Songs of Truth Trivia Quiz

Answer: John Lennon

'Gimme Some Truth' appeared on Lennon's 1971 album 'Imagine'. It was released as the B side of the 1982 single 'Love', and has been covered by a myriad of other performers. One of the more interesting versions is the one on the 2007 album 'Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur', sung by Jakob Dylan (son of Bob) and with lead guitar played by Dhani Harrison (son of George, who played lead guitar on the original release).

Answer: The Police

This was the debut album for The Police, and it was only moderately successful at the time, despite containing what would later come to be seen as one of their signature songs, 'Roxanne'.

'Truth Hits Everybody' starts:
"Sleep lay behind me like a broken ocean
Strange waking dreams before my eyes unfold
You lay there sleeping like an open doorway
I stepped outside myself and felt so cold".

The chorus consists of the line "Truth hits everybody, truth hits everyone" repeated a number of times.

Answer: Blind to the Truth

'Blind to the Truth', originally released on the album 'The Wild Places', describes urban residents ignoring the impact their self-indulgent lifestyle has on the planet, including destruction of rainforests and other habitats, extinction of species, and pollution. The chorus goes:

"Blind to the truth, blind to the truth
And you can't see nothin'
'Cause you're so blind to the truth, blind to the truth
And the judgment day is coming".

Answer: Armored Saint

Armored Saint was originally formed by brothers Phil and Gonzo Sandoval, along with Dave Prichard, while they were in high school. John Bush and Joey Vera joined the group prior to their first recording, an EP on the Metal Blade label. The lineup for 'Symbol of Salvation' included these five, along with Jeff Duncan. Dave Prichard died of leukemia during the recording of the album, so only appears on one track.

Answer: Honky Tonk Truth

Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, shown in the image for this question, is one of the best known honky-tonks in Nashville, a place where such country music legends as Tom T. Hall, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson could often be seen after they had finished a performance at the nearby Ryman Auditorium, former home of the Grand Ole Opry.

'Honky Tonk Truth' is the lament of a man who (surprise, surprise in a country song) has lost his lover, and is consoling himself by drinking in a honky-tonk establishment and pretending he doesn't care.

"That's a honky tonk truth
'Cross my broken heart
I put my right hand here on this beer
And swear on this bar

I ain't thinkin', I ain't drinkin',
I ain't cryin', I ain't moanin' the blues
I wouldn't lie to you
Now that's a honky tonk truth."

Answer: It's in a public space

Additionally, "it's always the same 'ol thing". Nicholson's song about the difficulty of being honest with oneself and with others was originally recorded by Patty Loveless on her 1997 album 'The Trouble with the Truth'. Nicholson was also one of the three writers of the song 'Never Without You', which he started himself before joining with Mark Hudson and Ringo Starr to complete this tribute song to George Harrison, recorded on Ringo's 2003 album 'Ringo Rama'.

Answer: Split Enz

Neil joined his older brother's band Split Enz (originally Split Ends, the name was changed to stress their NZ roots) in 1977, and performed with them until their breakup in 1984. He then formed a band called The Mullanes, whose name was changed to Crowded House before their first recording. Tim later joined the band for a year. Crowded House broke up in 1996, and Neil pursued a solo career. It reformed in 2006, with the lineup modified due to the death of one of the original members.

'Truth' is a reflection on how easy it is to have your sense of values perverted by belief in what others say about you, a real problem for musicians moving in the world of hype which is the recording industry. As the chorus says, "Truth, it cannot be denied / Truth is worth more than pride".

Answer: A Man Ain't Made of Stone

'Once You've Heard the Truth' has a storyline that fits right in with the classical country tradition which Randy Travis was known for at this stage of his career. A man accidentally calls his wife by another woman's name during an argument, and it's over. As the song says, "You won't forget the sound / Once you've heard the truth".

'A Man Ain't Made of Stone', Travis's eleventh studio album, was the last in his pure country phase. After it, he shifted to a more gospel-based style of music, although country influences still appeared.

Answer: Under fallen rocks and stones

The Asian Dub Foundation is a British band, originally formed in the mid-90s, which combines a wide range of musical styles with a strong political stance against the racism and Fascism which they perceived as emerging in Europe at that time. Musical styles which they incorporate into their performances include dub, dancehall, ragga, punk, funk, rap, and traditional African and Indian music styles. Eclectic, indeed!

'Truth Hides' talks about how easy it is to ignore the hard truths that can be seen if you look closely at the world around you. Among the places where it hides are "at the end of a disconnected phone[,] ... buried deep beneath your feet[,] ... with the people written out of history ... [and] down an unmarked street." But where it is not to be found is "in the void behind the newsreaders' smile."

Answer: Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida

This album is usually referred to as the concept album for the subsequent musical 'Aida'. Elton John performed the various tracks along with a galaxy of stars, including Janet Jackson, Sting, James Taylor, LeAnn Rimes, Shania Twain, Lulu and Tina Turner.

'Aida', based on Verdi's opera, is set in Egypt, and tells the tale of the love between Aida, an Ethiopian princess who has been captured and is serving as a slave to the Pharaoh's daughter Amneris, and Radames, a soldier who is engaged to Amneris. 'I Know the Truth' is sung after Amneris overhears Radames agreeing to marry her, even though he loves Aida, in order to facilitate the escape of Aida's father from slavery. On the early recording, Elton John and Janet Jackson shared the lyrical duties for the song, which was performed by Sherie Rene Scott on the Original Cast Recording of the show.