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Costello Elvis Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Costello Elvis Quizzes, Trivia

Elvis Costello Trivia

Elvis Costello Trivia Quizzes

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Elvis Costello
6 Elvis Costello quizzes and 77 Elvis Costello trivia questions.
1.
  Elvis Costello: The Collected Edition   great trivia quiz  
Collection Quiz
 12 Qns
Elvis Costello, real name Declan MacManus, has written some great songs. Pick out the ones he wrote and recorded while ignoring any cover versions or songs by other singers.
Average, 12 Qns, rossian, Jul 19 24
Average
rossian editor
Jul 19 24
201 plays
2.
  Elvis Costello    
Multiple Choice
 20 Qns
This quiz fairly evenly covers his life and music, at least as well as you can do so with twenty questions. This quiz is probably going to be very difficult for all but the most ardent fans.
Tough, 20 Qns, bolan, Dec 18 23
Tough
bolan
Dec 18 23
1227 plays
3.
  Elvis Costello - the man and his music   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Various questions on the English artist best known as Elvis Costello.
Average, 10 Qns, sammie_giga, May 15 08
Average
sammie_giga
581 plays
4.
  "King Of America" and "Blood & Chocolate"    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
1986 was an incredible year for Mr. Costello and saw the release of both "King Of America" and "Blood & Chocolate." A few facts, a bunch of lyrics and a whole lot of love for these two supreme albums.
Average, 10 Qns, themats, Jul 27 05
Average
themats
315 plays
5.
  The Ultimate Elvis Costello Lyrics Quiz    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
I figured that if I was going to write a quiz, I may as well write one about one of the greatest singers/songwriters of all time! So, here it is. All of the questions are Guess The Lyrics unless otherwise specified...Have fun and Good Luck!
Tough, 15 Qns, tanzen, Aug 02 06
Tough
tanzen
634 plays
6.
  Elvis Costello Lyrics Quiz Challenge    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
I give you the first line to an Elvis Costello song and you match it to the song. It's easy! Or is it?
Tough, 10 Qns, bolan, Nov 01 01
Tough
bolan
928 plays
trivia question Quick Question
Elvis Costello covered a song from Charles Aznavour, called "She". It was on the movie track of which film ?

From Quiz "Elvis Costello - the man and his music"





Elvis Costello Trivia Questions

1. What is the real name of Elvis Costello?

From Quiz
Elvis Costello - the man and his music

Answer: Declan MacManus

Elvis Costello was born as Declan Patrick MacManus on August 25 1954.

2. Elvis assumed an alias in the musician credits of "King Of America." Which is it?

From Quiz "King Of America" and "Blood & Chocolate"

Answer: The Little Hands Of Concrete

Not sure what it means, but L.H.C. (The Little Hands Of Concrete) is credited for Elvis. Ironically, the writing credits all go to MacManus (his birth name), and not Elvis.

3. "I thought I was in trouble but I knew I was in Hell."?

From Quiz Elvis Costello Lyrics

Answer: Tokyo Storm Warning

From the "Blood and Chocolate" album, this song was written in collaboration with Cait O'Riordan, Costello's wife and bass player for "The Pogues".

4. Romeo was restless and he was ready to kill...

From Quiz Elvis Costello Lyrics

Answer: Mystery Dance

This song is one of his most popular, appearing on his first album 'My Aim Is True'.

5. Watching the Detectives, Oliver's Army, Every Day I Write the Book, Veronica, Alison, (I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea, Pump it Up, Radio Radio, New Amsterdam, Green Shirt, Accidents Will Happen, This Year's Girl

From Quiz Elvis Costello: The Collected Edition

Answer:

The first album released by Elvis was called 'My Aim is True' in 1977. Three singles were released from it, including 'Alison', but none of them made the charts. Somewhat disheartened, Costello wrote and released 'Watching the Detectives' later in the year and it became a moderate hit, reaching number fifteen on the UK Singles Chart. This song was added to the US release of 'My Aim is True' and is usually included on re-released versions of the album. The second album, 'This Year's Model', sold well reaching number four on the UK Album Charts in 1978. The album introduced the songs '(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea', and 'Pump It Up', released as singles in the UK, selling reasonably well. From the same album, 'This Year's Girl' was a single in the USA only. 'Radio Radio' was also a single from 1978. It was a stand alone song in the UK but was added to 'This Year's Model' for the US album release. 'Oliver's Army' proved a big hit for Elvis, reaching number four on the UK Singles Chart. It appeared on the 1979 album 'Armed Forces' which also included another song issued as a single - 'Accidents Will Happen'. 'Get Happy' was the title of Costello's 1980 album, which included 'New Amsterdam', issued as a single which only scraped into the lower reaches of the charts. Elvis's 1983 album, 'Punch the Clock', gave us the single version of 'Every Day I Write the Book', a chart success in the UK. 'Green Shirt' came out in 1985 while 'Veronica', a touching song about a woman suffering from dementia, featured on the 1989 album 'Spike'. This song was co-written with Paul McCartney who also played guitar on the recording. Among the songs which Costello didn't write is 'I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down', which was the big hit from the 'Get Happy' album. The song was originally a hit for Sam & Dave in 1967 and the B side was 'Girls Talk', written by Costello but a big hit for Dave Edmunds. Another hit song for Elvis was 'A Good Year for the Roses', which reached number six on the UK Singles Chart in 1981. This country song, about a relationship breakdown, was originally recorded by George Jones. Two other cover versions featured on film soundtracks. 'I'll Never Fall in Love Again' was part of the film 'Austin Powers: the Spy Who Shagged Me', released in 1999. Costello appeared in the film performing the song along with Burt Bacharach, who wrote the song with Hal David. Costello's cover of the Charles Aznavour song 'She' was featured in the film 'Notting Hill'. It reached number nineteen on the UK Singles Chart in 1999. Finally, 'Chelsea Morning' has no connection to Elvis Costello at all, other than including the word 'Chelsea'. It was written and recorded by Joni Mitchell in 1969. I was rather surprised to find that many of these songs did not perform that well in the singles charts as they feel so well known. Album sales have been buoyant though. Costello wrote 'The Comedians' for Roy Orbison and performed it with him during Orbison's 'Black and White Night' show, which is well worth watching for the array of talent on display.

6. What band backed up Elvis Costello on his first album, 'My Aim Is True'?

From Quiz Elvis Costello

Answer: Clover

Clover was Huey Lewis's original band. They happened to be around when Costello recorded MAIT during sick days and off time from his day job as a computer operator. Huey Lewis was not a part of the MAIT sessions.

7. "Was it a millionaire who said 'Imagine no possessions?'"?

From Quiz Elvis Costello Lyrics

Answer: The Other Side Of Summer

From the "Mighty Like a Rose" album, a comment in reference to John Lennon's "Imagine". The following line ("A poor little school boy who said 'We don't need no lessons?'"), was a reference to Pink Floyd's "The Wall".

8. She wears her wedding ring, her sister lent to throw them off the scent.. Just let them guess... Throws off their scent...

From Quiz Elvis Costello Lyrics

Answer: Sulky Girl

This is the second single of 1994's 'Brutal Youth', his first album played with the Attractions in about eight years.

9. Who was the drummer for the Attractions?

From Quiz Elvis Costello

Answer: Pete Thomas & Peter Thomas &Thomas

Pete Thomas was the drummer for the Attractions until Costello disbanded the group in 1986. Thomas rejoined the Attractions when they were reformed for 1994's Brutal Youth. The Attractions were ended for the final time after the tour supporting the 1996 album 'All This Useless Beauty'.

10. Which band accompanied Elvis Costello on his debut album?

From Quiz Elvis Costello - the man and his music

Answer: Clover

The musicians featuring on Elvis' first album were members of the band Clover. The Attractions stepped in as of his 2nd album.

11. "You take me to place that I'd never go - I love you more than you know."?

From Quiz Elvis Costello Lyrics

Answer: 15 Petals

From Costello's most recent album, "When I Was Cruel", which was released in 2002.

12. We're all going on a summer holiday, Vigilantes going out to follow me...

From Quiz Elvis Costello Lyrics

Answer: The Beat

This is one of the tracks on the 1978 album 'This Year's Model'.

13. Which album was produced by legendary Nashville producer Billy Sherrill?

From Quiz Elvis Costello

Answer: Almost Blue

'Almost Blue' was recorded in 1981 during a period that had Costello pissed off at the music business in general. His infatuation with Country Music led him to Nashville, where he met Billy Sherrill. Elvis and the Attractions recorded 'Almost Blue' in less than two weeks and scored a minor hit in the UK with 'Good Year For The Roses'.

14. What animals feature on the cover of the UK version of "Armed Forces" - the 3rd album of Elvis Costello?

From Quiz Elvis Costello - the man and his music

Answer: Elephants

One can see a herd of elephants on the cover.

15. Another album, another nom de plume (well, sort of). "Blood & Chocolate" features another alias for the musician credits. Which is it this time?

From Quiz "King Of America" and "Blood & Chocolate"

Answer: Napoleon Dynamite

Another strange accounting of the credits. Napoloen Dynamite is listed as the musician and MacManus writes all the songs except for "I Hope You're Happy Now," which is credited to Costello. Is anyone else confused?

16. "Your mind is made up but your mouth is undone."?

From Quiz Elvis Costello Lyrics

Answer: Accidents Will Happen

From the "Armed Forces" album, which was released in 1979 and the second album released by Costello with his band The Attractions.

17. Bells are chiming into victory, There's a page back in history...

From Quiz Elvis Costello Lyrics

Answer: 45

45 hasn't made it onto an album yet, but was performed on the Tonight Show in celebration of his 45th birthday.

18. How many albums did Nick Lowe produce?

From Quiz Elvis Costello

Answer: 7

Nick Lowe produced Costello's first five studio albums, as well as 'Brutal Youth' and 'Blood and Chocolate'.

19. "Oh no my darling, not with that clown!"?

From Quiz Elvis Costello Lyrics

Answer: I Want You

Also from the "Blood and Chocolate" album. Other songs on this album include "Home is Anywhere You Hang Your Head", "Battered Old Bird" and "Crimes of Paris".

20. 'What is your destiny?' The police woman said...

From Quiz Elvis Costello Lyrics

Answer: 20 Percent Amnesia

This is another song off of the 1994 album 'Brutal Youth'.

21. What band did Elvis Costello's wife Cait O'Riordon play bass in?

From Quiz Elvis Costello

Answer: the pogues& pogues

The Pogues are an Irish band that Elvis Costello produced an early album for. He fell in love with Cait O'Riordon and later married her. She left the band so that she could spend more time with her husband. An interesting fact, Shane MacGowan immortalized Elvis and Cait with a line in Spanish in the song 'Fiesta'.

22. The lyrics "King Of America" and "Blood & Chocolate" can each be found in the opening line of each respective album. Can you name the two opening songs that contain these lyrics?

From Quiz "King Of America" and "Blood & Chocolate"

Answer: "Brilliant Mistake" and "Uncomplicated"

Elvis Costello was born Declan Patrick MacManus in 1954 in London, UK.

23. "Guaranteed, guaranteed to capture your breath, Or just possibly scare you to death"?

From Quiz Elvis Costello Lyrics

Answer: This Offer is Unrepeatable

From "The Juliet Letters" album, which was written and performed in collaboration with the Brodsky Quartet.

24. Which song features horns by Jazz legend Chet Baker?

From Quiz Elvis Costello

Answer: Shipbuilding

Costello met Chet Baker in a jazz club during the recording sessions for the album 'Punch The Clock'. Baker agreed to come in for a session, in which he played the touching trumpet line on 'Shipbuilding'. When asked what he wanted to be paid, he simply said 'Scale'. Costello believes that he about doubled it.

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Last Updated Dec 07 2024 5:45 AM
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