Up the Directionals Quiz | Something in Common

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In 2004, American band Blink 182 released which song, taken from their 2003 self-titled album and having a rather 'depressing' direction for a title, as a B side to their single "I Miss You"?

Answer: Down

Frontman Tom DeLonge stated in the album cover-notes that the song was inspired by an imagined picture of a boy and a girl in a car whilst it rains, the boy begging the girl to stay.

Although the band was formed in the 1990s, their early success came in the early 2000s through the singles "What's My Name Again" and "All the Small Things". The bank split in 2005 to pursue other projects. They later reformed, however, in 2009, later releasing a new album entitled "Neighbourhoods" in 2011.

2. Canadian country singer Shania Twain released an album in 2002 that shared its name with the 'optimistically' named single released from it in 2003. What was the name of this song/album?

Answer: Up!

Released in early 2003, "Up!" is an upbeat and motivational song, proclaiming in the lyrics that "there's no way but up from here". The 2002 album "Up!" (her fourth studio album), from which the song was certified 11 x Platinum in late 2004, making Twain the first woman to have three consecutive Diamond albums released in the US.

Shania Twain was born Eilleen Regina Edwards but changed her name upon embarking on a show business career. Her third studio album "Come On Over" (1997) became the biggest selling album of all time by a female artist in any genre and had sold over 40 million copies by 2011. Singles from that album, including "Don't Impress Me Much" and "You're Still the One" also had huge success in the single charts.

3. Canadian rock band Nickelback released their first studio album, "Curb" in 1996, featuring a downbeat song with a 'forsaken' direction as a title. What was that song?

Answer: Left

Post-grunge band Nickelback finally hit mainstream success in 2001 with the release of their single "How You Remind Me", which reached number one in both the Canadian and American singles charts that year.

The song "Left" was never released as a single from "Curb". In fact, only one song was released from that album: "Fly" in 2006.

4. In 1975 David Bowie had his biggest hit to that date with the single "Fame". The B side to this single was a song with a rather 'correct' directional title. What song was this?

Answer: Right

Both "Right" and "Fame" were featured on Bowie's 1975 album "Young Americans". This album was recorded during Bowie's "Diamond Dogs" tour and heavily influenced by soul music and Bowie's continuing obsession with the genre. The album was recorded with help from soul and funk artists, including Luther Vandross.

5. In 2012, for Barack Obama's re-election campaign in the US Presidential race, American R&B artist "Ne-Yo" teamed up with Herbie Hancock, Johnny Rzeznik (from the Goo Goo Dolls), Delta Rae and Natasha Bedingfield to record which directionally-titled single in support of the campaign?

Answer: Forward

In a completely voluntary project, these stars came together to support the Democrat's 2012 "Forward" re-election campaign. Unusually, this project was undertaken with no studio or record company backing. Produced by Fred Goldring, the same man who produced the 2008 campaign song by Will.I.Am ("Yes We Can"), the song was largely unpopular with critics.

6. In 2009, American country music group Rascal Flatts contributed two songs to the soundtrack of "Hannah Montana: The Movie". The first was "Bless the Broken Road" - what was the second, more 'reverse' directional song?

Answer: Backwards

"Hannah Montana: The Movie" was released in 2009 by Walt Disney Pictures. Interestingly, Rascal Flatts had been signed to a Disney Music Group label called Lyrics Street Records from 2000 to 2010.

Rascal Flatts appeared in the movie as themselves, and sang "Backwards" at a birthday party.

7. In 2002, UK all-girl pop group the Sugababes found worldwide success with a directionally-named song. Taken from their second studio album "Angels With Dirty Faces", what was this 'dizzyingly' directional song?

Answer: Round Round

Written and performed by the band's line up of the time, Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Heidi Range, "Round Round" was featured on the original soundtracks of two successful Hollywood movies, "The Guru" and "American Wedding". The song reached number one in the UK charts and peaked within the top ten in the charts of Ireland, New Zealand and Australia, among others.

The music video for this single had the group performing on a spinning turntable whilst surrounded by a hurricane.

8. Scottish indie band Travis released the second single from their third studio album "The Invisible Band" in 2001. Featuring a UFO hunt in its music video, to where did the title tell us to go?

Answer: Side

Glasgow-based Travis is probably best known for such worldwide hits form their first studio album "The Man Who" as "Driftwood", "Why Does it Always Rain on Me" and "Turn".

The single "Side" had two B-sides, a live version of "Driftwood" and a cover of David Bowie's "All the Young Dudes". The single peaked at number 4 in the UK charts in 2001.

In 2004, the band released a greatest hits album entitled "The Singles".

9. American country music artist Blake Shelton released this 'higher' directionally-named song in May 2012 from his sixth studio album "Red River Blue". What song was this?

Answer: Over

As one of the coaches on the NBC TV show, "The Voice", Shelton performed "Over" at the semi-finals of the second season of the show. Following the performance, "Over" hit number one on the US Billboard Country Songs Chart, making it Shelton's seventh consecutive number one single.

10. Professional golfer-turned country music rapper Colt Ford had his first number one album in 2012 with "Declaration of Independence". The first single from this album featured singer Jake Owen's guest vocals and which 'rear-ended' directional title?

Answer: Back

Peaking at number 40 in the US Country Chart in 2012, "Back" was the first charted single from Colt Ford's successful fourth studio album.

Interestingly, the guest vocalist on this song, American country music star Jake Owen, also previously played golf professionally, though perhaps less successfully than Ford.

Source: Author suzidunc

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Up the Directionals Trivia Quiz

Sometimes, there's no sentence necessary - the relative direction is all you need. There are a number of well-known contemporary songs with single word, directional song titles. Can you identify them?

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