The Show Must Go On Trivia Quiz

Answer: Freddie Mercury's failing health

Brian May wrote this song for their album "Innuendo" (1991) when he knew his friend Freddie Mercury was dying from AIDS. When the album was released Mr Mercury's condition was not public knowledge so the significance of the song was not apparent. The song tells of the imperative to continue on and make the most out of life while you are still able to enjoy it.

In the 2011 documentary, Brian May explained "Freddie never moaned, he never said 'my life is [bad], this is terrible, I hate it.' He had an incredible strength and peace." This was deliberately placed as the final song on the album as it was generally thought that this would be the last album Mercury would be healthy enough to perform on before he died. However he remained well enough to record enough tracks for the posthumous album "Made In Heaven" released in 1995.

And for Queen the show did go on, albeit without Freddie Mercury but the band was never the same.

This question was penned into the quiz by Phoenix Rising's big disgrace, 1nn1, waving his banner all over the place.

Answer: Audioslave

Audioslave were formed in 2001, after the temporary dissolution of Soundgarden and Rage Against the Machine, by Soundgarden lead singer Chris Cornell and former RATM members Tom Morello (guitar), Tom Commerford (bass) and Brad Wilk (drums). The band released three albums in six years of activity; their reunion in January 2017 was short-lived due to Cornell's untimely death a few months later. "Show Me How To Live" was the third single from Audioslave's self-titled debut album, released in November 2002. It peaked at number 67 in Billboard's Hot 100, but reached number two in Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

The song, reminiscent of Cornell's work with Soundgarden, showcases Cornell's powerful vocals and Morello's effects-laden soloing. The accompanying music video is composed of clips from the 1971 film "Vanishing Point", involving car chases, with some parts remade with the band members in a car driven by Cornell, and playing before a small audience in the Nevada desert.

The three wrong answers are also rock supergroups formed in the 1990s (Foo Fighters) or 2000s (Velvet Revolver and Oysterhead).

This super-question was propelled into the quiz by LadyNym, rock'n'roll enthusiast.

Answer: Frampton Comes Alive!

"Show Me the Way" reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and number ten on the UK Singles Chart. The song was issued as the first release from the live album, and became Frampton's first hit. "Baby, I Love Your Way", and "Do You Feel Like We Do" were subsequently released as singles and both were top twenty hits on the same chart. "Frampton Comes Alive!" eventually sold over 18 million copies worldwide.

Phoenix Rising team member chiroman came alive writing this question.

Answer: Joan Armatrading

This talented lady and singer-songwriter was born in Saint Kitts. She was raised by her grandmother until when she was seven, she moved to Birmingham, England, to reunite with her parents. Her music has spanned jazz, folk, pop, rock and blues. (Despite being well known in the UK since the 70s it wasn't until 2007 when she received her third Grammy nomination for her Blues album "Into The Blues" that she became a well-known singer in the US). While her musical genres were wide-ranging, her lyrics reflecting her personality have always been introspective (Because of her shyness, at school she was called "Joan Armourplating.") She deals with "interpersonal relationships, never politics" according to a Songfacts' interview in 2018.

In Barnett and Barnett's book, "I Got Thunder: Black Women Songwriters on Their Craft" Ms Armatrading explained how "Show Some Emotion" was inspired (A typical Joan Armatrading song-writing pattern): "I was watching a group of men talking to each other, they were always laughing and jolly enough, grabbing at each other's shoulders and all that. All except for one guy among them. The one guy, when I looked in his eyes he was somewhere else. Something wasn't right. That's why I wrote 'Show Some Emotion.' I wanted to know what that was about, that deadness in his eyes. I wanted to know why he wasn't sharing that with his friends. And I wanted to send this message out there, too. Our emotions are our greatest gifts, why don't we show them?"

This question was written by Phoenix Rising's 1nn1 who admits that his penchant for Joan Armatrading introspective music is "The Weakness in Me".

Answer: The Show Must Go On

Interestingly, even though Roger Waters wrote this short song (1 min, 36 sec), he did not sing nor play any instruments on the studio version. The vocals are from David Gilmour with several backing vocalists including Toni Tenille. The story of 'The Wall' follows the life of the eponymous Pink from childhood to international rock stardom, emphasizing the toll this journey takes on him and the various life experiences that lead to his fate. 'The Show Must Go On' follows the epic 'Comfortably Numb' which marks Pink's descent into drug-filled hallucinations. Despite his woeful mental and physical state, Pink is forced to continue to perform to the masses, hence the show must indeed go on.

This song was introduced into this quiz by massive Pink Floyd fan, Mike Master 99, who as an educator has always tried to avoid too much dark sarcasm in the class room.

Answer: Shawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes learned to play guitar from YouTube at 14 in 2012 and less than a year later posted videos on YouTube and Vine which started attracting viewers. He was discovered by music manager Andrew Gertler online in November 2013, who signed him to Island Records in January 2014. After the success of his first single and EP in 2014, he released his debut album "Handwritten" in 2015, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The third single from the album, "Stitches", reached number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, therefore making this song his first top ten single in the US.

Mendes was listed three times in "Time"'s "The 30 Most Influential Teens of 2014, 2015 and 2016". In September 2016, his second album "Illuminate" debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and was certified platinum.

It was in Phoenix Rising's Rizeeve's blood to release this question into the quiz.

Answer: Carolina Liar

"Show Me What I'm Looking For" was the first single from the 2008 album, "Coming To Terms", their first studio album. The song was written by lead singer Chad Wolf with Tobias Karlsson. In the song the singer admits his shortcomings and expresses his Christian faith. The phrase "Show Me What I'm Looking For" relates to many peoples' desire to find something more to life other than money, material possessions, and/or fame.

Chad Wolf, from South Carolina, had a band called Suzy's Parlor in Los Angeles which broke up. Famed Swedish music producer Max Martin heard Wolf lay down two tracks as a solo artist and was impressed so invited him to Sweden where Martin hired session musicians to record the album. The whole experience was such a positive experience the American and Swedes decided to form a band. They did not have a name. After a day's recording Wolf was telling stories of his life in the US. Martin called him out and called him a liar. "There you go, Carolina Liar". The name stuck.

This question was what Phoenix Rising's JAM6430 was looking for.

Answer: Venus and Mars

A barnstorming arena-rock anthem, "Rock Show" is the second track from "Venus and Mars", the fourth studio album by Wings. Written by Paul and Linda McCartney, it was released as a single in October 1975, a few months after the album, in form of a medley with the album's title-track. The single version of the song, however, was over three minutes shorter than the album version. The contrast between the soothing, acoustic-folk style of "Venus and Mars" and the energetic, upbeat "Rock Show" highlights the band's eclectic approach, and the McCartneys' versatility as songwriters. Renowned New Orleans rhythm and blues musician Allen Toussaint plays the piano on both the album and the single version of "Rock Show".

Wings were formed in 1971 by Paul and Linda McCartney with drummer Denny Seiwell and guitarist Denny Laine (formerly of The Moody Blues). They released seven studio albums and one live album before disbanding in 1981. The albums listed as incorrect answers are by Pink Floyd ("Dark Side of the Moon"), Train ("Drops of Jupiter"), and Sting ("Nothing Like the Sun").

This question was enthusiastically written by LadyNym, who is not at all averse to singing along to anthemic rock songs.

Answer: Styx

Written by lead vocalist/keyboardist Dennis DeYoung, "Show Me the Way" was the second single from Styx's "Edge of the Century" (1990), their 12th studio album. DeYoung (who is one of the band's founding members) wrote the song for his son Matthew as a plea for help in keeping the faith in a world filled with negativity. Though musically similar to Styx's romantic power ballads, with its quiet beginning and transition to a big, emotional chorus, the song reflects DeYoung's Catholic faith, and is hymn-like in lyrical content.

In March 1991, "Show Me the Way" reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, thanks to having been extensively used by radio stations in the months leading to the US's entry in the First Gulf War. The song was accompanied by a moving, sepia-toned video directed by Michael Bay. In spite of its commercial success, Styx stopped performing the song after DeYoung's departure in 1999, though the singer still performs it regularly in his live shows. "Babe" and "Lady" were both released by Styx in the 1970s.

LadyNym belted out this ballad-like question.

Answer: The Show Must Go On

This song was Leo Sayer's first hit. Unlike Queen's song of the same title, this song tells the story of a performer who is tired from entertaining crowds who do not care for the singer. Sayer sings it in true Pierrot sad faced clown style wearing a similar clown costume. (Sayer wore the same outfit for performances for a few more years after that). The album version of the song has a prelude, Julius Fucik's "Entrance of the Gladiators" which is used for the clowns' entrance in circuses. The performer is so weary he concludes, "I won't let the show go on".
In the Three Dog Night version, the song has the same prelude but the lead singer takes on the role of a buffoon clown. This version lost something in the translation but it was a hit in the US whereas Sayer's version did not chart. Perhaps it was the way Three Dog Night ended the song (of which songwriter Sayer was critical) by changing the lyrics to "The Show Must Go On".

Indeed, in music as in show business, the show must go on.

This song was mixed into this quiz by Phoenix Rising's sad-face 1nn1.