Oingo Boingo Lyrics Trivia Quiz

Answer: Fool's Paradise

"Dirty stains / On brand new linen
Fresh tracks / On virgin snow
Caught a saint / While he was sinning
People scream / What do they know"

"Fool's Paradise" was released on "Dead Man's Party" in 1985.

Answer: Capitalism

"There's nothing wrong with making some profit
If you ask me I'll say it's just fine
There's nothing wrong with wanting to live nice
I'm so tired of hearing you whine
About the revolution
Bringin' down the rich
When was the last time you dug a ditch, baby?"

When asked if "Capitalism" was meant satirically or seriously, Danny Elfman (Oingo Boingo's songwriter) replied that it was "seriously satirical". It was first released on "Only A Lad" in 1981.

Answer: Elevator Man

"Who's going down
Who's coming with me
Who wants to take a chance
On a piece of abstract reality"

"Elevator Man" was released on "Boi-ngo" in 1987 and on "Boingo Alive" in 1988. The '88 version is longer than the '87 version: a few verses were added for clarification. The extra lyrics make the obscene nature of the song more blatant.

Answer: Private Life

"Here in my humble room at night
I often wonder what goes on out there
What makes them run so scared
I often stare at the people passing by
But they can't see me through my window shades
Just like I'm not even there"

There's a music video of "Private Life". Elfman claimed that it was the result of sleeplessness, beer, and way too much pizza. He had a point: The whole affair was poorly-executed, though supremely entertaining.

Answer: Gratitude

"I used to eat little girls I knew
For breakfast
I used to fly high up in the sky
I used to chew up rocks and
Spit out gravel
I had a heart as cold as ice"

This cool little verse is nowhere to be heard on the CD version of the "So-Lo" album, released in 1984. "Gratitude" appeared on the "Beverly Hills Cop" soundtrack (1985).

Answer: Mama

"I walk alone and see what boys should never
See in their lifetime
I live in the world of spirits
And I talk to the walls
Deliver me from
This little hell
Deliver me from
This little hell
Deliver me from--"

According to Elfman, "Mama" is about Norman Bates (the main character in "Psycho"). Interestingly, Elfman later worked on the soundtrack for the remake of "Psycho".

Answer: Reptiles and Samurai

"Reptiles and Samurai
Are under my skin
They hide in my mind
They speak with my tongue
They run amuck in my terrain"

The weirdest thing about "Reptiles and Samurai" is that Sluggo, the band's saxophonist, actually did some vocals. If you watch the "Farewell" video, you'll notice that Sluggo made some pretty disgusted/bored facial expressions while he was singing. Either I'm mistaken, or he wanted his saxophone.

Answer: Controller

"There's someone crawling in my yard
There's someone creeping on my roof
There's someone tapping my phone
I feel it deep in my bones
They want to probe my intuition
They want to find out what I know
Why don't they leave me alone
Why don't they leave me alone"

"Controller" was released on "Only a Lad" (1981)and on "Farewell" (1995). The newer version omits the only references to the title of the song. Nobody really seems to know if this was intentional or accidental.

Answer: Same Man I Was Before

"Two by two coming through the door
(Singing like a bird)
Boys and girls voices joined in song
(Voices in the air)
Fire crackers making so much noise
(Flying in the air)
They all start yelling at me
Everything you do is wrong"

The words in brackets are sung in long tones above the chorus and are almost impossible to comprehend. The ear is drawn to the stronger voices in the foreground.

Answer: Why'd We Come

"Why'd We Come (All This Way)" was released on "Nothing to Fear" in 1982.