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Quiz about The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down by The Band
Quiz about The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down by The Band

"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" by The Band Quiz


This heart-wrenching song brings to life the effects of the Civil War on the people of the southern United States. Questions in this quiz regarding lyrics are based on the original lyrics by The Band.

A multiple-choice quiz by spiritseeker. Estimated time: 3 mins.
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Author
spiritseeker
Time
3 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
267,890
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
2466
Awards
Top 10% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 24 (9/10), Guest 207 (10/10), Guest 76 (8/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. What train did Virgil serve on? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Who tore up the tracks? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. By May tenth, what had happened to Richmond? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Complete these lyrics. "Now I don't mind choppin' wood, and I don't care..." Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. How old was Virgil's brother when he died? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. How did Virgil's brother die? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Find the word that's missing from the this line: "I swear by the _ below my feet, You can't raise a Caine back up when he's in defeat." Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Which member of The Band wrote the lyrics? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. What nationality is the writer of this song? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Which of the following singers or bands had a major hit with "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" in 1971? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 13 2024 : Guest 24: 9/10
Mar 06 2024 : Guest 207: 10/10
Feb 29 2024 : Guest 76: 8/10
Feb 17 2024 : Guest 174: 9/10
Jan 30 2024 : Guest 195: 10/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What train did Virgil serve on?

Answer: the Danville train

The Danville was a supply train on the Richmond and Danville Railroad, which was the main supply route into Petersburg. General Lee's army was stationed in Petersburg to protect Richmond.
2. Who tore up the tracks?

Answer: Stoneman's cavalry

General Stoneman's cavalry looted and destroyed tons of supplies, as well as miles of railroad tracks. The words "so much cavalry" were sung by Joan Baez instead of the correct words, which were "Stoneman's cavalry".
3. By May tenth, what had happened to Richmond?

Answer: it had fallen

"By May the tenth, Richmond had fell, it's a time I remember, oh so well,"

May tenth was not literally the date that Richmond fell. The town was abandoned by Confederates on April second and it was occupied by the Union Army on April third. However, there are many reasons why May tenth was significant, and therefore why that date may have been chosen for the lyrics. Former Confederate President Jefferson Davis was captured on May tenth, near Irwinville, Georgia. President Andrew Johnson announced on May tenth that armed resistance in the southern states was over. Various Confederate forces surrendered from April third until May tenth.
4. Complete these lyrics. "Now I don't mind choppin' wood, and I don't care..."

Answer: if the money's no good

One interpretation of this line is that the money was no good because the wages were very poor. Another interpretation is that the money was no good because Confederate dollars were worthless.
5. How old was Virgil's brother when he died?

Answer: eighteen

During the Civil War, men from seventeen to fifty years of age were eligible to serve in the army. The Confederate Congress changed the law in 1864.
6. How did Virgil's brother die?

Answer: a Yankee laid him in his grave

The answer can be found in the verse:
"He was just eighteen, proud and brave, but a Yankee laid him in his grave."
Starvation, although not the answer to the question, was a real possibility, as shown in the lyrics "in the winter of '65, we were hungry - just barely alive."
Lee's troops were starving during the last part of the seige, which last from June 1864 until April 1865.
7. Find the word that's missing from the this line: "I swear by the _ below my feet, You can't raise a Caine back up when he's in defeat."

Answer: mud

Although many people, including myself, thought the word in the lyrics was "blood", which would have fit quite well, the original word in the lyrics was "mud". The "mud" vs. "blood" question has created a lot of debate over the years. See Peter Viney's article on The Band's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", and his references to the debate in the guestbook on The Band's website, to learn more.

Unfortunately, The Band's guestbook was closed down in 2003, so Peter Viney's research is the easiest way to access the debate.
8. Which member of The Band wrote the lyrics?

Answer: Robbie Robertson

It took Robbie Robertson eight months to write the lyrics to "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". The idea came to him when he was visiting the southern United States, and he heard old men saying, "One day the South will rise again."
9. What nationality is the writer of this song?

Answer: Canadian

Robbie Robertson is half Mohawk Indian and half Jewish-Canadian.
10. Which of the following singers or bands had a major hit with "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" in 1971?

Answer: Joan Baez

"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" was her biggest hit.
Joan Baez changed the original lyrics in a number of ways. I'll give you two of the places where she changed the lyrics. She sang, "Virgil Caine is my name" instead of "Virgil Caine is the name". Also,she sang, "I took the train to Richmond that fell" instead of "By May the tenth, Richmond had fell,".
Joan Baez later revealed that she had learned the song by listening to the recording by The Band, but that she'd never seen the written lyrics until after she'd recorded the song. Therefore, there are parts of the song that Joan Baez misheard and then incorporated into her recording. In her concerts in later years, Joan Baez sang the correct lyrics.
Source: Author spiritseeker

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