FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Quiz about Dead Its OK Its Only A Song
Quiz about Dead Its OK Its Only A Song

Dead? It's OK It's Only A Song Quiz


Songs about death had their heyday in the '50s & '60s. Can you remember any of them or who sang them, it would help. US chart:Joel Whitburn's book of Billboard Top Pop Singles. UK chart:The Guinness book of British Hit Singles.

A multiple-choice quiz by shipyardbernie. Estimated time: 5 mins.
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. Music Trivia
  6. »
  7. Emotion in Songs
  8. »
  9. Tragedy in Songs

Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
341,433
Updated
Mar 01 24
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
567
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. Johnny Preston sang "Running Bear loved little White Dove with a love big as the sky". They had to meet in secret which led to a tragedy and they both died. How did they die? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Mark Dinning sang about his girlfriend in the song "Teen Angel" Their car got stuck on the railroad track. They both got out but she went back to the car which was then struck by a train. Why did she go back to the car? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. In the song "Tell Laura I Love Her", Laura's boyfriend Tommy wanted to buy her a wedding ring. To get the money, he entered a stock car race in which he was killed. How much was the prize money that he was racing for? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. The Everly Brothers sang about a girl nicknamed "Ebony Eyes", who was flying to her boyfriend to get married. They didn't know it but the flight was doomed and he would never see her again. What was the number of the doomed flight? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. In this song a guy goes to meet his girl. When he gets to the meeting place he finds a note she has left for him. The note tells him that she has been untrue and cannot face him. She dies in the river. With these lyrics can you recall who sang the song and took it to number one?

"Last Saturday evenin', came to the old oak tree
It stands beside the river, where you were to meet me
On the ground your glove I found
With a note addressed to me
It read "Dear Love, I've done you wrong"
"Now I must set you free"
Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. He stood six foot six and weighed 245. He saved 20 men's lives but everybody knew it was the end of the line for him. Who was he? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Who sang these words? "I met him at the candy store. He turned around and smiled at me, you get the picture?". Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. UK singer Twinkle (I kid you not) also lost her boyfriend when he crashed his motorcycle. Will these lyrics help you find his name and title of the song?

"He said to me he wanted to be near to me
He said he never wanted to be out of my sight
But it's too late to give this boy my love tonight"
Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Can you remember how many holes there were in Blackburn Lancashire? If you can then you should be able to name the group that made this "Death" record with these lyrics.

"He didn't notice that the lights had changed
A crowd of people stood and stared
They'd seen his face before"
Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. By now you might feel like Billie Joe McAllister did in the song "Ode To Billie Joe" by Bobby Gentry. Can you name the bridge that he jumped off? Hint



(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

arrow Select a User ID:
arrow Choose a Password:
arrow Your Email:




Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Johnny Preston sang "Running Bear loved little White Dove with a love big as the sky". They had to meet in secret which led to a tragedy and they both died. How did they die?

Answer: Drowned in a river

"Running Bear" was a number one hit for three weeks on the US pop chart in 1960. It was number one for two weeks on the UK chart the same year.

The song was written by J. P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) who died along with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens in 1959. Indian sounds were made by Country star George Jones and The Big Bopper who also sang backing vocals. Johnny Preston died of heart failure aged 71 in 2011 after bypass surgery in 2010.
2. Mark Dinning sang about his girlfriend in the song "Teen Angel" Their car got stuck on the railroad track. They both got out but she went back to the car which was then struck by a train. Why did she go back to the car?

Answer: To retrieve her boyfriend's high school ring

Mark Dinning had a number one hit for two weeks on the US pop chart with "Teen Angel" in 1960. It reached number 37 on the UK chart the same year.

The song was written by Mark Dinning's sister Jeannie. It was his only US Top 40 entry. It was also his only entry on the UK chart. He died from a heart attack aged 52 in 1986.
3. In the song "Tell Laura I Love Her", Laura's boyfriend Tommy wanted to buy her a wedding ring. To get the money, he entered a stock car race in which he was killed. How much was the prize money that he was racing for?

Answer: $1000

"Tell Laura I love Her" was a number seven hit on the US pop chart for Ray Peterson in 1960. It did not chart in the UK. A cover version by UK singer Ricky Valance was number one for three weeks on the UK chart in 1960 in spite of being banned by the BBC. It did not chart in the US.

Thousands of Ray Peterson's original version were made but Decca UK decided the song was in bad taste and they were destroyed. EMI were not so squeamish and recorded Ricky Valance's version.
Ray Peterson died of cancer aged 65 in 2005. Ricky Valance was born in 1939.
4. The Everly Brothers sang about a girl nicknamed "Ebony Eyes", who was flying to her boyfriend to get married. They didn't know it but the flight was doomed and he would never see her again. What was the number of the doomed flight?

Answer: 1203

The Everly Brothers had a number eight hit with "Ebony Eyes" on the US pop chart in 1960. It was the B-side of "Walk Right Back" which reached number seven on the US pop chart. It was a double A-side number one for three weeks on the UK chart the same year.

"Walk Right Back" was written by Cricket Sonny Curtis born in 1937 and "Ebony Eyes" was written by John D. Loudermilk born in 1934. Don Everly was born in 1937, Phil Everly was born in 1939.
5. In this song a guy goes to meet his girl. When he gets to the meeting place he finds a note she has left for him. The note tells him that she has been untrue and cannot face him. She dies in the river. With these lyrics can you recall who sang the song and took it to number one? "Last Saturday evenin', came to the old oak tree It stands beside the river, where you were to meet me On the ground your glove I found With a note addressed to me It read "Dear Love, I've done you wrong" "Now I must set you free"

Answer: Pat Boone

Pat Boone had a number one hit for one week on the US pop chart with "Moody River" in 1961. It reached number 18 on the UK chart the same year.

Written and originally recorded by a Dot records label-mate of Pat Boone, Chase Webster. It was also recorded by the other three alternative singers. Johnny Burnette died from drowning after a boating accident aged 30 in 1964, Frank Sinatra died from a heart attack aged 82 in 1998, Johnny Rivers was born in 1942. Pat Boone born in 1934 was the only one that hit the charts with the song.
6. He stood six foot six and weighed 245. He saved 20 men's lives but everybody knew it was the end of the line for him. Who was he?

Answer: Big Bad John

Jimmy Dean had a number one hit for five weeks on the US pop chart with "Big Bad John" in 1961. It reached number two on the UK chart the same year.

Written by Jimmy Dean/Roy Acuff the song is about a man alone who is rumoured to have killed a man over a woman. He is working as a miner when there is a cave in and because of his heroism 20 men escape but he is doomed when the mine collapses on him. Roy Acuff died from heart failure aged 89 in 1992. Jimmy Dean died of natural causes aged 81 in 2010.
7. Who sang these words? "I met him at the candy store. He turned around and smiled at me, you get the picture?".

Answer: The Shangri-Las

The Shangri-Las had a number one hit for one week on the US pop chart with "Leader Of The Pack" in 1964. It reached number 11 on the UK chart in 1965, number three in 1972 and number seven on two different record labels in 1976 spending a total of 44 weeks on the UK chart.

Written by George Morton/Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich, it was banned by the BBC but the ban had been lifted by the time it re-entered the UK chart in 1972. The parents of the girl in the song Betty, tell her that Jimmy her motorcycle riding boyfriend is from the wrong side of town and to end it with him. He rides off on the rain soaked road surface too fast and is killed. George Morton was born in 1940. Jeff Barry was born in 1938. Ellie Greenwich died from a heart attack in 2009. Barry & Greenwich were married at the time this song was written.
8. UK singer Twinkle (I kid you not) also lost her boyfriend when he crashed his motorcycle. Will these lyrics help you find his name and title of the song? "He said to me he wanted to be near to me He said he never wanted to be out of my sight But it's too late to give this boy my love tonight"

Answer: Terry

Twinkle had a number four hit on the UK chart with "Terry" in 1964. It did not chart in the US.

Written by Lynn Ripley (Twinkle) born in 1948. It tells the story of how they had a quarrel and she was unfaithful to him on the night he died on his motorcycle. She asks him to wait at the gate of heaven for her. You can find it on YouTube and one of the comments on there is that, quote "She couldn't carry a tune in a bucket" un quote.
9. Can you remember how many holes there were in Blackburn Lancashire? If you can then you should be able to name the group that made this "Death" record with these lyrics. "He didn't notice that the lights had changed A crowd of people stood and stared They'd seen his face before"

Answer: The Beatles

"A Day In The Life" was the last track on side two of The Beatles album "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band". It was number one for 27 weeks on the UK album chart in 1967. It was number one for 15 weeks on the US Billboard album chart the same year.

Written by Lennon/McCartney as two different songs. The inspiration for John Lennon's part of the song but not what the song is about was the death in a car crash, of Guinness heir Tara Browne. A friend of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, he had crashed his car in London in 1966. The BBC in their wisdom banned the broadcasting of the song for its supposed drug references. Like all the other songs that the BBC banned, the ban probably increased sales. John Lennon was murdered in New York in 1980. Procol Harum, The Tremeloes and The Foundations all had number one hits this year.
10. By now you might feel like Billie Joe McAllister did in the song "Ode To Billie Joe" by Bobby Gentry. Can you name the bridge that he jumped off?

Answer: Tallahatchie (Mississippi)

Bobby Gentry had a number one hit for four weeks on the US pop chart with "Ode To Billie Joe" in 1967. It reached number 13 on the UK chart the same year.

Written by Roberta Lee Streeter (Bobby Gentry) born 1944. The song tells the story of and the indifference to Billie Joe McAllister who with his girlfriend (who may or may not be the singer) threw something off the Tallahatchie bridge, (we know not what but we think we know what it was). Later he throws himself from the bridge and life carries on as normal.
Source: Author shipyardbernie

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor kyleisalive before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
3/29/2024, Copyright 2024 FunTrivia, Inc. - Report an Error / Contact Us