My brain’s always been hard-wired for music. From a very young age I took an interest in listening to and playing music, thanks mainly to many, many relatives on both sides of my family who had various musical talents. My Aunt Virginia was at Interlochen Music Camp as a teenager when famed bandleader and “March King”  John Phillip Sousa visited the camp, and I had an uncle who was a high school drum major. Grandpa P. played the banjo casually, several cousins were involved in high school band, Grandma N. played the oboe. As for me, I played keyboard instruments as a kid/adult, and saxophone (tenor and alto saxophone) through middle and high school. I taught myself to play guitar when I was in my early 30s.

Me at some diaper-wearing age listening to unknown music on non-Bluetooth headphones, circa 1973. Look at that solid-state stereo equipment! 🙂

That Coca-Cola song used in the commercial with all of those hippies

The song “I’d Like To Teach the World to Sing” was used in a TV advertisement for Coca-Cola. This was also the first song I played “by ear” on a small electric organ. I’m pretty sure this has come up as a trivia question before.

Here’s a picture of me playing a full-size electric organ…

This was obviously a candid shot, judging from my slack-jawed look…circa 1979.  This must have been early in my keyboard education, judging from the kiddie book I am using. Headphones were great for not annoying Dad when he was watching the McNeil Lehrer Report or World News Tonight, lol…Boy did he love him some news shows!

 

Tato Skins flavors

Tato Skins came in flavors including cheddar cheese/bacon, sour cream/chives, and tasty baked potato, per the jingle which I still remember. No trivia questions about this yet, but I’m chomping at the bit for it when it does!

Books of the New Testament

The books of the New Testament are as follows: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, Corinthians I, Corinthians 2, Galatians, Ephesians, Phillippians, Colossians, Thessalonians (1 and 2), Peters 1 and 2, Titus, Philemon Hebrews James, Timothy I, Timothy 2, Johns 1-3 Jude and Revelation. A Sunday school teacher taught us the books of the New Testament by having us sing along to “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. I STILL remember this. I have not had a trivia question about this yet, but I’ll be ready when it comes down the pipe!

Cities located along historic Route 66

St. Louis, MO; Joplin, MO; Oklahoma City, OK; Amarillo, TX; Gallup, NM; Flagstaff, AZ; Winona, AZ; Kingman, AZ; Barstow, CA; San Bernadino, CA. It’s all in the “Route ’66” song by Nat King Cole and also covered by Depeche Mode. No questions about this yet, either – except in one of my “birthday” trivia nights I hosted…

“Lady Day Got Diamond Eyes”

The U2 song “Angel of Harlem” is about late singer Billie Holliday, who was arrested for a drug offense while she was hospitalized. This has been the subject of a trivia question, and I knew the answer because of this song. This song also features saxophone quite prominently.

Though I did not supply the saxophone music in U2’s “Angel of Harlem,” I did play saxophone in marching band…one time at band camp I stuck my saxophone in my (ahem)! This one is from 1989.

It’s worth noting that trivia competition is not that much different from competition among band students. If you wanted to be drum major like my Uncle Ernie, you had to audition for the spot – and had to look the best in the tall furry white hat. Musicians in a band are sorted according to their abilities, and ranked by “chairs.” First chair players were considered the best in their respective group. You could move up the ranks by challenging other band members for their chairs, which I did frequently – I also had to defend first chair from time to time! You could also test your music “mettle” by playing solo or ensemble pieces in local “Solo and Ensemble” festivals. You could win blue or red medals at these competitions, which were judged by a panel of music professionals. Playing in these competitions was enough to make nervous musicians vomit! Though I never puked on competition days, I did kinda freak out a little! You had to steel yourself to shut everyone and everything out when you were on the figurative “mic.”

Me and my BFF Jenni with our blue medals from a 1989 Solo & Ensemble competition. She went on to become an elementary school music teacher.

Now back to those facts about songs!

The “Erie Canal Song”

The Erie Canal connected Albany to Buffalo, and this has been asked about in trivia games before. I learned this song in elementary school. One of my former trivia teammates is from New York state so you can BET he had to learn this song, too! We had this question while he was still playing with us.

When/Where Martin Luther King, Jr. died

In the song “Pride: In the Name of Love” by U2, the lyrics say it all “Early morning/April fourth/A shot rings out/In the Memphis Sky.  Yes, this has been the subject of trivia questions.

Countless Shit about Eva Peron, Argentina, and Francisco Franco

My mom, brother and I took a road trip to Florida in 1981 to visit family. We had two cassette tapes for this trip – “Paradise Theater” by Styx, and the soundtrack to the Broadway cast of “Evita.” Needless to say, I can pretty much nail “Too Much Time on my Hands” in a karaoke bar without having the lyrics streaming in front of me, and also know most of the songs from “Evita” by heart. It was great fun listening to songs containing the words “slut,” “bitch,” and “whore” when you were 9! I knew what a “bitch” was, but probably learned the meaning of the other two words thanks to this!

Random stuff I’ve learned from “Evita” lyrics: Rio de la Plata is a major river in Argentina, Buenos Aires is THE city in Argentina (and its capital), Francisco Franco was dictator of Spain during the 194os, Che Guevara was a hot revolutionary dude, Argentina was well known for its cattle…the list goes on.

Che Guevara.

Some lyrics about Franco: “Franco’s reign in Spain should see out the ’40s…so you’ve just acquired an ally who…looks as secure in his job as you.” I love that line…

We recently  had a question about a fashion designer, and I KNEW the designer was the same one favored by Eva Peron, and even mentioned in song. Unfortunately, my brain could not recall this guy’s name…

 

This guy was known for marketing both the A-line and pencil skirt. He is also mentioned by name in the lyrics below…Hey, wasn’t he that guy from “The Paper Chase?”

“I came from the people, they need to adore me
So Christian Dior me from my head to my toes
I need to be dazzling, I want to be rainbow high
They must have excitement, and so must I.”

Eva Peron looking very bored while Francisco Franco drones on about dictating or something. Maybe imposing strict food rations on Spaniards.  Perhaps Mrs. Peron is wearing something that Christian Dior designed. She and her husband, Argentina President Juan Peron, were on a European tour dubbed “The Rainbow Tour.”

Lastly…I know who Somerset Maugham is!

“Tea, girls, warm, sweet/Some are set up in the Somerset Maugham suite.” Lyrics from “One Night in Bangkok,” sung by Murray Head. Did you know Murray head is the brother of the guy who played Rupert Giles on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer?” Now you know! Somerset Maugham is the dude who wrote “Of Human Bondage.” Guess the joke here is that a “Somerset Maugham Suite” is some kind of wretched den of decadence! What are you waiting for? Go to Travelocity and book that suite now! And don’t forget to bring your dental dams and gimp suit!