Songs About Water Part II Trivia Game | Science and Nature in Songs

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This piece, "Moon River", was performed instrumentally - not vocally - for the sound-track of the Oscar-winning 1961 movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's" In honour of Johnny Mercer, who wrote the lyrics, an inlet was named Moon River. In what U.S. State is this inlet?

Answer: Georgia

This inlet is near Savannah and was chosen as the location since Mercer grew up in the Southern United State.

Henry Mancini wrote the music. Later, when Andy Williams recorded it as a vocal piece, it became the theme song for Williams's TV variety show,which ran from 1962-1967.

The lyrics have a bittersweet yearning quality, and a poetic style that was not always present in many songs of that particular era, which often confined themselves to romantic love stated in simple terms.

2. The song, "Singin' in the Rain", from the 1952 movie of the same name, contained one of the most famous song and dance scenes ever produced, performed by the amazing Gene Kelly. As Kelly starts walking down that rainy street, he begins the song with a string of "nonsense" lyrics. What are those lyrics?

Answer: Doo-dloo-doo-doo-doo-dloo-doo

To avid movie-goers, those opening "doo-dloo-doo's" are so definitive of that song that merely to sing them will have listeners know instantly what follows and join in with a rousing rendition of this very uplifting number. "Singin in the Rain" lyrics were written by Arthur Freed and music by Nacio Herb Brown.

Movie industry scuttlebutt has it that the water, which drenched Kelly repeatedly throughout the scene, was supposed to have been warm. Apparently it wasn't warm enough and he caught a cold. So the man who wanted to "come on with the rain" really did keep a smile on his face the whole time he was being flooded with chilly water for our entertainment. And what memorable entertainment it was.

3. "Rhythm of the Rain", sung by a group aptly named The Cascades, rose to Number Three in the US pop music charts during March of which year?

Answer: 1963

The Cascades were very much influenced by the Beach Boys, in particular, in the style of their vocal harmonies, which really do seem like a cascade of sound.

The Cascades continued to record other material, but nothing ever quite matched up to the success of this memorable hit, which topped the charts in the high numbers in over 80 countries in the world. The tune sold more than a million copies in the United Kingdom, winning it a golden disc.

4. This song, "River Stay Away From My Door" was made popular by which singer in his 1961 album "All the Way"?

Answer: Frank Sinatra

"River Stay Away From My Door" was co-written by Harry Woods, who, in 1926, also wrote the legendary song "When the Red Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin' Along".

But back to the Sinatra recording. This unusual album, one of several which Sinatra made with Capital Records, arranged by Nelson Riddle, contains some of his lesser known, but nonetheless, fine renditions. One of the tracks, "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" shows Sinatra in one of his more playful moods.

5. What's with Bobby Darin and water? In 1964 he recorded another watery hit, "Up a Lazy River". What is the missing word in the following lyric: "Up a lazy river, where the _______ song, wakes the mornin' as we roll along"?

Answer: robin's

This song, co-written by Hoagy Charmichael and Sidney Arodin in 1930, has to be one of the most covered titles of popular songs. Apparently it has been recorded by about 80 different artists, some vocal, some instrumental.

However, Bobby Darin is the singer who would be the "correct" answer in almost all quizzes about this hit, since he really made the song his own.

6. Which of the following pieces of music, the words of which were written by two Americans, is the Regimental Marching Tune of the British Royal Marines?

Answer: A Life on the Ocean Wave

American Epes Sargeant penned the poem in 1838, the first verse of which is shown below. It was subsequently put to music by Henry Russell. The two men were reputed to have been strolling through Manhattan`s Battery Park and were inspired by the sea-going vessels they saw. It is a jaunty tune, perfect for a march, be the marchers British or American.

"A life on the ocean wave,
A home on the rolling deep,
Where the scattered waters rave,
And the winds their revels keep:
Like an eagle caged, I pine
On this dull, unchanging shore:
Oh! give me the flashing brine,
The spray and the tempest's roar!"

7. "Under the Sea", one of the songs performed in Disney's 1989 film "The Little Mermaid", is sung by Sebastian to Princess Ariel, imploring her to stay in the ocean. What type of sea creature was Sebastian?

Answer: Crab

In the movie Princess Ariel has a yearning to become human so that she can live on dry land with Prince Eric, with whom she has fallen in love. Sebastian, the crab, tries to convince her not to yearn for something she cannot have, by telling her "darling it's better, down where it's wetter." Perhaps that should really be the title of this quiz?

8. In the Beatles' 1969 album "Abbey Road", one track, "Octopus`s Garden", tells of the carefree life of this eight-legged creature down in the ocean`s depths. The following is one of the lyrics: "We would shout and swim about, The _____ that lies beneath the waves".

Answer: coral

This catchy happy tune was written and performed by Ringo Starr, a rarity at the time of the "Abbey Road" album. Apparently George Harrison really liked this song, which must have been very flattering to Ringo whose work was not always treated so seriously by John or Paul.

"We would be so happy you and me, No one there to tell us what to do." Sing along quizzers, you are almost done.

9. During the era of tall rigged multi-sailed ships lots of work needed to be done by crews to keep the canvas functioning efficiently. Much of this labour required substantial effort in hauling on ropes and lines. What were the songs that sailors sang to help make the work seem to go more easily?

Answer: Shanties

Shanties were divided into several rhythmic groups which could be matched to the tasks. For example, short, fast hauling jobs, were accompanied by short fast beat songs, while longer less rhythmic jobs tended to have more elaborate and meandering lyrics.

Many of the titles of shanties contained words such as "pull", "heave", "haul", or the names of the ship's destination or cargo being carried.

If you want to get an idea of a typical shanty, most people know "What Shall we do with the Drunken Sailor", so sing it in the shower to get the drift. Oh, so sorry about these watery puns!

10. French classical composer, Claude Debussy, wrote a piece of music whose title, in French of course, referred to a body of water. What was the title of this piece written between 1903-1905?

Answer: La Mer

"La Mer" means "the sea". Many music critics have commented that this piece is like the sea itself, deep, brooding as well as a metaphor for the origins of life - mysterious and evocative of our past. If you are curious, download a sound file and see if you agree.

Debussy is regarded as a musical Impressionist by some, a description with which he did not agree. I have heard other critics suggest that Debussy's music is ideal to listen to while wandering around a gallery filled with French Impressionist paintings. Ear-buds in everyone, and off to the nearest exhibit to decide for yourselves.

Source: Author smeone

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Songs About Water Part II Trivia Quiz

It's time to explore another "sea" of watery songs. So let's go to the second round now and find out if we have fully "plumbed the depths".

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