London Calling - A London Music Quiz
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Print PDF version of this Round 2020 Music Geography Published: 1st November 2020
Author: Adam
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London's musical history is as rich as any city on the planet.
Take a walk around Soho, Oxford Street, Covent Garden and Chelsea and you can't help but be reminded of some of the great bands of the past or hear some of the great music of the present.
Staying north of the river, Abbey Road produces one of music's most iconic images, with Camdem Town home to some of the great music produced through the 2000s.
In the East, a new musical sound merged in Grime, creating stars of a new generation.
Brixton was the birthplace of the great David Bowie and many more musical greats have called that area of the city home.
This quiz contains thirty questions on many of the great songs and bands that have paid tribute to the city.
You can play along on your own or with friends and family. The questions are presented first, with the answers to follow.
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Questions:
1) Which synth-pop duo reached UK number one with 'West End Girls' in 1986?
2) Inspired by the songwriter's daily commute, what type of Sunset did The Kinks sing about on their 1967 single?
3) How did The Clash describe 'Beatlemania which has bitten the dust' in the 1979 single London Calling?
a) Boring b) Phony c) Tired
4) True or false; Blockbusters presenter Bob Holness played Saxophone on the Gerry Rafferty song Baker Street?
5) What type of Trees did Radiohead sing about on the 1995 track inspired by the fake foliage added to Canary Wharf as developments took place through the 1990s?
6) Which 1967 Small Faces song became the first to be banned for overt references to substance abuse?
a) Itchycoo Park b) Lazy Sunday c) Tin Soldier
7) What was the title of the Eddy Grant track with the catchy chorus which tells of streets of violence?
8) Adele's debut single, released in October 2007 expressed her love of London with the line: 'I like it in the city when the air is so thick and opaque' but what was the song's title?
a) Hometown Glory b) My Same c) Painting Pictures
9) On which Hill did John and Beverly Martyn sing about on their 1970 musical tribute to the Sunday evening sunset overlooking the capital?
10) Who did Paul McCartney sing of 'on the Hill' in the lyrics to a song on the Beatles 1967 EP and album Magical Mystery Tour which told of a mysterious encounter on Primrose Hill?
11) Born in London to Sri Lankan Tamil parents, Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam released the single 'Galang' in 2003 which told of 'London calling / Speak the slang now'. What was her better known stage name?
12) As he sat and watched German V1 bombers fly over London, Hubert Gregg sat and composed which well-known Cockney folk-song in a little over 20 minutes?
13) Originally recorded in 1969 and reaching number two on the UK singles chart, 'Streets of London' was a hit for which acoustic guitar player?
14) Which Blur track about being lost on the Westway begins: 'He's a twentieth century boy / With his hands on the rails'?
a) Song 2 b) For Tomorrow c) Coffee & TV
15) 'London Belongs To Me' is a 1991 track from which group fronted by Sarah Cracknell?
16) Complete the title of this well-known The Clash track from 1979; 'The Guns of ...'?
a) Abbey Wood b) Brixton c) Chingford
17) Vocalist Karl Hyde wrote the lyrics to which Underworld track following a night drinking in Soho?
18) Which type of bird 'Sang in Berkeley Square' in the romantic London love song telling stories of London during the Blitz?
19) What was the name of the Old Compton Street cafe where Jarvis Cocker sat as 'You can't go home and go to bed / Because it hasn't worn off yet' in the 1995 Pulp song?
a) Bar Italia b) Roxy's Place c) ZuZu's
20) Produced by John Wood & Squeeze, which song from the album Cool for Cats began: 'I never thought it would happen / With me and the girl from Clapham'?
21) Pay As U Go's "Know We" or So Solid Crew's "Dilemma" are debated to be the first track in which musical genre with originated in the capital around the year 2000?
22) In 2014, Real Lies sang of which of London's major roads?
23) Which The Jam track opens with the lines: 'Found myself in a strange town / Though I've only been here for three weeks now / I've got blisters on my feet / Trying find a friend in Oxford Street'?
24) Which British folk singer-songwriter born in 1990 released 'The London Town EP' in 2008?
25) Which Manchester band opened their 1986 track 'London' with the words: 'Smoke lingers 'round your fingers/ Train - Heave on to Euston / Do you think you've made the right decision this time?'
26) Which three letters did Lily Allen use to title her 2006 tribute to the city?
27) Which London folk singer was known as 'The Bard Of Barking'?
28) Which Dire Straits classic begins: 'You get a shiver in the dark, / It's raining in the park, but meantime: / South of the river, you stop and you hold everything.'?
29) The 2003 Libertines track 'Time for Heroes' tells of watching the May Day riots in the year 2000. What was the name of the band's iconic lead singer?
30) Which Crescent did Belle & Sebastian sing of in 2006?
Answers:
1) Which synth-pop duo reached UK number one with 'West End Girls' in 1986?
Pet Shop Boys
2) Inspired by the songwriter's daily commute, what type of Sunset did The Kinks sing about on their 1967 single?
Waterloo Sunset
3) How did The Clash describe 'Beatlemania which has bitten the dust' in the 1979 single London Calling?
a) Boring b) Phony c) Tired
b) Phony
4) True or false; Blockbusters presenter Bob Holness played Saxophone on the Gerry Rafferty song Baker Street?
False; though it's a very popular myth! It was actually a Scottish musician named Raphael Ravenscroft.
5) What type of Trees did Radiohead sing about on the 1995 track inspired by the fake foliage added to Canary Wharf as developments took place through the 1990s?
Fake Plastic Trees
6) Which 1967 Small Faces song became the first to be banned for overt references to substance abuse?
a) Itchycoo Park b) Lazy Sunday c) Tin Soldier
a) Itchycoo Park
7) What was the title of the Eddy Grant track with the catchy chorus which tells of streets of violence?
Electric Avenue
8) Adele's debut single, released in October 2007 expressed her love of London with the line: 'I like it in the city when the air is so thick and opaque' but what was the song's title?
a) Hometown Glory b) My Same c) Painting Pictures
a) Hometown Glory
9) On which Hill did John and Beverly Martyn sing about on their 1970 musical tribute to the Sunday evening sunset overlooking the capital?
Primrose Hill
10) Who did Paul McCartney sing of 'on the Hill' in the lyrics to a song on the Beatles 1967 EP and album Magical Mystery Tour which told of a mysterious encounter on Primrose Hill?
Fool on the Hill
11) Born in London to Sri Lankan Tamil parents, Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam released the single 'Galang' in 2003 which told of 'London calling / Speak the slang now'. What was her better known stage name?
M.I.A.
12) As he sat and watched German V1 bombers fly over London, Hubert Gregg sat and composed which well-known Cockney folk-song in a little over 20 minutes?
Maybe It's Because I'm a Londoner
13) Originally recorded in 1969 and reaching number two on the UK singles chart, 'Streets of London' was a hit for which acoustic guitar player?
Ralph McTell
14) Which Blur track about being lost on the Westway begins: 'He's a twentieth century boy / With his hands on the rails'?
a) Song 2 b) For Tomorrow c) Coffee & TV
b) For Tomorrow
15) 'London Belongs To Me' is a 1991 track from which group fronted by Sarah Cracknell?
Saint Etienne
16) Complete the title of this well-known The Clash track from 1979; 'The Guns of ...'?
a) Abbey Wood b) Brixton c) Chingford
b) Brixton
17) Vocalist Karl Hyde wrote the lyrics to which Underworld track following a night drinking in Soho?
Born Slippy
18) Which type of bird 'Sang in Berkeley Square' in the romantic London love song telling stories of London during the Blitz?
A Nightingale
19) What was the name of the Old Compton Street cafe where Jarvis Cocker sat as 'You can't go home and go to bed / Because it hasn't worn off yet' in the 1995 Pulp song?
a) Bar Italia b) Roxy's Place c) ZuZu's
a) Bar Italia
20) Produced by John Wood & Squeeze, which song from the album Cool for Cats began: 'I never thought it would happen / With me and the girl from Clapham'?
Up the Junction
21) Pay As U Go's "Know We" or So Solid Crew's "Dilemma" are debated to be the first track in which musical genre with originated in the capital around the year 2000?
Grime
22) In 2014, Real Lies sang of which of London's major roads?
North Circular
23) Which The Jam track opens with the lines: 'Found myself in a strange town / Though I've only been here for three weeks now / I've got blisters on my feet / Trying find a friend in Oxford Street'?
Strange Town
24) Which British folk singer-songwriter born in 1990 released 'The London Town EP' in 2008?
Laura Marling
25) Which Manchester band opened their 1986 track 'London' with the words: 'Smoke lingers 'round your fingers/ Train - Heave on to Euston / Do you think you've made the right decision this time?'
The Smiths
26) Which three letters did Lily Allen use to title her 2006 tribute to the city?
LDN
27) Which London folk singer was known as 'The Bard Of Barking'?
Billy Bragg
28) Which Dire Straits classic begins: 'You get a shiver in the dark, / It's raining in the park, but meantime: / South of the river, you stop and you hold everything.'?
Sultans of Swing
29) The 2003 Libertines track 'Time for Heroes' tells of watching the May Day riots in the year 2000. What was the name of the band's iconic lead singer?
Pete Doherty
30) Which London Crescent did Belle & Sebastian sing about in 2006?
Mornington Crescent
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