FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Quiz about Based On A True Story
Quiz about Based On A True Story

Based On A True Story Trivia Quiz


There have been several popular songs which are based on real events. Here are just ten of them.

A multiple-choice quiz by 480154st. Estimated time: 4 mins.
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. Music Trivia
  6. »
  7. Time in Songs
  8. »
  9. History in Songs

Author
480154st
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
405,847
Updated
Dec 27 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
277
Last 3 plays: ArlingtonVA (9/10), hosertodd (8/10), Hayes1953 (8/10).
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. "A crowded main street, The scene was set, They checked out the view, Turned the radio on" are the opening lyrics to "Dallas 1pm" about the assassination of JFK. Which stalwarts of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement recorded the track? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. In 1976, Judas Priest sang "You're in for surprise, You're in for a shock, In London town streets, When there's darkness and fog" in a song about which historical figure? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. "Treaty" (1991) by Yothu Yindi was written after which Australian prime minister failed to follow through on his 1988 promise that there would be a treaty with Indigenous Australians by 1990? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. In 1976, a Scottish band hit the UK charts with a song about one of the most important events in the history of the establishment of the American Republic. The Boston Tea Party was the event, so who were the band? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. In 1980. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark released which song about a very famous aircraft? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. In 1812, Napoleon marched on Russia. 181 years later in 1993, which band released "Holy Grail" about Napoleon's ill fated invasion? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. The shooting of Amadou Diallo by New York police in 1999 inspired which song by Bruce Springsteen, a live version of which was released in 2001? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. "Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming, We're finally on our own, This summer I hear the drumming, Four dead in Ohio" are the opening lyrics to a song from which band, about the Kent State shootings of 1970? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. In 1975, Bob Dylan released the song "Hurricane" about a boxer who was imprisoned in 1967 for a triple murder. In 1985 the boxer was released from prison and his conviction overturned, but what was his name? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. In 1981, Motorhead and Girlschool, combined under the name Headgirl, reached number five in UK charts with a cover of Johnny Kidd & The Pirates' "Please Don't Touch" (1959).
Which event in American history was used as the title of the EP that featured this track?
Hint



(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

arrow Select a User ID:
arrow Choose a Password:
arrow Your Email:




Most Recent Scores
Mar 21 2024 : ArlingtonVA: 9/10
Jan 31 2024 : hosertodd: 8/10
Jan 28 2024 : Hayes1953: 8/10

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. "A crowded main street, The scene was set, They checked out the view, Turned the radio on" are the opening lyrics to "Dallas 1pm" about the assassination of JFK. Which stalwarts of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement recorded the track?

Answer: Saxon

Saxon were formed in Barnsley and quickly became one of the leading lights of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) which began in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In their golden era, the band had four UK top 20 hits in 1980 and 1981 and became the first band to play the Monsters of Rock festival at Donington twice, when they did so in 1980 and 1982.
"Dallas 1 PM" was taken from the band's 1980 album, "Strong Arm Of The Law", which was a number 11 hit on the UK album charts.

President John F. Kennedy was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas at 12:30pm on November 22nd 1963. He was pronounced dead at Parkland Memorial Hospital 30 minutes later.
2. In 1976, Judas Priest sang "You're in for surprise, You're in for a shock, In London town streets, When there's darkness and fog" in a song about which historical figure?

Answer: Jack The Ripper

This track by Judas Priest, titled "The Ripper" (1976) told the tale of Jack the Ripper's exploits, from the viewpoint of Jack himself, and continued "I'm sly and I'm shameless, Nocturnal and nameless, Except for "The Ripper", Or if you like "Jack The Knife".
Although the track didn't chart, it has been a staple of live Judas Priest shows for many years.

Jack the Ripper was a serial killer in London in 1888, believed to be responsible for at least five murders. He was never apprehended and to this day his identity remains unknown.
3. "Treaty" (1991) by Yothu Yindi was written after which Australian prime minister failed to follow through on his 1988 promise that there would be a treaty with Indigenous Australians by 1990?

Answer: Bob Hawke

"Treaty" (1991) is sung in English and Gumatj, making it the first song in an Aboriginal Australian language to gain international airplay, as well as it helping Yothu Yindi to become the first predominantly Aboriginal band to have a chart hit in Australia.
The first verse sets out the frustrations of the Aboriginal people with the lyrics, "Well I heard it on the radio, And I saw it on the television, Back in 1988, All those talking politicians, Words are easy, words are cheap, Much cheaper than our priceless land, But promises can disappear, Just like writing in the sand."

In 1988, Bob Hawke, while visiting the Northern Territory as part of Australia's bicentennial celebrations, promised a treaty would be in place with Indigenous Australians by 1990. Songwriting brothers Mandawuy and Galarrwuy Yunupingu wrote the song to highlight the lack of progress by the Australian government.
Fast forward to 2021 and there is still no treaty, but the song and its message remain as strong as ever.
4. In 1976, a Scottish band hit the UK charts with a song about one of the most important events in the history of the establishment of the American Republic. The Boston Tea Party was the event, so who were the band?

Answer: Sensational Alex Harvey Band

Alex Harvey was one of the most flamboyant frontmen that the rock world has ever seen and it seems so unfair that SAHB were only around for four short years between 1972 and 1976 and even more unfair that Alex Harvey died aged just 46 in 1982.
The band had three UK top 40 hits, and two of them "Boston Tea Party" (1976) and "Delilah" (1975) were big, reaching number 13 and number 7 respectively.
The opening verse of "Boston Tea Party" states, "Redcoats in the village, There's fighting in the streets, The Indians and the mountain men, well, They are talking when they meet, The king has said he's gonna put a tax on tea, And that's the reason you all Americans drink coffee"

The Boston Tea Party was a protest over a law which allowed the British East India Company to sell tea from China in American colonies without paying the high taxes that other tea companies were subject to.
These protests against the British Parliament's tax on tea, with the slogan "No taxation without representation." were met hard by the British government, who revoked the Massachusetts Bay Colony's privileges of self-government and from the Boston Tea Party of 1773, the situation escalated into the American Revolution when Massachusetts was declared a rebel state in 1775.
5. In 1980. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark released which song about a very famous aircraft?

Answer: Enola Gay

"Enola Gay" (1980) from OMD was about the plane of the same name that dropped the "Little Boy" atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima in World War II. The song was a top ten hit in UK, France and Switzerland and a number one hit in both Spain and Italy.

The Enola Gay aircraft dropped its famous cargo on August 6th 1945, destroying almost three quarters of the city of Hiroshima and causing the deaths of between 70,000 and 80,000 people, both from the actual blast and the firestorm which it caused.

Part of the lyrics to "Enola Gay" are "Enola Gay, Is mother proud of little boy today? Ah-ha this kiss you give It's never ever gonna to fade away".
6. In 1812, Napoleon marched on Russia. 181 years later in 1993, which band released "Holy Grail" about Napoleon's ill fated invasion?

Answer: Hunters And Collectors

Hunters And Collectors are one of the great Australian bands that never achieved the global success they deserved. "Say Goodbye" (1986), "Throw Your Arms Around Me" (1986), "When The River Runs Dry" (1989) and "True Tears Of Joy" (1992) are staples of Australian radio, but none is as popular as "Holy Grail" (1993). "Holy Grail" was adopted as an anthem for Aussie Rules football and has been used in TV broadcasts of the sport as well as a part of the pre match and half time entertainment for the AFL Grand Final.
The lyrics to "Holy Grail" read, "All the locals scattered, They were hiding in the snow, We were so far from home, So how were we to know, There'd be nothing left to plunder."

Napoleon's march on Russia failed for many reasons but the two main ones were the Russian weather and the Russian scorched earth policy, both of which devastated his troops.
In order to engage the Russians at the earliest opportunity, Napoleon insisted his men didn't wait for the slower moving supply wagons but instead live off the land as much as possible. Unfortunately, Russia had a poor road network and an even poorer agricultural base, meaning his men were often spread out over great distances and unable to find enough food to feed the 600,000 men and 50,000 horses contained in Napoleon's army.
Retreating Russians also adopted a scorched earth policy, further depleting French chances of finding sustenance.
Disease became rife, with over 200,000 soldiers dead or hospitalised and as the French army retreated, the weather turned against them to such an extent that by the time Napoleon's troops crossed into Poland in early December, less than 100,000 of the original 600,000 strong force remained.
7. The shooting of Amadou Diallo by New York police in 1999 inspired which song by Bruce Springsteen, a live version of which was released in 2001?

Answer: American Skin (41 Shots)

Springsteen first played the track live in Atlanta, the final concert before a ten show residency at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The NYPD were so incensed by the track that they called for a boycott of the concerts, to no avail.
The live version of "American Skin (41 Shots)" was released as a single but didn't chart and in 2014 a studio version of the track was released, which again failed to chart. No matter though, the song has featured on Springsteen tours ever since and has also attracted several cover versions, often in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, with its powerful chorus of "Is it a gun, is it a knife, Is it a wallet, this is your life, It ain't no secret (it ain't no secret), It ain't no secret (it ain't no secret), No secret my friend, You can get killed just for living in your American skin."

Amadou Diallo was a 23-year-old Guinean immigrant, who was unarmed when police mistook him for a rape suspect from a year earlier. When Diallo reached to his inside pocket for his wallet and ID, the four plainsclothes officers opened fire, firing 41 shots, 19 of which hit Diallo.
The four officers stood trial for second-degree murder and reckless endangerment and were acquitted by a jury. In 2004, the City of New York agreed to a $3 million payout to Diallo's parents under the state's "wrongful death law".
Diallo's death also inspired songs by rap artists such as Immortal Technique and Dead Prez, punk bands such as Leftover Crack and Mischief Brew, metal artists such as Trivium and Merauder and electro bands such as Le Tigre. It was also the focal point of the tracks "Diallo" (2000) by Wyclef Jean and "New York City Cops" (2001) by The Strokes.
8. "Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming, We're finally on our own, This summer I hear the drumming, Four dead in Ohio" are the opening lyrics to a song from which band, about the Kent State shootings of 1970?

Answer: Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

The song, "Ohio" from 1970 was released during the most productive and most successful period of CSNY releases. "Woodstock", "Teach Your Children" and "Our House" were all huge singles in 1970 and "Ohio" was no different, reaching the top 20 in Canada as well as in USA on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song, written by Neil Young dealt with the actions of the Ohio National Guard, who in 1970 fired 67 rounds at a Kent State University student's peace rally, killing four and wounding nine others.

The peace rally at Kent State University was held by students protesting United States forces expanding into neutral Cambodia during the Vietnam war. The National Guard, who numbered 77 armed men, felt that the students were a threat and after an altercation, began firing into the crowd, using an estimated 67 rounds of ammunition.
The end result was three students pronounced dead at the scene, one died later in hospital and nine students wounded.
The President's Commission on Campus Unrest later determined that "the indiscriminate firing of rifles into a crowd of students and the deaths that followed were unnecessary, unwarranted, and inexcusable."
9. In 1975, Bob Dylan released the song "Hurricane" about a boxer who was imprisoned in 1967 for a triple murder. In 1985 the boxer was released from prison and his conviction overturned, but what was his name?

Answer: Rubin Carter

Hurricane was the nickname of Rubin Carter and served well as the title of track about him. Dylan wrote the song after meeting Carter in prison and talking to supporters who believed that Carter was innocent. Dylan's song which was a top 40 hit in USA on the Billboard chart raised the profile of Carter's case, with lyrics such as "Here comes the story of the Hurricane, The man the authorities came to blame, For somethin' that he never done, Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been, The champion of the world."

Rubin Carter was a talented middleweight boxer, ranked number five in the world by "The Ring" magazine in 1965.
His life changed though when he, along with a man called John Artis was arrested in 1966 for the triple homicide in New Jersey. Carter was sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty in 1967, despite there being no forensic evidence linking him with the murders and witnesses testifying he was elsewhere at the time of the murders.
In 1976, Carter and Artis were granted a retrial where both were once again found guilty, but in 1985, Federal Judge H. Lee Sarokin ruled that the case against Carter had been "based on racism rather than reason and concealment rather than disclosure". The conviction was overturned and Carter was released aged 48 after serving 18 years in prison.
10. In 1981, Motorhead and Girlschool, combined under the name Headgirl, reached number five in UK charts with a cover of Johnny Kidd & The Pirates' "Please Don't Touch" (1959). Which event in American history was used as the title of the EP that featured this track?

Answer: St. Valentines Day Massacre

As well as the Johnny Kidd cover the EP also featured the Girlschool track "Emergency" (1980), performed by Motorhead, while Girlschool covered the Motorhead track, "Bomber" (1979). This top five hit would be the highest position on UK singles chart for both bands and as bonus piece of info, Girlschool drummer, Denise Dufort was the only participant to appear on all three tracks, standing in for Motorhead drummer Phil Taylor on "Emergency" as he was unavailable.

The St. Valentines Day Massacre occurred on February 14th 1929 between two rival organised crime gangs during prohibition. Five members of Chicago's North Side gang, led by George "Bugs" Moran were executed by the South Side gang of Al Capone, using Thompson submachine guns.
The people responsible for the murders have never been identified or apprehended.
Source: Author 480154st

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor 1nn1 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
3/28/2024, Copyright 2024 FunTrivia, Inc. - Report an Error / Contact Us