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The Prescription is Cowbell! Trivia Quiz

This quiz is dedicated to the most underrated instrument in music--the cowbell! I will name a great band or solo artist and four of their songs, and you will try to identify the only one which features cowbell. Have YOU got the fever?

A multiple-choice quiz by stuthehistoryguy. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
stuthehistoryguy

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
190,920

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
332

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which of these Velvet Underground songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell? Hint

Waiting for My Man

Sweet Jane

Heroin

Rock and Roll

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which of these Billy Idol songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell? Hint

White Wedding

Flesh for Fantasy

Rebel Yell

Eyes Without a Face

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Question 3 of 10

3. Which of these Billy Joel songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell? Hint

My Life

We Didn't Start the Fire

The Entertainer

Big Shot

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which of these Blood, Sweat, and Tears songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell? Hint

Somethin' Going On

You've Made Me So Very Happy

Spinning Wheel

Without Her

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which of these Bob Dylan songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell? Hint

Tombstone Blues

Like a Rolling Stone

Rainy Day Women #'s 12 & 35

Lay Lady Lay

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which of these Bruce Springsteen songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell? Hint

Born to Run

Blinded by the Light

Born in the USA

Hungry Heart

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which of these Commodores' songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell? Hint

Nightshift

Brickhouse

Three Times a Lady

Sail On

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Question 8 of 10

8. Which of these Jimi Hendrix songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell? Hint

Jimi Hendrix didn't use no cowbell, fool!

Little Wing

Stone Free

All Along the Watchtower

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which of these Led Zeppelin songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell? Hint

Rock and Roll

Stairway to Heaven

Whole Lotta Love

All of these

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Question 10 of 10

10. Finally, which of these Blue Oyster Cult songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell? (If you have trouble with this, you chose the wrong quiz today, I fear.) Hint

Cities on Flame With Rock & Roll

Godzilla

Don't Fear the Reaper

Red and the Black

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 02 2024 : Guest 24: 9/10
Nov 07 2024 : Guest 208: 10/10

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which of these Velvet Underground songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell?

Answer: Sweet Jane

Though not a great commercial success, The Velvet Underground was one of the most influential bands of all time. In 1989, Czech President Vaclav Havel told VU lead singer Lou Reed that music inspired by the Velvets in turn inspired the Czech dissident group Chapter 77, a major player in the Eastern European anti-communist movement. Reed replied: "That just goes to show that music can change the world." Especially when that music includes COWBELL!

2. Which of these Billy Idol songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell?

Answer: White Wedding

Idol got his start with the band Generation X!

3. Which of these Billy Joel songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell?

Answer: We Didn't Start the Fire

Joel's first hit, "Piano Man", was inspired by his gig at Los Angeles piano bar Bill Martin's. It peaked at #23 on the Billboard singles chart. Can you imagine how successful it would have been with COWBELL?

4. Which of these Blood, Sweat, and Tears songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell?

Answer: Spinning Wheel

The Band's self-titled debut album won 1969's Grammy for Album of the Year. Unfortunately, this effort featured no cowbell!

5. Which of these Bob Dylan songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell?

Answer: Lay Lady Lay

This cut was featured on Dylan's 1969 album "Nashville Skyline".

6. Which of these Bruce Springsteen songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell?

Answer: Born to Run

"Born to Run" was produced to emulate Phil Spector's "wall of sound" technique, meaning that multiple layers of instrumentation were featured, including glockenspiel...and cowbell!

In 1974, the renowned rock critic Jon Landau famously pronounced: "I have seen the rock and roll future, and its name is Bruce Springsteen." Well, I, too, have seen the rock and roll future, and its name...is COWBELL!

7. Which of these Commodores' songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell?

Answer: Brickhouse

Lionel Richie would leave the Commodores in 1982 to pursue a successful solo career. His hits would include the cowbell opus "All Night Long".

8. Which of these Jimi Hendrix songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell?

Answer: Stone Free

Actually, Hendrix's drummer Mitch Mitchell was quite the cowbell afficionado, incorporating its mellow timbres on such classics as "Purple Haze" and "Fire".

9. Which of these Led Zeppelin songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell?

Answer: Stairway to Heaven

Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham passed away in 1980, leading to the dissolution of the great band which could not carry on without his mighty thump--or tasteful use of cowbell. (To hear the cowbell on "Stairway", listen closely just before "If there's a bustle in your hedgerow...."

10. Finally, which of these Blue Oyster Cult songs was fortunate enough to include a cowbell? (If you have trouble with this, you chose the wrong quiz today, I fear.)

Answer: Don't Fear the Reaper

In case you didn't know, this quiz was inspired by a "Saturday Night Live" sketch featuring Christopher Walken as a record producer at the studio recording of "Don't Fear the Reaper". Throughout the session, Walken continually goads the band for "more cowbell!" The cowbell player, played by Will Ferrell, is only too happy to oblige. Very funny sketch--if you haven't seen it, seek it out!

Source: Author stuthehistoryguy

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