Songs from the 1890s That I Like Quiz

Answer: Show Boat

"After the Ball" was written by Charles K. Harris as a waltz. The song was used in "Show Boat," as the show takes place in the 1890s. The song tells the story of a man who didn't marry his sweetheart because he saw her kiss another guy. After the woman dies, the man learns the other man was just her brother.

Answer: Daisy Bell

"Daisy Bell" is also known as "Bicycle Built for Two." Harry Dacre wrote it. One of the earliest examples of computers speaking was in 1961 when the IBM 704 was programmed to sing this song. Nat King Cole did the most famous recording of the song in 1961.

Answer: Jerusalem

"The Holy City" was written by Michael Maybrick (using the name Stephen Adams) and Frederic Weatherly. According to copyright scholar Adrian Johns, the song was the most stolen long before the internet was invented. Many artists have recorded it, including Michael Crawford, Charlotte Church, and Mahalia Jackson.

Answer: cat

"The Cat Came Back" was written by Harry S. Miller in 1893. The song tells about Mr. Johnson, who had a cat he didn't want. However, no matter what he tries to do to get rid of the cat, it keeps coming back. It is a comical song.

Answer: Dinah

"I've Been Working on the Railroad" is an American folk song from 1894 whose author remains anonymous. The first verse discusses working on the railroad "all the live long day." The second verse asks Dinah, "Won't you blow your horn?" The final verse says, "Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah, strumming on the old banjo." Then it ends with the sound of the banjo, "And singing fee, fie, diddle-e-i-o."

Answer: The Sidewalks of New York

Charles B. Lawlor and James W. Blake wrote "The Sidewalks of New York. It was an instant hit. Everyone from Mel Tormé to The Grateful Dead has performed it.

Answer: purple

Katharine Lee Bates wrote the lyrics to "America the Beautiful" as a poem called "Pikes Peak." Samuel A. Ward took the poem and wrote the music to it, calling it "America the Beautiful."

Answer: I Surrender All

The lyrics to "I Surrender All" were written by Judson W. Van DeVenter, an artist and musician. Winfield S. Weeden added the music. Van DeVenter said the inspiration came while trying to decide between art and music, and finally decided, "I surrender all."

Answer: My Sun

"O Sole Mio" is a Neapolitan song by Giovanni Capurro, Eduardo di Capua, and Alfredo Mazzucchi. It can also be translated as "my sunshine." Many artists, including Enrico Caruso, Andrea Bocelli, and Mario Lanza, have covered it. Luciano Pavarotti won a Grammy Award for Best Classic Vocal Performance for his recording of the song.

Answer: tremble

Most likely, "Were You There?" was written by enslaved people. It was the first spiritual to be included in an American hymnal. It could very well not just be a hymn but a coded message to the enslaved people, and most, if not all, spiritual songs were.