Volume Three: The Life and Times of Tom Musial

Forget about those media stereotypes of befuddled seniors. TomMusial.com reader Shannon scored 18 out of 20 points in last week’s lyrics quiz — the best score yet. Congratulations to Shannon and all the other aging rockers who enjoyed our Classic Rock format.

Answers after the link.

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Today’s lyrics quiz features everyone’s favorite genre: Classic Rock. Many of the bands referenced in today’s quiz will be seen touring the country this summer, as soon as Rib Festival Season kicks into full gear.

Hint: the lyrics below are all the first line in the song.

1. Just got home from Illinois.
2. People try to put us down, just because we get around.
3. Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
4. I’ve been driving all night, my hand’s wet on the wheel
5. Baby, when I think about you, I think about love.
6. Oh, mama, I’m in fear for my life from the long arm of the law.
7. Just a small town girl, livin’ in a lonely world.
8. Baby, we can talk all night. But that ain’t getting us nowhere.
9. If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?
10. There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold.

Congratulations to Tahishia, who nearly achieved a perfect score on last week’s mini-quiz.

Check in tomorrow for a brand new theme!

Answers after the link.

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Despite the obvious unpopularity of the most recent lyrics quiz, I’m forging ahead, Dick-Cheney-style, along my predetermined, if ultimately futile, path. Thankfully, we’ve reached the end of this particular theme, because they’ve run out of Now! albums.

Today we present lyrics taken from the music compilation Now That’s What I Call Music!, volumes 21 through 27.

Answers to last week’s quiz can be found after the link.

This week’s entries:

1. And what the hell is on Joey’s head?
2. I said no, no, you’re not the one for me
3. “I want you on my team.” “So does everybody else”
4. Summer came like cinnamon: so sweet
5. She’s like so whatever
6. Superman!
7. She’s too big, now she’s too thin

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We continue our monthly theme with lyrics from volumes 11 through 20 of the Now That’s What I Call Music! series. Each subsequent song is more and more “modern,” meaning that they are confusing and frightening to me.

Hint: Lyric 10 is dedicated to Eliot Spitzer

1. ‘Cause I’ve built my life around you.
2. You couldn’t get this color if you had a personal genie
3. Come out of things unsaid, shoot an apple off my head
4. You missed a spot over there
5. A kid on the way, a family on my mind
6. What’s cooler than bein’ cool?
7. Free your inner soul and break away from tradition
8. I feel so dirty when they start talking cute
9. A few times, I’ve been around that track
10. But I know she ain’t gonna wanna share

Sorry it’s taken so long to post the answers to last week’s quiz. Things have been busy here at TomMusial.com world headquarters.

This week’s winner is Tahishia, our first under-30 winner. For her demographically-correct prize, I will send her a text message and then monitor her Twitter feed.

Answers after the link.

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I’ve been getting feedback from the younger TomMusial.com readers (where ‘younger’ equals ‘under 30’) that my lyrics quizzes have too much old crap in them. They’ve threatened to sends zombies to my Facebook page if I don’t put some more recent songs in my next quiz. I don’t even know what “sending zombies to my Facebook page” means, but I’m kind of scared. (Maybe it’s means they’re going to egg my house or something.)

So, in a shout out (do they still say ‘shout out’?) to all my shorties (am I using that word correctly?), the next few weeks will feature songs that are “Now,” and I mean that literally.

Song #1 in today’s quiz comes from volume 1 of the “Now That’s What They Call Music” compilation, published only 10 years ago. Song #2 comes from volume 2 of that same series, and so on, through volume 10. Next week, we’ll do volumes 11 through 20.

Readers who ever watched first-run episodes of M*A*S*H may want to skip the quiz for the next few weeks. This one’s for the kids.

On to the lyrics:

1. And there she was, like double cherry pie
2. When I’m not with you, I lose my mind
3. We could all use a little change
4. Always, I know, you’ll be at my show
5. This ain’t a song for the broken-hearted
6. She even caught me on camera
7. Sittin’ next to Vanna White
8. I don’t think you ready for this jelly
9. Don’t need no hateration
10. Is he gonna stand by your side?

Thanks to Cristina, Rick, Shannon, and Steve for nearly doubling the commentary on this blog with their answers to last week’s lyrics quiz. Apparently a lot of people listened to Lite FM back in the day.

Follow the link for answers.

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This week’s quiz features the unique brand of bittersweet folk rock popularized by 1970s singer-songwriters. Dust off your old LPs, or tune into Lite FM about 15 years ago, and test your knowledge of these sensitive, sentimental songsmiths.

Hint: two songs are also movie themes.

PS. This week’s quiz is dedicated to a friend of mine that I won’t embarrass by naming directly — but his name rhymes with Rave Doman.

1. If words could make wishes come true.
2. I stashed the bill in my shirt.
3. The snow turned into rain.
4. Your lovin’ and affection give me direction
5. I’ve been passing time watching trains go by
6. Living his life one day at a time, and showing himself a really good time.
7. Not much, how ’bout you?
8. If I ever lose my eyes, if my colors all run dry,
9. I believe we can reach the morning light
10. Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose

Congratulations to our two-time lyrics champ: “Silbert.” Can anyone knock him from his lofty throne?

I also want to thank Silbert for injecting personalized smack talk into his reply, directed at people that I’m not sure even read this blog. Nothing brings readership and attention like a little bit of controversy!

Answers are after the link.

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The theme this week is “obsolete business models.”

In February of 1994, two months after getting married, I celebrated the purchase of my first CD player by joining the Columbia Record and Tape club. For only one penny, I got 12 CDs — with only the obligation to buy 3 more CDs at regular prices to complete my membership.

To commemorate this milestone in my life, all lyrics in this week’s quiz are from CDs released in 1994 and purchased through the Columbia Record and Tape club.

Yes, I had very boring and mainstream taste in music in 1994, so this quiz should be pretty easy for anyone who had a (terrestrial, non-internet) radio in that year.

Younger readers: ask your parents what a “record” or “tape” was.

1. Pull this thread as I walk away.
2. The dolphins make me cry.
3. What I want is what I’ve not got.
4. If you’re Rin Tin Tin or Anne Boleyn.
5. Playing dominos and drinking beer.
6. It isn’t just talk, talk, talk.
7. I took her back and made her dessert.
8. I brush my teeth and put the cap back on.
   Disclaimer: This is from a CD I bought for my wife, not for me.
9. Sometimes I give myself the creeps.
10. When they do the double-dutch, that’s them dancing.

PS. There is one trick question.