International Music Trivia

1. Who, in 1981, hit number one in UK with a Spanish cover of the 1935 Cole Porter song "Begin The Beguine"?

From Quiz The Universal Language

Answer: Julio Iglesias

Iglesias had his first hit in Spain in 1968 ("La Vida Sigue Igual") and his first hit outside his homeland in 1971 with "Un Canto A Galicia" which reached number one in Netherlands, but it was "Begin The Beguine" which brought him true global recognition. From there he has gone on to record with stars such as Willie Nelson, Sting, The Beach Boys and Diana Ross, and, almost 40 years after his first hit, was still hitting the top 20 in Spain. Interestingly, the word "beguine" was originally used to describe a Christian woman, who was a member of a religious community but without formal vows in 13th century Netherlands, before being known as a Caribbean dance, resembling the rumba.

From Quiz International U.S. Chart Toppers

Answer: Sukiyaki

Kyu Sakamoto recorded the song which reached the top of the U.S Billboard charts in 1963. Despite the fact that it was sung entirely in Japanese, it met with great success in the U.S. "Ue o Muite Arukou" is the Japanese title and, if you read the English translation, the lyrics are quite poetic. By the way, the title has nothing to do with the Japanese dish sukiyaki. It was so named to appeal to English speakers who were familiar with the dish.

From Quiz U S Billboard Hits From European Artists.

Answer: Seville

Antonio Romero Monge and Rafael Ruíz were from an area of Seville, Spain, known as Dos Hermanas. While "Macarena" seemed to be an overnight sensation, the pair had actually been performing since the sixties. The title of the song was originally going to be "Magdalena" but there had been a successful song released by the same name so the duo changed it to "Macarena", a popular name in the area. It was also the name of one of Romero Monge's daughters. The popularity of the song led to a South American tour for the duo and it also became a hit in many other countries. In 2002 cable network "VH1" (1985) ranked the song "The Greatest One-Hit Wonder". In 1997 a follow up titled "Macarena Christmas" only reached Number 57 on the US charts.

From Quiz Another Country Heard From

Answer: Holland

Shocking Blue, Golden Earring, and Q'65 were some of the leading rock and pop bands of the sixties in Holland. Robbie Van Leeuwen formed Shocking Blue in 1967 after leaving the band Motions. The following year they were signed with independent label Dureco. Their first single "Lucy Brown is Back in Town" went to 21 on the Dutch Top Forty. Shortly after the success of the single, their manager was attending a party for another band and heard singer Mariska Veres fronting the house band at the event. He eventually persuaded her to join Shocking Blue, replacing singer Fred DeWilde. After two minor hits the band recorded "Venus" on a two-track and it went to number one in most European countries before breaking in the US. Ironically, it only peaked at number three on the Dutch charts.

From Quiz Klezmer Keys

Answer: weddings

Traditional Jewish weddings lasted for days, and the musicians would vary the tempo depending on how exhausted the guests had become! Klezmer music is frequently dance music, many pieces are very fast tempo. These days, klezmer music may be heard at Bar Mitzvahs too.

From Quiz International Music, Made In Israel

Answer: Minimal Compact

What a unique band. Vocalist Samy Birnbach now performs as DJ Morpheus. Berry Sakharof and Rami Fortis returned to Israel to lead successful solo careers, and from time to time perform as a duo (FortiSakharof). Malka Spiegel lives and records with Colin Newman (from Wire). Drummer Max Franken, the only non-Israeli band member is still active in Holland. Sophya is led by Israelis Idan Karuchi and Sonja Rosenblum, who are also members of the revived Dutch band Mecano. Mecano frontman Dick Polak has produced Minimal Compact's debut album "One By One" in 1982. What's Kiss got to do with this? Gene Simmons was born in Haifa, Israel as Chaim Witz. He is the son of two holocaust survivors from Hungary. His mother has immigrated to the US with him when he was 8 years old. Rockfour is an Israeli band which plays retro-prog and tours the USA regularly.

From Quiz World Music

Answer: India

Each raga is supposed to evoke a particular mood; many are intended to be played at specific times of day.

From Quiz Celtic and Other Music

Answer: 1986

Tupac later sampled the distinctive piano part on his song, 'Changes'.

From Quiz Musical Geography

Answer: Sweden

When Roxette's 'The Look' hit number one in the US, ABBA and Blue Suede were the only other Swedish acts to have done it.

From Quiz Ukrainian Music

Answer: Ruslana

Ruslana received 280 points after performing her "Wild dances" song which she sang in english and ukrainian.The song contains sample from traditional Hutsulean music.Ruslana herself comes from Lviv in Western Ukraine where she still runs an advertising agency "Luxen".

From Quiz Dancehall in 2000

Answer: The Fifth Element

Not a very popular album, but there were a few hype songs.

From Quiz Note-Worthy Voices: Filipino Singers

Answer: Aiza Seguerra

"Pagdating ng Panahon (When the Time Comes)" is from Aiza Seguerra (now known as Ice Seguerra), who was a former child actress and a popular performer on the noontime TV variety show "Eat Bulaga". She recorded it at the age of 17, making her one of the youngest solo artists to release an album in the Philippines. The album achieved Diamond Record status, meaning it sold more than 150,000 units in the Philippines, making her the third and youngest OPM (Original Pinoy Music) artist to reach this feat.

From Quiz The Universal Language

Answer: Gangnam Style

Modern South Korean music, usually referred to as K-Pop, achieved global interest with the success of "Gangnam Style" by Psy, leading to the band f(x) performing at SXSW festival in USA and BTS becoming the first Korean group to win a Billboard Award while Park Jung-min became the first ever Korean singer to hold a solo concert in Moscow and SHINee was met by fans at Heathrow Airport in London, creating scenes reminiscent of Beatlemania of the 60s. Oh, and don't try to tell me you haven't attempted the dance at some point!

From Quiz International U.S. Chart Toppers

Answer: Dominique

Jeanine Deckers was known professionally as the "Singing Nun." "Dominique" became an international success and reached the top ten on the U.S. Billboard charts. The song is about Saint Dominic, a Spanish priest of the Dominican Order, the same order of which Jeanine herself was a member. Amazingly, after all these years, I still remember the tune and the French lyrics to that song... well, the chorus anyway.

From Quiz U S Billboard Hits From European Artists.

Answer: Black is Black

Los Bravos called Madrid, Spain, home base even though their singer, Mike Kogel, was from Germany. The group was only together for less than three years and "Black is Black" was their only significant hit in the US. Their 1968 follow up, "Bring A Little Lovin'", only reached Number 51. A 1977 disco remake of the hit done by French based Belle Epoque made it to the Number Two spot in the UK but failed to make any progress in the US. "Paint it Black" was a Rolling Stones hit from 1966. "Back in Black" was an AC/DC song released in 1980 and "Black Magic Woman" was originally done by Fleetwood Mac in 1968 and remade by Santana two years later.

From Quiz Another Country Heard From

Answer: The Nashville Teens

The band was formed in Weybridge, Surrey in 1962. They became part of the Hamburg music scene along with the Beatles and even backed Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Bo Diddley. They came to the attention of famed British manager Mickie Most who produced their 1964 debut single, "Tobacco Road". The song reached number six in the UK and made it to number 14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The band was comprised of excellent musicians, however, because of lack of support by their label and the fact that the collective band did not have a unique appeal they could not sustain their success. The Lovin' Spoonful, Sopwith Camel and The Outsiders are all from various parts of America. "Tobacco Road" was written by John D. Loudermilk in 1960 and has been covered by many bands, including The Animals and Blues Magoos.

From Quiz Klezmer Keys

Answer: Yiddish

Modern klezmer is sung in many languages, but the roots of the current style are in Yiddish music from Eastern Europe.

From Quiz International Music, Made In Israel

Answer: Cinderella Rockefella

Have a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JZ4aLBjzFI - I need not say more!

From Quiz World Music

Answer: China

These instruments and more are found the the traditional orchestras of China. They are often used as accompaniment in the performance of Chinese opera.

From Quiz Celtic and Other Music

Answer: Bronski Beat

The vocalist of this now disbanded band is male, despite the very falsetto voice. (I thought for ages that it was a woman!).

From Quiz Musical Geography

Answer: Canada

Easy one, eh?

From Quiz Ukrainian Music

Answer: Anzhelyka Rudnycka

She is now enjoying a solo career.

From Quiz Dancehall in 2000

Answer: Ninja Man

A.K.A.- Brother Desmond

From Quiz The Universal Language

Answer: Je T'aime... Moi Non Plus

"Je T'aime" was performed by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, after originally being written for Brigitte Bardot to perform with Gainsbourg. The suggestive lyric delivery, along with groans and sighs of pleasure culminating with Birkin's orgasmic sounding ending was too much for many countries and it was banned in several, with even the liberated French restricting radio airplay to after 11 p.m.. "Moi...Lolita" was released in 2000 by 16 year old Alizée and the other two possible answers were famous songs by Edith Piaf.

From Quiz International U.S. Chart Toppers

Answer: The Girl From Ipanema

Originally titled 'Menina que Passa,' the title was changed to 'Garota de Ipanema' or 'Girl From Ipanema." It has been covered by numerous artists over the years. In 1964 the English version of the song reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy award for "Record of the Year" in 1965. The song was inspired by a real girl, Heloísa Eneida Menezes Paes Pinto, who lived in Ipanema, a neighborhood in the southern part of Rio de Janeiro.

From Quiz U S Billboard Hits From European Artists.

Answer: Wonderland by Night

"Are You Lonesome Tonight" was toppled from the US Billboard charts and "Wonderland by Night" reigned for three weeks. Bandleader Bert Kaempfert also wrote the music to several other US hits including "Strangers in the Night" and Spanish Eyes". He was able to play several instruments and while acting in the capacity of a producer for Polydor Records he hired an unknown group called The Beatles to back a singer named Tony Sheridan on some sessions, making him the first producer to commercially record the band. Bert's 1962 instrumental, "A Swinging Safarai", became the theme song for "The Match Game". "Theme from A Summer Place" was a Number One instrumental for Canadian Percy Faith in 1960. Several vocalists have recorded a version of "More (Theme from Mondo Cane)" but the instrumental by Danish trombonist Kai Winding reached the number eight slot on the US charts in the early sixties. "The Stripper" was a number one hit for British born David Rose in July, 1962.

From Quiz Another Country Heard From

Answer: Australia

The Seekers were formed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in 1962. They were the first Australian group to achieve chart success in England as well as the United States, predating the BeeGees. They released their first album, "Introducing The Seekers", in 1963. While performing on a ten-week cruise they ended up in England. A British promoter booked them and they performed and recorded in the UK until 1966. When they returned to Australia they had their own television special and performed for record crowds. In 1967 they recorded the title song for the movie "Georgy Girl". Other hits include "There Will Never Be Another You" and "A World of Our Own". In 1968 lead singer Judith Durham decided to leave and the group disbanded.

From Quiz Klezmer Keys

Answer: violin

Violins (fiddles) are portable, and the kleyzmorim needed to travel from place to place.

From Quiz International Music, Made In Israel

Answer: Infected Mushroom

Erez Eisen (aka I. Zen) and Amit Duvdevani (aka Duvdev) are also from Haifa. Like many other Israeli electronic musicians they emerged from the mid-90s Goa trance scene which was led by Israelis. Infected Mushroom is a regular participant in major electronic music festivals (http://www.myspace.com/infectedmushroomcentral). The other bands mentioned are also well-known psy-trance bands recording with BNE.

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Last Updated Aug 01 2026 5:44 AM

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