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Quiz about What Did They Just SingMisunderstood Lyrics
Quiz about What Did They Just SingMisunderstood Lyrics

'What Did They Just Sing?'-Misunderstood Lyrics Quiz


No not misheard lyrics but misunderstood lyrics. Here are some lyrics and songs that may have caused at least some confusion when they first crossed the Atlantic. A mixed bag of questions, name the song, name the artist, spot the definition etc, enjoy.

A multiple-choice quiz by mutchisman. Estimated time: 7 mins.
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Author
mutchisman
Time
7 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
267,079
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Difficult
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
4543
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. At the start of The Jam's "The Eton Rifles" Paul Weller sings, "Sup up your beer and collect your fags". What did he mean by 'fags'? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. We Brits didn't really know what a "Homely Girl" was way back in 1974; can you remember who sang it?
Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. "Don't wanna be your monkey wrench
One more indecent accident
I'd rather leave than suffer this
I'll never be your monkey wrench"

So sang The Foo Fighters; which of these would be the British version of a 'monkey wrench'?
Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. The band Squeeze were more popular in the UK than they were in the States, possibly due to their liberal use of London vernacular. One of their big hits "Cool for Cats" contains these lyrics,

"The Sweeney's doing ninety 'cos they've got the word to go,
To get a gang of villains in a shed up at Heathrow"

"The Sweeney" is a rhyming slang reference to a section of the police force, but which particular section are they singing about?
Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. When Californian band Love released their seminal album "Forever Changes" in 1967, there were a good many references which we didn't 'get' in Britain.
One title which I never understood until years later was:

"The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This"

Which of these is a British equivalent of "The Good Humor Man"?
Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. 1977 and music is given a well-deserved kick in the pants by punk-rock. The most infamous of the British bands were The Sex Pistols who deliberately courted controversy with the title of their album "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols". This would probably not raise many eyebrows in America but was considered very offensive in the UK and the title resulted in a famous court case.

Which definition of 'bollocks' was accepted by the judge which allowed for the continued sale of the album?
Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. This is an old chestnut; here are some lyrics from British band Radiohead's "True Love Waits":

"And true love waits
In haunted attics
And true love wins
On lollipops and crisps."

What are crisps usually called across the pond?
Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. I guess the 'pavement versus sidewalk' debate is now fairly well rehearsed but can you remember which Cream song these lyrics come from?

"I can walk down the street, there's no one there
Though the pavements are one huge crowd.
I can drive down the road, my eyes don't see,
Though my mind wants to cry out loud."
Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Several acts including The Carpenters and Andy Williams covered the Neil Sedaka song "Solitaire", a rather sad song about a broken-hearted man who plays cards by himself to pass the time. In Britain solitaire is a not usually a game of cards but a small puzzle played with wooden or plastic pegs.
What do we call card games for one in Britain?
Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. This 1987 record was concerned with a dance style in The States originally known as the Carolina Shag and later was to feature in the 1989 film "Shag" starring Bridget Fonda. Which of these acts recorded the hit "There ain't nothing Like Shaggin'"? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. At the start of The Jam's "The Eton Rifles" Paul Weller sings, "Sup up your beer and collect your fags". What did he mean by 'fags'?

Answer: Cigarettes

Well I guess now we all know what 'fags' means Stateside; a derogatory term for gay men. Not so, though, in Britain, where 'fags' is usually a slang term for cigarettes. It has other meanings also: a fag can mean a junior schoolboy at a fee-paying school who is expected to run errands for older pupils. A faggot is a type of spicy meatball but it can also mean a bundle of sticks.
For the record, "The Eton Rifles" went to number three in the UK in 1979.
2. We Brits didn't really know what a "Homely Girl" was way back in 1974; can you remember who sang it?

Answer: The Chi-Lites

The word 'homely' in Britain usually means something that is welcoming and comfortable but maybe old-fashioned, say like "The Walton's" house. It is not usually used as an adjective for describing a person, most often for buildings and places. We wondered what on Earth The Chi-lites were going on about when they sang "Homely Girl" in 1974, but enough people bought it for it to make number five.

Thanks to "The Simpsons" etc we knew the American meaning of 'homely' (as in unattractive) when UB40 covered it in 1989. The UB40 version didn't do quite so well as the original; it got to number six.
3. "Don't wanna be your monkey wrench One more indecent accident I'd rather leave than suffer this I'll never be your monkey wrench" So sang The Foo Fighters; which of these would be the British version of a 'monkey wrench'?

Answer: An adjustable spanner

The term monkey wrench was originally used on both sides of the Atlantic but fell out of use in Britain, the term adjustable spanner taking its place.
A 'monkey' can be a slang term for £500 and a mischievous child is called a monkey.

"Monkey Wrench" by The Foo Fighters got to number twelve in 1997.
4. The band Squeeze were more popular in the UK than they were in the States, possibly due to their liberal use of London vernacular. One of their big hits "Cool for Cats" contains these lyrics, "The Sweeney's doing ninety 'cos they've got the word to go, To get a gang of villains in a shed up at Heathrow" "The Sweeney" is a rhyming slang reference to a section of the police force, but which particular section are they singing about?

Answer: The Flying Squad

"The Sweeney" is short for "Sweeney Todd" (The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) which rhymes with Flying Squad. This was an elite group of detectives set up to combat organised crime and other heavy duty offenders in London during the 1970's. They were the subject of a popular, if rather violent, TV show starring John Thaw and Dennis Waterman.

"Cool for Cats" was the first UK top-ten hit for Squeeze, in total they had 16 hits during the 70s and 80s. One of their biggest Hit in the USA was "Tempted" which reached number eight in the rock charts (but failed to make the Billboard top hundred) in 1981.
5. When Californian band Love released their seminal album "Forever Changes" in 1967, there were a good many references which we didn't 'get' in Britain. One title which I never understood until years later was: "The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This" Which of these is a British equivalent of "The Good Humor Man"?

Answer: Mr Whippy

The Good Humor men sold ice-creams from the back of trucks in America, using bells to announce their presence. Many similar firms operate in Britain, the most famous of which is probably Mr Whippy.
6. 1977 and music is given a well-deserved kick in the pants by punk-rock. The most infamous of the British bands were The Sex Pistols who deliberately courted controversy with the title of their album "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols". This would probably not raise many eyebrows in America but was considered very offensive in the UK and the title resulted in a famous court case. Which definition of 'bollocks' was accepted by the judge which allowed for the continued sale of the album?

Answer: An archaic term for a priest

Very strange really; I doubt anyone had used the word in that context for hundreds of years but the chairman of the hearing was forced to concede the point:

"Much as my colleagues and I wholeheartedly deplore the vulgar exploitation of the worst instincts of human nature for the purchases of commercial profits by both you and your company, we must reluctantly find you not guilty of each of the four charges."

Anyway, as language is meant to be a constantly-changing and dynamic medium, I guess America can thank Malcolm McClaren et al for enlightening them on some British terms of vulgarity! (Or maybe not.)
7. This is an old chestnut; here are some lyrics from British band Radiohead's "True Love Waits": "And true love waits In haunted attics And true love wins On lollipops and crisps." What are crisps usually called across the pond?

Answer: Potato chips

This can be very confusing; basically thin fried pieces of potatoes are called crisps in Britain, they are normally served cold (in bags). Thicker fried pieces of potato are usually served hot and were always called chips. However with the advent of McDonalds etc, the thinner versions of chips are increasingly now called fries.

What we Brits call crisps are usually called (potato) chips in America, although I understand that crisps is now sometimes used. Confused? so am I, lets leave it there; parsnip crisps anyone?

I doubt Thom York even thought about the controversy when he penned the above lyric.
8. I guess the 'pavement versus sidewalk' debate is now fairly well rehearsed but can you remember which Cream song these lyrics come from? "I can walk down the street, there's no one there Though the pavements are one huge crowd. I can drive down the road, my eyes don't see, Though my mind wants to cry out loud."

Answer: I Feel Free

The first time I heard the word sidewalks was in the Unit 4 Plus 2 song "Concrete and Clay" (number one in Britain on 1965) ; I had to ask my parents what it meant, I rather hoped American kids didn't understand what a pavement was either. I then learnt that Americans drive on the pavement; I was totally confused.

"I Feel Free" reached number eleven for Cream in 1966.
9. Several acts including The Carpenters and Andy Williams covered the Neil Sedaka song "Solitaire", a rather sad song about a broken-hearted man who plays cards by himself to pass the time. In Britain solitaire is a not usually a game of cards but a small puzzle played with wooden or plastic pegs. What do we call card games for one in Britain?

Answer: Patience

The British game of solitaire is very frustrating , the aim is to finish with just one peg left in the centre hole. There are several different varieties of card games called patience (and of course I never cheat!).

"Solitaire" was a number four hit for Andy Williams in 1973, The Carpenters version went to number 32 a couple of years later in 1975.
10. This 1987 record was concerned with a dance style in The States originally known as the Carolina Shag and later was to feature in the 1989 film "Shag" starring Bridget Fonda. Which of these acts recorded the hit "There ain't nothing Like Shaggin'"?

Answer: The Tams

The Tams had previously reached number one in Britain with "Hey Girl, Don't Bother Me". This dance song reached a respectable number 21 in 1987, understandably it didn't get much radio air play in Britain as the song's title was rather open to being misconstrued.

It was left to Austin Powers in 1999 to enlighten the western side of the Atlantic as to what the word usually meant in the UK.
Source: Author mutchisman

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