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?

A	A needle
B	A leather cup
C	A cyanide hole
D	A candle
E	A scalpel

Question 11 Explanation:

The nurse is in charge of the "cyanide hole," adding a morbid, unsettling element to her role in this surreal environment.

Question 12

Who does the narrator say is “just being punished”?

A	The Good Samaritan
B	Casanova
C	Romeo
D	Cinderella
E	Ophelia

Question 12 Explanation:

Casanova is described as "just being punished," possibly symbolizing a critique of romantic idealism on Desolation Row.

Question 13

Why might the song reference famous characters like Ophelia and Einstein?

A	To illustrate modern icons
B	To build familiarity
C	To emphasize chaos and disillusionment
D	To add humor
E	To show nostalgia

Question 13 Explanation:

These famous figures are distorted or disillusioned versions of themselves, emphasizing the absurdity and despair of Desolation Row.

Question 14

What do Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot symbolize in their “captain’s tower”?

A	Literary elitism
B	Strength and courage
C	Solidarity
D	Compassion
E	Modernity

Question 14 Explanation:

Pound and Eliot, modernist poets, symbolize intellectual isolation in a lofty “tower,” contrasting with the chaotic, desolate world below.

Question 15

What is the general tone of "Desolation Row"?

A	Lighthearted
B	Melancholic and surreal
C	Aggressive
D	Uplifting
E	Humorous

Question 15 Explanation:

The song's tone combines melancholy with surreal imagery, creating a vision of despair and disillusionment.

There are 15 questions to complete.

One Comment

Rupert DeBare says:
October 28, 2024 at 10:48 am
There are two meanings to the actions of the “superhuman crew” : they round up not just the “knowledgeable people”, but, more importantly, those knowers who fail to ACT on what they know (“those who KNOW more than they DO”).
“Robin Hood” is a symbol of Christ (robbed the powerful – Satan, the ruler of this earth – to give to the poor, the meek and the faithful). “Einstein” is the metaphor for Science, which has superceded Christian theology (the “jealous monk”) as the Revealer of ultimate Truth. Dylan marks his skepticism of this development elsewhere when he sings that he “don’t put my trust in nobody, not even a scientist”, and also here, when he expresses fear at the claims of science to be infallible (“He looks so immaculately frightful”).