A Mix of Musical Genres Trivia

1. Ray Charles popularized "Georgia on My Mind," but who wrote the music and was also the first to record it?

From Quiz Song by Song: "Georgia on My Mind"

Answer: Hoagy Carmichael

Although Ray Charles popularized the song, the music was written by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics by Stuart Gorrell. A Tin Pan Alley songwriter, Carmichael was born in 1899 in Bloomington, Indiana. He was an early adapter of modern technology and among the first songwriters of his generation to utilize microphones and sound recordings. On September 15, 1930, he recorded "Georgia on My Mind" in New York City accompanied by jazz cornetist Bix Beiderbecke.

From Quiz A Musical Miscellany

Answer: Animals

Released when punk was big in the U.K, "Animals" is replete with punkish style and attitude, most noticeably in the guitar sounds of David Gilmour. Nevertheless, it's trademark Floyd for the most part and the almost Orwellian use of sheep, pigs, and dogs as a concept is fascinating.

From Quiz Music Genres from A to Z

Answer: A capella

A capella is from an Italian term meaning "in the manner of a choir or chapel", and first appeared around 1875, i.e., the singer or group sings without music or unaccompanied. The oldest a capella group in the United States are the Whiffenpoofs, undergraduates from Yale who combine their voices to sing "The Whiffenpoof Song", i.e., "We're poor little lambs who have lost our way". Other groups known for this style of singing include Rockapella, Home Free, the University of Wisconsin group called Fundamentally Sound and Straight No Chaser ("Let It Go").

From Quiz Musical Miscellany down Memory Lane

Answer: The Cavern Club

The Cavern Club remains one of the UK's most popular musical tourist attractions. Due to railway construction work, it was demolished and later rebuilt close to its original site. Great care was taken to retain the appearance of the original building as far as possible, even re-using many of the bricks.

From Quiz Music - A Full Circle Quiz

Answer: Joe Tex

Joe Tex recorded and released the song in 1977, his last of nine Top 40 pop hits.

From Quiz Questions Across The Genres!

Answer: Howlin' Wolf

'Killing Floor' has lyrics very similar to that of 'I could of quit you' by Led Zeppelin. However, 'Killing Floor' was written before Led Zeppelin's song. 'Killing Floor' by Howlin' Wolf can be found on 'The Roots Of Led Zeppelin' CD!

From Quiz Random Music History

Answer: The Yardbirds

The Yardbirds cycled through various guitarists in their their time, going through three of the greatest guitarists ever; Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. Jimmy Page also played bass for them.

From Quiz Rock Genres

Answer: The Cramps

An underground New York band, famous for their monster movie look, legendary performances, and songs such as 'I Was A Teenage Wwrewolf.'

From Quiz Mixed Music

Answer: Chicks Dig It

The song was sung by Chris Cagle.

From Quiz Totally Random Music, Part 4

Answer: Mrs. Robinson

"Scarborough Fair" and "The Sound Of Silence" had appeared on previous albums, and "Feelin' Groovy" isn't used in the movie. "Mrs. Robinson" was originally to be "Mrs. Roosevelt", but it was changed for the film. By the way, in his original review, film critic Roger Ebert wrote that the songs of Simon and Garfunkel used in this film were "instantly forgettable."

From Quiz Totally Random Music, Part 3

Answer: Starland Vocal Band

History has of course proven the Grammys correct, as long as you ignore the fact that Boston's debut album has sold more copies than any other debut in history, and that the Starland Vocal Band's second album, "Rear View Mirror", flopped and led to the band's demise. But hey, they got a couple Grammys out of it, right?

From Quiz Totally Random Music, Part 1

Answer: Vincent Van Gogh

The 19th century artist was famous for his tortured life, as well as his beautiful paintings. His painting "Starry Night" is the inspiration for the first line of the song, "Starry starry night." Van Gogh committed suicide in 1890.

From Quiz Music From 50s To Today

Answer: Carl Perkins

Johnny Cash came up with the idea of the song. While Eddie Cochran and Buddy Holly did sing versions of the song, Carl Perkins was the one who wrote and was first to sing the song.

From Quiz General Pop Music

Answer: Bush, 'Sixteen Stone'

'Sixteen Stone' is a great cd by Bush, and I just never connected with any of their other stuff.

From Quiz A Grab Bag of My Favourite Music

Answer: Danse Macabre

I really enjoyed this piece when I was first introduced to it as a teenager. That may have been because of my spooky adolescence, but I'm thankful because it was the first piece of classical music that I was introduced to and really enjoyed. "Danse Macabre, Op. 40" started out as a vocal song by the French poet poet Henri Cazalis. In 1874, French composer Camille Saint-Saëns reworked the original into an orchestral piece where the voice was replaced by a violin. The work is based on old folklore that spoke about how the Devil arrived on the night before Halloween. He would play his fiddle for all of the souls in the graveyard and make them dance until sunup the next day. "Danse Macabre" starts off with a harp plucking a single string twelve times to represent the arrival of midnight. After the arrival of midnight, the violin (the Devil's fiddle from folklore) plays music that the skeletons are expected to use to dance. Saint-Saëns used a lot of xylophone in the piece to represent the rattling of bones. The oboe eventually makes a significant appearance as it plays the part of the rooster crowing at dawn. The music is then supposed to represent the skeletons returning to their graves for another year.

From Quiz Music 101

Answer: 1994

'Dookie' has 14 tracks, but contains a secret track, 'All By Myself'

From Quiz Song by Song: "Georgia on My Mind"

Answer: sweet

The song is written vaguely enough that it's unclear whether it's about a woman or the state, and it can be sung with equal tenderness for both. But in his autobiography "Sometimes I Wonder," Hoagy Carmichael wrote that he got the idea for the song from Frankie Trumbauer, a saxophonist who told him he should write a song about the state of Georgia.

From Quiz A Musical Miscellany

Answer: In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning

Where would we be without the glorious Capitol recordings of Sinatra? One masterpiece after another and "In The Wee Small Hours", released in 1955, is a man's desperate search for answers to love gone wrong, love gone unrequited but mainly love just gone. To be played constantly, whether you've just broken up with your partner or not. Expect to shed tears in both cases. Legendary stuff from the legend to beat all legends. If you know the Frank Sinatra story, you'll know he's singing every song on this album for the great, lost love of his life, Ava Gardner, who had been his second wife and who he still loved intensely after their divorce and forever more.

From Quiz Song, You Send Me

Answer: The Way We Were

"The Way We Were" was a 1973 film starring Barbra Streisand (born 1942) and Robert Redford, featuring the hauntingly beautiful theme song, "The Way We Were", composed by Marvin Hamlisch. It won an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy Award in 74' and 75'. It was a number one single for mezzo soprano Streisand, and remained her signature song for over four decades. It was certified Platinum in 1997 for sales of over one million copies. Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, and Gladys Knight and the Pips sang cover interpretations. Streisand was honored for the song with a 2007 Grammy Hall of Fame Award. A 2016 book by Neal Gabler claims that back in 1973 Streisand had a massive crush on Redford. That seems unlikely, eh? "Can it be that it was all so simple then? Or has time re-written every line? If we had the chance to do it all again Tell me, would we? Could we?"

From Quiz Musical Miscellany down Memory Lane

Answer: Loretta Lynn

Born on 14 April 1934 in Kentucky, Loretta Lynn was indeed the daughter of a coal miner. She had an impoverished early childhood and married at the age of 13, having six children with her husband of nearly 50 years, who died in 1996. She came from a large family of eight children, her youngest sister being the singer Crystal Gayle. Her autobiographical song entitled 'A Coal Miner's Daughter' (1969) was her most famous song and formed the basis for her 1976 autobiography and subsequently the 1980 film, which won Sissy Spacek an Academy Award for the Best Actress in a Leading Role. Loretta Lynn was still performing well into the 21st Century.

From Quiz Music - A Full Circle Quiz

Answer: Jimmy Castor Bunch

Little remembered Castor recorded three Top 40 hits including the solo instrumental "Hey Leroy, Your Mama's Calling You" in 1967 and "Troglodyte (Cave Man)", which hit the top ten in 1972.

From Quiz All Genres of Music

Answer: Promises, Promises

This was the only other song that I remember and there was a video for it: "She's a Beauty"- The Tubes "Doctor, Doctor"- The Thompson Twins "Sunglasses at Night"- Corey Hart "Promises, Promises" - Artist: Naked Eyes Album: "The Very Best Of Naked Eyes"

From Quiz Questions Across The Genres!

Answer: Michael Peter Balzary

Michael Peter Balzary, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, better known as Flea, was born in Melbourne, Australia. As well as bass playing he is also known for his trumpet playing. The occasional actor is the voice of Donny in 'The Wild Thornberries' and has appeared in 'Back to the future' and the remake of Hitchcock's 'Psycho'!

From Quiz Random Music History

Answer: Cadillacs

Brian Setzer was the lead singer and guitar player of the Stray Cats. He now works in trios and also with his orchestra, The Brian Setzer Orchestra.

From Quiz Mixed Music

Answer: Orlando, Florida

The band was formed there. Rob is originally from Columbia, South Carolina.

From Quiz Multi Genre Rock

Answer: Arrested Development

From the album "3 Years 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of".

From Quiz Totally Random Music, Part 4

Answer: Al Gore & Gore

Al Gore's use of the song prompted the following response from Fatboy Slim: "Thank God it wasn't the Republicans. I would have had to sue."

From Quiz Totally Random Music, Part 3

Answer: Ed Sullivan

The line "Girl we couldn't get much higher" had some drug references the producers of the show didn't want. Morrison sang the line anyway, saying he forgot, and The Doors were never invited back.

From Quiz Totally Random Music, Part 2

Answer: Pepsi

The ad played only once, during "The Cosby Show." It was the first song ever by a major artist to be used in a commercial before its actual release. The next day, the video premiered on MTV, featuring Madonna dancing in front of burning crosses and making out with a statue of Jesus that had just come to life. Pepsi immediately pulled the ad.

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Last Updated Dec 06 2025 5:51 AM

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