Some 80s Numbers Trivia Quiz

Answer: Jenny

"867-5309/Jenny" was released in late 1981 on Tommy Tutone's second studio album, "Tommy Tutone 2", before becoming a massive pop-rock hit in 1982. The song tells the story of a guy who finds a woman's name and phone number written on a wall ("Jenny, I've got your number...") and builds up the courage to call her.

Behind the scenes, the song's origin story is famously disputed: lead singer Tommy Heath claimed the number belonged to a real girl he knew, while co-writer Alex Call maintained he simply came up with the catchy seven-digit combination out of thin air while sitting in his backyard. Regardless of how it was born, thousands of curious fans across the country started dialing 867-5309 in their local area codes, driving prank-plagued homeowners and businesses to constantly change their phone numbers.

Answer: 99

Released in 1983 on Nena's self-titled debut album, "99 Luftballons" (and its 1984 English version, "99 Red Balloons") became a famous anti-war pop anthem. Written during the Cold War, the song was inspired by guitarist Carlo Karges, who watched a bunch of balloons released in West Berlin and wondered what would happen if they drifted over the Berlin Wall.

The song was about 99 innocent balloons that are spotted floating in the sky, causing paranoid military radar systems to misidentify them as incoming enemy missiles or UFOs. Government leaders and generals respond by launching full-scale airstrikes and declaring war. The conflict rages for 99 years, leaving the entire planet ruined and empty, until the singer finds a single remaining balloon in the ashes. The original German-language track went on to hit number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Answer: Dolly Parton

Written and recorded by Dolly Parton, "9 to 5" was released in late 1980 on her album "9 to 5 and Odd Jobs" and also served as the title theme for the hit 1980 comedy movie "9 to 5", which marked Parton's feature film debut alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. Parton famously wrote the track on set between takes, using her own acrylic fingernails as a washboard-style percussion instrument to tap out the driving, upbeat rhythm.

Beneath that toe-tapping arrangement lies a sharp, empowering working-class anthem about economic inequality and corporate exploitation. The song captures the relentless cycle of working hard just to stay afloat, contrasting the worker's sweat and hustle with a system designed to keep them down and line the boss's pockets. As Parton stated in the song, "it's a rich man's game no matter what they call it."

Answer: Hearts

Written by Phil Collins and legendary Motown songwriter Lamont Dozier, "Two Hearts" was released in late 1988 on the soundtrack for the crime comedy film "Buster", in which Collins also starred as the lead character, Buster Edwards (a former train robber).

Musically and lyrically, the song is an upbeat homage to 1960s Motown soul, heavily influenced by Dozier's signature production style (famous for his work with The Supremes and The Four Tops). The song is an optimistic anthem about unbreakable love, perseverance, and the idea that two people united as one can overcome any distance, hardship, or obstacle.

Answer: 1999

Written, arranged, produced, and performed by Prince, the song "1999" was released in September 1982 as the title track and lead single from his breakthrough double album "1999". Set against the backdrop of 1980s nuclear paranoia, apocalyptic dread, and the unknown new millennium, "1999" flips all that fear on its head.

In an interview with Larry King, Prince reflected on his motivation behind the track. He said, "I found it ironic that people were dreading those days...I knew there were going to be rough times for the planet. I wanted to write something that gave hope." In the song, Prince suggested throwing the ultimate party, dancing through the chaos, and celebrating life until the very end.

Answer: The Proclaimers

Released in 1988 as the lead single from The Proclaimers' album "Sunshine on Leith", "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" was written by Scottish twin brothers Craig and Charlie Reid. Although it was an immediate hit in the UK and Australia upon release, the song experienced a massive second life in 1993 when it featured prominently in the romantic comedy film "Benny & Joon", taking it to number three on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The story is simple yet striking: the narrator promises to walk 500 miles, and then 500 more, just to fall down at their lover's door. Beyond the famous walking metaphor, the verses name some day-to-day realities such as working hard for a living, saving money, getting drunk, and coming home, and all sung in those delightful Scottish accents.

Answer: True

Released in 1983 as the lead single from The Fixx's second studio album, "Reach the Beach", "One Thing Leads to Another" became the British band's biggest hit in the United States, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.

Despite its upbeat groovy sound, the song carries a sharp political and social commentary. Lead singer Cy Curnin says he wrote the lyrics about dishonest politicians, corporate deception, and the domino effect of misinformed decisions. It warns how small lies, empty promises, and hidden agendas can rapidly spiral out of control, creating larger societal crises. Curnin used lines like "the bigger the lie, the more they believe" and "the more that you give, the less you receive".

Answer: Psalms

Released in 1983 as the closing track on U2's third studio album, "War", "40" was written by the band and recorded at the very end of their album sessions in a burst of late-night inspiration. The band was reaching the end of their studio time in Dublin and needed one final track to complete the record. With bassist Adam Clayton having already left for the night, guitarist The Edge stepped in to play both bass and guitar. Bono quickly drafted the lyrics by pulling directly from Psalm 40 in the Old Testament, completing the song's vocals in roughly ten minutes.

"40" functions as a spiritual, reflective prayer of hope, patience, and deliverance following the intense, politically charged tracks that make up the rest of the album (such as "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day"). The song opens with an expression of waiting on divine intervention during hard times, moving from despair toward a place of gratitude and a "new song". The central chorus asks how long it will take for peace and understanding to prevail.

Answer: Skid Row

Written by guitarist Dave "The Snake" Sabo and bassist Rachel Bolan, Skid Row's song "18 and Life" was released in June of 1989 and became their breakout ballad. Sabo said he was inspired to write the song after reading a newspaper article about an 18-year-old named Ricky who was sentenced to life in prison after accidentally shooting his friend. Sabo felt a personal connection to the story, drawing on his own memories of growing up in a working-class town where young people often felt trapped by limited opportunities.

The song tells the story of Ricky, a young man raised in a tough environment who succumbs to booze, anger, and bad influences. In a tragic moment of carelessness with a firearm, he accidentally kills a friend, resulting in an 18-year-to-life prison sentence.

Answer: John Lennon

"Edge of Seventeen" was from the debut solo studio album of Stevie Nicks, "Bella Donna", which was released on July 27, 1981. Nicks said she was in Australia in 1980 when she got word of John Lennon's tragic death. It was still on her mind when she returned to Phoenix and learned her beloved uncle was dying. She said the white-winged dove was for John Lennon as the dove of peace, and for her uncle it was the white-winged dove who lives in the saguaro cactus.

Nicks came up with the title when she asked Tom Petty's wife Jane when the couple met. Jane said, "At the age of seventeen", but she had a very strong southern accent and Nicks thought she said "the edge of seventeen", which made a great song title.