Musical Menu Trivia Quiz

Answer: Taco

"Puttin' On the Ritz" was written in 1929 by Irving Berlin and released for the film of the same name in 1930. It was a slang term at the time for dressing fashionably (referencing the Ritz hotel). It has been covered numerous times, almost always in connection with a film (including, most humorously, by Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle in "Young Frankenstein").

Taco Ockerse (Yes, Taco is his real first name) released a synth-pop version in 1982 in which he also references several other classic musical film songs (most notably, "Gotta Dance" from "Singin' In the Rain").

Answer: The Cranberries

The original name of the group was "The Cranberry Saw Us", but the Irish group led by Delores O'Riordan changed the name before they submitted their demo tapes for their first album. Their songs tend to be very unique and quirky, with O'Riordan's high vocals mixing in chants and whines with the lyrics.

Answer: Orange Crush

The song is actually an anti-war anthem, referring the defoliant Agent Orange used in Vietnam responsible for numerous health problems resulting from its use.

Answer: Rock Lobster

"Rock Lobster" was the B-52's first hit, and they did not play it safe. They broke several musical conventions in their introduction to the world, coming out with one of the quirkiest songs ever released. "There goes a dog-fish, chased by a cat-fish, in flew a sea robin, watch out for that piranha, there goes a narwhal, here comes a bikini whale!" yells Fred Schneider, while Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson make strange sound effects for them.

It was listed as number 146 on Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

Answer: "Lola" by the Kinks

"I met her in a club down in old Soho where you drink champagne and it tastes just like Coca Cola, C-O-L-A cola." (Some versions reference "Cherry Cola")

Had this been a question about food, the answer would have been "Take a Walk on the Wild Side": "Sugar Plum Fairy came and hit the streets, Lookin' for soul food and a place to eat".

And if it were about drugs, it would have been "Get Back": "Jojo was a man who thought he was a loner, but he knew it couldn't last. Jojo left his home in Tucson, Arizona for some California grass." Transvestite reference? "Sweet Loretta Martin thought she was a woman, but she was another man".

Answer: Green River

The song is about Putah Creek in Northern California. The beverage is a lime-flavored soft drink that during the U.S. Prohibition era was second only to Coca Cola in popularity. It is still available in stores that carry glass bottle sodas and retro beverages.

Answer: Prince

In fact, "Weird Al" Yankovic has never done a Prince parody. The Purple One will not allow him to. Yankovic is probably best known for "Eat It", parodizing Michael Jackson's "Beat It". He also did "Girls Just Wanna Have Lunch" (Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun") and "I Love Rocky Road" (Jett's "I Love Rock and Roll").

Answer: Alice's Restaurant

Also known as "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" (sic). "You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant..." It was also made into a movie starring Guthrie.

Answer: Italian

"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" was a B-side from his 1977 album "The Stranger". Though it was never a single, the triple-medley became a fan favorite and as such is on many Billy Joel compilations.

Answer: Mashed Potato

"I can mashed potato, and I can do the twist, now tell me baby, do you like it like this?" The mashed potato was the name of a popular dance in 1962.