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Quiz about Pop Goes Classical
Quiz about Pop Goes Classical

Pop Goes Classical Trivia Quiz


Many popular music songs use influences from classical music. See how many you can identify.

A multiple-choice quiz by darksplash. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
darksplash
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
383,874
Updated
Jul 20 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
357
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
Question 1 of 10
1. In 1967, an English band had an international hit with a song that borrowed from a piece of classical music. The meaning of the song has been much debated and puzzled over.
Can you skip the light fandango to tell which song it was and who sang it?
Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Accompanied by a striking and slightly baffling video featuring Russian and American cultural icons, in 1992 an English electronic music duo reworked a song from the 1970s. Were they really encouraging Russians to emigrate to the USA? Can you find the right direction to a song based on 17th Century music? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Before he didn't write the song that makes the whole world sing, an American artist had a hit with a song based on a piece of music by Chopin. Which of these was it? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Many classical music compositions have been sampled or paraphrased in pop music. In 1968 a British blues band had a domestic hit with an instrumental that directly recreated the energy of a 1940s ballet movement. What was it called and who were they? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. One of the best selling singers of all time had a knack of picking up songs that were written in other languages or based on classical music. Which song based on an Italian song became a 1960 hit for a member of musical royalty? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. It may not have been his biggest hit, but the man who had a cold, cold, heart and went from rags to riches did well enough with a song from an opera. It's a good job he did not leave it in an earthquake-prone California town. What was the song and who was the singer? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. An artist who made hit records and sold out concerts across a career that spanned 50 years also had the first ever gold-selling single, based on a piece of German classical music. Which multi Grammy winner singer, actor and TV star was it? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. An 18th Century French song provided a melody that was to be used in a love song that was a hit for several acts in the 20th Century. What was the Billboard number one from a band that took its name from a British Government form? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. One of the most popular Christmas pop songs around owes a lot to its distinctive classical music 'break'. Remembering that there does not have to be snow at Christmas, can you tell the song and the singer? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. In 1979, a band closely associated with California used a Johann Sebastian Bach composition in a song. Who were they and what was the song? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. In 1967, an English band had an international hit with a song that borrowed from a piece of classical music. The meaning of the song has been much debated and puzzled over. Can you skip the light fandango to tell which song it was and who sang it?

Answer: "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - Procol Harum

"We skipped the light fandango
Turned cartwheels cross the floor..."
"A Whiter Shade of Pale" was a hit in both the USA and the UK.
It featured inspiration from J.S. Bach's "Suite No 3 in D Major", composed in about 1730 - as well as one of the most memorable Hammond organ pieces in popular music.
"What does the song mean?", many people asked. Years later, Gary Brooker, who co-wrote the lyrics, admitted he did not have a clue either.
Brooker and Keith Reid were initially credited as the writers, but several decades on Matthew Fisher was granted a co-writing credit for the organ parts in a ruling by an English court.
2. Accompanied by a striking and slightly baffling video featuring Russian and American cultural icons, in 1992 an English electronic music duo reworked a song from the 1970s. Were they really encouraging Russians to emigrate to the USA? Can you find the right direction to a song based on 17th Century music?

Answer: "Go West" - The Pet Shop Boys

Composed in around 1680 by Johannes Pachelbel for three violins and a cello, "Canon in D" also featured on "All Together Now" by The Farm in 1980 and was an inspiration for Kylie Minogue's "I Should Be So Lucky".
The Village People had a Billboard number 45 with "Go West" in 1979, although it sold better in Europe.
The Pet Shop Boys later made changes to the song. They emphasised the chord progression of "Canon in D" and added a new verse.
3. Before he didn't write the song that makes the whole world sing, an American artist had a hit with a song based on a piece of music by Chopin. Which of these was it?

Answer: "Could it Be Magic" - Barry Manilow

Barry Manilow openly credited the influence of Chopin's "Prelude in C Minor". He co-wrote "Could It Be Magic" with lyricist Adrienne Anderson. It reached number six in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975.
The clue in the question relates to "I Write the Songs", which was a Billboard number one for Manilow in 1976. The song was written by Bruce Johnston about Beach Boys songwriter Brian Wilson. David Cassidy had a UK hit with it in 1975.
To be fair to Manilow - and frankly many musical 'intelligentsia' liked to mock him - he was a significant songwriter and performer. He was incredibly popular with audiences - in 1978, five of his albums were on the charts simultaneously - and he sold more than 80 million records worldwide.
4. Many classical music compositions have been sampled or paraphrased in pop music. In 1968 a British blues band had a domestic hit with an instrumental that directly recreated the energy of a 1940s ballet movement. What was it called and who were they?

Answer: "Sabre Dance" - Love Sculpture

Love Sculpture took "Sabre Dance" to number five in the UK charts.
It featured the frenetically paced lead guitar of Dave Edmunds. Some people believed that this was speeded up in post recording: not so, Edmunds hit each of the notes at the speed you hear them, and nailed it first time in the studio.
The original music was in Aram Khachaturian's ballet "Gayane" (1942).
In 1948, three classical versions of the movement topped the Billboard charts in the USA.
The guitar version has been recorded numerous times since.
5. One of the best selling singers of all time had a knack of picking up songs that were written in other languages or based on classical music. Which song based on an Italian song became a 1960 hit for a member of musical royalty?

Answer: "It's Now Or Never" - Elvis Presley

It was based on "O Sole Mio" written in 1898 by Eduard di Capua as an operatic piece.
Enrico Caruso, Mario Lanza and Luciano Pavorotti were among those who sang it in its original form.
While stationed in Germany with the US Army, Elvis heard an English translation by Tony Martin. However, "It's Now Or Never" was written for Presley by Aaron Schroeder and Wally Gold.
It was a number one in countries right around the world, selling in excess of 20 million copies. It was to be a UK number one for a second time on re-release in 2005
"Wooden Heart" was another song that the King brought in from a foreign original ("Muss I Denn".)
(While some of you will now be hearing Presley sing the song, many in the UK will have a television commercial for a certain ice cream running through their heads - "Just one cornetto, give it to me, delicious ice-cream of Italy...")
6. It may not have been his biggest hit, but the man who had a cold, cold, heart and went from rags to riches did well enough with a song from an opera. It's a good job he did not leave it in an earthquake-prone California town. What was the song and who was the singer?

Answer: "Stranger In Paradise" - Tony Bennett

"Stranger in Paradise" was based on "Polovtsia Dance" by Borodin for the opera "Prince Igor."
Tony Bennett was not the first to record "Stranger In Paradise", but he was to have the biggest hit with it, making it a Billboard Hot 100 number two in 1953. Bing Crosby, Eddie Calvert and Tony Martin also recorded it.
The clues in the question refer to two songs that Bennett took to the top of the Billboard charts, "Cold, Cold, Heart" (1951) and Rags to Riches" (1953.). There is also a reference to "I left My Heart In San Francisco", Bennett's 1962 Billboard number 19.
7. An artist who made hit records and sold out concerts across a career that spanned 50 years also had the first ever gold-selling single, based on a piece of German classical music. Which multi Grammy winner singer, actor and TV star was it?

Answer: "Catch A Falling Star" - Perry Como

The song was inspired by "Academic Festival Overture", in which Brahms used tunes from student drinking songs.
It only reached number two on the Billboard charts in 1959, but was the first ever gold-selling record.
Como first recorded in 1943 and last entered the Billboard Hot 100 (just) in 1974.
He was one of the first singers to embrace the new medium of television, and made many TV shows and specials over the years. His last was made in Dublin in 1996, with the country's President in the audience.
Como also starred in four Hollywood movies in the 1940s.
8. An 18th Century French song provided a melody that was to be used in a love song that was a hit for several acts in the 20th Century. What was the Billboard number one from a band that took its name from a British Government form?

Answer: "Can't Help Falling In Love" - UB40

The melody was adapted from "Plaisir d'Amour" written in 1784 by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini.
The original song, "Plaisir d'Amour", has also been recorded numerous times.
UB40 took "Can't Help Falling In Love" to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1993. Andy Williams made it a UK number three in 1970, while Elvis topped the UK singles charts in 1962 and had a Billboard number two the same year.
UB40 was the identifier of a form that was used for claiming unemployment benefit in the United Kingdom.
9. One of the most popular Christmas pop songs around owes a lot to its distinctive classical music 'break'. Remembering that there does not have to be snow at Christmas, can you tell the song and the singer?

Answer: "I Believe in Father Christmas" - Greg Lake

"They said there'd be snow at Christmas
They said there'd be peace on earth..."
Sergei Prokofiev wrote "Troika" for the 1934 movie "Lt Kijé". Greg Lake used it as the instrumental break in his song.
Released by Lake as a solo project, it actually was meant to be an "anti-Christmas" song: one protesting against the commercialisation of a Holy festive period.
It reached number two in the UK singles charts in 1975.
(The song was later to be included on Emerson, Lake and Palmer albums.)
10. In 1979, a band closely associated with California used a Johann Sebastian Bach composition in a song. Who were they and what was the song?

Answer: Beach Boys - "Lady Lynda"

The Beach Boys used the same chord progression as J. S. Bach's "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring". It was composed in the early 1700s and was part of the cantata "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147."
While the Beach Boys included Bach's opening harpsichord part on their album "L.A.", it was dropped from the single.
Source: Author darksplash

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