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Ten Tom Waits Songs Trivia Quiz

My father first got me interested in Tom Waits now he is one of my favorites. Here are some lyrics from my favorite Tom Waits songs, can you guess which song they're from?

A multiple-choice quiz by MollyGrue. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
MollyGrue

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
112,745

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
1562

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. "I'm leavin' my fam'ly

And leavin' my friends

My body's at home

But my heart's in the wind

Where the clouds are like headlines

On a new front page sky

My tears are salt water

And the moon's full and high"
Hint

Grapefruit Moon

Shiver Me Timbers

Diamonds On My Windshield

Step Right Up

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. "The evening fell just like a star

Left a trail behind

You spit as you slammed out the door

If this is love we're crazy

As we fight like cats and dogs

But I just know there's got to be more"
Hint

So It Goes

Blue Skies

Please Call Me Baby

I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. "Well the night does funny things inside a man

These old tom-cat feelings you don't understand

Well I turn around to look at you, you light a cigarette

I wish I had the guts to bum one, but we've never met," Hint

In Between Love

Shiver Me Timbers

So It Goes

I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. "And now the sun's coming up

I'm riding with Lady Luck

freeway cars and trucks

Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade

Just a-wishing I'd stayed a little longer

Oh, Lord, that the feeling's getting stronger."
Hint

Step Right Up

Diamonds On My Windshield

Ol' 55

In Between Love

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. "Ain't got no money, cupboards are bare,

No cigarettes and the kids got nothing to wear

She walked out without a word,

Now the only sound left is the morning bird singing"
Hint

Blue Skies

In Between Love

So It Goes

Please Call Me Baby

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. "Never had no destination, could not get across.

You became my inspiration, oh but what a cost.

'Cause every time I hear that melody, puts me up a tree,"
Hint

Grapefruit Moon

I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You

Ol' 55

Step Right Up

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. "Eights go east and the fives go north

The merging nexus back and forth

You see your sign, cross the line, signalling with a blink" Hint

Shiver Me Timbers

Grapefruit Moon

Diamonds On My Windsheild

Ol' 55

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. "And it entertains visiting relatives,

it turns a sandwich into a banquet,

Tired of being the life of the party?

Change your shorts, change your life, change your life,

Change into a nine-year-old Hindu boy, get rid of your wife,

And it walks your dog, and it doubles on sax,

Doubles on sax, you can jump back Jack, see you later alligator"
Hint

So It Goes

Step Right Up

Blue Skies

In Between Love

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. "Who can tell what we may find

All this time love, I sublime love

To the feelings in my mind

Loves like women, it's cool and breezy

Never thought that love could be so easy"
Hint

In Between Love

Please Call Me Baby

I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You

Grapefruit Moon

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. "If I was a puppy dog in the early dawn

I'd make it to your house and sleep on your lawn

but I ain't no puppydog, you know my name

And the wind blows fortune, the wind blows pain" Hint

Step Right Up

Shiver Me Timbers

Blue Skies

So It Goes

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. "I'm leavin' my fam'ly
And leavin' my friends
My body's at home
But my heart's in the wind
Where the clouds are like headlines
On a new front page sky
My tears are salt water
And the moon's full and high"

Answer: Shiver Me Timbers

On December 7, 1949 Thomas Alan Waits was born in Pomona, Californa.

2. "The evening fell just like a star
Left a trail behind
You spit as you slammed out the door
If this is love we're crazy
As we fight like cats and dogs
But I just know there's got to be more"

Answer: Please Call Me Baby

He has had his songs featured in many movies such as, Sea of Love, 12 Monkeys, Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead, Fight Club, Keeping the Faith, and Pollock. (go.to/tomwaits)

3. "Well the night does funny things inside a man
These old tom-cat feelings you don't understand
Well I turn around to look at you, you light a cigarette
I wish I had the guts to bum one, but we've never met,"

Answer: I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You

He was named "The Most Influential Artist of All Time" by VH1. (go.to/tomwaits)

4. "And now the sun's coming up
I'm riding with Lady Luck
freeway cars and trucks
Stars beginning to fade, and I lead the parade
Just a-wishing I'd stayed a little longer
Oh, Lord, that the feeling's getting stronger."

Answer: Ol' 55

Many artists have done covers of his songs, such as; Bruce Springsteen - "Jersey Girl", Rod Stewart and Everything But The Girl - "Downtown Train", Marianne Faithfull - "Strange Weather", The Ramones - "I Don't Wanna Grow Up", 10,000 Maniacs - "I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You", Bob Seger - "Blind Love", Shawn Colvin - "The Heart Of Saturday Night", and Sarah McLachlan - "Ol' 55". (go.to/tomwaits)

5. "Ain't got no money, cupboards are bare,
No cigarettes and the kids got nothing to wear
She walked out without a word,
Now the only sound left is the morning bird singing"

Answer: Blue Skies

"A diverse list of artists have cited Tom Waits as an inspiration, including Bob Dylan who has named him as one of his "secret heroes.""
(go.to/tomwaits)

6. "Never had no destination, could not get across.
You became my inspiration, oh but what a cost.
'Cause every time I hear that melody, puts me up a tree,"

Answer: Grapefruit Moon

"There is an annual celebration called "Waitstock" near Poughkeepsie, New York." (go.to/tomwaits)

7. "Eights go east and the fives go north
The merging nexus back and forth
You see your sign, cross the line, signalling with a blink"

Answer: Diamonds On My Windsheild

"During many appearances on TV and concerts, Tom shows or receives much interest in his shoes. Tom seems to consider them something like a metaphor to his life. He has said something to the effect that an old pair of shoes, your old pair of shoes wear out in the same pattern. That's just the way you walk.

This pattern on the bottom of your shoes is a document of your life travels. When your life is dull and monotonous and you're in a rut, just look at the bottom of your shoes. That's where the rut of your life is documented. You want to change things? Throw out your shoes, or try a pair of different type shoes which willl wear out in a different pattern. Tom's evolving musical career is a testament to throwing out the old pattern of doing things and attempting something new and innnovative. May not be true, but it sounds good, doesn't it?" (www.officialtomwaits.com/toc.htm)

8. "And it entertains visiting relatives,
it turns a sandwich into a banquet,
Tired of being the life of the party?
Change your shorts, change your life, change your life,
Change into a nine-year-old Hindu boy, get rid of your wife,
And it walks your dog, and it doubles on sax,
Doubles on sax, you can jump back Jack, see you later alligator"

Answer: Step Right Up

Trivia Bit - "Waits v. Frito-Lay, Inc., 978 F.2d 1093 (9th Cir. 1992) Frito Lay, Inc. used the sound of `Step Right Up' from Small Change for a commercial and didn't think anyone would notice. Tom Waits won the suit and then Frito-Lay, Inc. sued him for some sort of embarrassment which they did not win." (www.officialtomwaits.com/toc.htm)

9. "Who can tell what we may find
All this time love, I sublime love
To the feelings in my mind
Loves like women, it's cool and breezy
Never thought that love could be so easy"

Answer: In Between Love

Tom Waits has had parts in many movies including; The Outsiders as Buck Merill, Rumble Fish as Bernie the pool hall owner, Cotton Club as the club owner Stark, The Fisher King as a disabled verteran, At Play In the Fields of the Lord as Wolf, Bram Stoker's Dracula as R.M. Renfeild, Short Cuts as the limo driver Eal Pigott, and Mystery Men as Dr. A. Heller. (go.to/tomwaits)

10. "If I was a puppy dog in the early dawn
I'd make it to your house and sleep on your lawn
but I ain't no puppydog, you know my name
And the wind blows fortune, the wind blows pain"

Answer: So It Goes

Tom Waits has said that all songs should include weather and names of places. You can definitely see these things in a lot of his work.

Source: Author MollyGrue

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Dalgleish before going online.
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