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There's A Song About It Trivia Quiz

Historic events are often retold in song. Read these newspaper headlines and see if you can recall the songs based on the stories. Have fun.

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

Author
oscarguy

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
151,808

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
2073

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. "Small Plane Crash Takes Lives of 3 Rockers at Clear Lake" What sad song commemorates this tragedy? Hint

The Three Stars

That Was the Day

The Three Bells

Last Call at Winter Dance Party

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. "Huge Iron Ore Freighter Lost on Superior -- All 29 Crew Feared Dead" What song was written about this maritime disaster? Hint

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

The Wreck of the Hesperus

The Wreck of the Mary Deare

The Wreck of Old '97

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. "Barrow Gang Evades Law Continuing Bloody Crime Spree Across Country -- Nearly Caught in Joplin"
What was the pop song about this gang? Hint

Bye Bye Bonnie and Clyde

The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde

The Barrow Gang

The Ballad of Bonnie Parker

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. "Teen Kills 2, Injures 9 at San Diego Elementary School"
What was the song titled after the perpetrator's quoted reason for committing the crime? Hint

I Just Did It

I Don't Like Mondays

Nobody Likes Mondays

Cheer the Day Up

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. "Friendship 7 Astronaut Home After 3 Orbits"
What song pays tribute to this space first? Hint

The Space Flight of Shepard, Grissom, and Glenn

Go Mercury, Go Glenn

The Epic Ride of John H. Glenn

Three Times Around the World

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. "Disease Takes Toll in Millions Across Europe, Efforts to Stem Spread Fail, Only Prayer Recommended"
Who recorded an accounting of the goings-on above and what was it called? Hint

Castle Death by The Dead Kennedys

The Black Plague by Eric Burdon and the Animals

Chant No More by Enigma

The Devils of Loudon by The Velvet Underground

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. "Last of Nova Scotia Mines Close After Many Disasters, '56 and '58 Tragedies Noted"
What Peter, Paul and Mary song written by Peggy Seeger is connected to this headline? Hint

Wasn't That a Time

If I Had a Hammer

Ballad of Spring Hill

Gilgarra Mountain

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. "British Lose 2000 in Fight for Mississippi Dominance, Old Hickory Hailed as Hero"
What is the song about this headline? Hint

Mississippi Massacre

The Ballad of Andrew Jackson

The Battle of New Orleans

Brits, Pirates, and Thieves

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. "16 Students,Bus Driver Buried Alive for Ransom in Northern California"
What is the unsuccessful song about this odd news story? Hint

Bus, Bus, Tragic Bus

The Ballad of Chowchilla Ray

Bus Stop in Chowchilla

The Day the Wheels Stopped Going Round

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. "CBS Anchor Dan Rather Beaten on NY Street by Well-Dressed Deranged Stranger" What song came out of this puzzling event? Hint

And That's Part of Our World

What's the Frequency, Kenneth?

Not Up to Speed

Benzedrine, Benzedrine, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. "Small Plane Crash Takes Lives of 3 Rockers at Clear Lake" What sad song commemorates this tragedy?

Answer: The Three Stars

On February 3, 1959, a four-seater plane crashed minutes after take-off from Iowa's Mason City Airport killing Buddy Holly (22), Richie Valens (17), and The Big Bopper (28). The impact of this tragedy affects music lovers even to this day. Tommy Dee wrote and recorded a mournful tribute, "The Three Stars", which charted at number 11 on April 13, 1959.

The song was also recorded by Eddie Cochran.

2. "Huge Iron Ore Freighter Lost on Superior -- All 29 Crew Feared Dead" What song was written about this maritime disaster?

Answer: The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot went to number 2 on Billboard charts in September of 1976. The Edmund Fitzgerald sank on November 10, 1975.

3. "Barrow Gang Evades Law Continuing Bloody Crime Spree Across Country -- Nearly Caught in Joplin" What was the pop song about this gang?

Answer: The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde

Inspired by the "Bonnie and Clyde" movie craze of 1967, Georgie Fame had a number 7 hit with "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde". The song is loaded with machine gun sound effects.

4. "Teen Kills 2, Injures 9 at San Diego Elementary School" What was the song titled after the perpetrator's quoted reason for committing the crime?

Answer: I Don't Like Mondays

All four choices were quotes by 17 year-old Brenda Spencer, but "I Don't Like Mondays" is the morbidly memorable song by The Boomtown Rats. Brenda is now serving two 25-to-life sentences.

5. "Friendship 7 Astronaut Home After 3 Orbits" What song pays tribute to this space first?

Answer: The Epic Ride of John H. Glenn

Walter Brennan recorded "The Epic Ride of John H. Glenn" as the flip side to his hit, "Old Rivers" (1962).

6. "Disease Takes Toll in Millions Across Europe, Efforts to Stem Spread Fail, Only Prayer Recommended" Who recorded an accounting of the goings-on above and what was it called?

Answer: The Black Plague by Eric Burdon and the Animals

In the Middle Ages, the plague killed 25 million in Europe between 1347 and 1352 (one-third of Europe's population). Eric Burdon and the Animals recorded a Gregorian chant-style accounting called "The Black Plague" on the "Winds of Change" album.

7. "Last of Nova Scotia Mines Close After Many Disasters, '56 and '58 Tragedies Noted" What Peter, Paul and Mary song written by Peggy Seeger is connected to this headline?

Answer: Ballad of Spring Hill

Peter, Paul and Mary recorded "Ballad of Spring Hill", which appears on their album, "A Song Will Rise". The song is most likely a condensation of mining disasters in this Nova Scotia town rather than one specific incident. The disasters of 1956 and 1958 were particularly devastating. Now, Spring Hill has no working mines. U2 has performed the song live from time to time.

8. "British Lose 2000 in Fight for Mississippi Dominance, Old Hickory Hailed as Hero" What is the song about this headline?

Answer: The Battle of New Orleans

Johnny Horton had a number one hit in 1959 with "The Battle of New Orleans". Regrettably, Horton was killed in a car crash in 1960. Jimmy Driftwood wrote the song with many more verses than could possibly have been included on a single in the late fifties.

9. "16 Students,Bus Driver Buried Alive for Ransom in Northern California" What is the unsuccessful song about this odd news story?

Answer: The Ballad of Chowchilla Ray

"The Ballad of Chowchilla Ray" by Robert Goulet (yes, that Robert Goulet) was released in recognition of heroic bus driver, Ed Ray, who rescued an entire busload of children who had been buried for ransom. The 45 rpm record is on ROGO Records (R2001). ROGO, Robert Goulet, do you get it?

10. "CBS Anchor Dan Rather Beaten on NY Street by Well-Dressed Deranged Stranger" What song came out of this puzzling event?

Answer: What's the Frequency, Kenneth?

R.E.M had a number 21 hit with "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" in 1994. The title is a phrase repeatedly asked of Rather by one William Tager as he beat on the newsman. Tager later killed an NBC stagehand and got a 25-year prison sentence. Tager thought broadcasters were sending signals into his brain, which might explain the frequency part of the question, but exactly who Kenneth is remains a mystery. Truly a bizarre story.

The song is on R.E.M.'s "Monster" CD.

Source: Author oscarguy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ladymacb29 before going online.
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