Bops With Baggage

 Play along with Episode 2 of Road Trip Trivia Interactive as Tara Tyler digs into songs that exploded thanks to TV and movies, catchy pop hits hiding dark meanings, and celebrities who accidentally released real bangers. Stick around for a finish-the-lyric bonus round where guessing the next line might be easier than listening to Tara sing it. 

Attributions:

Music by Alejandro Piñero Amerio
from Pixabay

Countdown: Sound Effect by ThéTurk
from Pixabay

Music by Alejandro Piñero Amerio from Pixabay

Music by Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos

License code: AI8EXLTFKWLWA3PI

Artist: : Benjamin Tissot

Music by Ronny Cockjob from Pixabay

Music by ANDRII KORNIEV from Pixabay

Music by Rockfan572 from Pixabay

Music by Vasil Yatsevich from Pixabay

Music by Maksym Malko from Pixabay

Too easy? Too hard? Too boring? What do you want to hear? Email me at: RoadTripTriviaInteractive@gmail.com

Transcript

Tara Tyler 0:01

Hey, what's up? Welcome to Road Trip Trivia Interactive, i'm your host, Tara Tyler, and on today's episode I've got some soundtrack glow ups songs that weren't famous until they were used in TV or movies. I've got some pop songs that are actually betraying you emotionally and some celebrities that launched a music career. Not because they could actually sing, but because no one told them no. And of course at the end we'll have a bonus round and, uh, this time you'll have to finish the song lyrics. And, uh, trust me, my singing will be so bad. It will actually make it harder to guess the song. You and your passengers can play along and keep score if you want or don't. The only rule here is that you can't Google anything. There won't be time for that, and if you do, you're not only missing the point, you're probably gonna miss your exit. So eyes on the road, let's jump in to round one. This round is called soundtrack glow ups. It's about songs that were minding their own business. They weren't mega hits, but they were doing just fine, and then a movie or TV show came along and used them once, and now you can't hear them without picturing that very specific moment. How it works is you'll get a clue about a song. If you can name that song from the first clue, you get two points. Otherwise, wait for the hint and you'll get one. Okay.

Round 1: Soundtrack Glow Ups

Tara Tyler 1:31

Question number one. This song came out in 1985. It was written by a British artist who was known for theatrical music, dramatic storytelling, and doing things their own way. The title is about trying to overcome something steep, not literally exercising, but emotionally like trying to reach the other side of a tumultuous relationship. Then nearly 40 years later, a Hit TV show comes along and introduce this song to an entire generation that hadn't even been born at the time of its release. They turned this song into an actual survival tool for one of the characters in the show. Name that song you've got 10 seconds go Time's up. Do you think you got it right? Give yourself two points. Otherwise, here's your hint. The show, stranger Things is Set in the eighties, and it's the song that the character Max listens to constantly in her headphones to keep herself anchored when everything else is trying to pull her down. And of course if you're a fan of the show, stranger Things, you know the answer is running up that hill by Kate Bush. When this song was released in 1985, it was already considered a classic. It was respected. It was influential. It didn't need rescuing, but Stranger Things comes along 40 years later and doesn't just use it as a background track. They make it a part of the story. actress, Sadie Sink, who plays max it said that once the song was chosen, it completely reshaped how she understood the character. It gave her something to hold onto when she couldn't say what she was feeling out loud, and Kate Bush said she was genuinely stunned. After the episode aired, she released a statement saying that the experience was just extraordinary and that she was deeply moved, watching the song become meaningful to a whole new generation. And suddenly a song that came out in the mid eighties was back at number one in 2022, Okay, let's get out of the eighties and head into the mid two thousands for this next song and a TV show that absolutely loved emotionally devastating music. Question two, this indie soft rock song came out in 2006. It's by a Scottish band whose name sounds like they should be working at a ski resort. This song doesn't really become popular until the season two finale of the hit Medical Drama, Grey's Anatomy. This song was featured during a hospital scene where time seems to slow down a main character's life and another one's career is hanging in the balance. All the doctors suddenly stop talking and everything feels suspended between hope and loss. When this song's vulnerable, lyrics start to play. They describe wanting to stop doing anything productive, staying still, and watching the world pass. Do you remember this moment? And more importantly, do you remember the name of the song? 10 Seconds Starts Now. Okay, this one is a little tough, so here's a hint. The song title is something that Dogs with a Death Wish might do while their owners run screaming after them, but the Chorus literally asks you to do nothing and forget the world. Five seconds go. I. That's time. Did you say chasing cars by the band? Snow Patrol. You may not remember the name of the song, but you definitely remember that kind of. Almost whiny chorus where the singer is asking, would you lay with me and just forget the world? I apologize for the singing, but you know, if I play the real song, streaming platforms are gonna take it down. So this is what you get. Lead Singer of Snow Patrol Gary Lightbody, I love that name, said he wrote chasing cars during a period of emotional burnout. He wasn't trying to be poetic or romantic, and in interviews he's explained that the song came from a place where you're so overwhelmed that doing nothing feels more honest than trying to fix things. This song really didn't blow up though until Grey's Anatomy used it and chasing cars became snow patrol's biggest international hits. Lightbody later described the experience as a blessing and a curse, in later interviews. he said that he made peace with it by realizing that songs don't stay yours forever. That once people attach their own memories, the meaning changes. And that's not failure, that's impact. That's what songs are supposed to do. You. okay, so how you doing? You got four points? No worries if not, and no worries if you're not keeping score. Why do we need to bring math into this? Right. Okay. Let's give you your final clue in this round called soundtrack Glow Up. This next song became famous twice. It came out in 1981. It was a minor hit when it was first released. Successful, but not yet legendary. The bands love ballads, like faithfully and open arms were way more popular. Then more than 25 years later, a massive HBO show used the song in the final seconds of its series finale. The scene is just a family sitting in a diner. And this song starts on the jukebox and then sudden silence name that song. 10 seconds go Time's Up. Give yourself two points if you think you got it right. Otherwise, here's your clue. The chorus of this song tells you exactly what not to do. The title is Advice. People shout at graduations and sports games now, and I'd say this is probably the number one road trip song of all time. Five Seconds Go And the answer is, don't stop Believing by Journey. Come on. I couldn't make a road trip. Trivia game without including a question about that song at some point. Right? But here's the part. People forget before the finale of The Sopranos, this song wasn't a meme or a chant. It wasn't even a, uh, obligation at karaoke bars. After this episode aired in 2007, the 1981 song reentered the billboard charts. Downloads exploded overnight. Radio stations put it back into heavy rotation, and it slowly turned into one of the most recognizable songs in American culture journey's. Guitarist Neil Schone later said that the finale gave the song a second life. Introducing it to millions of people who never owned a Journey album or had even heard of the band. That's the end of round one. If you got all three right on the first clue, give yourself six points. Here we go. Round two is gonna make a hard left up here.

Round 2: Songs that are betraying you

Tara Tyler 9:36

This round is all about songs that sound upbeat and fun, maybe even a little shallow until you actually listen to the lyrics. Round two is called This song Needs a Warning Label. These pop songs are catchy but very concerning. Ready for some songs that betray you emotionally instead of just the people in your life. I'm kidding. I'll try not to be too dark. All right, question one. This song came out in 1998. It sounds like a jangly upbeat, romantic nineties alt rock hit. It's actually about an unplanned pregnancy and the fear that comes with suddenly having to decide everything. A moment where life suddenly speeds up. The title refers to a piece of playground equipment you probably played on as a kid, but once you start moving, you don't get to stop halfway. Name that song. 10 seconds Go. Did you get it? All right. How about a hint? The band's name includes something sticky, but the title is something smooth and slippery. Name that song. Five Seconds Did you say? Slide By the Gogo Dolls. Singer Johnny Renick drew from his own experiences growing up in a rigid Catholic household. he said, this happy sounding song is about a pregnant teenage girl deciding what to do. Like the lyrics, say, wanna get married, run away. Other lyrics in the song reference this conflict. He says, don't you love the life you killed? And then there's that whole, the priest is on the phone. Your father hit the wall, your ma disowned. You wanna wake up where you are. I know. I'm sorry for the singing. Johnny Renick has also talked about how strange it was to hear the song take on a completely different life being played at dances and weddings and on the radio constantly while knowing it came from this place of fear and desperation. It's not a celebration at all. But like most artists, he said that once a song is out in the world, people get to use it however they need to, which makes the title slide kind of perfect. It doesn't tell you what happens next. It just captures that instant where you realize that there is no rewind button, there's only forward motion. Depressed yet? No. Okay. Well, let's fix that with question two In this category, this song needs a warning label. We are back to the eighties. It's 1983. It's during the Cold War and nuclear anxiety is just part of daily life in Europe, but you wouldn't know that from the sound of this song. It's bright and bouncy, almost playful. The kind of song that sounds like it belongs at a party. Or on the radio in the middle of summer. the idea came from a real life incident involving innocent objects floating in the sky and how quickly people can assume the worst. Name this song, and I'll throw in a bonus point if you could name the artist too. Go. did you name this eighties song that actually has a pretty dark meaning? If so, give yourself two points. Otherwise, here's your hint. Rapper, Jay-Z had a certain number of problems that is also in this song's title and even English speakers agree that the German version of this song is the best. Five seconds go. Nina. did you get it right? It's 99 Luff balloons by Nina. In 1982, guitarist Carlo Car just was at a Rolling Stones concert in West Berlin, and at the end of the night, they released hundreds of helium filled balloons into the air. Carlo was watching them drift toward the horizon, He wondered what would happen if those balloons floated over the Berlin wall and how quickly something this harmless might be misunderstood. So he went home and wrote a story about someone buying balloons in the shop and releasing them just for fun. These balloons are spotted on radar mistaken for UFOs and military pilots are sent to investigate. Other countries start to panic. Weapons are deployed, everything escalates, and this song just keeps on smiling while the entire world burns. The song ends very quietly with the narrator walking through the ruins of the world, finding a single balloon and singing I think of you and let it go. See, told you you'd be depressed. Alright, let's, uh, bring down the stakes a little bit from Global Catastrophe and, um, let's go with Emotional Catastrophe. Our next song also sounds very bright and joyful. It's actually impossible not to smile at, but instead of nuclear panic, it's hiding something quieter. and as you dig into music history, you find that sometimes the songs that sound the happiest are the ones most aware that nothing lasts forever. Final question in this category, songs that should come with a warning label. And we're going back to 1997. A band from Tulsa, Oklahoma dominated the charts with a song that many dismissed as childish nonsense. The title is a nonsense word, a noise, really, And the song itself sounds like pure joy from the upbeat rhythm to the innocent tone of the singers. But this poppy little Diddy is actually about the futility of life. It's about how fast relationships fade and how childhood is over in the blink of an eye. The band has said that this song's title represents the exact moment something disappears. You've got 10 seconds go time's up. Two points if you think you got it right and here's your hint. The title of this bop sounds like a noise you'd make if you didn't know what to say. Oh, and the band of brothers who sang it. We're known for their long golden Blonde locks. Name. That song Go, did you say? Um, bop by Hansen. According to Zach Hansen, an umba isn't just a fun sound. It represents a frame of time, like a millisecond. It's the idea that in one umba, your youth is gone, your money is spent and your hair is thinning. The lyrics are actually warning us that most of your relationships won't last, so you better grab onto the things that matter. Your true friends and your chosen family because it can all disappear in an Umba side note, I got a chance to meet Zach and his brothers when I worked in radio in Florida, and I must say some of the nicest guys I've ever met. Okay, so that's probably enough emotional scarring for one car ride. Let's pivot to some confidence, shall we? Specifically the kind of confidence where someone says, Hey, I'm already famous. How hard could making music be? Round three is all about celebrities who were not famous for singing, but decided they should release a song. And it actually was pretty good. Round

Round 3: Who knew?

Tara Tyler 17:59

three is called Who knew? Question one. This song came out in 2006 from someone famous for reality tv, fashion, and tabloids. Not music at all. The track sounds breezy and tropical, and the title suggests that even the most reliable things in the sky can fail. When you're in love, name that song go Time's Up. Did you think of this celebrity? Here's a hint. She is also a DJ and a model, and her family is known for their hotels. She and Nicole Richie had a reality show where they tried to live the Simple Life. Five seconds go. Did you say Stars are blind by Paris Hilton. This is a time when I really wish I could play you the song, because believe it or not, it's actually pretty good. It's got a reggae vibe and is a pretty good road trip song. So put that one on your Spotify playlist. When it came out, everyone assumed it was a novelty record, which is understandable. This is when Paris Hilton was everywhere, all over TV and the tabloids. Even if you didn't wanna hear about her, you were hearing about her. But the song itself isn't a joke. It was written and produced by Fernando Garbe, who would later work extensively with Lady Gaga. Paris has said in interviews that she wanted something melodic and relaxed, a genuinely romantic song that you'd hear while driving with the windows down. The producer has talked about how Paris insisted on keeping the vocals soft and understated. Instead of pushing it into this expected big pop performance. And that restraint is why stars are blind, feels effortless instead of forced. And hey, not gonna lie, I frigging love this song. Next up is another song that I'm not ashamed to admit is kind of a banger, and it's by another celebrity who recorded it at the peak of their fame. But this song came to be because another celebrity bet him a hundred thousand dollars that he couldn't do it. Question two in the category. Who knew? It's 1985. And in order to win this bet, this celebrity enlisted the help of the hottest producer in music at the time. His idol, Rick James. What was meant to be a weekend recording session turned into a two week stay because of a huge blizzard. The lyrics are about a confused man who showers his girlfriend with Affection, champagne, roses, diamonds. Yet she continues to stay out all night at clubs, giving her number to every man she sees. Name that song you've got 10 Seconds Time's Up. Did you get it? All right. Here's a hint. This artist insisted on lyrics that were not funny because he wanted to prove he could be a serious singer. Five seconds go. My girl wants to party all the time. Party all the time. Party all the time. Did you say party all the time by Eddie Murphy. You know that song's a banger. Come on. And we actually have comedian Richard Pryor to thank for it. He bet Eddie a hundred thousand dollars that he couldn't sing well enough to have a hit song. Eddie not only decided he wanted to make a song, but in interviews said he did not want it to be a novelty. He genuinely wanted to see if he could make a real pop song, and he knew that Rick James was the ultimate weapon. Rick James said that people thought it was a joke, but Eddie can actually sing. Rick really wasn't surprised when it became a big hit, but Eddie said he was shocked by how big it became. And also Richard Pryor never paid his a hundred thousand dollars, But that's okay. Party all the time. Made it into the top 10 on the billboard. Hot 100. I think he did just fine. Okay. Time for question three. And if you think a bet is a terrible inspiration for a song. This next one was written and sung by a leading actor for one of his own movies, but surprisingly, it turned out to be a beautiful song. Who knew this hottie could actually sing? We're going back to 1987. This song appears in one of the most iconic romantic dance movies ever made. The title compares a woman to something you can feel. But you can never hold onto 10 seconds. Starts now. Time's up. Need a hint? This song is one of the biggest hits off the incredible soundtrack for the movie. Dirty Dancing. Five Seconds starts now. Did you say she's like the Wind by Patrick Swayze. Swayze didn't actually write, she's like the wind for the movie Dirty Dancing. He wrote it years before for another movie called Grand View, USA, and it was meant to be about Jamie Lee Curtis's character in the film, but the song was not chosen for the soundtrack. So when Dirty Dancing was in production, swayze played the demo for the filmmakers and it fit immediately released alongside the film. The song became a genuine hit reaching the top 10 on the billboard, hot 100. Which is wild considering it started as a half finished idea sitting in Patrick Swayze's drawers. Not the first time I've thought about Patrick Swayze's drawers. Okay. Quick check before we go into the bonus round. If you've been keeping score, the max points you can have is 12 And if you haven't been keeping score, great, you're playing the game correctly for you. Competitive little freaks that want a chance to catch up. Good news, we're at the bonus round, and if my singing hasn't tortured you enough already. Brace yourselves. We are going to finish that lyric. These are gonna be worth three points a piece. I'm gonna give you a lyric from a song, and you have to sing or shout out the next line of the song, right? So not the song title. You've actually got to say the next line of the song.

Bonus Round: Finish the lyrics

Tara Tyler 24:58

okay. The first one is from the late nineties. I'll give you the song lyric and you sing or say the next line of the song. Here we go. And that's about the time she walked away from me. Did you shout? Nobody likes you when you're 23. It's What's my age again? By Blink 180 2. okay. I'll give you some more lyrics for the next one. Here we go. Your stare was holding ripped jeans. Skin was showing hot night. Wind was blowing. Where you think you're going, baby, Did you get that line from Call Me? Maybe by Carly Ra Jepsen. All right. Final question In finish the lyrics, sing or shout the next line from this song. He is quick with a joke or a light of your smoke, but There's someplace that he'd rather be. That's right. The Iconic Line from The Piano Man by Billy Joel. 1973, classic song. All right. If you were able to finish those lyrics based on my terrible rendition, you get three points a piece. if he kept score, great. If you didn't. It still counts, and if you forgot, yeah, same either way, you've now got some new stories you can tell, and at least one song you're never going to hear the same way again. That's a wrap on episode two of Road Trip Trivia Interactive. I'm Tara Tyler. Thanks for letting me hang out in the passenger seat for a bit. I'll be back next week with some more trivia and more stories, some more pop culture facts you didn't need, but you're now stuck with them too. And if you got feedback, I would love it. Shoot me an email at Roadtrip trivia interactive@gmail.com. Or the rest of my contact info is in the description of this episode. If you enjoyed it, share it with somebody you'd actually ride in a car with. Thanks for listening. Safe travels and I'll catch you on the next stretch of highway.