It's a Musical World Trivia Quiz

Answer: A World Without Love

This was by far the biggest success for Peter Asher and Gordon Waller, though some of their other songs reached the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. Peter is the brother of the actress and presenter Jane Asher, and became a record producer after he stopped performing. Gordon moved to the USA after the pair stopped performing together and founded a music publishing company.

Answer: Gustav Holst

The tune "Thaxted" is adapted from "Jupiter, the bringer of jollity", a movement from Holst's famous orchestral suite, "The Planets". It was first used in connection with the rugby union world cup in 1991 in a version by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and has now been sung by many performers.

Answer: We Are The World

Following the Band Aid hit of the previous year, Harry Belafonte proposed having an American charity song to raise money to combat the famine in Africa. The organisation "USA for Africa" meant "United Support of Artists for Africa". Dozens of stars participated in the recording, including Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Tina Turner, Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross and Cyndi Lauper.

In little over a year the organisation raised over $50 million and it is estimated that the record has raised over $60 million by 2020.

Answer: Aladdin

Sung in the 1992 Disney animation as a duet between Aladdin and Princess Jasmine as they go on a ride on the magic carpet, the song won the Oscar for best original song and is, up to 2020, the only Disney song also to win a Grammy for Song of the Year.

Answer: He's Got the Whole World in his Hands

This song has since been recorded by many singers, one of the best known recordings being by Mahalia Jackson, the "Queen of Gospel", also in 1958. It has been popular for many years in Christian services, especially those aimed at children and young people.

Answer: Mad World

"Mad World" was written by Roland Orzabal who was a founding member of Tears for Fears, though the vocal was sung by the bass player Curt Smith. Although it reached number three in the UK charts and was the group's first major hit, the song's reputation exploded after it featured in "Donnie Darko".

The version by Andrews and Jules was played with minimal accompaniment but struck a chord with many people. Although originally it had not been planned to release it as a single, its popularity influenced the publishers to change their mind.

Answer: From the New World

Composed while Dvorak was working in the USA as director of the National Conservatory of Music of America, the symphony incorporated melodies based on the patterns of music in Native American music and African American music, both of which influenced Dvorak greatly.

The second movement ("Largo"), in particular, has become one of the most popular of all symphonic movements. Its main melody was used by one of Dvorak's pupils, William Arms Fisher, in his song "Goin' Home", one of the most famous renditions of which was the version by Paul Robeson.

Answer: Spice World

The film tells the story of events before a Spice Girls concert together with flashbacks to their earlier lives and a variety of cinematic trick sequences. Released in the UK on Boxing Day 1997 and in the USA on Superbowl weekend in 1998, the film defied very unflattering reviews to post huge box office takings in both countries.

The girls shared the 19th Golden Raspberry award as worst actress but it is unlikely that this affected them given the commercial success of the film.

Answer: Coca Cola

The advertising jingle "I'd like to buy the world a Coke", sung by the Hillside Singers, appeared in an advertisement in 1971. It became so popular that it was rewritten as a pop song and recorded by both the Hillside Singers and the New Seekers. The New Seekers' version reached number one in the UK charts and number 7 in the Billboard Hot 100, while the Hillside Singers achieved number 13 in the Hot 100.

Answer: What a Wonderful World

"What a Wonderful World" was the last hit single of the jazz legend Louis Armstrong. It reached number one in the UK charts in 1967. Though at first it was not a success in the USA, it reached number 32 in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988 after it was in the soundtrack of the film "Good Morning, Vietnam".