Stranded at the Airport: A Lyrics Mixture Quiz

Answer: KISS

"Detroit Rock City" (1976) was the third single off KISS' 1976 "Destroyer" album. Whilst this song became a crowd favourite, it performed poorly as a single. Some DJs flipped the single and played the other side: Peter Criss' "Beth" became a surprise hit in some countries.

"Detroit Rock City" tells the true story of a fan who was killed in a car crash on the way to a KISS concert. On the album, this track is followed by "King of the Night Time World" with the sounds of a car crash between the two songs. Played live, the songs were always played one after the other.

Answer: Ultravox

"Vienna" (1981) was a typical new wave/art rock song of the era by British band Ultravox. It was notable for reaching number two in the UK Singles chart and staying there for four weeks without ever making number one. Despite this, it was the fifth biggest selling single of the year in the UK.
It was Ultravox's most popular song and became their signature song. It is worth noting that the video was mainly shot in London with only token Vienna shots included in post-production.

Answer: Glen Campbell

"Wichita Linesman" (1968) was a 1968 Jimmy Webb song recorded by Glen Campbell in the same year (as well as an album with the same name). The song reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 2010, "Wichita Lineman" was ranked at number 195 in "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

Ostensibly writer Jimmy Webb was inspired to write the song when travelling through Washita County, Oklahoma (not Kansas!) on Country Road 152. While this was the source of the inspiration, the song is about a lineman's longing for his absent lover.

Answer: Warren Zevon

"Werewolves of London" (1978) was an all-star recording by a very underrated songwriter, though this song was co-written with LeRoy Marinell and Waddy Wachtel, the latter playing guitar on the song, with Mick Fleetwood and John McVie on drums and bass respectively and Mr Zevon on vocals and keyboards. The song was produced by Jackson Browne.

The song was included on the 1978 "Excitable Boy" album. As a single it reached number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100 but its longevity as a rock standard belies that modest accomplishment.

Answer: Paper Lace

"The Night Chicago Died" was a 1974 rock song by British Band Paper Lace. It was the follow-up to their inaugural US hit single, "Billy Don't be a Hero". The former attained number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a single week in 1974 but was not quite as popular in other countries.

It is known for one of the biggest geographical gaffes in popular music. The lyrics refer to a locale in "the east side of Chicago". Chicago has three sides: north, west and south. The "east" side is Lake Michigan. The band admitted they had not been to Chicago.

Answer: Bruce Springsteen

"Streets of Philadelphia" was a 1993 hit for Bruce Springsteen. It was written for the Academy Award winning "Philadelphia" starring Tom Hanks. The song itself won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and four Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year. The song reached number one in many countries but not the US.

Springsteen played almost all of the instruments on the song, Tommy Sims providing the extras: bass and background vocals.. A saxophone part was recorded and used in the film (in another scene) but not the recorded version.

Answer: Ike and Tina Turner

"Nutbush City Limits" (1973) was written by Tina Turner to commemorate her hometown of Nutbush, Tennessee. The town is not actually a city but is incorporated. The song was one of the last recorded by Ms Turner and her husband before their separation.

It was a hit in many countries and Ms Turner has recorded several versions, which have also been modest hits. It has been covered many times most notably by Bob Seger. The song remains popular today especially at flash mobs. Its longevity as a rock staple belies its status as a modest hit.

Answer: Jennifer Warnes

"First We Take Manhattan" was a song written by Leonard Cohen and recorded by Jennifer Warnes on her 1986 album "Famous Blue Raincoat". All songs on the album being a tribute to Mr Cohen who later recorded this song but it was not released as a single.

Ms Warnes' version had Stevie Ray Vaughan on lead guitar. It was a modest hit reaching only the top ten in Australia and Canada. A REM version released in 1992 was more successful.
Technically Manhattan is not a city but a borough of New York City.

Answer: Billy Joel

"New York State of Mind" was a song written by Billy Joel and appeared on the album "Turnstiles" (1976). It was never released as a single; it was a concert favourite which Mr Joel played often. (Most of "Turnstiles" is about Mr Joel's cross-country re-location to New York, his home state, including "Say Goodbye to Hollywood", "I've Loved These Days", and "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)").
Inspiration for the song came when he returned. Mr Joel was literally "takin' a Greyhound [bus] on the Hudson River Line" when he had the idea for the song. He wrote as soon as he alighted the bus.

For the purists, there is a difference in saxophone parts. On "Greatest Hits Volume I & II" album (1985), Phil Woods recorded a part that was different to the original recorded by Richie Cannata. The 1985 version appeared on the "Turnstiles" CD reissue in 1998.

Answer: Peter Allen

"I Go to Rio" (1976) was a pop song written by Peter Allen and Adrienne Anderson and recorded by Peter Allen. It became his signature tune. It was a smash hit in Mr Allen's native Australia but not as popular elsewhere though a 1979 Pablo Cruise cover reached the US Billboard Hot 100. Perhaps a measure of the popularity of the song is the number of soundtracks it appears on including: "One Crazy Summer" (1986), "The Fabulous Baker Boys" (1989), "Muriel's Wedding" (1994), "Hotel Sorrento" (1995) and "Strange Bedfellows" (2004). Even "The Muppets" did a version in 1980.