Quizology.Online

“There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge.”

— Bertrand Russell

Tag: music

  • More What ‘*’ — Answers

    Fall of the Titans. Oil on canvas by Jacob Jordaens, 1638.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s Answers

    One

    What ‘F’ was the Norse God of fertility?

    Answer: Freyr

    Freyr, a Vanir god linked to kingship and fertility, is depicted in the Rällinge statuette and associated with Sweden. He possesses Gullinbursti and Skíðblaðnir, marries Gerðr after surrendering his sword, and will be killed by Surtr at Ragnarök.

    Two

    What ‘G’ is a goddess in Greek myth who was the mother of the 12 Titans?

    Answer: Gaia

    The Titans, twelve children of Uranus and Gaia, preceded the Olympians. Cronus ruled until Zeus and the Olympians defeated them in the Titanomachy; most were imprisoned in Tartarus, though Oceanus and Helios remained free.

    Three

    What ‘H’, a neighbourhood in an American city, is where Alicia Keys was born?

    Answers: Hell’s Kitchen.

    Hell’s Kitchen, or Clinton, is a Manhattan West Side area bordered by 34th or 41st Street, 59th Street, Eighth Avenue and the Hudson River. Once Irish-American and working-class, gentrification since the 1980s raised rents. It hosts LGBTQ communities, the Actors Studio and diverse eateries.

    Four

    What ‘I’, a round of the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship, is named after a country, but the circuit itself is located elsewhere. Where is the circuit, and what is the name of the Grand Prix?

    Answers: Imola, Italy; San Marino Grand Prix.

    The Imola Circuit, an FIA Grade One track in Emilia-Romagna, hosted Formula One from 1980 to 2006 and returned in 2020 after reconstruction. Named after Enzo and Dino Ferrari, it saw fatal accidents, chicanes and cancellations, including floods in 2023. It also hosts other motor and cycling events.

    Five

    What ‘J’ wrote the song Woodstock, which appeared on the album Déjà Vu in March 1970 and was featured on Ladies of the Canyon the following month? Who released these two albums?

    Answer: Joni Mitchell wrote “Woodstock” and released Ladies of the Canyon. Déjà Vu was released by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

    Joni Mitchell wrote Woodstock after Graham Nash described the 1969 festival at Max Yasgur’s farm; her version appeared in 1970. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Matthews Southern Comfort achieved major success, symbolising 1960s counterculture.

  • More What ‘*’

    Fall of the Titans. Oil on canvas by Jacob Jordaens, 1638.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    What ‘F’ was the Norse God of fertility?

    Two

    What ‘G’ is a goddess in Greek myth who was the mother of the 12 Titans?

    Three

    What ‘H’, a neighbourhood in an American city, is where Alicia Keys was born?

    Four

    What ‘I’, a round of the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship, is named after a country, but the circuit itself is located elsewhere. Where is the circuit, and what is the name of the Grand Prix?

    Five

    What ‘J’ wrote the song Woodstock, which appeared on the album Déjà Vu in March 1970 and was featured on Ladies of the Canyon the following month? Who released these two albums?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • For the Birds — Answers

    Today’s Answers

    The Birds.
    Image source here.

    There is no date connection today, but there is a theme.

    One

    This links Max Yasgur’s dairy farm to C. Brown’s dog?

    Answer: Woodstock.

    Woodstock in 1969 took place on Max Yasgur’s farm, while in the Peanuts cartoons Snoopy, Charlie Brown’s dog, has a bird companion called Woodstock.

    Two

    What is the name of the pet owl in Disney’s The Sword in the Stone (1963) and what character’s pet was he?

    Answer: Archimedes; Merlin.

    Archimedes is Merlin’s educated but grouchy pet owl who can speak. He is loyal to Merlin but frequently points out the wizard’s flaws. The character is based on the talking owl from the book The Sword in the Stone, where he also teaches Wart how to fly.

    Three

    In the Harry Potter stories, what is the name and species of Ron Weasley’s pet owl?

    Answers: Pigwidgeon; Scops owl.

    Pigwidgeon, nicknamed ‘Pig’, is a tiny, hyperactive Scops owl given to Ron Weasley by Sirius Black to replace his lost pet rat, Scabbers. Named by Ginny Weasley, Pigwidgeon is known for being loud, bothersome, and a bit of a show-off, often annoying other owls. Despite his small size, he was used to deliver letters, including heavy loads, and was borrowed by Harry Potter to communicate with Sirius during the Triwizard Tournament. He stayed at The Burrow when Ron left to hunt Horcruxes with Harry and Hermione.

    Four

    What 2016 film featured a kingfisher named Kiki?

    Answer: Robinson Crusoe (aka The Wild Life).

    Robinson Crusoe, released in North America as The Wild Life, is a 2016 3D animated film directed by Vincent Kesteloot and Ben Stassen. Based on Daniel Defoe’s novel from the animals’ perspective, it grossed $42.4 million against a $13 million budget despite negative reviews.

    Five

    What song gave Fleetwood Mac their only UK number one hit?

    Answer: Albatross.

    The Fleetwood Mac instrumental Albatross, composed by Peter Green and released in 1968, was the band’s only number-one single in the UK. It was later re-released in 1973, reaching number two.

  • For the Birds

    The Birds.
    Image source here.

    There is no date connection today, but there is a theme.

    One

    This links Max Yasgur’s dairy farm to C. Brown’s dog?

    Two

    What is the name of the pet owl in Disney’s The Sword in the Stone (1963) and what character’s pet was he?

    Three

    In the Harry Potter stories, what is the name and species of Ron Weasley’s pet owl?

    Four

    What 2016 film featured a kingfisher named Kiki?

    Five

    What song gave Fleetwood Mac their only UK number one hit?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Ox, Tiger, Dragon, Monkey, Rooster And Pig — Answers

    Today’s Answers

    Pope Gregory XIII, portrait attributed to Bartolomeo Passarotti.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s first question is date-related being connected to today, 4 October. Subsequently, the questions are not date-related but maybe they really are!

    One

    This day in 1582 saw the introduction of the Gregorian calendar to replace the … calendar meaning that Thursday 4 October 1582 was followed by Friday … — what calendar’s name, and date complete the previous sentence?

    Answer: Julian (calendar); and (Friday) 15 October 1582.

    The Gregorian calendar was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 to correct the Julian calendar’s 11-minute yearly drift. By dropping 10 days and adjusting the leap year rule for century years, it realigned the calendar with the vernal equinox. Although adoption was gradual, most of continental Catholic Europe adopted the new calendar in 1582, while Great Britain and Ireland waited until 1752. More recent shifts occurred with Greece in 1923 and Saudi Arabia in 2016 and it is now the primary international dating system.

    Two

    Which song featuring lyrics by Howard Greenfield contains these lines, and which singer wrote the music?

    (January)

    You start the year all fine

    (February)

    You’re my little Valentine

    (March)

    I’m gonna march you down the aisle

    (April)

    You’re the Easter bunny

    When you smile

    — AZ Lyrics

    Answers: Calendar Girl: Neil Sedaka.

    Released in December 1960, Calendar Girl by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield reached No. 1 for Sedaka in Canada and Japan, and made the top ten in both the UK and US. Inspired by Lloyd Price, Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor and Ricky Nelson, it uses monthly imagery including Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe. Stan Applebaum and Gary Chester provided instrumentation.

    Three

    What secular device and tradition is associated with the beginning of the Christian liturgical year?

    Answer: Advent Calendar.

    An Advent calendar is a decorative tool used to count down the days leading up to Christmas, typically spanning from December 1 or the First Sunday of Advent through December 24 or 25. While often secular today, the practice originated with German Lutherans as a period of spiritual preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ. Early 19th-century traditions included lighting candles or marking doors to track the days. The modern format—featuring compartments, flaps, or pockets that reveal images, stories, Bible verses, or small gifts like chocolate—emerged in early 20th-century Germany. Following a decline during World War II, the tradition gained global popularity.

    Four

    Clues to this fitting novel are immersed in the following: it marked its author’s debut in 1984; sales rose after US President Ronald Reagan noted his enjoyment; a film with a former James Bond followed in 1990. What were the titles of the book and film; who wrote the book; and what was the former Bond actor’s character name?

    Answers: The Hunt for Red October; Tom Clancy; Marko Ramius.

    Tom Clancy’s debut novel, The Hunt for Red October, published by Naval Institute Press in 1984, features Soviet captain Marko Ramius allegedly defecting with the revolutionary new ballistic submarine Red October; CIA analyst Jack Ryan must try to assist Ramius’s defection and capture the submarine.

    Five

    This list from 1793 arranged names in sequence: vintage, mist, frost, snow, rain, wind, seedtime, blossom, meadow, harvest, heat and fruits. What did these terms denote; what system were they part of; and in what year was it replaced by a more international choice?

    Answers: Months; the French Republican calendar (also called the French Revolutionary calendar); 1806.

    Adopted on 5 October 1793, the French republican calendar replaced the Gregorian system with a secular structure of 12 months and supplementary days. It was abandoned by Emperor Napoleon on 1 January 1806.

    Ox, Tiger, Dragon, Monkey, Rooster And Pig

    The post title is a list of a few of the animals from the Chinese calendar. Although questions two to five are not date-related as in connected to 4 October they are date-related in being connected to calendars in general and calendars are collections of dates.

  • Ox, Tiger, Dragon, Monkey, Rooster And Pig

    Pope Gregory XIII, portrait attributed to Bartolomeo Passarotti.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s first question is date-related being connected to today, 4 October. Subsequently, the questions are not date-related but maybe they really are!

    One

    This day in 1582 saw the introduction of the Gregorian calendar to replace the … calendar meaning that Thursday 4 October 1582 was followed by Friday … — what calendar’s name, and date complete the previous sentence?

    Two

    Which song featuring lyrics by Howard Greenfield contains these lines, and which singer wrote the music?

    (January)

    You start the year all fine

    (February)

    You’re my little Valentine

    (March)

    I’m gonna march you down the aisle

    (April)

    You’re the Easter bunny

    When you smile

    — AZ Lyrics

    Three

    What secular device and tradition is associated with the beginning of the Christian liturgical year?

    Four

    Clues to this fitting novel are immersed in the following: it marked its author’s debut in 1984; sales rose after US President Ronald Reagan noted his enjoyment; a film with a former James Bond followed in 1990. What were the titles of the book and film; who wrote the book; and what was the former Bond actor’s character name?

    Five

    This list from 1793 arranged names in sequence: vintage, mist, frost, snow, rain, wind, seedtime, blossom, meadow, harvest, heat and fruits. What did these terms denote; what system were they part of; and in what year was it replaced by a more international choice?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • 7 Up — Answers

    Today’s Answers

    Elvis Presley..
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions all relate to this date, 2 October, but have nothing else in common. Although numbered one to five there are seven answers.

    One

    On this day, Charles Darwin returned to the United Kingdom after his five-year voyage making observations and gathering specimens, which led to his theory of evolution. In what decade did he return to the UK; and what connects this voyage to Charlie Brown’s dog?

    Answers: 1830s; Beagle

    In 1836, Charles Darwin returned to Britain from his voyage on HMS Beagle, and Charlie Brown’s dog Snoopy is a beagle.

    Two

    Mummy brown, a shade of brown which appeared in the news on this day in 1964 was a colour which was named so because it was:

    • The mother of all shades of brown
    • The colour of habit worn by the Superior Mother Superior of the Carmelite Order
    • A pigment made from the flesh of mummies

    Answer: A pigment made from the flesh of mummies.

    Mummy brown, made from mummies, pitch and myrrh, was popular among Western European artists and Pre-Raphaelites such as Delacroix and Burne-Jones. Demand fell by 1915 and supply ended mid-twentieth century due to scarcity and poor quality.

    Three

    In 1954, Elvis Presley appeared on the radio show the Grand Ole Opry On how many occasions in total did he appear on this show?

    • Once
    • Twice
    • Three Times

    Answer: Once.

    The appearance on 2 October 1954, which received a mediocre reaction. was his only appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. He had more success with an appearance on the rival Louisiana Hayride show.

    Four

    In 1937, a speech by the Dominican Republic’s Dictator, Rafael Trujillo, led attacks by Dominican soldiers that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Haitians. By what name is this known?

    • Parsley Massacre
    • Poppy Pogrom
    • Pot Genocide

    Answer: Parsley Massacre.

    In October 1937, Dominican Army troops ordered by Rafael Trujillo killed an estimated 20,000 Haitians in the northwestern frontier and Cibao region. Known as the Parsley massacre, victims were killed or fled across the Dajabón River; the name stems from a reported pronunciation test, where Haitians had to pronounce the Spanish word for parsley, perejil, to the satisfaction of the interrogators, though scholars consider this mythic.

    Five

    On this day in 1957, a classic war film had it premiere. The film which featured the River Kwai in its title went on to win the Academy Award for the Best Picture. What was the film’s full title; and who starred as Colonel Nicholson, the senior British officer in the prisoner of war camp?

    Answer: The Bridge on the River Kwai; Alec Guinness.

    The 1957 epic war film The Bridge on the River Kwai, directed by David Lean and based on Pierre Boulle’s novel. It notes that while the story is fictional, it is set against the historical construction of the Burma Railway in 1942–1943. The film stars William Holden, Alec Guinness, and Jack Hawkins. The Bridge on the River Kwai was the highest-grossing film of 1957, won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, and is preserved in the National Film Registry. It appears on the American Film Institute’s best list and was ranked 11th by the British Film Institute.

  • 7 Up

    Elvis Presley..
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s questions all relate to this date, 2 October, but have nothing else in common. Although numbered one to five there are seven answers.

    One

    On this day, Charles Darwin returned to the United Kingdom after his five-year voyage making observations and gathering specimens, which led to his theory of evolution. In what decade did he return to the UK; and what connects this voyage to Charlie Brown’s dog?

    Two

    Mummy brown, a shade of brown which appeared in the news on this day in 1964 was a colour which was named so because it was:

    • The mother of all shades of brown
    • The colour of habit worn by the Superior Mother Superior of the Carmelite Order
    • A pigment made from the flesh of mummies

    Three

    In 1954, Elvis Presley appeared on the radio show the Grand Ole Opry On how many occasions in total did he appear on this show?

    • Once
    • Twice
    • Three Times

    Four

    In 1937, a speech by the Dominican Republic’s Dictator, Rafael Trujillo, led attacks by Dominican soldiers that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Haitians. By what name is this known?

    • Parsley Massacre
    • Poppy Pogrom
    • Pot Genocide

    Five

    On this day in 1957, a classic war film had it premiere. The film which featured the River Kwai in its title went on to win the Academy Award for the Best Picture. What was the film’s full title; and who starred as Colonel Nicholson, the senior British officer in the prisoner of war camp?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • The Naming Of Cats Is A Difficult Matter — Answer

    Today’s Answers

    Charlie Parker, 1947.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s first question relates to the date 26 September, but the remainder are not date-related. They do, though, follow on a theme from the first.

    One

    On this day in 1939 Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats was published. Who was this ‘Old Possum’?

    Answer: T.S. Eliot.

    In 1939, T.S. Eliot released a collection of light verse titled Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, with ‘Old Possum’ being Ezra Pound’s affectionate nickname for him. The first edition featured an illustration of the author on the cover. In 1954, composer Alan Rawsthorne arranged six poems for speaker and orchestra in a piece called Practical Cats. Following Eliot’s death, the book became the foundation for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats, which premiered in the West End in 1981 and opened on Broadway the following year.

    Two

    What American singer, born in 1980, has been referred to as the ‘Voice of a Generation’?

    Answer: Christina Aguilera

    Christina María Aguilera, born 18 December 1980, in New York City, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for a four-octave range and reinventions, Rolling Stone ranked her among the greatest singers; her work draws acclaim and controversy.

    Three

    What high-ranking politician from the first couple of decades of the 21st century was given the nickname ‘Mutti’?

    Answer: Angela Merkel.

    Angela Merkel served as Germany’s chancellor from 2005 to 2021, making her the first woman and second longest-serving leader in that role. She was a key figure in European politics, advocating for austerity during the euro-zone debt crisis and maintaining open borders during a major refugee crisis. Her steady leadership navigated Germany through significant global challenges.

    Four

    Eric Clapton joined a band in 1963 which had a name which may have come from Jack Kerouac’s novel On the Road. This name was also the nickname of a legendary jazz saxophonist. What was the band’s name; and who was the sax player?

    Answer: The Yardbirds; Charlie ‘Yardbird’ Parker.

    Formed in London in 1963, the Yardbirds featured Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith, Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty and Anthony Topham. Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page played lead guitar before the 1968 split. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.
    Charles Parker Jr., nicknamed Bird or Yardbird, was an influential American alto saxophonist, bandleader and composer central to bebop. He introduced revolutionary rhythms and harmonies and became an icon for hipsters and the Beat Generation as an uncompromising artist.

    Five

    In September 2026, there are seven reigning monarchs in Europe who are all descended from the same person. Who was that person, and what nickname was bestowed on them relating to earlier descendant rulers?

    Answers: Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom; Grandmother of Europe.

    Seven reigning monarchs descended from Queen Victoria: King Charles III of the United Kingdom; King Frederik X of Denmark; King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands; King Philippe of Belgium; King Felipe VI of Spain; King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden; and King Haakon VIII of Norway.

    The Naming Of Cats Is A Difficult Matter

    The post title is from Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and thought relevant as the questions are about names, not cats’ names but nicknames.

  • The Naming Of Cats Is A Difficult Matter

    Charlie Parker, 1947.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Today’s first question relates to the date 26 September, but the remainder are not date-related. They do, though, follow on a theme from the first.

    One

    On this day in 1939 Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats was published. Who was this ‘Old Possum’?

    Two

    What American singer, born in 1980, has been referred to as the ‘Voice of a Generation’?

    Three

    What high-ranking politician from the first couple of decades of the 21st century was given the nickname ‘Mutti’?

    Four

    Eric Clapton joined a band in 1963 which had a name which may have come from Jack Kerouac’s novel On the Road. This name was also the nickname of a legendary jazz saxophonist. What was the band’s name; and who was the sax player?

    Five

    In September 2026, there are seven reigning monarchs in Europe who are all descended from the same person. Who was that person, and what nickname was bestowed on them relating to earlier descendant rulers?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.