Quiz - A Few Themes

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A Few Themes (Answers are below.)

Our first few questions will deal with a tragedy theme.

1. What historic tragedy in 1959 inspired a song based on three recording artists' deaths in a plane crash?

2. Name the three music stars who died in that 1959 plane crash.

3. What performer, a member of the band of one of the doomed trio, gave up his seat on the plane to one of the trio who was ill and had to get away quickly? This performer went on to become a famed entertainer.

4. Who was the girl in the title of a song written and recorded by Ritchie Valens as a teenager? Her father did not want her dating Valens.

5. A phrase used by the character portrayed by John Wayne in the movie "The Searchers" inspired Buddy Holly to use the it in what became a classic in rock-and-roll music. Can you give us that phrase?

6. One of Ritchie Valens' several hits in his short, but tremendous, career had to be taught to him phonetically. Why was this necessary, and what was the song?

7. What was the name of Buddy Holly's performing group?

8. What civilian organization pursued German U-boats along the U.S. coast during World War II?

9. British Queen Elizabeth II will return to Virginia in May to mark the 400th birthday of Jamestown. Virginia has a tie to the queen's namesake Elizabeth I. What is the link between Elizabeth I and Virginia?

10. What do racetracks call the finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd horses' positions at the end of a race?

Answers

1. The historic crash was the theme of Don McLean's classic recording titled "American Pie."

2. The three passengers in that flight during a bitter cold wave were Buddy Holly, J.P. "Big Bopper" Richardson and Ritchie Valens.

3. Waylon Jennings gave his seat on the four-passenger plane to the Big Bopper.

4. Valens' major hit, which has become a classic, is "Donna."

5. The Duke's inspiring phrase used by Holly was "That'll Be the Day."

6. The song -- "La Bamba" -- was in Spanish, which Valens did not speak, forcing him to do it phonetically.

7. The group performed as Buddy Holly and the Crickets.
8. The U-boats were tracked by aircraft under the direction of civilians wearing the uniforms of the U.S. Civil Air Patrol, a civilian auxiliary to the U.S. Air Force.

9. Elizabeth I was known as the Virgin Queen, from which Virginia's name was drawn.

10. The payoff finishes are Win, Place and Show.