How Well Do You Know Desolation Row Lyrics Quiz

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Question 1

Which character is described as putting her hands in her back pockets "Bette Davis style"?

A	Ophelia
B	Lady
C	Cinderella
D	The Fortune-Telling Lady
E	Romeo

Question 1 Explanation:

Cinderella is described with her hands in her back pockets, which the lyrics liken to the style of actress Bette Davis.

Question 2

What are the "superhuman crew" doing in the lyrics?

A	Preparing for a carnival
B	Rounding up knowledgeable people
C	Playing instruments
D	Sailing away
E	Burning a factory

Question 2 Explanation:

The superhuman crew is rounding up people who “know more than they do,” symbolizing a suppression of knowledge.

Question 3

Who appears "disguised as Robin Hood"?

A	Romeo
B	Cain
C	Casanova
D	Einstein
E	Nero

Question 3 Explanation:

Einstein, a historical figure with a reputation for intellect, is described in an unusual guise as Robin Hood.

Question 4

Who fights in the "captain's tower"?

A	Romeo and Cinderella
B	The Phantom and Casanova
C	Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot
D	Cain and Abel
E	Dr. Filth and the Nurse

Question 4 Explanation:

Poets Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot, both modernist writers, are fighting, possibly symbolizing intellectual struggle.

Question 5

What does "the Good Samaritan" do in the lyrics?

A	Plays a violin
B	Goes to the carnival
C	Puts on a leather cup
D	Paints passports
E	Kills Casanova

Question 5 Explanation:

The Good Samaritan is “getting ready for the show” and is said to be going to the carnival.

Question 6

How is "Dr. Filth's" world described?

A	As a carnival
B	On a sinking ship
C	Hidden behind curtains
D	Inside a leather cup
E	As a circus

Question 6 Explanation:

Dr. Filth keeps his world inside a leather cup, representing control or entrapment.

Question 7

What is being sold in the first line of the song?

A	Paintings
B	Flowers
C	Postcards
D	Souvenirs
E	Newspapers

Question 7 Explanation:

The first line of "Desolation Row" mentions, "They're selling postcards of the hanging," which sets a dark tone reflecting the surreal and somber nature of the song.

Question 8

Which famous literary pair appears in the third verse?

A	Romeo and Juliet
B	Cain and Abel
C	Holmes and Watson
D	Samson and Delilah
E	Dante and Virgil

Question 8 Explanation:

Cain and Abel are referenced, reflecting themes of conflict and human nature on Desolation Row.

Question 9

What does the narrator say about the people mentioned in the letter?

A	They're remarkable
B	He doesn't know them
C	They are lame
D	They are friends
E	They are dead

Question 9 Explanation:

The narrator says, "Yes, I know them, they're quite lame," underscoring his disillusionment.

Question 10

What does the Good Samaritan represent as he "gets ready for the show"?

A	Charity
B	A religious figure
C	Resignation
D	Hope
E	Cynicism

Question 10 Explanation:

The Good Samaritan, normally a symbol of kindness, here becomes a jaded character merely preparing for "the show," signaling disillusionment in this strange world.

Question 11

What object does Dr. Filth’s nurse control?