The Royal Guardsmen — Answers

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Here are the answers to my earlier post.
All of today’s questions relate to the date, April 21st.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1959.
Image Wikimedia Commons

One

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom was born on 21 April 1926. To the nearest year how long did she reign?

Answer: 71 years.

Elizabeth II, born on 21 April 1926, was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death in 2022 — 70 years and 214 days — the longest reign of any British monarch. She was queen regnant of 32 states and monarch of 15 at her death. Educated privately, she served in World War II and married Philip Mountbatten in 1947. Her reign saw significant political changes and historic visits. Despite challenges, her popularity remained high. She died at 96, succeeded by Charles III.

Two

On this day In 1918, the Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen, Germany’s top World War I flying ace, was shot down and killed near Amiens, France. What act had a novelty song Snoopy vs. The Red Baron in the 1966 charts?

Answer: The Royal Guardsmen.

Snoopy vs. the Red Baron is a 1966 novelty song by The Royal Guardsmen, peaking at No.2 on the Hot 100 and No.1 in Australia and Canada. It sold nearly three million copies. The band released other Snoopy-themed songs, including The Return of the Red Baron and Snoopy’s Christmas.

Three

What was the musical Annie based on, and what type of work was it?

Answer: Little Orphan Annie; Newspaper comic strip.

Annie is a musical with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and a book by Thomas Meehan, based on the 1924 comic strip Little Orphan Annie. It premiered in 1977, ran for nearly six years, won seven Tony Awards, and features popular songs like ‘Tomorrow‘ and ‘It’s the Hard Knock Life‘.

Four

Whose visit to a Caribbean Island nation in 1966 led to the annual celebration of April 21st as Grounation Day?

Answer: Haile Selassie.

In 1966, the Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I, believed by many Rastas to be the Second Coming of Christ, arrived in Jamaica for a visit. This event is now celebrated annually in the Rastafari movement as Grounation Day, specifically on April 21.

Five

According to legend Rome was founded in what century?

Answer: 8th Century BCE

Ancient Rome, spanning from 753 BCE to 476 CE, evolved from a small Italic settlement into a dominant Mediterranean power. It encompassed the Roman Kingdom, Republic, and Empire, controlling vast territories including North Africa, Egypt, and much of Europe. At its peak in CE 117, it covered 5 million square kilometres with 50-90 million people. Rome’s influence on language, law, architecture, and governance persists, inspiring modern republics and achieving remarkable technological feats like aqueducts and roads. In Ancient Rome, its founding by Romulus was celebrated annually on April 21st.