Songs of the Sea(Food)! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Divine Comedy

"A Seafood Song" appears on the third album by Divine Comedy called "Promenade", released in 1994. The album covers two lovers on a day out at the seaside, with water and sea life as recurring themes.

"A Seafood Song" is an upbeat, humorous tune that is a conversation between the couple who both express their appreciation for various types of seafood. The song is most famous for its long, rapid-fire list at the end, where lead singer Neil Hannon recites a long list of edible seafood. This includes things like "Crabs, cod, clams and kippers, Scampi, squid, sole, shark and scallop..." and more. The performance is over-the-top and theatrical.

Answer: Weezer

"Keep Fishin'" was released as the second single from Weezer's fourth studio album, "Maladroit", in 2002. It is known for its memorable music video featuring The Muppets. The title and chorus line of the song, "Keep fishin' if you feel it's true", is widely interpreted as a pun on the common saying, "There are plenty of fish in the sea".

The song's music video featured The Muppets. The band members were part of the show's backstage antics. Miss Piggy took a liking to drummer Patrick Wilson and tied him up as her "love slave", forcing the rest of the band to go onstage without him. The iconic Muppet drummer, Animal, filled in for Wilson. It was a big hit on MTV and helped boost the ratings of the song.

Answer: The B-52s

"Rock Lobster" is the signature song by the new wave band The B-52s. It was the band's debut single, first released in 1978, and became a global cult classic. The lyrics describe a beach party where people encounter a "rock lobster". The song features Fred Schneider's unique speak-sing style, along with high-pitched "fish noises" and wailing background vocals. Towards the end, Schneider lists various real and imagined sea creatures like a "dogfish chased by a catfish".

The song is rumored to have inspired John Lennon to end his five-year musical hiatus and return to the studio with Yoko Ono. It has also appeared in numerous movies and TV shows.

Answer: Hank Williams

"Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" is one of the most famous songs by country music singer and songwriter Hank Williams. Released in July 1952, it became a massive success, spending fourteen non-consecutive weeks at number one on the U.S. country charts and also crossing over to the pop charts. The song is about a journey down the bayou in a small boat to a party at the home of the narrator's girlfriend, Yvonne.

The song's melody is based on a traditional Cajun French song called "Grand Texas". Williams adapted the tune to celebrate Cajun culture and food in the Louisiana bayou. The chorus famously mentions staples of Cajun cooking such as "Jambalaya, crawfish pie, and filé gumbo". Over the years, the song has been covered by a vast array of artists, including Jo Stafford, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Carpenters, George Jones, and Emmylou Harris.

Answer: Muddy Waters

The song "Catfish Blues" is a Delta blues song that was popularized by blues musician Muddy Waters. The earliest known recording of "Catfish Blues" was by Delta blues musician Robert Petway in 1941. In 1950, Muddy Waters took this song (which was one of his favorites) and made it his own, calling it "Rollin' Stone". He kept most of the lyrics, though, including "Well, I wish I was a catfish swimmin' in a oh, deep, blue sea".

The British rock band The Rolling Stones famously took their name from this Muddy Waters' song, underscoring the song's lasting influence on rock and roll. Jimi Hendrix often performed a cover of "Catfish Blues" as an homage to Muddy Waters. The song has also been covered by countless other artists, including John Lee Hooker and B.B. King.

Answer: The Beatles

"Octopus's Garden" is a whimsical song by The Beatles, featured on their 1969 album, "Abbey Road". It is one of only two songs entirely written and sung by the band's drummer, Ringo Starr. He composed it after he temporarily quit the band due to mounting tensions and left for a vacation. After a chat with a boat captain, he came up with the song.

The song is about a peaceful, hidden, and safe place under the sea where people are "resting our head on the sea bed In an octopus's garden near a cave". The backing vocals during the solo were processed to create a gurgling, underwater sound, and Ringo himself created the sound of bubbles by blowing through a straw into a glass of milk.

Answer: Barnes and Barnes

The song "Fish Heads" is a comedy rock song by the duo Barnes & Barnes, released as a single in 1978 and later featured on their 1980 album "Voobaha". The song is a take on a boring existence and consumption of fish heads. The repetitive, high-pitched chorus is memorable: "Fish heads, fish heads, Roly poly fish heads, Fish heads, fish heads, Eat 'em up, yum!"

The song then goes on to describe various things that fish heads cannot do, such as play baseball or wear sweaters. The low-budget and bizarre music video was a major factor in the song's success and popularity. It was notably directed by and starred a then-unknown actor and friend of the band, Bill Paxton. The video was played on early MTV and was repeatedly shown on "Saturday Night Live" in the early 1980s.

Answer: The Andrews Sisters

"Hold Tight, Hold Tight (Want Some Seafood Mama)", commonly referred to as just "Hold Tight", is a well-known swing-era song first recorded in 1938. It is also infamous for a series of legal disputes over authorship and suggestive lyrics. The song was first recorded by jazz artist Sidney Bechet's orchestra in 1938 and then was a major hit in 1938 with The Andrews Sisters. This was followed by a version done by Fats Waller in 1939.

The lyrics, such as "Want some seafood mama, shrimpers and rice, they're very nice" suggested that the "seafood mama" was a woman who provided sexual favors as this was a slang term used in Harlem in the early 1930s. The suggestive nature of the song led to it being banned by some radio stations. Also, several lawsuits around copyright ownership occurred over the years.

Answer: Jimmy Buffett

The acoustic ballad "Oysters and Pearls" appears as the closing track on Buffett's 1999 album, "Beach House on the Moon". The song uses the metaphor of oysters potentially becoming pearls to explore ideas about life, taking chances, and human potential. It's summed up in the lyrics "this place we call the world where most live as oysters while some become pearls".

The lyrics mention two specific historical figures whom Buffett considered "pearls" and these are Charles Lindbergh and Elvis Presley. The song is considered one of Buffett's "deeper cuts" and a favorite among dedicated fans.

Answer: Elvis Presley

The song "Crawfish" is a blues-infused track performed by Elvis Presley as a duet with jazz singer Kitty White for the soundtrack of his 1958 film, "King Creole". It blends blues, jazz, and rock 'n' roll. The lyrics describe catching and preparing crawfish in the Louisiana bayou such as "Now take mister crawfish in your hand / He's gonna look good in your fryin' pan".

In the film, the song serves as the opening number where Elvis' character sings the song from a second-story balcony in the French Quarter, interacting with Kitty White on the street below. While never released as a single in the United States, the song is a favorite among dedicated fans for its unique New Orleans flavor.