Rocket Roll: UFOs in Music Trivia Quiz

Answer: Come Sail Away

Some theories on the story behind the song include a UFO sighting reported by sailors on an Italian ship, and the book of Ezekiel in the Bible.

"I thought that they were angels, but much to my surprise,
they climbed aboard their starship and headed for the skies..."

Answer: The Purple People Eater

"I said Mr. Purple People Eater, what's your line
He said it's eatin' purple people and it sure is fine
But that's not the reason that I came to land
I wanna get a job in a rock and roll band"

Answer: Starman

From Bowie's "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars." Ziggy Stardust was the herald who used his music to prepare Earth for the coming of the Starman, who will save Earth from itself.

"There's a starman waiting in the sky
He'd like to come and meet us but he thinks he'd blow our minds
There's a starman waiting in the sky
He's told us not to blow it cause he knows its all worthwhile
He told me: let the children lose it
Let the children use it
Let all the children boogie"

Answer: Flying Saucer Rock and Roll

"Well, the news of the saucer been a-flyin' around
I'm the only one that seen it on the ground
First thing I seen when I saw it land
Cats jumped out and they formed a band..."

Answer: I've Seen the Saucers

"I've seen them, I've been there with them
I can tell you all you want to know
Something touched me and I was only sleeping
Wouldn't you, wouldn't you like to go"

Answer: Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Oh, it came out of the sky,
Landed just a little south of Moline.
Jody fell out of his tractor,
Couldn't b'lieve what he seen.
Laid on the ground and shook,
Fearin' for his life.
Then he ran all the way to town screamin'
It came out of the sky."

The song took a whimsical approach to the reaction to the UFO by various political and religious groups.

Answer: Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft

The song was subtitled "The Recognised Anthem of World Contact Day." World Contact Day was a concept from Jay David's Book "The Flying Saucer Reader" where earthlings were called to try, simultaneously, to telepathically contact extra-terrestrials using the title of the song. The Carpenters would report that they received numerous letters from persons wanting to know when World Contact Day would occur.

"In your mind you have abilities you know
To telepath messages through the vast unknown
Please close your eyes and concentrate
With every thought you think
Upon the recitation we're about to sing

Calling occupants of interplanetary craft..."

Answer: Mr. Spaceman

"Must be those strangers that come every night
Those saucer shaped lights put people uptight
Leave blue green footprints that glow in the dark
I hope they get home alright

Hey, Mr. Spaceman, won't you please take me along
I won't do anything wrong..."

Answer: Liberace

"I saw Elvis in a U.F.O. sittin' there with Howard Hughes
I saw Elvis in a U.F.O. Jimmy Hoffa was in there too
I saw Elvis in a U.F.O. singing them rhythm and blues
And Liberace was there and he had on a pair of Imelda Marcos' shoes."

Answer: After the Goldrush

"Well, I dreamed I saw the silver space ships flying
In the yellow haze of the sun
There were children crying and colors flying
All around the chosen ones
All in a dream, all in a dream the loading had begun
They were flying Mother Nature's
Silver seed to a new home in the sun"

I always assumed the silver spaceships were Earth rockets leaving for the stars but it was just too cool to leave out on a technicality.