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Tom Paxton Trivia Quiz

One of my favourite American artists, Tom Paxton - so I thought I'd write one! I hope you enjoy the quiz as much as I enjoy his music!

A multiple-choice quiz by Quiz_Beagle. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Quiz_Beagle

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
243,819

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
13 / 20

Plays
241

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. "It's a lesson too late for the learning, made of sand". First line of which song? Hint

The Last Thing On My Mind

Circles In The Sand

You Were Always On My Mind

Castles In The Air

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Question 2 of 20

2. Tom Paxton wrote some marvellous children's songs. What colour was "Jennifer's Rabbit"? Hint

Black and white

White

Pink

Brown and white

NEXT>

Question 3 of 20

3. In "Jennifer's Rabbit", how many monkeys from the city zoo joined them? Hint

NEXT>

Question 4 of 20

4. Children from the UK will have heard "The Marvellous Toy" sung by Val Doonican, but it was written by Tom Paxton. Who gave the toy to the singer? Hint

My father

Uncle Fred

My mother

Aunt Maud

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Question 5 of 20

5. Where did Tom Paxton write "The Marvellous Toy"? Hint

Memphis, Tennessee

Abilene, Texas

Fort Dix, New Jersey

New York

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Question 6 of 20

6. We're "Goin' To The Zoo" tomorrow - how long can we stay? Hint

All morning

Half an hour

All night

All day

7. Tom has written some amazing songs about Vietnam. This is a very blackly comic one called "Talking Vietnam Pot-Luck Blues". When the singer first got to Vietnam what did he hardly get to see? Hint

Hanoi

His room

Jane Fonda

Saigon

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Question 8 of 20

8. Where does the "Pot" in "Talking Vietnam Pot-Luck Blues" come from? Hint

Straight from Uncle Ho's victory garden

In parcels from home

Straight from the PX

Straight from Uncle Sam

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Question 9 of 20

9. Another moving song about Vietnam concerns a man trying to wake up his room-mate. What's it called? Hint

Get Up Lazybones

I Hate To Get Up In The Morning

Morning Has Broken

Jimmy Newman

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Question 10 of 20

10. What was Tom Paxton's song written in response to Henry Kissinger getting the Nobel Peace Prize? Hint

I love Fidel Castro

You've Got To Be Kidding, Sweden

The White Bones Of Allende

Henry Who?

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Question 11 of 20

11. This Tom Paxton song about Vietnam shares its name with a Tom Cruise film - what is it? Hint

Born On The Fourth Of July

Coming Home

Rain Man

The Deer Hunter

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Question 12 of 20

12. Which Tom Paxton song is concerned with the discrepancies in women's wages before the ERA? Hint

Jack and Diane

Equal Pay For All

Mary Got A New Job

Gimme The Money

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Question 13 of 20

13. President Jimmy Carter was once photographed panicking over a rabbit 'attacking' him in a boat (Honest!) What Tom Paxton song commemorates this historic event? Hint

Curse Of The Were-Rabbit

Night Of The Lepus

I Don't Want A Bunny Wunny

Attack Of The Killer Rabbits

NEXT>

Question 14 of 20

14. When Russia invaded Afghanistan, the UN did not invade to free Afghanistan. They did take some action though, which prompted which Tom Paxton song? Hint

Get Out, Russia

Be A Sport, Afghanistan

Duck, We're Starting 'Shock and Awe'

Who Cares, There's No Oil In Afghanistan

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Question 15 of 20

15. Enough of the satire. Tom Paxton also wrote some of the most beautiful and tender love songs ever. One is great fun, and written about a little girl. "Take an angel with a devil" is who? Hint

Eileen

Kate

Mary

Bill

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Question 16 of 20

16. A hit for Pete Seeger, this Tom Paxton song is about someone with wanderlust - title? Hint

Travellin' Man

Ramblin' Boy

Walkin' Woman

Go-Around Girl

NEXT>

Question 17 of 20

17. Tom Paxton's "Lady" is what? Hint

A shy, nervous deer

A wild, flying dove

A timid, cowering mouse

A free, swimming dolphin

NEXT>

Question 18 of 20

18. Back to satire - how long is Tom Paxton's song about Spiro Agnew? Hint

2.5 minutes

11 words

3 minutes

Half an hour

NEXT>

Question 19 of 20

19. Ecology and concern for the environment are the latest things, but Tom was singing about them a long time ago - what is his song about ruining the planet? Hint

There Goes The Trees

There Goes The Ozone Layer

There Goes The Dolphin

There Goes The Mountain

NEXT>

Question 20 of 20

20. A group called Rednex had a one-hit wonder in the UK with a remix of an old American folk song. The group was Rednex - and the song title was the same as a Tom Paxton song, but wasn't the same song! What was it? Hint

Cotton-Eyed Joe

Slit-Eyed Jake

Denim-Eyed Sally

Black-Eyed Peas

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. "It's a lesson too late for the learning, made of sand". First line of which song?

Answer: The Last Thing On My Mind

From the sleeve notes to "Ramblin' Boy" - "Sometimes something important slips right through our fingers. We stand and watch it happening but don't have the wrords to stop it and there it goes and that's it".

2. Tom Paxton wrote some marvellous children's songs. What colour was "Jennifer's Rabbit"?

Answer: Brown and white

Unlike "Marvellous Toy" or "Goin' To The Zoo", I didn't come across this song until I was an adult. I still love it, though!

3. In "Jennifer's Rabbit", how many monkeys from the city zoo joined them?

Answer: 17

"...along with a turtle and a kangaroo...and Jennifer too"!

4. Children from the UK will have heard "The Marvellous Toy" sung by Val Doonican, but it was written by Tom Paxton. Who gave the toy to the singer?

Answer: My father

This song used to be played constantly on children's radio when I was growing up, so I grew to hate it! It was, however, the first song that Tom had published, so deserves its place in this quiz...

5. Where did Tom Paxton write "The Marvellous Toy"?

Answer: Fort Dix, New Jersey

Tom Paxton gives lots of biographical information on stage. I think it's fair to say that his time at Fort Dix was not the most enjoyable in his life!

6. We're "Goin' To The Zoo" tomorrow - how long can we stay?

Answer: All day

I bet you could all sing this one right through, couldn't you?

7. Tom has written some amazing songs about Vietnam. This is a very blackly comic one called "Talking Vietnam Pot-Luck Blues". When the singer first got to Vietnam what did he hardly get to see?

Answer: Saigon

I loved this song and can still remember all the words. Don't get stuck next to me at a party!

8. Where does the "Pot" in "Talking Vietnam Pot-Luck Blues" come from?

Answer: Straight from Uncle Ho's victory garden

There are some wonderful lines in this song - I particularly like the "Little chap in black PJs - BF Goodrich sandals".

9. Another moving song about Vietnam concerns a man trying to wake up his room-mate. What's it called?

Answer: Jimmy Newman

This song is about a guy forlornly pleading his (presumably dead) room mate to wake up and get on the planes going home. It's very moving.

10. What was Tom Paxton's song written in response to Henry Kissinger getting the Nobel Peace Prize?

Answer: The White Bones Of Allende

When Henry Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973, Tom Lehrer said "It was at that moment that satire died", but Tom Paxton still squeezed some out of this song.

11. This Tom Paxton song about Vietnam shares its name with a Tom Cruise film - what is it?

Answer: Born On The Fourth Of July

Although "Coming Home" and "The Deer Hunter" are about Vietnam, Tom Cruise is not in them. He is is "Rain Man", but it's not about Vietnam! I don't know if the song and the film are connected - please let me know if you do!

12. Which Tom Paxton song is concerned with the discrepancies in women's wages before the ERA?

Answer: Mary Got A New Job

Tom sings about all sorts of diverse subjects, doesn't he?

13. President Jimmy Carter was once photographed panicking over a rabbit 'attacking' him in a boat (Honest!) What Tom Paxton song commemorates this historic event?

Answer: I Don't Want A Bunny Wunny

From the chorus "I don't wanna Bunny Wunny in my little wow boat, In my little wow boat in the pond, 'Cos that bunny might be cwazy and he'll bite me in the thwoat...." - you couldn't make it up, could you?

14. When Russia invaded Afghanistan, the UN did not invade to free Afghanistan. They did take some action though, which prompted which Tom Paxton song?

Answer: Be A Sport, Afghanistan

An Olympics boycott was proposed, but some people argued it was inappropriate, so Tom Paxton sang that Afghanistan should just "Be A Sport", even though they were in a "War you didn't want and didn't start" because the other countries had already "Ordered some rippin' Olympic ties..."

15. Enough of the satire. Tom Paxton also wrote some of the most beautiful and tender love songs ever. One is great fun, and written about a little girl. "Take an angel with a devil" is who?

Answer: Kate

Great song. I love the bit where he's playing hide and seek and discovers Kate's gone out and forgotten all about him!

16. A hit for Pete Seeger, this Tom Paxton song is about someone with wanderlust - title?

Answer: Ramblin' Boy

This is a sad and lovely song.

17. Tom Paxton's "Lady" is what?

Answer: A wild, flying dove

This was written for his wife, Midge and is one of the most beautiful love songs that I know.

18. Back to satire - how long is Tom Paxton's song about Spiro Agnew?

Answer: 11 words

In its entirety: "I sing of Spiro Agnew, and all the things he's done...."

19. Ecology and concern for the environment are the latest things, but Tom was singing about them a long time ago - what is his song about ruining the planet?

Answer: There Goes The Mountain

Some of you might know it better by James Durst, but it's a Tom Paxton song!

Answer: Cotton-Eyed Joe

Ton Paxton's song is about an old man. Thanks to splashhawk for letting me know it's not the same song.

Source: Author Quiz_Beagle

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