Lyrics Quiz

It's been ages since we last did one of these. So, let's do one now!

The following are first lines to well-known* songs. Name the song and artist.

  1. If you're having trouble with your high school head AC/DC - "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" [Paige]
  2. Company, always on the run Bad Company - "Bad Company" [Paige]
  3. We-hell I see them every night in tight blue jeans Cyndi Lauper – "She Bop" [MikeJ]
  4. They tell us that we lost our tails Devo - "Jocko Homo" [Platosearwax]
  5. Oh it's funny to be seeing you after so long, girl - Elvis Costello - "Alison" [MikeJ]
  6. Dreamed I was an Eskimo Frank Zappa - "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" [Cris]
  7. Do you have the time to listen to me whine - Green Day - "Basket Case" [MikeJ]
  8. Hear the lonesome whippoorwill Hank Williams - "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" [Paige]
  9. I'm trying to tell you something about my life Indigo Girls - "Closer to Fine" [Cris]
  10. Sleep all day, out all night James Gang "Funk 49" [xjmueller]
  11. They seek him here, they seek him there Kinks - "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion" [RobC]
  12. Wanna tell you 'bout the girl I love Led Zeppelin - "Hey hey what can I do" [ellaesther]
  13. Traveling in a fried-out combie Men at Work – "Down Under" [MikeJ]
  14. Where it began, I can't begin to knowin - Neil Diamond - "Sweet Caroline" [Cris]
  15. How many special people change? Oasis - "Champagne Supernova" [Atlantys]
  16. "The problem is all inside your head", she said to me Paul Simon – "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" [MikeJ]
  17. I've paid my dues, time after time Queen - "We Are The Champions" [Atlantys]
  18. Her green plastic watering can, for her fake Chinese rubber plant Radiohead - "Fake Plastic Trees" [RobC]
  19. Sweetness, sweetness, I was only joking Smiths – "Bigmouth Strikes Again" [MikeJ]
  20. I don't want to work Todd Rundgren – "Bang on the Drum All Day" [MikeJ]
  21. Is it getting better, or do you feel the same? U2 - "One" [MikeJ]
  22. I get up, and nothing gets me down Van Halen - "Jump". [Modesto Kid]
  23. Fall is here, hear the yell White Stripes - We're Going To Be Friends [dbati]
  24. High climbs the summer sun, high climbs the corn XTC - "Love On A Farmboy's Wages" [Platosearwax]
  25. When I heard the knock on the door, had to catch my breath
  26. Clean shirt, new shoes ZZ Top - "Sharp Dressed Man" [MikeJ]

* : or maybe not so well-known.

Hint: there are 26 songs.

Leave your answers in comments. I’ll cross them off as people get them.

You can click here for the answers. But give it a good try, first!

19 thoughts on “Lyrics Quiz

  1. The Modesto Kid

    I totally know #3, I think it must be by Billy Joel? Heard it many times on the radio, the chorus starts “You hadda be a big shot dincha had to open up you mouth…” but no idea what the title is. #8 is ?Big River Blues” by Johnny Cash. #22 is “Jump”, I forget the artist’s name. Van Halen? Somebody like that. Nothing else ringing a bell right now, I’ll try again later on.

  2. MikeJ

    1. If you’re having trouble with your high school head
    3. We-hell I see them every night in tight blue jeans
    Cyndi Lauper – She Bop
    5. Oh it’s funny to be seeing you after so long, girl
    Elvis – Alison
    7. Do you have the time to listen to me whine
    Green Day Basket Case
    13. Traveling in a fried-out combie
    Men at Work – Down Under
    14. Where it began, I can’t begin to knowin

    16. “The problem is all inside your head”, she said to me
    Paul Simon – 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover
    17. I’ve paid my dues, time after time
    Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
    18. Her green plastic watering can, for her fake Chinese rubber plant
    19. Sweetness, sweetness, I was only joking
    The Smiths – Bigmouth Strikes Again
    20. I don’t want to work
    Todd Rundgren – Bang on the Drum All Day
    21. Is it getting better, or do you feel the same?
    U2 – One
    22. I get up, and nothing gets me down
    Van Halen – Jump
    26. Clean shirt, new shoes
    ZZ Top – Sharp Dressed Man

  3. The Modesto Kid

    Oh my bad, #8 is called “I’m so lonesome I could cry”. And now I’m thinking the artist is probably not Cash, not sure who. “Deep River Blues” begins, “I taught the weeping willow how to cry cry cry”.

  4. Paige

    1. Dirty Deeds, AC/DC
    2. Bad Company, Bad Company
    8. I’m so Lonesome I could Cry, Hank Williams
    12. What I Say, Ray Charles

  5. ellaesther

    #12 Led Zeppelin – “Hey Hey What Can I Do”

    (though I do believe it’s “wanna tell you ’bout THE girl I love.” She’s not just any girl, you know. She wants to ball all day!)

  6. Platosearwax

    For the love of Pete, how has no one gotten number 4??? Devo’s Jocko Homo, people! It was the first one I got when I started to scan the list.

    Also, number 24 is XTC, Love on a Farmboy’s Wages.

  7. dbati

    I know 23. if we’re still playing.
    the White Stripes

    you gave away the #24.

    Sorry to have missed this fun one, cleek.

    do another!

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