Anatomy of a Song: "Lola" Trivia Quiz

Answer: In a club in Soho

The opening line states: "I met her in a club down in old Soho".

Oh boy! Was the singer's life about to change or what?

When testing this quiz on my daughter, her suggested answer was (verbatim): "In an alley behind an elephant"! In her defence, she had just recently awoken. Just goes to show, no matter how strange the song may have been, there was potential for it to be much stranger!

Answer: Champagne

"Where you drink champagne...".

Everything was going along quite nicely at this point!

Answer: Cherry Cola

"Where you drink champagne and it tastes just like Cherry Cola".

Originally, the lyrics named a different drink, but the BBC refused to play it on the grounds that it constituted free advertising, so The Kinks were forced to re-record the lyrics with a different drink inserted.

Answer: Coca-Cola

"Where you drink champagne and it tastes just like Coca-Cola".

And the author can confirm this, as I have the album! As previously stated, the lyrics read Coca-Cola, but the BBC refused to play it on the grounds that it constituted free advertising. In my opinion, by taking such action they generated more free advertising than would have otherwise been the case.

Answer: Dark brown

"I asked her her name and in a dark brown voice she said Lola".

What exactly does a "dark brown voice" sound like?

Answer: Lola approached the singer

"She walked up to me and she asked me to dance"

Watch out Bro! Say no! Oh, too late! Umm, okay, let's see how things go then.

Answer: The singer's spine

"Well I'm not the worlds most physical guy
But when she squeezed me tight she nearly broke my spine"

We will never know what happened after the song ended. It is more than possible that the singer's ego, heart and bank balance all got a severe shellacking. Or - he and Lola lived happily ever after. You decide.

Answer: On his knees

"I pushed her away
I walked to the door
I fell to the floor
I got down on my knees
Then I looked at her and she at me"

She? Her? I am just so confused! Not sure if being on one's knees was the best approach under the circumstances either.

Answer: Girls

"Girls will be boys and boys will be girls
Its a mixed up muddled up shook up world except for Lola"

Boys may well be confused, sorry and lonely if all this is taking place!

Answer: A week before

"Well I'd left home just a week before
And I'd never ever kissed a woman before"

Man, you have some bad news on the way! You're still not going to achieve that particular goal anytime in the near future.

"But Lola smiled and took me by the hand
And said dear boy I'm gonna make you a man"

Eek! What do you mean exactly? What do you think you are doing?

"Well I'm not the world's most masculine man
But I know what I am and I'm glad I'm a man"

Yes, but you may not continue to feel that way!

"And so is Lola"

And there's the rub!