The Black, Dark, and Night in Music Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. I'll try to start you off with a fairly easy question in the number one question position. In March of 1975, which group hit number one with their original version of the song, "Black Water"?

Answer: The Doobie Brothers

"I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland, Pretty mama come and take me by the hand." That a cappella line seemed to be the one from the lyrics of the song that prompted "Black Water" to hit number one for The Doobie Brothers in 1975, two years after they recorded it on their album, "What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits".

It reached number nine on the Canadian singles chart also in 1975. By the way, does anyone out there in FunTrivia land know the intended definition of the word "Doobie" in this awesome band's band name? hmmmmmmm...LOL

2. The song, "Strangers in the Night", was originally penned by a Lebanese composer by the name of Avo Uvezian who originally titled it "Broken Guitar". It was later renamed "Strangers in the Night", but which famous singer/actor brought it to its biggest fame in 1966?

Answer: Frank Sinatra

Yeah, kind of an easy one. The infamous blue-eyed Rat Pack member, Frank Sinatra, is known to this day for being the singer who gave "Strangers in the Night" its greatest prominence in the music world. It's known as the song, from the album of the same name, that returned ol' blues eyes to number one on the pop album charts in 1966.

Many different crooners, including Frank's Rat Pack buddy, Dean Martin, did covers of the song, yet almost fifty years later, it's still Sinatra's voice most 60's music fans hear when the song comes to mind and the version they still play occasionally over the airwaves.

3. In 1974, the pop rock jingle, "Dark Lady", hit number one , making it the third time this tall, beautiful woman had a song reach the lofty musical goal. Which successful singer "laughed and danced and lit the candles one by one" while vocalizing "Dark Lady"?

Answer: Cher

I hope the lyrics hint, "laughed and danced and lit the candles one by one", led you straight to the correct answer, that being Cher. "Dark Lady" marked her third number one hit, yet surprisingly it was from her eleventh album of the same name. One would think with Cher's beauty and musical notoriety that after eleven studio albums, she'd have more than three number ones.

It wasn't until 1998 before Cher found her way to the number one position again with her single, "Believe". Her other two number one hits came in 1971 with "Gypsies, Tramps, and Thives", and "Half-Breed" in 1973.

4. This two-part single, by the Godfather of Soul, became the unofficial anthem of the Black Power movement. Both parts of "Say It Loud - I'm Black And I'm Proud", were included on the "Godfather of Soul's" 1968 album, "A Soulful Christmas", then on his 1969 album of the same name. Which funk singer and energetic dancer is the "Godfather of Soul" I'm referring to?

Answer: James Brown

No doubt that all of the named artists were/are "Godfathers of Soul" in there own right, but there's really only ONE true worldwide recognized Godfather of Soul, and that is the late, great, funkman like no other, James Brown. With a fantastic career interspersed with drug and alcohol problems and failed relationships and marriages, it's always amazed me that the dynamic Brown had funk fans screaming for more long after his feet slowed down from one of his many fan-pleasing performances. Even more amazing was his ability to launch into his patented moves well into his seventies without missing a step. 'OOOWWWWW!...I feeel GOOD.'

5. This retired singer/songwriter/actor and former drummer had to retire from the music-making business, leaving millions of adoring fans sadly disappointed to see him go. Two of his chart-making songs with the word night included in the title are: "One More Night" and the often lyrically misquoted "In The Air Tonight". Which artist left the music business on his own terms due to having dislocated vertebrae cause hearing loss in his right ear?

Answer: Phil Collins

Phil Collins is missed by millions. From his career with the group, Genesis, to a long and extremely successful solo career, Collins proved his strength in the studio, on the stage, and anywhere he performed. His storied forty-three year career, which went from 1968 until his retirement in 2011, made him only the third solo recording artist to have sold over one hundred million albums as both a solo artist and as a group member.

He joined Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney in that threesome. He also reached the top forty on the Billboard's Top 100 charts in the '80s more than any other musical artist of that decade.

6. The credit for the song, "Black Betty", goes way back in music history and is often credited to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter, yet indications show it goes much farther back that that. The most recent remakes are accredited to Spiderbait and one other hard rock band who made it a number one song in 1977?

Answer: Ram Jam

What a hugely popular song "Black Betty" has been for decades. Yet, it's pretty well known that Ram Jam, the hard rock and blues rock group is the band that brought the catchy tune its greatest prominence. What is even more amazing is Ram Jam was active for only ONE year in the '70s, 1977 - 1978! The song being pounded out by Ram Jam can still be heard on many classic rock radio stations and has noted popularity with many music lovers still only in their teens.

Some of the other artists who have recorded versions of "Black Betty" include; Iron Head, "Lead Belly" Ledbetter, Manfred Mann, Ministry, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Meat Loaf, Soil, Scooter, The Melvins, and even the Lomaxes in 1933. Even with all those recordings, music aficionados are still confused as to the overall meaning of the song. I say, "Who cares? When it's "Black Betty" playing over your sound system, just TURN IT LOUD!"

7. Composed by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus from the spectacular Swedish phenom bunch, ABBA, the musical elegy, "One Night In Bangkok", had more to do with the game of chess than the city of Bangkok and the country of Thailand. Which of the following singer/actors, also a singer/actor from "Jesus Christ, Superstar", turned the song into a surprising hit from the 80's musical, "Chess"?

Answer: Murray Head

All of the choices given did sing numbers for the "powerhouse musical of the time and genre", "Jesus Christ Superstar", it was Murray Seafield Saint-George Head, who performed "One Night In Bangkok". Known more for his shorter name, Murray Head, he took the song to number one on the Australian pop rock charts as well as hitting the top in The Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland. Also, Head had it hit the charts at no worse that number three in Canada, U.S., France, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden. Surprisingly, Murray seems to be a rather obscure musician/actor in the field, yet this is a glaring error.

His involvement with popular musicals, t.v. specials, movies, and nineteen studio albums gives Murray credits in over sixty different types of productions during his nearly fifty year career.

8. One of the first singles that this popular and sometimes overexposed artist wrote herself, is "Black Cat", which was released in 1990. A family background in the music field has her sought after for movies, advertisements, various sports event shows, and of course, her skill in the singing/songwriting field. Which overexposed performer (in many peoples' opinions) am I referring to?

Answer: Janet Jackson

I'm hoping the word "overexposed" help give this question to you. I'm speaking about Janet 'Damita Jo' Jackson and her unforgettable slip of the faulty fashions" incident during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004. There's no denying J.J.'s unending success and massive popularity from her early years to the present, though. From a three-year stint as Penny on the sitcom, "Good Times", to many nominations and awards in the t.v. and movie business, and through many fairly successful selling studio albums and hit songs, Janet, once known as the "precious baby of the Jackson Clan", has stayed extremely busy throughout her life and in my opinion, "stayed fairly decent and clean" despite her legacy and a fairly open stance in regards to her enjoyment of her sexual styles. FYI, the song "Black Cat" lyrically conveys a strong stance against substance abuse.

9. "Hallelujah!" A question that's "Everybody Knows" from an artist that may be "Waiting For Miracle". I don't believe "The Captain" needs a miracle because he's still "Passing Through" the music world well into his seventies and still "Humbled In Love". Who penned and performed the melody "By The Rivers Dark" like a "Dress Rehearsal Rag" tune?

Answer: Leonard Cohen

This really should be the easiest question in the entire quiz. Everyone of the short, capitalised phrases in parentheses, are song titles from the discography of the one and only Leonard Cohen. What more can one say about this outstandingly superb musician when he won Canada's highest music award, the Juno, at age seventy-eight for Artist of the Year. I know we're not supposed to refer to timelines due to the confusion they can cause, yet I truly hope the FT editors will allow it this once when I mention that this quiz is being written and submitted in May of 2013, and it's barely one month passed when Mr. Cohen won this award. I think that says it all about this world-famous, golden-tongued, virtuosic genius, like no other.

10. "Black Day In July" is one of the most outspoken protest ballads by another lyrically potent Canadian musical artist. This artist is loved by millions all over the globe, so it's my opinion that he/she deserves to be on the same list of influential musicians as Leonard Cohen, the subject of another question in this same quiz. Whose song, "Black Day In July", was banned in 1968 in the U.S.A. by over 30 radio stations due to controversial content?

Answer: Gordon Lightfoot

It may be hard to believe, but back in the beginning decade of his career, Gordon Lightfoot was well-known for his ability to write protest songs and highly regarded among his peers in the genre of songs of dissension, especially in regards to the Vietnam War.

The actual riots he referred to in the hymeneal began when Caucasian policemen in Detroit attempted to shut down a get-together for two coloured soldiers returning from double tours of duty in Vietnam. The people who had come to pay their respects to the soldiers on this blistering July evening decided they were not going to adhere to the foolish requests of the 'lawkeepers' and the rest, sadly, is history for its time.

Then president, Lyndon Johnson, attempted to quell the uprising by heavy-handed means and even banned the song completely from being sold, played, or publicly sung, but it was way too late.

Another couple of Vietnam protest barcaroles by Lightfoot, "Summerside of Life" and "Sit Down Young Stranger", are almost too lyrically and psychologically potent for all but the biggest anti-conformity ballad fans, yet I highly suggest that those reading this take the time to search out the lyrics and performances of those two hits and all of the incomparable Lightfoot versions of any of his protestation melodies.

Source: Author mayneeyak

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor kyleisalive before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

To complete the Author's Challenge by creating a quiz with one of the words, "black", "dark", or "night" in the title of the quiz, you can see I've included them all. I'll give a song title with one of the words in it, you simply pick the correct band.

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