Quiz: Name the Historical Event This Song Was Based On (Part 2)

Maybe you couldn’t get enough of the historical events in songs from our first quiz, or maybe you're ready to beat your previous score. Whatever the reason, you’re here and eager for Part 2 of blending your history and music knowledge. If you think you are enough of a history buff to recognize which historical events are being referenced in songs, take the quiz below:

How did you do? Were you able to get a better score than you did in Part 1? One of the best parts of these songs is learning the hidden meaning behind the lyrics and finding out something new about the world. If you’re interested in learning more historical trivia, check out our history section, and if you're feeling the need to prove your knowledge a bit more, try our quiz section!

Some bands create songs that are just fluff and are fun to dance to, but others try to infuse a deeper meaning. One of the ways they do this is by writing songs that reflect our history and the world we live in. These references to historical events can feel like a secret between fans who understand them and the bands who created them.

More Quizzes:

Bands That Love History

Most of the bands in our quiz have one or two songs that reference historical events, but then others have albums worth in their repertoire. These bands love incorporating history into their music, so many of their songs have historical significance. Bob Dylan, Iron Maiden, and SKYND are a few of the bands that write history into their songs.

Bob Dylan is a musical storyteller who creates stirring narratives with his lyrics. Many of his songs were written to protest war and to fight for civil rights. Listing all of his songs about historical events would take an entire article, but a couple of noteworthy ones are “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” and “Only a Pawn in Their Game.”

These songs detail gruesome murders that actually occurred and highlight the cruel injustice Black Americans faced in the 1960s. Dylan used his platform to sing about the issues that really mattered to him, and his music impacted the world.

You might not think that heavy metal and educational content go together, but Iron Maiden would prove you wrong. They have songs that cover ancient history, the history of Britain’s wars, and even songs about more modern history, like World War II. Their songs also have lessons on poetry, philosophy, mythology, and literature. They might be metal-heads, but they aren’t uncultured.

SKYND is another band that you might not take seriously at first, but they show that rock music is one of the best mediums for the grittier parts of history. This Australian band creates “true crime” music. Most of their songs tell the stories of horrific murders, or, like their newest song, “Aileen Wuornos,” dive into the mind of a serial killer. If you love crime podcasts and documentaries, you might want to learn about the terrifying historical events in SKYND’s songs.

Bands that teach history through their music are not rare, but it is interesting to see what historical events they connect with. Fans can learn so much about history and society just by listening to these meaningful songs.

You May Also Like: