Phil Ochs Trivia Trivia Quiz

Answer: Gunfight At Carnegie Hall

'Gunfight At Carnegie Hall' was the last album released in his lifetime. It is a live recording of his rather disasterous performance at Carnegie Hall in 1974. Phil chose to play Conway Twitty and Merle Haggard tributes instead of the folk-protest songs the audience came to hear. It's still Phil, and a great record.

Answer: All of these

All of the above insults were directed at Phil from Mr. Dylan at one time or another. Dylan was known to be a highly competitive artist with a sharp tongue. Dylan was called "Hatchet Mouth" by some of the fellow folkies.

Answer: clarinet

Phil started playing the clarinet in his early teens, and showed much musical talent as a boy.

Answer: Yes

Phil chose to attend high school at the Stauton Military Academy in Virginia after seeing an ad in a newspaper.

Answer: "Here's To The State Of Richard Nixon"

In 1972, in the midst of writers block, Phil could only come up with "Here's To The State Of Richard Nixon" to comment on the upcoming presidental election. The reworked song featured only one different verse from the original "Mississippi" version.

Answer: "Crucifixion"

"Crucifixion" is the correct choice, although Phil wrote other songs that dealt with the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK (like "Too Many Martyrs"). The song never mentions JFK by name, or the presidency for that matter, but when Phil sung it for Robert Kennedy personally in 1967, it made Kennedy cry.

Answer: Chicago, 1968

Phil was emotionally wounded by the riots at the Chicago Convention in 1968, which he was a witness to. It had such a profound affect on him that he was never really the same again. It's his death date on the tombstone on the album.

Answer: John Train

Phil started calling himself "John Train" in 1975, claiming he "murdered" Phil Ochs. Phil, as Train, became a kind of local crazy, and his rampages through the bars of Greenwich Village have become legandary. As Train, Phil was banned from every bar and often was seen sleeping on park benches and in alleyways.

Answer: The Bells

Phil turned Poe's poem 'The Bells' into an amazingly melodic song. While playing it live, he was often joined on stage by Beat poet Allan Ginsberg who played buddhist finger symbols in time with the music.

Answer: 1967

In an attempt at absurdist politics, Phil decided it would be a good idea if the people themselves declare the VietNam war over in 1967. At the concert rallies to commemorate the "end" of the war, he was joined by such folkies as Joan Baez, Tom Paxton and Peter, Paul and Mary.

Answer: Yes

Of course he was. Phil Ochs was declared a "Security Threat" by the FBI way back in 1966.

Answer: True

Phil Ochs purchased the pig, named Pigasus, that the Youth International Party (Yippies) nominated for president at the Chicago Convention. Phil, the pig, and six other people were arrested at the nominating rally.

Answer: 'Kansas City Bomber'

Phil wrote the title song for 'Kansas City Bomber'. Suprisingly, the film wasn't a hit at the box office, but Mickey Dolenz of The Monkees sing back-up vocals on the tune.

Answer: Changes

In his lifetime, "Changes" was his most sucessful and most popular song. It was covered by Joan Baez, Peter, Paul & Mary, Ian and Sylvia, among others. That song, in recent years, has been overshadowed by "I Ain't Marching Anymore" and "Love Me, I'm A Liberal" as Phil Ochs songs that are recorded by other artists.

Answer: Hanging by his belt.

Poor Phil hung himself by his belt in the bathroom of his sister's house. He was discovered by her 14 year-old son, David.