Derby History Quiz

A performance by The New Blue from Yale (with some revisions to the original words!)

Jack Vagnini, a regular participant in the Derby History Quiz contributed this quiz which featured a Cole Porter tune which featured the exploits of a fictional (We think!) damsel from Derby named Antoinette Birby (A.K.A. Annabelle Birby or Sweet Alice Kirby). We had the following for the quiz:

....As the train pulled out of the station
she gave forth this explanation
" I'm off for New Haven, so long, goodbye;
I'm off for New Haven, I don't know why."

Rick Dunne added the following lyrics which indicate the New Haven experience may not have been so great!

.......I'm going back to Derby, so long, goodbye,
I'm going back to Derby, you all know why.
When I came to New Haven I was so very good and sweet and true,
But I've done several things that a girlie shouldn't oughta do.
So it's back to the milking for Antoinette, a sadder but wiser female.
No maiden that's pretty should come to the city,
And Yale, Yale, Yale.

Correct answers were received from: Marc J. Garofalo, Bob Ahearn, Bud Searles, Normand Audet, Kimberley Shelton, Beth Colette, Markanthony Izzo, Ryan Downs, and Natalie Vetro.

John Rak and Nick from Terryville knew the song writer was Cole Porter and Nick gets our persistence award as he simply couldn't come up with the name of the song - not for a lack of trying!

To see our earlier quizzes and learn more about Derby's unique history, click here.

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