Desert Island Discs Part Six Trivia Quiz

Answer: John Deacon

John Deacon, Queen's bass guitarist, wrote "Another One Bites the Dust" and it was featured on their 1980 album "The Game". The song was released as a single on a 7" vinyl record in August 1980 and was a hit all over the world. Its success story includes rising to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, selling over 7 million copies, and ranking at number 34 on the Billboard "All Time Top 100".

Speaking about the record, John Deacon said: "I'd been wanting to do a track like 'Another One Bites the Dust' for a while, but originally all I had was the line and the bass riff. Gradually I filled it in and the band added ideas. I could hear it as a song for dancing but had no idea it would become as big as it did. The song got picked up off our album and some of the black radio stations in the us started playing it, which we've never had before. Michael Jackson actually suggested we release it as a single. He was a fan of ours and used to come to our shows."

Question supplied by wenray.

Answer: Dave Swarbrick

Swarb is probably one of the best loved figures in folk music as well as being so awesomely talented that it defies description.

When he became so ill, folkies all over the world held benefit concerts to raise money to keep him going whilst he was having a double lung transplant.

Listening to him on my desert island will bring back memories of meeting him and Martin Carthy, being charmed by both and blown away by Swarb's fantastic playing.

Question supplied by Waitakere.

Answer: I Wish I Was 18 Again

George Burns was never known for his singing voice, although he made three albums and three singles. This song was used as the theme song for the movie "18 Again!" starring George Burns and Charlie Schlatter. The lyrics are quite charming. In the song, the old man talks about how fast life goes and how he wishes he was 18 again.

"I wish I was 18 again.
And going where I've never been.
But old folks and old oaks
Standing tall just pretend.
I wish I was 18 again.
Lord, I wish I was 18 again!"

This song was also recorded by several other artists, such as Ray Price and Jerry Lee Lewis, but somehow George Burns' version seems to be the most moving, possibly because he was 84 years old when he recorded the song.

Question submitted by kennell.

Answer: Beatles For Sale

The Beatles album I am trying to get on to my desert island with me is "Beatles For Sale". It was number one on the UK album chart for 11 weeks during a 46 week run on the chart.

The "Beatles For Sale" album entered the UK album chart on the 12th December 1964 and in its second week on the chart knocked The Beatles own "A Hard Day's Night" album off the top spot. It stayed at the top for seven weeks before departing but on the 27th February 1965 it made a come back and replaced The Rolling Stones album "Rolling Stones No.2" at the top for one more week. It returned to the top spot for three weeks in May 1965, making a total of 11 weeks at number one.

Question supplied by shipyardbernie.

Answer: I Am a Rock

Paul Simon's solo debut album, "The Paul Simon Songbook", was originally a UK-only release. "I Am A Rock" was released as a single from the album, but it was a flop! When it was rerecorded in 1966 with Art Garfunkel, it made it to number three in the Billboard charts.

Although Paul Simon is apparently not fond of this song, I think the lyrics perfectly sum up the feelings of someone who has been hurt too often and decides never to let anyone close enough to hurt them again.

Question supplied by scotsbluebell now a member of the Kilted Kangas team.

Answer: 1973

While the entire album is perfect in my opinion, I especially adore "Time". Maybe it's all the alarm clocks chiming in the beginning, or maybe it's David Gilmour's awesome guitar solo (that legend has it was recorded in only one take!). I purposely left out 1974 in order not to trick anyone since the "The Dark Side of the Moon" was released in 1973, but the single "Time" was released in 1974.

Question supplied by rebelyank.

Answer: Louisiana

New France included parts of present-day Maine (USA), but was mostly in present-day eastern Canada. In the mid-18th century the British cleared the area of Acadia. Many of Acadians died, some were deported to France, and others ended up in Louisiana. The Spanish then shipped large numbers of the deported Acadians back from France to Louisiana to augment the colony there and reinforce against the British who were always looking to snatch land. It was here that Cajun culture developed. Apart from the languages (Cajun English and Cajun French), the cuisine, and other traditions, what Cajun country is best-known for is the music.

Nathan Abshire was born in Gueydan, Louisina, in 1913, and was by all accounts playing the accordion as soon as he could hold one. He was recording by the 1930s and his career was only really interrupted by World War II (in which he served), although details of recording dates are hard to come by.

When a renewed interest in American folk music got round to Cajun in the late 1960s, Abshire was in the fold and he appeared at the legendary Newport Folk Festival in 1967. The public's passion for Cajun ran hot and cold from then on, having peaks and troughs, but Abshire (as well as a myriad of other Cajun legends) just went on doing their thing whether they were able to make a living out of it or not (Abshire wasn't). Nathan Abshire died in 1981.

I'd just have to have this song as it's got a raw energy, especially in the vocals, which gives me goosebumps. The tune is so effortlessly danceable too, you can't but want to jig about and sing along.

Question supplied by thula2.

Answer: Engelbert Humperdinck

Anglo-Indian Engelbert Humperdinck was born Arnold Dorsey in Madras, India in 1936. He took the stage-name Engelbert Humperdinck from a German composer, best remembered for his "Hansel and Gretel" opera from the late 19th century, at the suggestion of his manager, and claims that nobody, not even family, calls him Arnold.

Although Engelbert's choices of music were interesting, he seemed to have chosen them so he could talk about himself! He chose the Beatles' "Penny Lane" because his song "Release Me" had kept it off the number one spot, and when talking about Elvis he claimed the King had stolen his sideburns image.

When host Sue Lawley was rather aghast at Engelbert's choice of book, to extricate himself he said if left alone on a desert island, he'd lose his mind, so his autobiography would help him remember who he really was.

Cliff Richard, who is also Anglo-Indian, was born Harry Webb in Lucknow, India, in 1940.

Burt Bacharach (his real name) was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1928.

Gary Glitter, born Paul Gadd, hit the UK and US charts in 1972 with "Rock and Roll, Parts One and Two", and although he never became a household name in the US, in the UK he was unstoppable in the 1970s and 1980s. He then faded into the background until the late 1990s when he was investigated, arrested and convicted of possessing child pornography. When facing a prison sentence, Glitter legged it and ended up in Cambodia, but was kicked out for alleged child abuse, so he settled in Vietnam. He was again arrested for sexual abuse of minors and risked capital punishment, but the prosecution had to settle for less and he ended up serving just three months. He then returned to the UK where his name became embroiled in the case against BBC DJ Jimmy Savile.

Question supplied by thula2.

Answer: Aberystwyth

While attending Trinity College Cambridge, Charles, Prince of Wales, spent a term at the University College of Wales Aberystwyth in 1967. He was studying Welsh history and language.

More importantly, my daughter Joanne attended the University College of Wales Aberystwyth, studying scenography and theatre design from 2006 to 2009 and achieved a 2.1. As of the date of this quiz, she is working in the USA as the CSM (Company Stage Manager) for the children's show "We're Going on a Bear Hunt". As of this date Charles, Prince of Wales, still hasn't got a job.

Question supplied by shipyardbernie.

Answer: Morrissey

Morrissey chose the track "(There's Gonna Be a) Showdown" from the Dolls' second album "Too Much Too Soon". His choices had an overall punky feel with the Ramones ("Loudmouth"), and Iggy & the Stooges ("Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell") both featuring. Even some of his other choices such as the Velvet Underground, Nico, and Mott The Hoople had their influence on the punk genre.

Morrissey had his own flirt with punk when he formed The Nosebleeds, and was then a member of Slaughter and the Dogs, albeit briefly, prior to forming The Smiths with guitarist Johnny Marr in 1982. He's never been shy about his love of the punk rock genre, and displayed it in his choice of having the inimitable Cockney Rejects perform at the same Meltdown festival as (three of) the New York Dolls reformed for.

For those not familiar with it, Meltdown is a London arts and music festival which has had a different curator of every year since its inception in 1993. David Bowie and Scott Walker have both curated Meltdown (in 2002 and 2000 respectively), but neither asked the Dolls to play, nor were they born in Manchester.

Ian Curtis of Joy Division renown was born in Greater Manchester (Stretford), but he died in 1980.

Question supplied by thula2.