Who's that song about, again? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Billie Jean King

Billie Jean King became one of the first women to coach an all male tennis team. The team was called the Philadelphia Freedoms. Elton John became a fan of Billie, and after the tennis star presented him with a shirt, he and lyricist Bernie Taupin wrote the song in her honour. It was released in 1975.

Answer: Kylie Minogue

Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farriss of INXS wrote the song for the album "X", released September 1990. The song was released as a single and it got to number ten in the USA and number one in the UK. It was said to be about Michael's girlfriend at the time, Kylie Minogue, who had been required to dye her hair blonde for a movie part.

Source: Wikipedia

Answer: Don McLean

The original singer of the song in 1971 was Lori Lieberman, a folk singer. While attending a concert by Don McLean in L.A.'s Troubadour Club, she was so moved by McLean singing "Empty Chairs" that she wrote a poem which became the song. Songwriters Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox took the poem and made it a song. Roberta Flack heard the song on a flight from L.A. to New York and loved it so much she decided to record it.

Answer: Paul's uncle

The song from the album "Ram" was never released as a single in the UK, however it reached number one on the US Billboard top one hundred in 1971. It was reputedly an apology to his real life uncle, who was fond of a drink and quoted from the Bible when drunk.

Answer: Caroline Kennedy

Neil wrote the song in 1969 after seeing a picture of Caroline Kennedy, daughter of John F Kennedy, in a magazine. She was aged nine and standing next to a pony.
In 2007, he met her and performed the song for her on her 50th birthday.

Source: "The Guardian", UK, 21 November 2007

Answer: Steve Blacknell, her teenage boyfriend

Steve Blacknell, who dated Kate as a teenager, revealed in 2010 that the song was about him. To prove it, he stated that he would put the original lyrics, given to him by Kate, up for auction. The lyrics were expected to sell for up to £10,000.


Source: "Scottish Daily Record", 2010

Answer: Melanie Coe

Seventeen-year-old Melanie Coe was reported missing by her parents in 1967. They thought she had been kidnapped. She had, in fact, run away after her parents discovered that she was on the pill. Paul McCartney wrote the song after reading about it in the "Daily Mirror".

Coincidentally, McCartney had awarded a prize to Coe three years earlier on the TV show "Ready Steady Go".

Source: "Scottish Daily Record" and Wikipedia

Answer: Andy Kaufman

Actor Kaufman, best known for his part in sitcom "Taxi", died in 1984. The song referred to the belief of some fans that his death was a hoax. Stipe linked this to the theory that the moon landings were a hoax.

Answer: Porter Wagoner

Dolly wrote the song for country singer Porter Wagoner. There was no romantic interest; he was responsible for her big career break when he asked her to become a regular on his TV show. Carl Dean is her husband and Floyd Parton is her brother.

Source: "Scottish Daily Record"

Answer: David Balfe

David Balfe was the boss of Food Records, Albarn's record label. Disillusioned with the music industry, he sold up in 1984 and bought a farmhouse.

Source: "Scottish Daily Record"