General Knowledge Quiz

[Jimbob52]

Whiter Shade Of Pale - Procul Harum ?

‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ certainly has an unusual structure but it has two verses and a repeated chorus so is incorrect.

It’s not ‘Bits and Pieces’ by Dusty Springfield (neither is it ‘I Only Want To Be With You’ by the Dave Clark Five).

Hint: The singer/composer was American; when his solo career faded he joined a ‘super group’.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

In the Ghetto sung by Elvis Presley

 

[MotCO]

MacArthur Park - Richard Harris?

 

[martinsh]

I think the singer must be Bob Dylan, but I'm not sure about the song

 

[Jimbob52]

MacArthur Park - Richard Harris?

MacArthur Park is good guess but the song has only four sections, with the fourth reprising the first – and I am not aware that either Richard Harris or Donna Summer (whose version is surely the better) ever joined a super group.

In the sense that it tells a story it is, however, similar to what I have in mind so perhaps it is time for a second hint:

The singer-composer had another mega-hit which inspired the title of a highly successful neo-Pygmalian film.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Was the artist Roy Orbison by any chance?. He was dark and moody and had an unusual style.

 

[Jimbob52]

Was the artist Roy Orbison by any chance?. He was dark and moody and had an unusual style.

It was indeed! Now, what was the song with the unique structure?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

In that case the only song that makes sense would be In Dreams and that featured in Blue Velvet - very noire !

 

[Jimbob52]

That is correct!

Thank you all for your contributions.

Gralistair, you are now the 'Big O'.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

What is the most northerly airport in the world? It has to have regular scheduled service. It can’t be a Russian temporary airport carved out of ice etc.

 

[MotCO]

I'll pitch in with Murmansk Airport.

 

[Calthrop]

A total guess: Prudhoe Bay, Alaska?

 

[xotGD]

Svalbard ?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Svalbard ?

Correct your landing strip

 

[DerekC]

I think Svalbard. Although Eureka Airport on Baffin Island is further north, it doesn't seem to have any regular services. Here's a picture of the terminal building! It illustrates the point that every airport wants to be known as "International"!

 

[xotGD]

British Royalty: What was the name of King Edward VII's wife?

 

[Calthrop]

Queen Alexandra (born into the Danish royal family)

 

[xotGD]

Queen Alexandra (born into the Danish royal family)

Correct!

You may take the crown...

 

[Calthrop]

Verily I thankest thou, my liege...

Which European country: has had shared borders with neighbouring countries -- for approx. two decades starting from approx. a hundred years ago from now: six or seven of them (one thereof, a "grey area / oddity" situation); there followed, several years of confusion; after which, for a bit short of half a century, just three; nowadays, it's seven?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Austria ?

 

[Calthrop]

Austria ?

Essentially, no -- am basically thinking post-WWI, after which simple big-scale empires went out of fashion...

 

[MotCO]

Albania?

 

[Calthrop]

Albania?

No -- Albania's in a demographically / nationalistically complicated part of Europe; but the "answer country" is in another and different one of such.

 

[MotCO]

Poland?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

One of the Baltic states perhaps?

 

[Calthrop]

Poland?

Correct. 1920s and '30s, borders with six "proper" countries, plus the Free City of Danzig (Gdansk), set up in the treaties wrapping-up WWI -- an odd "mini-state". Throughout Cold War era, just three borders, with East Germany, Czechoslovakia, and the USSR. Afterwards -- nation-states bloomed afresh, and it's now seven.

@MotCO -- panski podloga (can't do the accents, I'm afraid) - anyways, "your floor". @GRALISTAIR -- indeed a nation with a Baltic coast, but not one of the "terrible triplets".

 

[MotCO]

Thank you.

In March 1975, what moved by 156 metres and what moved by 345 metres?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Thank you.

In March 1975, what moved by 156 metres and what moved by 345 metres?

As the Vietnam war was happening is it something to do with Vietnam boundary lines?

 

[MotCO]

No, it was very much something happening in England.

 

[xotGD]

Is it to do with local government reorganisation? The borders of Yorkshire perhaps?