Editor’s note – a friend of mine played a solo music trivia game in the not at all gentrified and beleaguered city of Flint, MI.

Scroll to the end for the answers.

The following recap is unedited except for a couple of apostrophes. 

Wednesday, June 25, 2025
The New Jester’s Bar located in Flint, Michigan

MTL’s My Music Live hosted by Jodie at 7pm

“Crazy”      Written by Mrs. BonJovi (AKA Kim)



Reason #1 I call this one “Crazy” is because for a moment when I got to this bar I wondered if I was crazy to get out of my car and head inside.  It was definitely a shady area from the looks of the surroundings. An entire strip mall was nearby with not one business in it, windows covered up, looking like they had been all vacant awhile) with prime “Motorcycle only” parking by the front door.  What was I, going into this place alone, going to see once I got inside?  Considering it was almost 6 pm, actually it was a lot of older couples having their early dinner.  So I skewed the age demographic just by walking in.   I was relieved that this crowd was TAME!!



Reason #2 I call this one “Crazy” is because playing any trivia game alone (and in FLINT!) is not usual for me.  Yes, this is music trivia, which is my “thing”, but MTL generally skews a bit older than my knowledge base.  Would I find myself wishing I had my trivia Partner in Crime, Heather?



Reason #3 I call this one “Crazy”, by Patsy Cline because it’s an OLD song and it’s a COUNTRY song.  Guess what years/genres these questions tonight were going to fit into?  Yep, mostly OLD and COUNTRY. 



I decided to use the team name “Livin’ on a Prayer” for my love of Bon Jovi (SHOCKER!) and because playing alone against these bigger teams who I have never played against, I was going to need big time prayers to win.   In My Music Live, there is no use of the “secret” word because it is considered a theme game.  Uh, what?!  OK, so that had me worried and thinking I would need even more prayers!  There would end up being 6 total teams playing for prizes of….holy cow…$40 (1st), $30 (2nd) and $20 (3rd).  Sweet prizes for sure!!



So…was this solo Gen X player, born in the mid 1970s, going to be able to hold her own against teams with 4 to 8 players, many who were older than her?  Read on to find out.



Round One (All 3 questions all have the same theme of “Rhyme Time”)

1.) What song with a ONE WORD TITLE by Collective Soul, released in 1999, on their 4th Studio Album contains the following lyrics that rhyme? The lyrics are below.  She even played the song and still none of the teams knew this.  Alas it was not Shine or December, the only ONE WORD songs I know by Collective Soul.  Not a good way to start the game.
       Hey, you give me no choice
       I entertain by the silence
       That you created by noise

       Hey, I swallowed your pride
      To gather up confrontation
      That you have so long denied



2.) What TWO WORDS that rhyme are the title of a 1968 Beatles Song, and also the same name of the title of a 1976 film based on a 1974 book about the Charles Manson family?  Not being a huge Beatles aficionado I was thankful for the second part of the clue!  5 points…yee haw!



3.) What 3 words complete the lyrics to a 1977 (see OLD again!!) hit by Dave Mason (Who??) that starts with Let it go.  The 3 missing words are also the title of his biggest selling album with Columbia records.The host did not play this song but she did play another song by this artist with the lyrics “So let’s leave it alone ’cause we can’t see eye to eye There ain’t no good guy, there ain’t no bad guy   There’s only you and me and we just disagree”   No points for me on this one.   I’ve heard this song covered by a COUNTRY artist.



Round Two (Theme: You Light Up My Life)

1.) Debbie Boone originally recorded the song You Light Up my Life, but what songstress can be heard singing this remake that was on her 2002 album?

     Clip here from Spotify: 

https://open.spotify.com/track/5vXEPFOkx6eugLNxg4YauT

After listening to the song I was not 100% sure who this was.  I thought of the correct answer, but there were not enough fancy runs to convince me.  So I incorrectly guessed Dionne Warwick. Close, but wrong!



2.) Later crossing over into pop music, who can be heard here singing on song on her 1997 album titled You Light up My Life- Inspirational Songs.  The song played was “How do I Live”     Yes, 1990s…5 points.    (COUNTRY!)



3.) What song by the Weeknd has the following lyrics:  The city is cold and empty, no one is here to judge me, I can’t see clearly when you’re gone.   Funny thing is that I know TWO songs by this artist and “I Can’t Feel my Face” doesn’t fit the theme….but the other song DID!!  3 points 



Round Three (Theme: Bond, James Bond) 

Kind of like the Beatles and another band which gets mentioned later, this is a topic I am NOT GOOD AT.  I’VE NEVER SEEN A SINGLE MOVIE!!

1.) Carly Simon’s power ballad “Nobody Does it Better” is the theme song for which James Bond film.  The host played the song, and I THINK I heard a lyric that helped me decide which AUSTIN POWERS movie was going to help me on this one.  I knew the films were based on OLDER!!! Bond films so that was my decision to guess using Austin Powers!  And OMG…it worked.  1 point was all I was willing to be though.  Should have gone higher.  (Heather I am sure you knew this answer immediately!!)



2.) The 1964 (OLD AGAIN!!) song by Shirley Bassey and her only song to be on the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40, is also the title of a James Bond movie.  The host did not play the song so I had to guess again….so Austin Powers was the best I had.  Damn if it didn’t work again.  3 points



3.)  Voted the absolute worst song from a James Bond Movie by Esquire Magazine, the 2006 song You Know My Name from Casino Royale was sung by what vocalist of Soundgarden fame?  The host played the song and I knew the voice sounded familiar but I was just not thinking clearly until the last 30 seconds.   Thank goodness I realized this because it was for 5 points.    Cannot use the OLD excuse on this one!         ALL THREE CORRECT…what!!!!          Total score before halftime: 22 points



Halftime (Theme: Rhyming Titles)

Given each rhyming title of a song or album plus the year of its release, give the ONE WORD band or artist name.

1.) Song: Mellow Yellow, 1966  (OLD…but I knew this one!!!)

2.) Album: Brain Drain, 1989   NOPE

3.) Song: Hocus Pocus, 1971  (OLD…and NOPE!)

4.) Song: Paranoid Android, 1997     Not a big fan of this band but its 1990s so yay for me!!

Side Note:  The teams playing got to vote (using applause) for the host to play 2 (out of the 4) songs that corresponded to these clues during the “think time” to help out.  Well, 2 and 3 were chosen so I was hopeful maybe the song clues would help, nope.



So 4 points from half time put me at 26 points and in SECOND PLACE out of the 6 teams.  I was only ONE POINT behind the first place team (LIONS) who had 8 players.   The host would mention at some point during the second half that unlike regular MTL, the second half of My Music Live is easier.  Whew!



Round Four (Theme: Who Let the Dogs Out?)

1.)  From the album, tour and film titled Mad Dogs and Englishmen what gravel voiced singer can be heard here (the song played was You Can Leave your Hat on).  OLD!! again but I recongnized the voice, just couldn’t remember whose it was, so I picked an artist who also remade this song and has a distinctive voice, maybe not gravelly. 

2.) Poodlehat (Yes, I predicted the answer to this one after one word!) is an album by what artist that contains a parody (do you really need me to continue…) of Eminem’s Lose Yourself which is titled Couch Potato.  She played the song Couch Potato.  But yes, I knew the correct answer at Poodlehat!   Does anyone else do paradies??   Easy 6 points.

3.) What American rapper recorded a version of Tom Petty’s Last Dance with Mary Jane with Jelly Roll in 2024?  She did not play the song and I was not aware of this recording.  COUNTRY!! and RAP.   Once the answer was revealed (I incorrectly guessed Post Malone) it dawned on me….remember the THEME!!!!!!!   OMG, how dumb was I??    4 points that I should have had.  WOOF!!

Round Five (Theme: You had me at Merlot)

1.) What Cracklin Rosie crooner of Sweet Caroline fame wrote the 1983 song heard here sung by UB40.  Given the category, the song she played was Red, Red Wine.  This is where her stating that the second half is easier rang true because the singer of Sweet Caroline is a no brainer.  Although if she hadn’t mentioned that I was wondering if it could be Barry Manilow because I consider him more of a crooner.  I only went 4 points, just in case.

2.) What other libation completes the title of a 2020 song by Little Big Town (COUNTRY!):  Wine, Beer and _________.  She did not play this song but she did play Bar Song (Tipsy).  She mentioned in her beginning instructions that sometimes she played a song that was a clue.  So I was hopeful that Shaboozey’s lyrics were a clue here and went with my first thought (tequila was my other guess).  And yes…2 points!

3.) Deanna Carter (COUNTRY…but I know this one!!) sings about what kind of wine in her 1996 debut song.  I had only my 6 pointer left and had a joyous moment here, aka a triviagasm!!  I ran up the answer right away and I think I was the only one who got this one correct.          ALL THREE QUESTIONS CORRECT!!       Score update: 44 points going into the last round.



Round Six (Theme: Founding Fathers)

1.) Jerry Garcia (do I need to continue? LOL) was the founding father of what band from the 1970s (OLD! But I knew it) that had no real hit songs but were popular nonetheless.  She played Touch of Grey as the “think song” but everyone took their answers up right away. 6 points

2.) In 1968 (OLD!!) Jimmy Page (SURE, you already know it but this is the other band I mentioned earlier that I know NOTHING about…DON’T HATE) founded this band but when they went on their first tour in the UK they were known as The New Yard Birds.   I bet 2 points just in case I was remembering this wrong.  But with everyone running up their answers so quickly I was pretty sure I was correct.

3.) First formed in 1958 (have you kept track of how many times I said OLD??) when Barry was just 10 years old (I actually knew the answer after that part)  what group consisting of 3 brothers has sold over 120 million records worldwide?   Side note: I was not a nerd but I wanted to tell the host that this question could have been in round one also…rhyme time)    4 points and that brought my total to wait for it….56 points.  Playing SOLO!!!!!

Scores before the final question   1st: Lions with 63     2nd: Livin’ on a Prayer (ME!!!!!) with 56    3rd: Cock Monkeys (eye roll!) with 55 there were 3 other teams with 54, 53 and 43 points going into the final question

Final Category: Broadway Musicals    (Everyone in the bar BOOs galore!!  Me too!!) 

I was dreading a Hamilton question…it’s another one of those things that everyone likes these days that I have no interest in, because well, Social Studies!  LOL 

Here is the question:  A 1969 chart topper and medley heard here by the 5th Dimension is from the soundtrack to what controversial but successful broadway musical.   She played: The Age of Aquarius and Let the Sun Shine in.   As soon as she said controversial I had an idea but once she played the song Age of Aquarius I was certain.   Nobody was running up the answer and I was shaking because I was going all in, 56 points, playing SOLO! And I knew the answer.   I waited a bit to turn in my answer trying not to give the other teams a “tell” and help them bet differently.      Side note: In the early 1980s my elementary class was bussed to the high school to see a small portion of this musical performed as a dress rehearsal before opening night.  I remember thinking, what is this strange play they brought me to see.  Back in the 80s, our parents had no objections to us seeing a portion of this “controversial” musical, nor did the high school get complaints for choosing it either.  Ah, the good old days!  LOL 

Final scores for top 3:    1st: Lions with 113     2nd: ME!!!   Livin’ on a Prayer with 112   and 3rd: Cock Monkeys (grow up!) with 108

Of course my 2nd place prize of $30 could not be used the same day….so I will have to return to Flint….hopefully with Heather who knows the ‘hood having grown up nearby in Clio.  

So my “Crazy” solo outing to Flint was a success, OLD SONGS AND COUNTRY SONGS did not keep this 90s Gen Xer from prize money.    And….I WILL BE BACK!!!





Mathematically yours,

Mrs. Kimberly Scully
Math Teacher
Salem High School

Rd 1:  Generate, Helter Skelter, Let it flow
Rd 2: Whitney Houston, LeAnn Rimes, Blinding Lights
Rd 3: The Spy Who Loved Me, Goldfinger, Chris Cornell
Halftime: Donovan, Ramones, Focus, Radiohead
Rd 4: Joe Cocker, Weird Al Yankovic, Snoop DOGG
Rd 5: Neil Diamond, Whiskey, Strawberry
Rd 6: Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin,  Bee Gees
Final: HAIR

Mathematically yours,

Mrs. Kimberly Scully
Math Teacher
Salem High School