Sgt. Pepper Trivia Quiz and the Winter Dance Party

It's not only one of the greatest albums of all time, it also boasts one of the greatest album covers of all time. The original artwork on this album, both inside and out, has produced hours of entertainment for countless people over the near fifty years since it was released. Let the good times roll.

When we were home schooling, I was responsible for producing many of the quizzes our kids took, to benchmark how much of the material they had grasped. I have enjoyed making many a quiz for other purposes over the years, including a few Dylan trivia quizzes. The upcoming Winter Dance Party at the Sacred Heart seems like a good occasion for one more quiz.

1. I learned something interesting this week. Two faces on the cover of the Sgt. Pepper album were in attendance at the Winter Dance Party when Buddy Holly performed on January 31 at the Duluth Armory 56 years ago. Who were they?

2. Why was Marlon Brando in this picture?
a. Favorite actor of Ringo Starr
b. Favorite actor of Bob Dylan
c. Distant cousin of John Lennon's aunt
d. I don't know

3. Which song from this album was covered by William Shatner in 1968 and has been considered the "worst song of all time?"
a. With a Little Help from My Friends
b. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
c. Within You, Without You
d. A Day in the Life

4. What is the symbolism of the Beatles being on the album cover twice?
a. The band dressed in costumes represents the alter egos of the band.
b. It means whatever you want it to mean.

5. Who created the album cover?
a. John Lennon and Paul McCartney
b. Ian Welshons and Les Higby
c. Jann Hawarth and Peter Blake
d. Thames River Design Studio

6. Which of the following is not on the cover?
a. Aldous Huxley
b. Mae West
c. Leo Gorcey
d. Lewis Carroll

7. Why did John, Paul George and Ringo call themselves The Beatles?
a. It was a take-off on Buddy Holly's group The Crickets.
b. Because The Hollies was already taken.
c. Because the sky is blue.
d. It came to Paul in a dream. He shared it with John and he liked it.

8. Who was in the original version of the cover art but ultimately removed?
a. Mahatmas Gandhi
b. Jesus Christ
c. Adolph Hitler
d. All of the above

9. Which of the following was not on the album cover?
a. Lenny Bruce
b. Aleister Crowley
c. Pretty Boy Floyd
d. Carl Jung

10. What instrument is George Harrison holding?
a. A trumpet
b. A small tuba
c. A piccolo
d. A harmonica

* * * *

Well, how'd ya do? I hope you learned something you didn't know.

The 1959 Winter Dance Party Tour brought a lot of big names together. Three of those who performed here that night lost their lives a few days later in an Iowa cornfield. On January 31, the Armory Arts and Music Center will celebrate that special night in Duluth when Buddy Holly sent sparks into the night. 17-year-old Dylan was there. He was one of many whose hearts were set ablaze by Buddy Holly's energy. Did you guess who the other one was? There's a clue up in the black and yellow poster, if you didn't pick it up. He wasn't in the audience, he was on the stage.

In just over two weeks our 2015 Winter Dance Party will be held at the Sacred Heart Music Center in the Central Hillside. Tickets are only $20. With each passing year the Armory Arts and Music Center's fund raising efforts have been bringing the restoration of the Historic Armory one step closer. Purchase tickets here.


ANSWERS: 1. Bob Dylan and Dion of Dion and the Belmonts were both at the Duluth Armory that night in 1959.  2. d  3.  b (see more here about Lucy here.) 4. a  5. c  6. c  7. a  8. d  9. c  10. c