Featured as round 5 at the Old Pequliar on June 2, 2009

Eleven songs plucked from a list compiled a few years ago by John Miller for The National Review. (Following that link before taking the quiz could be considered cheating, FYI.)

He writes: “What makes a great conservative rock song? The lyrics must convey a conservative idea or sentiment, such as skepticism of government or support for traditional values. And, to be sure, it must be a great rock song.”

1) Song clip #1

2) Song clip #2

3) Song clip #3

4) Song clip #4

5) Song clip #5

6) Song clip #6

7) Song clip #7

8) Song clip #8

9) Song clip #9

10) Song clip #10

11) Song clip #11

ANSWERS (no peeking)

Miller’s explanations are included, which is why these answers look incredibly long. And this is just a fifth of the list – don’t miss the whole thing.

1) “Sympathy for the Devil,” The Rolling Stones
Don’t be misled by the title; this song is The Screwtape Letters of rock. The devil is a tempter who leans hard on moral relativism — he will try to make you think that “every cop is a criminal / And all the sinners saints.” What’s more, he is the sinister inspiration for the cruelties of Bolshevism: “I stuck around St. Petersburg / When I saw it was a time for a change / Killed the czar and his ministers / Anastasia screamed in vain.”

2) “Cult of Personality,” Living Colour
A hard-rocking critique of state power, whacking Mussolini, Stalin, and even JFK: “I exploit you, still you love me / I tell you one and one makes three / I’m the cult of personality.”

3) “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” Beach Boys
Pro-abstinence and pro-marriage: “Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray it might come true / Baby then there wouldn’t be a single thing we couldn’t do / We could be married / And then we’d be happy.”

4) “Right Here, Right Now,” Jesus Jones
The words are vague, but they’re also about the fall of Communism and the end of the Cold War: “I was alive and I waited for this. . . . Watching the world wake up from history.”

5) “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” The Who
The conservative movement is full of disillusioned revolutionaries; this could be their theme song, an oath that swears off naïve idealism once and for all. “There’s nothing in the streets / Looks any different to me / And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye. . . . Meet the new boss / Same as the old boss.” The instantly recognizable synthesizer intro, Pete Townshend’s ringing guitar, Keith Moon’s pounding drums, and Roger Daltrey’s wailing vocals make this one of the most explosive rock anthems ever recorded — the best number by a big band, and a classic for conservatives.

6) “Small Town,” John Mellencamp
A Burkean rocker: “No, I cannot forget where it is that I come from / I cannot forget the people who love me.”

7) “I Can’t Drive 55,” Sammy Hagar
A rocker’s objection to the nanny state. (See also Hagar’s pro-America song “VOA.”)

8) “My City Was Gone,” The Pretenders
Virtually every conservative knows the bass line, which supplies the theme music for Limbaugh’s radio show. But the lyrics also display a Jane Jacobs sensibility against central planning and a conservative’s dissatisfaction with rapid change: “I went back to Ohio / But my pretty countryside / Had been paved down the middle / By a government that had no pride.”

9) “Don’t Tread on Me,” Metallica
A head-banging tribute to the doctrine of peace through strength, written in response to the first Gulf War: “So be it / Threaten no more / To secure peace is to prepare for war.”

10) “Keep Your Hands to Yourself,” The Georgia Satellites
An outstanding vocal performance, with lyrics that affirm old-time sexual mores: “She said no huggy, no kissy until I get a wedding vow.”

11) “Stand By Your Man,” Tammy Wynette
Hillary trashed it — isn’t that enough? If you’re worried that Wynette’s original is too country, then check out the cover version by Motörhead.

Average score in the pub: 8.21/10 (14 teams)
How did you do? Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.

Round 5 at the Old Pequliar on April 7, 2009

Identify the song from the audio clip. In the pub, you’d get a half point for identifying the song and a half point for the performer.

Theme: Each song title includes a riff on the word “you”: you, yours, you’ve, etc.

1) All about “you” #1

2) All about “you” #2

3) All about “you” #3

4) All about “you” #4

5) All about “you” #5

6) All about “you” #6

7) All about “you” #7

8) All about “you” #8

9) All about “you” #9

10) All about “you” #10

11) All about “you” #11

ANSWERS:

1) “Mad About You,” Belinda Carlisle

2) “You Know I’m No Good,” Amy Winehouse

3) “I Put a Spell on You,” Screamin’ Jay Hawkins

4) “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon,” Neil Diamond

5) “If You Want to Sing Out Sing Out,” Cat Stevens

6) “You’re My Best Friend,” Queen

7) “I Feel You,” Depeche Mode

8) “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin),” Sly & The Family Stone

9) “You Get What You Give,” The New Radicals

10) “Lay Your Hands on Me,” Thompson Twins

11) “What I Like About You,” The Romantics

Round 5 at the Old Pequliar on March 3, 2009
Average score: 7.54/11 (14 teams)

Each of these audio clips comes from the cover version of a pop song. For a half point each, name the artist performing the song in the clip, and the original artist.

Clip #1

Clip #2

Clip #3

Clip #4

Clip #5

Clip #6

Clip #7

Clip #8

Clip #9

Clip #10

Clip #11

ANSWERS:

1) My Humps: Alanis Morrisette/Black Eyed Peas

2) Hazy Shade of Winter: Bangles/Simon & Garfunkel

3) Sweet Child O Mine: Sheryl Crow/Guns N Roses

4) Against All Odds: Postal Service, Phil Collins

5) Big Yellow Taxi: Counting Crows/Joni Mitchell

6) Pink Cadillac: Natalie Cole/Bruce Springsteen

7) I’m Gonna Love You Too: Blondie/Buddy Holly

8) Downtown Train: Rod Stewart/Tom Waits

9) There She Goes: Sixpence None the Richer/The La’s

10) China Girl: David Bowie/Iggy Pop

11) White Lines: Duran Duran/Grandmaster Flash and/or Melle Mel

Round 5 at the Old Pequliar on Feb. 3, 2009

Eleven songs about love, or that at least sound like they might be about love. Name the title and artist for a half point each.

1) Love Songs: Clip 1

2) Love Songs: Clip 2

3) Love Songs: Clip 3

4) Love Songs: Clip 4

5) Love Songs: Clip 5

6) Love Songs: Clip 6

7) Love Songs: Clip 7

8) Love Songs: Clip 8

9) Love Songs: Clip 9

10) Love Songs: Clip 10

11) Love Songs: Clip 11

ANSWERS:

1) “You’re Still the One,” Shania Twain

2) “Be My Baby,” The Ronettes

3) “Desire,” U2

4) “My Funny Valentine,” Frank Sinatra

5) “Kissing the Lipless,” The Shins

6) “Oh Yoko,” John Lennon

7) “Cupid,” Sam Cooke

8) “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” Joy Division

9) “Dyslexic Heart,” Paul Westerberg

10) “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover,” Sophie B. Hawkins

11) “Let My Love Open the Door,” Pete Townsend

Round 5 at the Old Pequliar on Jan. 6, 2009
Average score: 7.71/11 (21 teams)

Each correct answer is a movie or song released (or popularized) in 2008.

1) This is from the preview for what movie?

2) This is from the preview for what movie?

3) This is from the preview for what movie?

4) This is from the preview for what movie?

5) This song appears in what movie?

6) Name the song and the artist. (half point each)

7) Name the song and the artist. (half point each)

8) Name the song and the artist. (half point each)

9) Name the performer.

10) Name the performer.

11) Name the character who’s singing.

ANSWERS:

1) Iron Man

2) WALL-E

3) Rachel Getting Married

4) Burn After Reading

5) Forgetting Sarah Marshall

6) “I Kissed a Girl,” Katy Perry

7) “White Winter Hymnal,” Fleet Foxes

8) “Paper Planes,” M.I.A.

9) Sarah Silverman (“I’m fucking Matt Damon”)

10) Stephen Colbert (“Another Christmas Song”)

11) Dr. Horrible

Round 5 at the Old Pequliar on Dec. 2, 2008
Average score: 6.57/11 (15 teams)

Each song title is a woman’s name (parentheticals excluded, if applicable). Valid answer: “Michele” or “Julia.” Invalid: “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.”

Identify the song and the artist for a half point each.

Girls! Girls! Girls! Question 1

Girls! Girls! Girls! Question 2

Girls! Girls! Girls! Question 3

Girls! Girls! Girls! Question 4

Girls! Girls! Girls! Question 5

Girls! Girls! Girls! Question 6

Girls! Girls! Girls! Question 7

Girls! Girls! Girls! Question 8

Girls! Girls! Girls! Question 9

Girls! Girls! Girls! Question 10

Girls! Girls! Girls! Question 11

ANSWERS:

1) “Rosanna,” Toto

2) “Adia,” Sarah McLachlan

3) “Lucky,” Britney Spears

4) “Elvira,” Oak Ridge Boys

5) “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight),” Bruce Springsteen

6) “Jolene,” Dolly Parton

7) “Cecilia,” Simon & Garfunkel

8) “Peg,” Steely Dan

9) “Christine,” Siouxsie & the Banshees

10) “Winona,” Matthew Sweet

11) “Lola,” The Kinks

Round 5 at the Old Pequliar on Nov. 18, 2008
Average score: 7.6/11 (15 teams)

Tuesday Evening Revival Service

Brothers and sisters! Tonight we’ve been mucking around with the devil. Yes, the devil. He lives in the details, and trivia is all about details. All about the devil. The devil in the details.

But that’s gonna change. That’s gonna change right now. Because we’re going to listen to some religious music. Listen closely, brothers and sisters. Each and every one of these songs is has a religious term in its title.

You need to tell me who’s singing, and the name of the song. The artist and the song title are worth a half! point! each!

Can you give me an amen? Amen!

Religious songs: Q01

Religious songs: Q02

Religious songs: Q03

Religious songs: Q04

Religious songs: Q05

Religious songs: Q06

Religious songs: Q07

Religious songs: Q08

Religious songs: Q09

Religious songs: Q10

Religious songs: Q11

ANSWERS:

1) Praise You (Fatboy Slim)
2) Kyrie (Mr. Mister)
3) Crucify (Tori Amos)
4) Monkey Gone to Heaven (Pixies)
5) Church of the Poisoned Mind (Culture Club)
6) Jesus, Take the Wheel (Carrie Underwood)
7) Son of a Preacher Man (Dusty Springfield)
8) Heaven (Talking Heads)
9) Jesus Is Just Alright (Doobie Brothers)
10) Dear God (XTC)
11) Faith (George Michael)

Round 5 at the Old Pequliar on Sept. 2, 2008
Average score: 7.0/11 (11 teams)

1) 01_voiceovers_08sept02 (the first male voice)
2) 02_voiceovers_08sept02
3) 03_voiceovers_08sept02
4) 04_voiceovers_08sept02
5) 05_voiceovers_08sept02
6) 06_voiceovers_08sept02 (the woman)
7) 07_voiceovers_08sept02
8) 08_voiceovers_08sept02
9) 09_voiceovers_08sept02
10) 10_voiceovers_08sept02
11) 11_voiceovers_08sept02

Answers:

1) Ron Howard: Arrested Development
2) Vincent Price: “Thriller”
3) Al Gore: Futurama
4) Steven Wright: Reservoir Dogs
5) Vin Diesel: Iron Giant
6) Scarlett Johansson: Robot Chicken
7) Bill Murray: Garfield
8) Kristen Bell: Gossip Girl
9) John Larroquette: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
10) Paul Lynde: Charlotte’s Web
11) Alec Baldwin: The Royal Tenenbaums

Round 5 at the Old Pequliar on July 1, 2008.
Average score: 6.15/11 (17 teams)

Each of these songs was featured in a popular commercial. For a half point each, name the performing artist and the brand or product they were advertising. (If a song was used in multiple commercials, the correct answer is the earliest widespread example.)

Example: The correct answers for “Start Me Up” are the Rolling Stones and Microsoft (or Windows 95).

1) clip #1
2) clip #2
3) clip #3
4) clip #4
5) clip #5
6) clip #6
7) clip #7
8) clip #8
9) clip #9
10) clip #10 (Note: while this commercial is fairly well known, it’s also British. So yeah, this one’s hard.)
11) clip #11

Answers:

1) Beatles, Nike (“Revolution”)
2) Madonna, Pepsi (“Like a Prayer”)
3) Iggy Pop, Royal Caribbean (“Lust for Life”)
4) Sly and the Family Stone, Toyota (“Everyday People”)
5) Led Zeppelin, Cadillac (“Rock and Roll”)
6) Feist, Apple (“1234″)
7) The Cure, HP (“Pictures of You”)
8) Nick Drake, Volkswagen (“Pink Moon”)
9) The Concretes, Target (“Say Something New”)
10) Nina Simone, Chanel No. 5 (“My Baby Just Cares for Me”)
11) The Partridge Family (also accepted David Cassidy), Levi’s (“I Think I Love You”)

Round 5 at the Old Pequliar on June 3, 2008.
Average score: 5.97/10 (16 teams)

I’ll play an excerpt from a radio show. You tell me what show it is.

1) Clip #1
2) Clip #2
3) Clip #3
4) Clip #4
5) Clip #5
6) Clip #6
7) Clip #7
8) Clip #8
9) Clip #9
10) Clip #10

Answers:

1) American Top 40
2) Marketplace
3) Loveline
4) Weekend America
5) Shake the Shack
6) The Randi Rhodes Show
7) Tom Leykis
8) War of the Worlds or Mercury Theater on the Air
9) Coast to Coast AM (HALF POINT: Art Bell)
10) Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!