Quizology.Online

Tag: music

  • In My Life—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

    Although spread over several centuries these questions are all related to today’s date, December 8th.

    John Lennon, 1974.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    John Lennon was murdered in 1980. What song did Paul McCartney write as a tribute to John Lennon after his death. The song was released on his album, Tug of War (1982).

    Answer: Here Today

    Composed as a heartfelt tribute to John Lennon, this song expresses the emotions Paul felt he couldn’t fully convey to him during their time together. It’s structured as an imagined conversation exploring their affection, regret and complex friendship. McCartney performs it frequently at concerts as a dedicated moment for Lennon. McCartney featured on George Harrison’s tribute song All Those Years Ago (1981) alongside Ringo Starr on drums. McCartney, Linda and Denny Laine provided backing vocals.
    The post title In My Life is a Beatles song from their 1965 album Rubber Soul.

    Two

    The first woman to appear on a public stage in England did so on this date, in what decade did this occur?

    Answer: 1660s (1660)

    Margaret Hughes, also known as Peg Hughes, is widely regarded as the first professional actress to appear on the English stage. She made theatre history on 8 December 1660 when she played Desdemona in Othello, a landmark moment that signalled a major shift in Restoration-era drama, as women began performing publicly for the first time. Anne Marshall, another pioneer, is also sometimes credited with being the actress to appear on this date.

    Three

    Mary, Queen of Scots, was born on this day, and six days later she became queen of Scotland. In what decade did this occur?

    Answer: 1540s (1542)

    Mary, Queen of Scots, ascended to the throne at six days old. After marrying Francis, Dauphin of France, she became queen consort of France until his death. Returning to Scotland, her reign was marked by religious and political turmoil, culminating in her forced abdication and imprisonment. Seeking refuge in England, she was perceived as a threat to Elizabeth I and executed after being found guilty of plotting against her.

    Four

    In 1991, after the Soviet Union’s breakup, which three former Soviet republics formed the Commonwealth of Independent States?

    Answer: Russia, Ukraine and Belarus

    The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was formed in 1991 by Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, replacing the USSR. There were eventually twelve former Soviet republics as members, including the Central Asian republics: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan; and the Transcaucasian republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia; and Moldova. Notably, the former Soviet republics in the Baltic area—Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania—declined to join the CIS.

    Five

    …an emotionally shattering look at the effects of the Vietnam War on the young American men sent to fight in it, the movie later won an Oscar for best picture

    —Encyclopædia Britannica https://www.britannica.com/on-this-day/December-8

    Which 1978 Oscar-winning film directed by Michael Cimino is described in the above Encyclopædia Britannica quote?

    Answer: The Deer Hunter

    The Deer Hunter is a 1978 American war drama film about three Slavic-American steelworkers whose lives are changed by the Vietnam War. The film, directed by Michael Cimino, received critical acclaim and won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

  • In My Life

    Although spread over several centuries these questions are all related to today’s date, December 8th.

    John Lennon, 1974.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    John Lennon was murdered in 1980. What song did Paul McCartney write as a tribute to John Lennon after his death. The song was released on his album, Tug of War (1982).

    Two

    The first woman to appear on a public stage in England did so on this date, in what decade did this occur?

    Three

    Mary, Queen of Scots, was born on this day, and six days later she became queen of Scotland. In what decade did this occur?

    Four

    In 1991, after the Soviet Union’s breakup, which three former Soviet republics formed the Commonwealth of Independent States?

    Five

    …an emotionally shattering look at the effects of the Vietnam War on the young American men sent to fight in it, the movie later won an Oscar for best picture

    —Encyclopædia Britannica

    Which 1978 Oscar-winning film directed by Michael Cimino is described in the above Encyclopædia Britannica quote?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • December 6th—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions which were posted earlier.

    All of these questions are related to today, December 6th.

    One

    In 1998, Hugo Chávez was victorious in presidential elections in what country?

    Answer: Venezuela

    Hugo Chávez was a Venezuelan politician and revolutionary who served as president from 1999 until his death in 2013. He founded the Fifth Republic Movement and later the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, implementing social reforms and nationalising industries as part of the Bolivarian Revolution. While his policies initially improved poverty and social welfare, they also led to economic instability and shortages.

    1897 Bersey Electrical Cab, British Motor Museum, Gaydon.
    Image Wikipedia

    Two

    In 1897, which capital city became the first in the world to host licensed self-propelled motorised taxicabs?

    Answer: London, United Kingdom

    The first of these motorised cabs were electric-powered vehicles, nicknamed ‘Hummingbirds’ due to the quiet sound of their electric motors. A fleet of these cabs, designed by Walter C. Bersey, was introduced on 19 August 1897, and officially licensed by 6 December of the same year. However, London had a system for licensed horse-drawn carriages (known as “hackney carriages”) much earlier, with the first official licences issued in 1662. The 1897 date specifically marks the introduction and licensing of motorised, rather than horse-drawn, cabs. 

    Three

    In 1969, the ill-fated Altamont festival, a free one-day rock festival, at the Altamont Speedway, Livermore, California, United States, was put on by an act as a thank-you gesture to their fans? The haphazardly organised festival was put on by what act?

    Answer: The Rolling Stones

    The Altamont Speedway Free Festival in California was a counterculture rock concert intended as a thank-you to fans by The Rolling Stones. However, the event turned deadly when a security guard, a member of the Hell’s Angels, fatally stabbed Meredith Hunter. Marred by violence and three accidental deaths, the festival is often remembered as a dark ending to the 1960s counterculture.  

    Nefertiti.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    In 1912, a bust of a queen of Egypt was discovered during excavations at Tell el-Amarna, Egypt. Who was this queen from the 14th century BCE?

    Answer: Nefertiti

    Nefertiti, queen of Egypt and wife of King Akhenaton, played a prominent role in the cult of the sun god Aton. She bore six daughters, two of whom became queens, and is depicted in early images accompanying her husband and later usurping kingly privileges in religious rituals. The sculpture later went on display in a Berlin museum, and it became a source of controversy as an alleged plundered artefact.

    Five

    On this day in 1933, a US Federal judge declared a book featuring Stephen Dedalus, Leopold and Molly Bloom not obscene.  Can you name the book and its author?

    Answer: Ulysses by James Joyce

    Ulysses, a modernist novel by James Joyce, parallels Homer’s Odyssey and chronicles the experiences of three Dubliners—Stephen Dedalus, Leopold Bloom and Molly Bloom—on 16 June 1904, representing Telemachus, Odysseus and Penelope. Published in Paris in 1922, the novel is considered a classic of modernist literature, known for its experimental style, rich characterisation, and exploration of themes like antisemitism, human sexuality and Irish nationalism.

  • December 6th

    All of these questions are related to today, December 6th.

    One

    In 1998, Hugo Chávez was victorious in presidential elections in what country?

    1897 Bersey Electrical Cab.

    Two

    In 1897, which capital city became the first in the world to host licensed self-propelled motorised taxicabs?

    Three

    In 1969, the ill-fated Altamont festival, a free one-day rock festival, at the Altamont Speedway, Livermore, California, United States, was put on by an act as a thank-you gesture to their fans? The haphazardly organised festival was put on by what act?

    Four

    In 1912, a bust of a queen of Egypt was discovered during excavations at Tell el-Amarna, Egypt. Who was this queen from the 14th century BCE?

    Five

    On this day in 1933, a US Federal judge declared a book featuring Stephen Dedalus, Leopold and Molly Bloom not obscene.  Can you name the book and its author?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Hatches, Matches and Despatches Part Deux—Answers

    Apocalypse Now. See question 3.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

    Today’s questions focus on individuals born, married or deceased on December 3rd.

    One

    Which heavy metal band, formed in Birmingham in 1968 and known for pioneering the genre, featured Ozzy Osbourne as its original lead vocalist?

    Answer: Black Sabbath

    Ozzy Osbourne was born this day in 1948. Black Sabbath’s 1970 self-titled debut album is often cited as one of the first true heavy-metal records, in part because its tritone-based title track was considered unusually dark and ominous for its time.

    Two

    Which pioneering psychoanalyst, daughter of Sigmund Freud, became one of the founders of child psychoanalysis?

    Answer: Anna Freud

    During World War II, Anna Freud co-founded the Hampstead War Nurseries in London, providing care for bomb-displaced children and shaping her influential theories on child development. She was born in Vienna, Austria, on this day in 1895.

    Three

    Which Polish-born British novelist wrote Heart of Darkness, the novella that later inspired the 1979 film Apocalypse Now?

    Answer: Joseph Conrad

    Conrad did not speak fluent English until his twenties, yet became one of the language’s most celebrated stylists. He was born on this day in 1857.

    Johann Sebastian Bach.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    Which Baroque composer, known for works such as the Brandenburg Concertos, married Anna Magdalena Wilcken on 3 December 1721?

    Answer: Johann Sebastian Bach

    Anna Magdalena herself was an accomplished singer, and Bach compiled two Notebooks for Anna Magdalena Bach, collections of keyboard pieces for her to study and perform.

    Five

    Which co-founder of the Jesuit order, famed for missionary work in India, Japan and Southeast Asia, died off the coast of China in 1552?

    Answer: St. Francis Xavier

    Xavier’s extensive travels—over 60,000 miles by ship—made him one of the most widely travelled religious figures of the 16th century.

  • Hatches, Matches and Despatches Part Deux

    Apocalypse Now. See question 3.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Today’s questions focus on individuals born, married or deceased on December 3rd.

    One

    Which heavy metal band, formed in Birmingham in 1968 and known for pioneering the genre, featured Ozzy Osbourne as its original lead vocalist?

    Two

    Which pioneering psychoanalyst, daughter of Sigmund Freud, became one of the founders of child psychoanalysis?

    Three

    Which Polish-born British novelist wrote Heart of Darkness, the novella that later inspired the 1979 film Apocalypse Now?

    Four

    Which Baroque composer, known for works such as the Brandenburg Concertos, married Anna Magdalena Wilcken on 3 December 1721?

    Five

    Which co-founder of the Jesuit order, famed for missionary work in India, Japan and Southeast Asia, died off the coast of China in 1552?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Mixed Up—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

    Unscramble the capitalised ANAGRAM to find the answer in each of the following questions phrases and clues.

    See question four. Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris).
    Image Wikipedia

    Example

    Washington DC is the capital of the ESTATE NUDIST

    Answer: United States

    One

    A quote from the BBC in which the first ANAGRAM is a band name, the second and third are a singer’s name.

    When the ITCHY SERUM scored their first global hit in the early 1980s all eyes were on ONLINE ANNEX, the singer whose powerful androgynous look defied the male gaze.

    and

    The video accompanying the single, in which ONLINE ANNEX appeared with closely cropped orange hair and wearing a man’s business suit, was both striking and surreal. …extraordinary image was at odds with her female contemporaries.

    — BBC

    What is the band (One word) and who is the singer? (First name and surname)

    Answer: Eurythmics; Annie Lennox

    In 1983, the Eurythmics achieved global chart success, topping the US charts with their hit Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This). Scottish singer-songwriter Annie Lennox achieved international success with Dave Stewart in the Eurythmics in the 1980s. She embarked on a successful solo career in 1992, releasing six studio albums and winning numerous awards, including eight Brit Awards and four Grammy Awards. Lennox is also a prominent political and social activist, raising awareness for HIV/AIDS and women’s empowerment.

    Two

    This Oxford English Dictionary definition for pewter has what element mixed up: ‘a grey alloy of tin with copper and MY NATION.’ (One word)

    Answer: Antimony

    Antimony (Sb), a lustrous grey metal or metalloid, is primarily sourced from stibnite (Sb2S3). It is used in alloys, flame retardants, semiconductors, and historically in medicine and cosmetics. Historically, pewter was an alloy of tin with up to 40% lead.

    Argentinian tennis player Guillermo Vilas at the 1974 Dutch Open tournament.
    Image Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0 nl
    File:Guillermo Vilas.jpg Created: 14 July 1974

    Three

    In 1977, this Argentinian tennis player set a record of a 53-match winning streak on clay courts, which stood until it was surpassed by Rafael Nadal in 2006. He will be found in VILLAGE RUM SILO. (First name and surname)

    Answer: Guillermo Vilas

    Guillermo Vilas is an Argentine former professional tennis player. Argentine Guillermo Vilas, a former professional tennis player, was ranked world No. 1 in the Grand Prix seasons of 1974, 1975 and 1977. He won 62 singles titles, including four majors, and is renowned for his dominance on clay courts, holding the record for most clay court match wins. Despite studies suggesting he should have been ranked No. 1 for seven weeks, the ATP has not officially recognised this.

    Four

    A species of thrush (see picture at the top of this post): DEAF RIFLE

    Answer: Fieldfare

    The fieldfare is a migratory thrush found in northern Europe and the Palearctic. It breeds in woodland and scrub, and winters in the UK, Southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

    A sign on the Eyre Highway indicating that an RFDS emergency airstrip is ahead. There are three such strips on the highway.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    This sign for a Flying Doctor Service emergency airstrip is on what Australian road which crosses the Nullarbor Plain: GEE HAIRY WHY (two words)

    Answer: Eyre Highway

    Eyre Highway, a 1,664-kilometre highway, links Western Australia and South Australia via the Nullarbor Plain. Constructed during World War II, it was initially named Forrest Highway before being officially named after explorer Edward John Eyre.

  • Mixed Up

    Unscramble the capitalised ANAGRAM to find the answer in each of the following questions phrases and clues.

    See question four.
    Image Wikipedia (Attribution link in answer post)

    Example

    Washington DC is the capital of the ESTATE NUDIST

    United States

    One

    A quote from the BBC in which the first ANAGRAM is a band name, the second and third are a singer’s name.

    When the ITCHY SERUM scored their first global hit in the early 1980s all eyes were on ONLINE ANNEX, the singer whose powerful androgynous look defied the male gaze.

    and

    The video accompanying the single, in which ONLINE ANNEX appeared with closely cropped orange hair and wearing a man’s business suit, was both striking and surreal. …extraordinary image was at odds with her female contemporaries.

    — BBC

    What is the band (One word) and who is the singer? (First name and surname)

    Two

    This Oxford English Dictionary definition for pewter has what element mixed up: ‘a grey alloy of tin with copper and MY NATION.’ (One word)

    Argentinian tennis player VILLAGE RUM SILO at the 1974 Dutch Open tournament.
    Image Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0 nl
    (Attribution links in answer post)

    Three

    In 1977, this Argentinian tennis player set a record of a 53-match winning streak on clay courts, which stood until it was surpassed by Rafael Nadal in 2006. He will be found in VILLAGE RUM SILO. (First name and surname)

    Four

    A species of thrush (see picture at the top of this post): DEAF RIFLE

    A sign on the GEE HAIRY WHY indicating that an RFDS emergency airstrip is ahead. There are three such strips on the highway.
    Image Wikipedia (Attribution link in answer post)

    Five

    This sign for a Flying Doctor Service emergency airstrip is on what Australian road which crosses the Nullarbor Plain: GEE HAIRY WHY (two words)

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Go With a Bang—Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions in my earlier post.

    Today’s questions are all connected to the date, November 27th.

    The obverse side of the Nobel Prize medals for physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, and literature.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    One

    On this day, the Nobel Prizes were established by a provision in Alfred Nobel’s will. In which capital city was Nobel born in October 1833? What eight-letter word is the name of a Nobel invention from 1867?

    Answer: Stockholm, Sweden; Dynamite

    Alfred Nobel, inventor of powerful explosives, established the Nobel Prizes, possibly to avoid a negative posthumous reputation. His interests in physics, chemistry, physiology and literature, along with his friendship with pacifist Bertha von Suttner, influenced the prize categories.

    Two

    An author known for writing 14 novels featuring the fictional detective Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard died today in 2014. Who was this author?

    Answer: PD James

    PD James, a British mystery novelist, is best known for her fictional detective Adam Dalgliesh. She wrote 14 Dalgliesh novels, as well as other works including An Unsuitable Job for a Woman and The Children of Men. James was made OBE in 1983 and was named a life peer in 1991.

    Three

    The king of the Franks from 481 until his death in 511 was the ruler of much of Gaul. Was this Clovis I, Louis I, or Pippin I?

    Answer: Clovis I

    Clovis I, king of the Franks from 481 to 511, consolidated power in Gaul and expanded his influence through military conquests. His conversion to Catholicism, a pivotal moment in Frankish history, is shrouded in legend and debate, with some suggesting he leaned towards Arianism before his baptism. Clovis’s legacy endures as the founder of France and a significant figure in the spread of Christianity in Europe.

    Rock guitarist and singer Jimi Hendrix in his last concert performance, the Open Air Love & Peace Festival on Fehmarn island, Germany, September 6, 1970. Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Four

    Jimi Hendrix was born on this date. Which two cities were his birthplace and his place of death? How old was he when he died?

    Answer: Seattle, Washington, US; London, UK; 27 years old

    Jimi Hendrix, an American rock guitarist, singer and composer, redefined the electric guitar by fusing American blues, jazz, rock and soul with British avant-garde rock. Despite a brief career, Hendrix’s innovative techniques, charismatic performances and genre-defying music made him a highly influential figure in popular music. His impact continues to inspire musicians, and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

    Five

    The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade was held in New York City. In what decade did this occur?

    Answer: 1920s

    The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade began in 1924 as a Christmas parade to promote holiday shopping. It features giant balloons, floats, marching bands and performers, with Santa Claus marking the parade’s end. The parade has been televised since 1947, becoming a beloved Thanksgiving morning ritual for millions.

  • Go With a Bang

    Today’s questions are all connected to the date, November 27th.

    The obverse side of the Nobel Prize medals for physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, and literature.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    One

    On this day, the Nobel Prizes were established by a provision in Alfred Nobel’s will. In which capital city was Nobel born in October 1833? What eight-letter word is the name of a Nobel invention from 1867?

    Two

    An author known for writing 14 novels featuring the fictional detective Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard died today in 2014. Who was this author?

    Three

    The king of the Franks from 481 until his death in 511 was the ruler of much of Gaul. Was this Clovis I, Louis I, or Pippin I?

    Four

    Jimi Hendrix was born on this date. Which two cities were his birthplace and his place of death? How old was he when he died?

    Five

    The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade was held in New York City. In what decade did this occur?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.