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Quiz about Song by Song Paint it Black
Quiz about Song by Song Paint it Black

Song by Song: "Paint it, Black" Quiz


Take a dive into one of the Rolling Stones' most popular songs.

A multiple-choice quiz by skylarb. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
skylarb
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
402,212
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
505
Awards
Top 10% Quiz
Last 3 plays: mrbadluck (6/10), cardsfan_027 (9/10), Guest 90 (5/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. Mick Jagger shares writing credits for "Paint It, Black" with what other member of the Rolling Stones? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Which of the following colors is NOT mentioned in the song "Paint It, Black"? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. "Paint It, Black" was so popular as a single that the Rolling Stones decided to include it as the opening track on its U.S. release of what 1966 album, even though it hadn't been included on the U.K. version? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. "I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes / I have to turn my head until my _____ goes." What word is missing from these lines in "Paint It, Black"?

Answer: (one word)
Question 5 of 10
5. What Indian musical instrument did the Rolling Stones include on "Paint It, Black," which caused some critics to murmur that they were only copying the Beatles? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. "I see people turn their heads and quickly look away / Like a _____, it just happens every day." Complete the missing simile in these lines from "Paint It, Black." Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Who played Hammond organ on "Paint It, Black" and has also claimed he helped write the song? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. "Paint It, Black" was used as the theme song for what American military television series that premiered in 1987? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. "I look inside myself and see my ____ is black." What part of the singer is black? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. A 1970 version of "Paint It, Black" performed by Eric Burdon and what band hit the Dutch Top 40? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Mick Jagger shares writing credits for "Paint It, Black" with what other member of the Rolling Stones?

Answer: Keith Richards

The song was originally released with a comma in its title - "Paint It, Black," though the comma was later dropped. This quiz will use the original title. The song was released as a single in the U.S. on May 7, 1966 and in the UK on May 13, 1966. It hit number one on both countries' single charts. Rolling Stone magazine ranked "Paint It, Black" number 176 on its "Greatest Songs of All Time" list.
2. Which of the following colors is NOT mentioned in the song "Paint It, Black"?

Answer: White

"Paint It, Black" uses colors to create imagery that depicts a state of depression. The singer's depression is emphasized by the fact that there are "no colors anymore, I want them to turn black." The colors red, green, and blue must all disappear into blackness:

"I see a red door and I want it painted black."

"No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue."

The song has been included on several compilation albums of the Rolling Stones, including "Hot Rocks 1964-1971," "30 Greatest Hits," and the 2002 compilation album "Forty Licks."
3. "Paint It, Black" was so popular as a single that the Rolling Stones decided to include it as the opening track on its U.S. release of what 1966 album, even though it hadn't been included on the U.K. version?

Answer: Aftermath

"Breakfast in America" is not an album by the Rolling Stones, but by Supertramp. In the U.S., "Aftermath" was released in 1966 between the albums "Big Hits" and "Got Live if You Want It!" The U.K. version of "Aftermath," which was released April 15, 1966, opened instead with "Mother's Little Helper," and "Paint It, Black" was not included on the album.

However, the song's success as a single inspired the group to include it on its July 2, 1966 release of "Aftermath" in the United States.
4. "I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes / I have to turn my head until my _____ goes." What word is missing from these lines in "Paint It, Black"?

Answer: darkness

"I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colors anymore, I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes."

It has been claimed by numerous sources, including Tony Visconti in his 2014 book "1,001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die," that the line "I have to turn my head until my darkness goes" was snatched from (or paraphrased a line in) James Joyce's stream-of-conscious novel "Ulysses." However, it is difficult to find contextual evidence for this claim.
5. What Indian musical instrument did the Rolling Stones include on "Paint It, Black," which caused some critics to murmur that they were only copying the Beatles?

Answer: A sitar

A sitar is a stringed instrument often used in Hindustani classical music. Brian Jones played the instrument on "Paint It, Black," which was the first song with the instrument to hit number one on the UK singles chart. George Harrison had previously recorded sitar on The Beatles' song "Norwegian Wood."

"Paint It, Black" ranked number three among Rolling Stones songs in the 2012 Readers' Poll conducted by Rolling Stone magazine. In that article, Rolling Stone reports, "On 'Paint It, Black,' the band decided to stretch their legs a little bit by incorporating a sitar, even though some critics said it was them merely aping the Beatles."
6. "I see people turn their heads and quickly look away / Like a _____, it just happens every day." Complete the missing simile in these lines from "Paint It, Black."

Answer: new born baby

"I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
With flowers and my love, both never to come back
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Like a new born baby, it just happens every day."

"Paint It, Black" remained for 11 weeks on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and for ten weeks on the UK Singles Chart. When the song was reissued in the U.K. in 1990 and 2007, it once again hit the top 100. The song has been featured in several video games, including Rocksmith 2014, Guitar Hero III, and Mafia III.
7. Who played Hammond organ on "Paint It, Black" and has also claimed he helped write the song?

Answer: Bill Wyman

According to Rolling Stone magazine (November 1, 2012, "Readers' Poll: The Rolling Stones' 10 Greatest Songs") organist and bass player Bill Wyman claimed to help "a great deal in writing the song." Eventually, the magazine reports, "the group started to agree with him." Rolling Stone magazine quotes Keith Richards: "I must say in retrospect that actually, what made 'Paint It, Black' was Bill Wyman on the organ."
8. "Paint It, Black" was used as the theme song for what American military television series that premiered in 1987?

Answer: Tour of Duty

"M*A*S*H" premiered in 1972 and "JAG" in 1995. "Scrubs" is a medical, not a military, show. "Paint It, Black" has also appeared in the closing credits of the movies "The Devil's Advocate" and "Full Metal Jacket." An orchestral arrangement of the song featured in the American sci-fi western series "Westworld."
9. "I look inside myself and see my ____ is black." What part of the singer is black?

Answer: heart

"I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I see my red door, I must have it painted black
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
It's not easy facing up, when your whole world is black."

Echo & The Bunnymen covered "Paint It, Black" on their 1988 album "People Are Strange." U2 covered the song and it was released with their 1992 single "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses." The song has also been covered by Deep Purple, The Winstons, Africa, No Prisoners, Earth Crisis, and numerous other musicians.
10. A 1970 version of "Paint It, Black" performed by Eric Burdon and what band hit the Dutch Top 40?

Answer: War

British singer-songwriter Eric Burdon first covered "Paint It, Black" with Eric Burdon & The Animals in 1967 on his album "Winds of Change." It was the 1970 version, however, performed with War, that peaked at number 31 on the Dutch Top 40. War, an American funk band, is known for such hits as "The World is a Ghetto," "The Cisco Kid," and "Spill the Wine." The song was included on the band's 1970 album "The Black-Man's Burdon."
Source: Author skylarb

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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