 1962 AND 1976 with different versions of the same song. Which song was this?

Answer: Breaking Up is Hard to Do

First released in 1962 (when it reached number one in the US) Neil re-recorded it as a ballad in 1975 reaching number one again. Only the second artist to reach the top ten in the Billboards with the same song.

3. 'C' next. 'My Ding-A-Ling' may lead you to this rock 'n' roller better known because he had 'No Particular Place to Go'.

Answer: Chuck Berry

'My Ding-A-Ling', a song about a child's toy, caused a storm of controversy when it was released with many radio stations refusing to play it, (I can't imagine why), but it was Chuck's only number one hit record in the US.

4. 'D' for Dancing. Which two people were 'Dancing in the Street', at number one, in the UK charts in 1985?

Answer: David Bowie and Mick Jagger

Originally recorded by Martha and the Vandellas in 1964, the Bowie/Jagger version was released as part of 'Live-Aid' reaching Number seven on the Billboard charts in the US.

5. 'E' and ELO. A popular British group in the 1970s. What did ELO stand for?

Answer: Electric Light Orchestra

Roy Wood, Bev Bevan and Jeff Lynne formed ELO from the remnants of 'The Move' in 1970.
*Really interesting piece of useless information* ELO hold the record for the most Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 hits without ever reaching Number One.

6. 'F' for Frankie. Which 'Frankie' was famously banned by the BBC in 1984 after a DJ smashed a copy of their single live on air, branding it 'obscene'?

Answer: Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Good old Mike Read, whilst playing 'Relax' he noticed the cover of the single and read the lyrics, stopping the record halfway through playing he was heard to throw it across the studio, claimed it was obscene and refused to play it any more. Subsequently, the BBC banned it from being played on all of their TV and Radio stations, a ban that was lifted all of 12 months later.

7. 'G' is for Grandma. What did Grandma get run over by?

Answer: Reindeer

Originally sung by the Irish Rovers, a Canadian group, in 1979.

8. 'H' now. It was a wild and stormy night in February 1959 when Ricardo Esteban Valenzuela Reyes boarded a plane bound for Moorhead Minnesota. The plane didn't reach its destination. Which 'H' singer also died in this air-crash?

Answer: Holly

Ricardo Esteban Valenzuela Reyes - Richie Valens.
Jiles Perry Richardson - The Big Bopper.
Charles Hardin Holley - Buddy Holly.
All died when the aircraft they were travelling in crashed into a cornfield near Clear Lake Iowa.
*More useless information*. According to popular accounts, The Big Bopper had gone down with flu and he asked a member of the Crickets if he would mind giving up his seat on the plane. The band member agreed, which is why the Big Bopper died in the crash instead of Waylon Jennings.

9. 'I' what to do with 'I'? I know... Which of these songs beginning with 'I' is NOT paired with the correct group / singer?

Answer: I Get Around / Jan and Dean 1964

'I Get Around' was a hit for The Beach Boys in 1964. Jan and Dean had a very similar style in music; listen to 'Surf City' you will see what I mean.

10. 'J' could be for Joan. But Joan who? A few clues to help you on your way...Born in 1941 and began recording in 1960. Known for the album 'Diamonds and Rust' and predominantly for 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down'. She has been recording for 50 years and has released songs in eight languages. She is Joan...?

Answer: Baez

Joan's first three three albums; 'Joan Baez', Joan Baez 2' and 'Joan Baez in Concert' all achieved Gold record status and remained on the Billboard 100 charts for two years.

11. 'K' for Kenny. Kenny Rogers released a single which reached number two in the UK charts. The single was 'Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town'. But what was the name of Kenny's backing band?

Answer: First Edition

'You picked a fine time to leave me loose heel, with 400 children and a crop in the field'. One of my all time favourite misheard lyrics.

12. 'L' is for... well you tell me. This person is a Canadian Country/Folk singer who began his career in 1962 with a song called '(Remember Me) I'm the One' which charted at number three in Canada. He followed this with many more hits including 'Sundown' and 'The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald': His first name is Gordon - what is his family name?

Answer: Lightfoot

Gordon Lightfoot, born 1938 in Ontario. He has had a number of well known hits throughout the world including such greats as 'If You Could Read My Mind', one of my all time favourite tunes.

13. 'M' ah! Here's an easy one. 'Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm' was a single released in April 1994 by whom?

Answer: Crash Test Dummies

OK, Ok! no need to send me a correction, maybe I haven't spelt the track title correctly, but you KNEW the answer.

14. 'N'. Shirley Bassey was adamant in 1973, she released an album, and a single with the same name, which proved how definite she was. What was the title?

Answer: Never Never Never

Reaching number eight in the UK and on the Adult Contemporary charts in the US this single was the title track from the album of the same name. The album reached number ten in the UK and number 34 in the US R&B charts.

15. 'O' oh Dear!! Who had a hit in 1973 with 'Love Train?'

Answer: O Jays

Formed in 1963 the band did not achieve any real success until 1972 with the single 'Backstabbers'.

16. 'P' three Ps for you here. In December 1983 Sir Paul McCartney had a number four UK (album) hit; this album reached number 15 in the US. Which album was it?

Answer: Pipes of Peace

An awkward question this, I don't usually mention albums but although the single reached number one in the UK and number four in America the record company 'flipped' the tracks making 'Pipes of Peace' the 'B' side in the US.

17. No 'Q' (Because I can only think of Queen). So straight on to 'R'. Ray Stevens had a hit record called 'The Streak', it reached number one in both the US and the UK. But which year was this?

Answer: 1974

'Don't Look Ethel' - a great little comedy song about a streaker... What more is there to say?

18. 'S'. Where did the Drifters spend their Saturday nights?

Answer: The movies

'Under The Boardwalk', 'Up On The Roof', 'Saturday Night at the Movies'. They may only have been drifting but they got about a lot.

19. 'T' for two? not quite! What did Jim Croce try to put in a bottle in 1973?

Answer: Time

This song was a posthumous number one billboard hit for Jim Croce, reaching the top spot three months after his death in a plane crash.

20. 'U' unlikely answer. 'Unchained Melody' has been labelled as one of the most recorded songs of the 20th Century, but when was it written?

Answer: 1955

With music composed by Alex North and Lyrics by Zy Haret, 'Unchained Melody' was written as the theme song for the prison film 'Unchained' which was released in 1955.
Three versions of the song hit the US top ten that same year and it is believed that since its release it has been recorded by more than 500 artists in many different languages.

21. 'V'. Very near the end. A police officer, a native American, a cowboy, a GI, a construction worker and a biker. A strange combination for a hit record but they managed it. What name did they record under?

Answer: Village People

'YMCA', 'Go West', 'In the Navy' were all hits for this group whose trademark costumes really caught the imagination.

*More useless information* The British Royal Navy, during a recruitment drive, used the 'In the Navy' track... Until someone told them the meaning behind the lyrics.

22. 'W'. A band, probably best known for 'American Woman' were The Guess ...?

Answer: Who

With a string of hit records, The Guess Who were a popular band in their homeland of Canada although they did not maintain that success in the rest of the world.

23. 'X' and scraping the bottom of the barrel for this one. A 1970s Punk band, headed by the delightfully named Poly Styrene. Their few hits included... 'The Day the World Turned Day-Glo', 'Oh Bondage Up Yours!' and the incredibly catchy but monotonous 'Germ-Free Adolescent'... Who were they?

Answer: X-Ray Spex

What can I say about a group whose lead singer (according to Wikipedia) has a voice that can be described as "effervescently discordant" and "powerful enough to drill holes through sheet metal".

24. 'Y' (You've nearly finished) Aretha Franklin (according to her 1972 album), Nina Simone in 1970 and Bob and Marcia in 1970 were all what?

Answer: Young, Gifted and Black

Written for Nina Simone, with the title 'To Be Young Gifted and Black', this song was released on her 1970 album 'Black Gold', as a single it was a top ten R&B success.
'Young Americans' was a successful track by David Bowie.
'Young and Foolish' was a top twenty UK hit for three different artists in 1956,
whilst 'Young, Free and Single' was a top twenty UK hit for a little known group called Sunfire in 1983, as well as reaching number 48 in the German charts for BoneyM in 1985.

25. 'Z'. Possibly only one band could possibly fit with this letter. ZZ Top released an album in 1983 called 'Exterminator'.

Answer: False

Sorry, the album was of course, entitled 'Eliminator' and included some of ZZ Top's best known singles, 'Sharp Dressed Man' and 'Gimme All Your Lovin''.

Source: Author DaveH1960

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