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Whistle the Night Away Trivia Quiz

What do you do when you can't whistle? Listen to someone who can! Take a quiz on some of the most popular songs that incorporate whistling in their melodies to get you up and dancing.

A multiple-choice quiz by Seltaeb42. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
Seltaeb42

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
365,218

Updated
Dec 16 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
297

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The Piano Man himself, Billy Joel, has written some of the best piano pieces around today. According to Mr. Joel, what is one of the incidents that inspired the song, "The Stranger" (1977)? Hint

Going to a Hat Shop

A Case of Mistaken Identity

Skiing in Alaska

A Suicide Attempt

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Question 2 of 10

2. It's a well known fact that the Beatles started out playing clubs in Hamburg, Germany before they became popular. Which close friend from Hamburg did John Lennon have playing bass on "Jealous Guy" (1971)? Hint

Peter Schilling

Astrid Kichherr

Klaus Voorman

Ludwig Van Beethoven

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Question 3 of 10

3. Most people know that Otis Redding's "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" (1967) was the first posthumous number one hit in America, but where did this song chart in the U.K? Hint

It got to number one, as well.

It only got to number eleven

It didn't chart

It got to number three.

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Question 4 of 10

4. Who made Beatles history by being the first recognizable female voice on a Beatles' track by singing the words, "But when he looked so fierce," in the song "Bungalow Bill" (1968)? Hint

Pattie Boyd

Maureen Tigrett

Linda Louise

Yoko Ono

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Question 5 of 10

5. A more recent tune, "I Got You" (2013) was released prior to Jack Johnson's album "From Here to Now to You". What other song off of this album was also released before the official debut of Jack's sixth studio album? Hint

Never Fade

Shot Reverse Shot

Radiate

Ones and Zeros

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Question 6 of 10

6. Why in the world did the BBC refuse to play Paul Simon's "Me And Julio Down by the School Yard" (1972) when it was first released?
Hint

They though the whistling was annoying.

Sexual meaning in the lyrics

References to the American magazine "Newsweek"

It wasn't good enough

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which presidential candidate used the phrase "Don't Worry, Be Happy" in his 1988 presidential campaign, but stopped after the composer Bobby McFerrin objected to it?
Hint

George H. W. Bush

David E. Duke

Micheal Dukakis

Bob Dole

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Question 8 of 10

8. Sung in "The Life of Brian", Eric Idle (the lead crucifee) both sang and wrote "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" (1974). True or false?

True

False

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Question 9 of 10

9. Although commonly associated with the Vietnam War, what war is "Billy Don't Be a Hero" (1977) really referring to? Hint

The Revolutionary War

The American Civil War

World War I

World War II

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Question 10 of 10

10. Adding to his list of cover songs, James Taylor covered a song in 1997 originally written by Fred E. Alhert and Roy Turk. What is this song?
Hint

Walkin' My Baby Back Home

You've Got a Friend

Everyday

How Sweet it Is

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The Piano Man himself, Billy Joel, has written some of the best piano pieces around today. According to Mr. Joel, what is one of the incidents that inspired the song, "The Stranger" (1977)?

Answer: A Suicide Attempt

Joel attempted to take his own life by drinking furniture polish at the age of 21. Other songs about this particular incident are "Tomorrow is Today" (1971) and "You're Only Human (Second Wind)" (1985) "The Stranger" is the title track of an album released in 1977 and did not chart in either the U.S or the U.K.

Answer: Klaus Voorman

Klaus Voorman also designed the cover for the Beatles' album "Revolver." Klaus' girlfriend, Astrid Kichherr, became famous for photographing the Beatles in their early days and went as far as to date former bassist of the band, Stewart Sutcliff.

3. Most people know that Otis Redding's "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" (1967) was the first posthumous number one hit in America, but where did this song chart in the U.K?

Answer: It got to number three.

Probably known to contain one of the best whistling parts in any song, "The Dock of the Bay" was actually supposed to have another verse. Redding planned to return to Memphis after a concert in Wisconsin and write in the missing verse, but died before he had the chance.

When Steve Cropper produced and released this song after Redding's death, he left the whistling in, thinking it fit the mood of the song perfectly.

4. Who made Beatles history by being the first recognizable female voice on a Beatles' track by singing the words, "But when he looked so fierce," in the song "Bungalow Bill" (1968)?

Answer: Yoko Ono

Although Ringo's wife Maureen sang harmony, her voice is not distinguishable amongst the many other voices in the chorus. In fact, due to the overnight recording session used to finish this song, everyone in the studio was invited to help sing the chorus.

Answer: Radiate

"Radiate" was on the official Jack Johnson website a few days before the album was released. Jack is probably best known for writing the soundtrack to "Curious George", but was also a professional surfer.

6. Why in the world did the BBC refuse to play Paul Simon's "Me And Julio Down by the School Yard" (1972) when it was first released?

Answer: References to the American magazine "Newsweek"

As also seen with Paul Simon's "Kodachrome" (1973), the BBC didn't play songs with products in the lyrics. They felt as if they were freely endorsing the product by playing such songs.

7. Which presidential candidate used the phrase "Don't Worry, Be Happy" in his 1988 presidential campaign, but stopped after the composer Bobby McFerrin objected to it?

Answer: George H. W. Bush

After seeing a poster of Meher Baba with the phrase "Don't Worry, Be Happy," Bobby thought it was "...a pretty neat philosophy in four words" and wrote an a cappella song off of it.

8. Sung in "The Life of Brian", Eric Idle (the lead crucifee) both sang and wrote "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" (1974). True or false?

Answer: True

In 1997, Art Garfunkel remade this song for the movie "As Good as it Gets" (1997) It can be heard in during the end credits of the movie.

9. Although commonly associated with the Vietnam War, what war is "Billy Don't Be a Hero" (1977) really referring to?

Answer: The American Civil War

Reference to "the Soldier Blues" (Union forces) in the lyrics and the fact that Paper Lace performs this song wearing Union uniforms tells us that this song is not about the Vietnam War despite the time period it was released in.

10. Adding to his list of cover songs, James Taylor covered a song in 1997 originally written by Fred E. Alhert and Roy Turk. What is this song?

Answer: Walkin' My Baby Back Home

Although there have been many covers of this song, Nat King Cole's 1952 version and James Taylor's 1997 version are by far the most popular.

Source: Author Seltaeb42

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