We Built This City On Rock And Roll Quiz

Answer: The Clash

This doom-ridden song was mainly written by Joe Strummer about the number of ways the world could end.

The album, also named "London Calling", was judged by 'Rolling Stone' magazine to be the best album of 1980.

The single reached number 11 on the Official UK Charts, and number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: Bruce Springsteen

Atlantic City is, of course, in Bruce Springsteen's native New Jersey. When Springsteen wrote the song, the city had plenty of tourists at the many casinos, but they barely disguised the relative poverty of the residents.

The song was accompanied on release by a video shot in Atlantic City - a video in which Springsteen does not appear.

It was on the 1982 album "Nebraska", although Springsteen has altered the style of the song at times over the years.

On a barely related note, when Springsteen and the E Street Band played to 65,000 people at Slane Castle in Ireland in 1985, some enterprising locals thought they would take advantage by producing some 'unofficial' merchandise. They just could not understand how their "Springstein" T-shirts sold so poorly.

Answer: Steve Earle

Earle wrote the song while working on a project in the Irish city of Galway.

He later said in an RTE radio interview that it was based on someone he met. Although he recorded it with the Irish singer Sharon Shannon, she was not the subject and he suggested it was a tale of unrequited love.

Answer: Elton John

Elton John suggested the title to his lyricist collaborator Bernie Taupin. John had wanted to honour tennis player Billy Jean King, who had become a close friend. Taupin turned it into a homily to the city's musical heritage.

Although it was a big hit in the USA, John got a little tired of it. He told 'Melody Maker' magazine in June 1975: "In America I've got 'Philadelphia Freedom' going up the charts again. I wish the bloody thing would piss off. I can see why people get sick and tired of me. In America I get sick and tired of hearing myself on AM radio. It's embarrassing."

Answer: Mike Nesmith

Mike Nesmith was considered by many to be the most musical of the Monkees - he was the one in the woolly hat. He was certainly frustrated that the group members were not allow to more than just mime in their early shows.

Nesmith was a recording artist before he was recruited to join The Monkees; his first single came out in 1963. While the TV show ran only from 1966 to 1968, the band continued to tour and record sporadically.

Nesmith formed his own band, and their biggest hit was to be "Joanne", which reached number 21 in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970. He also had a busy career as an author, music and movie producer.

Answer: Katy Perry

Perry wrote "Waking Up In Vegas" with Desmond Child and the Swedish songwriter and producer Andreas Carlsson.

Child later told Songfacts: "I knew it was strong, but it took her personality and an accumulation of other hits before that one to put it over the top. And the song is great. I've heard it done by Country groups. The song adapts to different styles. So that's always a good sign of something that could have potential. And maybe the really big hit of that hasn't even appeared yet."

The song topped the Pop Songs/Mainstream Top 40 radio chart.

Answer: Boney M

"Belfast" was a 1977 number one hit for Boney M in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Ireland and Germany, but only reached number eight in the UK.

Written at a time when Belfast was a troubled city, the song was initially intended for Marcia Barrett in her solo career. After she joined Boney M, the song became a popular number in concert and this prompted the inclusion on the 1977 album "Love For Sale".

Barrett told 'Blues & Soul' magazine: "It is strictly non-political and is certainly not provocative in any way. And if you listen to it, you'll know it's not a protest song."

Answer: Ultravox

"Vienna" was a collaborative effort by the band members and reached number two on the Official UK Charts. The song and accompanying video were inspired by the 1949 film 'The Third Man', which was set in Vienna - although the video was mostly shot in London.

Warren Cann, the drummer, later said: "We knew it was the musical high point of the album and made it the title track. It was the song that best represented what we were trying to do. We were determined that it would be our third single and fought with [record company] Chrysalis over it; naturally, they thought it was far too long at six minutes, too weird for a Top 30 chart hit, and too depressing and too slow. Other than that, they liked it."

Answer: Graham Nash

Nash was born in England but later gained dual UK/US citizenship. He was a member of The Hollies, and later teamed up with David Crosby and Stephen Stills, and they were later joined by Neil Young. CS&N and then CSN&Y were to become influential voices in their musical era.

Nash wrote the song about the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968. With protests planned, Mayor Richard Daley told the police to use all necessary force to keep order. This resulted in a brutally violent put down of what had been intended as a peaceful protest.

Released by Nash in 1971 as a solo project, the song did not seem to strike a chord in the USA, charting out at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Answer: The Movies

If you got the right answer without guessing, then you know your music.

"Berlin" appeared on the album "Bullets Through The Barrier" in 1978.

The Movies were a British band active in the 1970s and now describes itself as a band "from before CD". Many years on, the band has developed a cult following among many people (this quiz author included) who cannot believe it was so underrated and unrecognised at the time.

You can search for recordings and videos of The Movies online at their self-titled UK website.

They are not to be confused with a 1999 US band of the same name.