Quid Pro Crow Trivia Quiz

Answer: Rice

"Eleanor Rigby", a song about all the lonely people in the world, was written by the Beatles in 1966. It was released as a single in that year, while also appearing on their "Revolver" album. Though the composition of this song has been credited to both Lennon and McCartney, it was McCartney who wrote the major part of it.

Its original title was supposed to be "Miss Daisy Hawkins". McCartney said Father McKenzie, one of the characters in the song, who was "writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear" and sits darning his socks alone, was also given a different name in the early stages of composing this song.

He was going to be Father McCartney, but Paul changed that because he thought people would think the song was about his sad father darning his socks - when in fact his "Dad's a happy lad".

Answer: Walk

The disco song "Stayin' Alive" was written by the Bee Gees in 1977 and is one of the numbers from the movie "Saturday Night Fever", starring John Travolta. Although it reached number one on the billboard charts in the US and stayed in that position for four weeks, and although it brought lasting fame for the Bee Gees, they rather grew to dislike the number as the years passed because they felt it boxed them into the disco category of performers, when in fact they had been known for performing in various other categories of music up until then and long afterwards.

A very understandable reaction, considering the corny old hair styles and fashions worn at the time of its release, and the music and lyrics themselves with their lack of real depth and meaning.

Answer: Sandman

Composed and performed by the great Roy Orbison, "In Dreams", a number about lost love, is described as an operatic ballad that hits the charts in 1963. It never made it to number one, but its fame has long outlasted many other songs from that era. Orbison's incredible vocal range of over two octaves well and truly has earned the song the right to be described as operatic.

There aren't that many untrained singers today who can successfully span that range of notes, and Orbison's voice just soars through the heartbreakingly beautiful top ones as the song builds and builds to its astonishing climax.

He repeats this performance of vocal dexterity in his equally famous 1963 "Blue Bayou".

Answer: Pavement

"Memory", from the 1981 musical "Cats", with lyrics written by the director of "Cats", Trevor Nunn, was based on T.S. Elliott's poems "preludes" and "Rhapsody on a Windy Night" (beautiful title). Nunn's lyrics were initially favoured over later alternative ones submitted by Tim Rice. The great composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose ability to speak to the heart, gave us its beautiful haunting melody. This song can actually make you cry, and always has that effect on me, no matter how many times I hear it. Interestingly though, Webber had written the melody earlier for possible inclusion in the 1976 "Evita", but that musical's loss was the gain of "Cats". Performed in the show by the once beautiful, but now faded and unloved cat, Grizabella, "Memory" went on to become one of that musical's best known numbers. Just a few of its sorrowful lyrics follow:

"Midnight, not a sound from the pavement
Has the moon lost her memory?
She is smiling alone
In the lamplight
The withered leaves collect at my feet
And the wind begins to moan

Memory, all alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days
I was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again..."

Answer: Inside

"Your Song" (1970), written by the multi-talented Elton John, with lyrics by Bernie Taupin, was released in the United States as the flip side bridesmaid to "Take Me to the Pilot", but it was the B side that most disc jockeys favoured and it was this that received the most play.

It reached number eight on the billboard charts in that country and number seven back in the United Kingdom. Popular and all as this song became and still is, I just can't take a liking to it. For me, it somehow lacks depth for the most part, although the lines "I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, That I put down in words, How wonderful life is while you're in the world" are rather lovely as they drop down to that sweeter softer tribute to love.

They most definitely make the rest of the song's immature lyrics and melody, that fail to strike an echo in my heart, worth while.

Answer: Sound

"Amazing Grace" - it says it all. This song is exquisite, especially when played with a bagpipe accompaniment. Written in 1779 by Englishman clergyman and poet, John Newton, he wrote this song following his spiritual conversion. Prior to that, Newton was a slave trader, so that must have been some spiritual conversion! "Amazing Grace", which some believe was not written with music initially, had a spiritual conversion itself during the Second Great Awakening (1790-1840) in the United States when it became one of the most popular hymns of the times.

It has remained in that position ever since with its beautiful words of redemption and salvation. I just love those bagpipes playing with this song and always get covered in goose bumps when hearing that version.

Answer: Bubbles

"I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" was a popular American song which first appeared in 1919, and has been blowing bubbles here and there ever since, more often than not in Music Hall revivals or singalongs. With the melody written by John Kellette and the lyrics by Jaan Kenbrovin (actually three other lyricists who combined their names into one for fun), I cringe whenever I hear this song played anywhere today because players and singers gallop through it at the rate of knots, when it was actually meant to be a ballad.

It's lyrics are all about lost dreams. The sheet music is written in waltz time, and is marked to be played moderately slow. You don't sing a song about lost dreams as if you're at a hoedown.

Answer: Say

"If I loved you" is a song from the rather depressing 1956 musical film "Carousel", which starred Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae, but was first performed in the original Broadway production of same in 1945. The number is sung as a duet between the two main characters when they are first trying to express their love for one another, but from that point, everything goes horribly wrong for the pair.

The melody for same is reprised periodically throughout the rest of this sorry tale. Making a musical about crime, death, returning to earth to make amends, and redemption is not a particularly jolly thing to do.

The lyrics of this well known number from the movie have all the earmarks of the tragedy that soon unfolds. It's a lovely song though, but it's a shame it couldn't have been used in a happier production.

Answer: Stranger

Taken from the excellent 1958 romantic musical "South Pacific" but also performed in the earlier Broadway production of same, "Some Enchanted Evening" is a powerful song that ties in with the struggles to deal with racial prejudice, one of the main themes of the movie. Of course it is a love story, first and foremost, but that darkness echoes throughout in two separate story lines.

This song is performed by Emile (Rossano Brazzi), a plantation owner who has fallen deeply in love with Nellie (Mitzi Gaynor), a nurse serving on a south Pacific island during World War II.

His feelings are reciprocated by Nellie, but when she finds out that he has two children by his first wife (deceased) who was a native woman, she cannot handle that knowledge and leaves him.

The heartbroken Emile then performs the lovely "Some Enchanted Evening" - and the film, with a partially happier ending, carries on from there, with the song being reprieved, this time by Nellie, towards its conclusion.

Answer: Were wed

"The Anniversary Song" was composed, under the different name of "Waves of the Danube", by Romanian band leader, Ion Ivanovici, in 1880. Not only is it one of the most famous songs in the world to come out of Romania, it was republished at various times in the United States as well and became just as popular there. The incredibly talented Al Jolson took it to even greater heights when he released another arrangement of the number in 1946. This hit the billboard charts in 1947, remained there for fourteen weeks, and reached as high as number two. Jolson's version is absolutely lovely and tells the story of looking back over the years of a long and happy marriage, but also incorporates the sorrow at the swiftness of passing time that not even love can hold at bay. My father, who had a beautiful tenor voice, used to sing this number a lot, so, as you can imagine, it was one of my favourite songs. Some of its lovely lyrics follow:

"The night seemed to fade into blossoming dawn
The sun shone anew but the dance lingered on
Could we but recall that sweet moment sublime
We'd find that our love is unaltered by time"

Answer: Whoever you are

"Hello Young Lovers" is a well known song by Rodgers and Hammerstein, from the very famous musical "The King and I" which first premiered on Broadway in 1951, and where it ran for three years. The 1956 musical film of the same name is perhaps where "Hello Young Lovers" first became entrenched in the annals of musical history, simply because film's permanence long outlasts the briefness of live performance.

The song takes place in this show, where it is performed by the character, Anna Leonowens, a widowed woman sent to Siam to teach the many royal children of the Siamese king.

While recalling her own happy marriage, she sympathises with the plight of the youngest and newest wife of the king who has run off with another man.

Answer: White Christmas

The most famous version of "White Christmas" is that performed by Bing Crosby. He first sang the song live for "Kraft Music Hall Show" on Christmas Day in 1941, before recording it a year later for the 1942 musical film, "Holiday Inn", in which he starred with Fred Astaire.

By the end of that year, "White Christmas" composed by Irving Berlin, was at the top of the charts and remained in that position well into January, 1943. It's been with us ever since, this lovely old song, which both captures a sense of home and happiness, but also a feeling of nostalgia for the days of the past.

Answer: Prayer

"Bring Him Home" is one of the most powerful and moving songs performed in the musical production "Les Miserables, whether it be in live performance, or that on film. Based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo, this musical tells of the revolutionary confrontation on the streets of France between young idealist students and their supporters seeking a better world, and the government of the time. "Bring Him Home" is sung by the main character, Jean Valjean, as he prays to God to protect Marius, the love of his adopted daughter Cosette, even if it means losing his own life.

This song is absolutely EXQUISITE, filled with a piercingly sweet and tender high note at its conclusion that is truly breathtaking.

Answer: Here again

"Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" is sung by the lead female character, Christine, in the long running musical "The Phantom of the Opera", based on the 1910 French novel by Gaston Leroux, and with the music and lyrics for the modern 1986 musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe. Torn between her love for Raoul and her strange and unsettling attachment to the Phantom, Christine visits her father's grave in a wistful attempt to seek his advice.

It is there she sings this number that claims its right as one of the loveliest solos in musical theatres.

Answer: Trod

"Shall We Gather at the River", also known as "At the River" is a quite lovely hymn written in 1864 by American poet and composer, Robert Lowry. It can also be found under the title "Hanson Place" which is rather distracting, as that appears to take one right away from the theme of the hymn. Hanson Place though was the name of the church at which Lowry sometimes preached. Over time, the River name for this hymn has become much more applicable because of its over arching theme of the river of life flowing by the throne of God. Sadly though, and also over time, this lovely old hymn has been parodied beyond belief or played at the wrong tempo or frequently been the butt of stupid productions attempting to gain cheap laughs.

When sung at the correct tempo and in the mood in which it was first composed, particularly so by a soloist, this beautiful old hymn is absolutely lovely, gentle and reassuring.