Rock-n-Roll Imagery Quiz | Bands and Musical Acts

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Can you name the band by whom these words are sung? "All I see turns to brown, as the sun burns the ground"

Answer: Led Zeppelin

From Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir"; the song was released in 1975 on the "Physical Graffiti" album. To this day it stands as one of the most powerful rock songs ever. More than thirty years past, and this listener still finds this song to be among the best in all categories.

2. Can you name the band by whom these words are sung? "Shouting guards and smoking guns will cut down the unlucky ones"

Answer: Rush

From Rush's "Red Sector A"; originally released on the album "Grace Under Pressure". The imagery in this song describes a man caught in a prison camp (or possibly a concentration camp?) who watches his father and brother die by the guns of the prison guards.

The fate of the main character is left to the listener to decide, although the final passages of the song may suggest a positive outcome. Trivia side note: The title of the song was taken from an area near Cape Canaveral dubbed by NASA as "Red Sector A", where the band were told to stand as they watched the first-ever launch of the space shuttle Columbia.

3. Can you name the band by whom these words are sung? "Move me on to any black square, use me any time you want"

Answer: Yes

From Yes' "I've Seen All Good People"; originally released on the album "Close to the Edge". While Jon Anderson of Yes is somewhat infamous for "putting words together to make sounds instead of sense", "All Good People" is succinct in form, and the chess board is a nice metaphor which helps the listener relate to his theme of doing unto others. Also, in addition to a direct reference to the song "Instant Karma!", the studio version of "All Good People", contains a somewhat muted chorus to "Give Peace a Chance", paying homage to another great lyricist by the name of John Lennon.

4. Can you name the band by whom these words are sung? "Walking in the park just the other day, baby, What do you think I saw? Crowds of people sittin' on the grass with flowers in their hair"

Answer: Led Zeppelin

From "Misty Mountain Hop"; originally released on Zeppelin's untitled fourth album. Many people know this album a simply "4", while others prefer to call it Zoso, in reference to the symbol Jimmy Page used to represent himself. In addition to "Misty Mountain Hop", the fourth album contains "Stairway to Heaven", "Black Dog", and "Rock & Roll", easily placing it among the best of Led Zeppelin albums, if not one of the best Rock albums of all time.

5. Can you name the band by whom these words are sung? "The echo of a distant time Comes willowing across the sand And everything is green and submarine"

Answer: Pink Floyd

From "Echos"; originally released on the album "Meddle". Under close scrutiny, an avid listener of rock music might notice the line above, and another line in the song which is as follows: "...upon my waking eyes, inviting and inciting me to rise." The "green and submarine" remark might be a reference to the Beatles song "Yellow Submarine", and the "inviting and inciting" line could be a nod to the Beatles song "Across the Universe"... Do these two lines make reference to Beatles lyrics, or is this just a coincidence? This quiz author has never found definitive proof, but there lays a suspicion that Pink Floyd were paying homage to Mr. Lennon, in much the same manner as Yes in "All Good People".

6. Can you name the band by whom these words are sung? "Gold stainless nail, torn through the distance of man."

Answer: Yes

From the song "Siberian Khatru" off the album "Close To The Edge", this opening lyric is an example of Jon Anderson's unique ability to unite his lyrics with music. Anderson believes his vocal chords are a musical instrument, and he writes his lyrics more to suit the intonation of the song rather than the continuity of the words.

7. Can you name the band by whom these words are sung? "Cities full of hatred, fear and lies Withered hearts and cruel, tormented eyes Scheming demons dressed in kingly guise"

Answer: Rush

From the song "A Farewell to Kings", the title track to Rush's fifth studio album. The song opens with a classical guitar, and gently eases the listener in as Alex Lifeson plays the short introduction. Birds recorded outside the studio can be heard chirping in the background, in stark contrast to the dark (yet hopeful) lyrics of the song and Rush's traditionally heavy sound.

8. Can you name the band by whom these words are sung? "My hands felt just like two balloons."

Answer: Pink Floyd

From the song "Comfortably Numb" off of the album "The Wall". This Roger Waters lyric is absolutely blunt, and yet the image it creates straddles the boundaries of fantasy and reality. "Comfortably Numb's" simple description of a human condition leads this listener to believe that Roger Waters has never had to issue the line: "I am at a loss for words".

9. Can you name the band by whom these words are sung? "In and around the lake mountains come out of the sky and they stand there."

Answer: Yes

From the song "Roundabout", off the album "Fragile". This lyric inspires a vision not unlike the surreal landscapes Roger Dean created for many of Yes' album covers.

10. Can you name the band by whom these words are sung? "Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky."

Answer: Pink Floyd

From "Shine On, You Crazy Diamond", off the album "Wish You Were Here". This is again a fine example of Roger Waters' ability to describe human conditions with images of the fantastic - and get straight to the point while doing so. Not a word is wasted in this classic song.

Source: Author Walkabout

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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Rock-n-Roll Imagery Trivia Quiz

Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Rush and Yes are all bands known for their epic songs and (sometimes lofty) lyrical imagery. Each question offers an example of this imagery from one of those groups. Can you name the band to which the words are bound?

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