Richard Thompson starring as Henry the Human Fly Quiz

Answer: Roll Over Vaughn Williams

Of these options the only other one which I know to be a real song is "Roll Over Beethoven" written by Chuck Berry. However, all the songs on this album are from the pen and guitar of Richard Thompson. I have no idea how the title relates to the lyrics, as the phrase doesn't appear anywhere in the song.
This opening song gives a taste of the mood of the songs to come, dark and negative mostly, with its chorus consisting of the phrase "Live in fear" repeated four times.

Answer: Alice

All of these people are mentioned in the song, but the chorus starts "There was Alice the butcher, Tidy and Gunn". Not quite as dark as the other tracks, but a song of a celebration of a non-celebration. Sixteen days of drinking and feasting at "nobody's wedding". But after sixteen days like that would you remember any of the details anyway?

Answer: The Poor Ditching Boy

All of these characters are staples of folk songs, although the ditching boy seems to be the lowest of these. The job of keeping ditches dug and cleared seems to be of a lower status than being in charge of animals or the whole farm.
In this song not only is the ditching boy low in social ranking, but he has been unlucky in love as well.

Answer: Nancy

Another woman who seems unreliable in relationships, "Shaky Nancy". As the chorus goes;
"Here she comes and there she goes
Nothing on her fingers, nothing on her toes.
Why she comes, nobody knows
Here comes Shaky Nancy."

There does seem a theme to these songs, a theme of loss and longing.

Nancy also seems a popular name with song writers. From the traditional canon there are many such as "Nancy Whisky, "Adieu, Sweet Lovely Nancy" and "The Streams of Nancy".
More recently written songs include Leonard Cohen's song "Seems So Long Ago, Nancy" and Eric Bogle, with his song "Leaving Nancy".

Answer: Lanark Silver Bell

The "Lanark Silver Bell", is a real horse racing trophy, not just a creation of a songwriter's imagination. It is claimed to be one of the oldest recorded trophies still raced for' although the current trophy is not the original physical trophy.

Regardless in the song, the racehorse, having previously won the Lanark Silver Bell, has died and the singer suspects a certain bookmaker of nobbling his horse.

Answer: Blind Man

Another song about a less than perfect relationship. In this case it is the man who is getting cold feet about the situation.
The relevant lyric for the question is; "To a blind man it's plain to see. That I need you and you need me."

Answer: Freedom

A song which seems to be fostering rebellion. But no indication of what will replace the existing circumstances.
Lines such as "They choke the air and bleed us" and "The fish and fowl are ailing" would suggest the problem is pollution, but the "New St George" could equally be just another charismatic rabble rouser, leading the mobs to disaster.

Answer: Ukelele

More than playing the instrument, he is doing so whilst standing on his head!
Once more, a song about an imperfect relationship, "Sad is the hour that saw them divided", but maybe the real relationship here is between tribes and nations who argue over religion.
Ukelele is the way it spelt in the lyrics, and ukelele is shown as a common spelling of ukulele in the Chambers 20th Century Dictionary.

Answer: Tinker

Yet another song about relationships, in this case the strength of two brothers sticking together in the hard times.
The moral at the end of the song is;
"You must share with your dearest to the end of your days.
Or else it's forever you'll roam the Old Changing way."
An interpretation of the motto, "United we stand, divided we fall".

Answer: Twisted

A good old drinking song, at least a downbeat drinking song. The refrain "I'm sitting in the bar with my head in a jar and something tells me I'm twisted", does show that this is not a rousing upbeat song of joy and happiness.
Initially the singer is sitting at a bar getting drunk because a lady, presumably his girlfriend has departed, the song carries on with the observations as the character is getting drunker, for example the lines include; "I'd go for help if I could find the way that I came in" and "here's the one to lay you out with Charlie in the trough".
Yet despite the negativity it is strong song. Or maybe that is just my suitable twisted taste.
Of the others, "Wheely Down" and "Painted Ladies" are the two songs on the album I have not asked questions about whilst "Never Again" is a Richard Thompson song, but not from this album.