Entertainment For Lively Minds
Stand alone song titles - an art form
Most song titles are fairly unremarkable in themselves as they merely repeat a line from the song or have no great value without the song they belong to, but certain, less common song titles can be admired in their own right. They can be a minimalist, miniature form of poetry, or they are able to convey a significant meaning despite their concise, reduced nature, or they are just a pleasing and interesting, and, in some cases, humourous, use of language that can stand alone.
In a recent podcast Mark Ellen acknowledged Morrissey's gift for this art, examples of this are Girlfriend In A Coma (so good it was also the title of a novel), We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful, Shoplifters Of The World Unite and Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me.
Get Off Of My Cloud by The Rolling Stones was acclaimed by Nik Cohn for sloganising the sixties - it's all there in the title. Julian Cope's World Shut Your Mouth conveys admirably the frustration of the fight to be an individual. Then there's Captain Beefheart and his surreal Neon Meate Dream Of An Octafish.
So it's not good song titles I am after, it's titles that could stand alone as special and meaningful in themselves, which are rarer. Any more?
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Surely the works of Half Man Half Biscuit...
must feature. I'll leave it to someone else to provide examples; I don't have any of their records.
You may well be right
I know little of their music also but am aware of a certain talent with titles which they have.
I am currently enjoying making use of bold in posting, having just worked out how to do it.
Hooray!
Let's all be bold!
HMHB Should be disqualified from this debate
Their song titles are so good, it's almost cheating to include them.
The Light at the End of the Tunnel (is the Light of an Oncoming Train)
27 Yards of Dental Floss
Split Single With Happy Lounge Labelmates
Four Skinny Indie Kids
Time Flies By (When You're The Driver Of A Train)
Yipps (My Baby Got The)
Visitor For Mr. Edmonds
Used To Be In Evil Gazebo
13 Eurogoths floating in the Dead Sea
Tonight Matthew I'm Going to Be with Jesus
You could go on all day.
Whoever came up with those
is some kind of genius. And I have no idea how the songs go.
Well...
Visitor for Mr Edmonds is just the sound of someone turning off a life support machine. Really.
Is that right?
That's brilliant.
Would I lie to you?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Visitor-For-Mr-Edmonds/dp/B001K80DF8
I do not doubt you for a moment
Was rhetorical question but will have a listen at home. Thanks for the link.
Those HMHB song titles
See them in all their glory here:
http://cobweb.businesscollaborator.com/hmhb/records/index.htm
You can also download a host of their Peel Session tracks for free on the same site, if the titles intrigue you that much. Have a look here:
http://cobweb.businesscollaborator.com/hmhb/audio/index.htm
Cheers.
...and the (not quite yet complete) lyrics...
...are at The Half Man Half Biscuit Lyrics Project, where you'll also find the more recent:
* Evening Of Swing (Has Been Cancelled)
* Bad Losers On Yahoo Chess
* Took Problem Chimp To Ideal Home Show
* Give Us Bubblewrap
* National Shite Day
Larks' Tongues
in Aspic
my work here is done
The Ballad Of David Icke
great Acapella track fom Clem Snide.
Live, they then go into War Pigs by Black Sabbath.
HMHB do rule when it comes to song titles I agree
Blame It On The Night...
...always seemed a good one from Kevin Coyne
Pet Shop Boys
- You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk
- What Have I Done To Deserve This?
- I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing.
And how about the wonderful A Lady Of A Certain Age, by The Divine Comedy? It's like a film script in miniature.
Ooh Crikey Missus, It's Lawnmower Deth.
(OK so it's an album title)
I don't recall it having a "missus" in
but they did give us:
Cobwoman of Deth meets Mr Smellymop
Thermonuclear War is Good fro Your Complexion
Sumo Rabbit and his Inescapable trap of Doom
Spook Perv Happenings in the Snooker Hall
The Seventh Church of the Apocalyptic Lawnmower
Oh and Nottingham has a new champion of the daft title...
Ladies and Gentlemen I give you the Hellset Orchestra
Complete track listing of their first CD
"Come into my lab" He said
It Takes Twice as Long (when you're half as big)
I'm Trying to Make a Monstrous Bird
Thnak God It's Judas
To Outsurvive a Vulture
Orpheus' Incredible Eyepop
and they've also given us
I Have Escaped Grimmer Dungeons Than This
Glamazon Rides Compsognathus
Whores and Vipers Ride the Welcome Wagon
Monstro says "Sound the Horn"
I love the Hellset Orchestra.
Pet Shop Boys' finest title is surely
I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Anymore
I'll also add:
How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously? and
This Must Be The Place I Waited Years To Leave
A few others that spring to mind:
Freedom Of Speech Won't Feed My Children - Manic Street Preachers
One Angry Dwarf And 200 Solemn Faces - Ben Folds Five
(What I Like Most About You Is Your) Girlfriend - The Specials
Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space - Spiritualized
I'm Going To Stop Pretending That I Didn't Break Your Heart - Eels
(Baby, Baby) Can I Invade Your Country? - Sparks
Broken Household Appliance, National Forest - Grandaddy
Fitter, Happier - Radiohead
Wherever I Lay My Phone, That's My Home - Super Furry Anumals
Sparks have em by the binful
I Can't Believe That You Would Fall For All the Crap In This Song
I Thought I Told You To Wait In The Car
What are all These Bands So Angry About?
(When I Kiss You) I Hear Charlie Parker Playing
Throw Her Away And Get A New One
Or, aptly,
Lighten Up, Morrisey
There are lots of great suggestions emerging. Generally better than mine I must admit.
Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins
by Sparks is one of my favourites.
edit: sorry, that's an album title, does it count?
Talking Heads did a song for a Best Of called
Sax and Violins.
She Doesn't Laugh at My Jokes
from Jonathan Richman
Even Now We Are Preparing to Love You - Puny Human from the fabulously named album It's Not the Heat, It's the Humanity.
Some Things I Just Don't Want to Know
I Really Should've Gone Out Last Night - Dirty Three, although the album name is better still - Whatever You Love, You Are.
The Strange Case Of Frank Cash And The Morning Paper
You know you want to learn more and I guarantee it rewards curiosity.
Fraid I can't find any audio/video links but here's the album.
Fatima Mansions
Look What I Stole for Us, Darling
Viva Dead Ponies
More Smack Vicar?
Go Home, Bible Mike
Valhalla Avenue
Only Losers Take the Bus
In the Valley of the Dead Cars
awesome stuff - buy, borrow, steal
From Keltik Elektrik
(£1 in the record library sale...)
Get offa, McLeod. Yes, its a trad arr synthesiser and bagpipes LP.
Also quite keen on Jimi MaCraes "Electric Lassieland". Yes it's a trance bagpipe LP.
The Marvelettes
The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game.
On an Antipodean Theme
Go Betweens - Draining the pool for you
The Chills - Male monster from the Id
Crowded House - Four seasons in one day
And Finally the wonderous...
The Triffids - Too hot to move too hot to think
Unbeatable
On a similar thread I mentioned my favourite recent band name. Another poster let me know that they had taken it from the title of an XTC song:
Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her
sufjan stevens
Out of Egypt, into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I Shake the Dirt from My Sandals as I Run
or
To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region, I Have an Idea Concerning Your Predicament
or
Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!)
and, yes i realise it's an album title but the Kasai Allstars debut last year is brilliant,
In the 7th moon, the chief turned into a swimming fish and ate the head of his enemy by magic.
I Was In The House When The House Burned Down
by Warren Zevon.
Smokey
I know it's supposed to be a stand-alone title thread, but the whole is so gorgeous I couldn't resist.
Felt were good at this
Their high point must surely be:
All the people I like are those that are dead.
Honourable mentions for:
Hours of Darkness have changed my mind
Primitive Painters
The Final resting of the Ark
And many, many more.
.
"The Dark Tea Time Of The Soul"
Brilliant title from a Douglas Adams novel.
Wasn't it...
The Long Dark Tea-Time Of The Soul?
Beautiful South
Deserve some credit for slightly skew-wiff but poignant song titles, my favourite being "Ol' Red Eyes is Back" another upbeat ditty about alcoholism from them there about an old sot whose eyes will never be blue. I remember Spike Milligan making a joke using that very phrase (about Frank Sinatra's drinking) back in the mid-70s on one of his Q shows.
I seem to remember...
...a b-side called I Love You (But You're Boring)
they also had a song called
I Hate You (But You're Interesting)
all a bit "hey hey my my", innit!
Also
I Hate You (But You're Interesting)
When the hangover strikes.....
An excellent title for one of Difford/Tillbrook's lesser and less good titles, tho', to be fair, it was designed and performed in the style of(and written for?) Ol' Blue Eyes, as above.
You can't put your arms around a memory
Johnny Thunders
My favourites
Cheer Up (You Miserable Fuck) - David Ford
I Hate You (But You're Interesting) - Beautiful South
It Takes Blood And Guts To Be This Cool But I'm Still Just A Cliche - Skunk Anansie
The Truth About Cats & Dogs (Is That They Die) - Pony Up
I Like A Boy In Uniform (School Uniform) - The Pipettes
Surely Hank Williams was The King
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive
I Just Don't Like This Kind Of Living
My Son Calls Another Man Daddy
There's A Tear In My Beer
etc.
The Lucksmiths'
Morrissey related 'There Is A Boy That Never Goes Out'
Songdog
Are good at this, titles include:
"The day god begs my forgiveness"
"The sky was so blue it was scary"
"My space-rock tape"
"The girl on the escalator at HMV"
"She played summertime(on the brothel piano)"
.....They are also a very underrated outfit.
If You Leave Me, Can I come too?
By Australian band Mental as Anything - always makes me smile. It's just perfect somehow.
Warren Zevon could turn a phrase
Lawyers, Guns and Money
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner
Poor Pitiful Me
Flaming Lips are worth a mention here
Guy Who Got a Headache and Accidentally Saves the World
from Clouds taste metallic
and of course
Thankyou Jack White, (for the Fibre Optic Jesus that you gave me)...
Careful With That Axe Eugene...
...Pink Floyd
The Television Personalities
I reckon Dan Treacy could give Moz a run for his money when it comes to maudlin, neurotic self-pity (with a dash of wit).
All The Young Children On Crack
Are We Nearly There Yet?
Christ Knows, I Have Tried
Do You Know What They’re Saying About Me Now?
Do You Think If You Were Beautiful You’d Be Happy?
Don’t Cry Baby, It’s Only A Movie
Evan Doesn’t Ring Me Anymore
Give Me The Gun
God’s Got A Grudge On Me
Hard Luck Story No. 39
How I Learnt To Love The Bomb
I Get Scared When I Don’t Know Where You Are
I Know Where Syd Barret Lives
I Suppose You Think It’s Funny
I Was A Mod Before You Was A Mod
I Wish You Could Love Me For What I Am
I’m Not Like Everybody Else
I’ve Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me
Me And My Big Ideas
Meanwhile In A Luxury Docklands Home
My Very First Nervous Breakdown
No More I Hate you’s
None Of This Will Matter When You’re Dead
Not For The Likes Of Us
Now That I’m A Junkie
Now You’re Just Being Ridiculous
Salvador Dali’s Garden Party
She Loves It When He Sings Like Elvis
She’s Never Read My Poems
Sometimes I Think You Know Me Better Than I Know Myself
Sorry To Embarrass You
Things Have Changed Since I Was A Girl
Time Goes Slowly When You’re Drowning
We Will Be Your Gurus
What If It’s Raining?
Where Bill Grundy Now?
You Don’t Know How Lucky You Are
You, Me & Lou Reed
You’ll Have To Scream Louder
Stand-alone
There are some great stand-alone song titles here:
http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/wet-tip-hen-ax-good-song-titles
I was going to type in some song titles by The Happy Flowers, and then remembered that I'd already done it. Sample: "If This Gun Were Real (I Could Shoot You And Sleep In The Big Bed With Mummy)"
Yes
I knew we'd done best song titles, I was trying to move toward a more specific kind of title that is more than just a good one. A distinction too fine perhaps. I think it's gone well though. Bit of a different set of results. That's a cracker you came up with there. More interesting I feel when there's a meaning behind it, like a twisted story, a glimpse into another world, or a comment on life - rather than just weirdness or odd juxtaposition.
Don't worry, Sven -
I wasn't harrumphing that we'd done all this before, because we haven't - I like your angle. I was just being lazy and avoiding typing in stuff I'd typed in before, and then noticed that there were several good examples in the previous thread of what you're looking for. This is a top thread though.
It's OK Nick
I didn't feel you were harrumphing. I am sorry if I made it seem like I thought you were guilty of any harrumphment. Funny business this blogging isn't it?
And talking of Yes
Owner of a Lonely Heart
Siberian Khatru
Heart of the Sunrise
And You and I
I came up with the following
and offered them to someone in a band. He didn't use them.
"Let's Build A Bomb (A Bigger One)"
"The Sound Of A God Giving Birth To Itself"
"Shoot Me With Your Bullets Of Love"
Smart Brown Handbag...
...are not only the best American band you've never heard of, they are also responsible for such great song titles as;
Medicate To Stabilize
Cleo In Her Sputnik
Sleepless 4 Days
This Little Waste Of Time
If he was English, David Steinhart (singer, guitarist, songwriter)would have statues built in his honour, but he's from LA and exhbits the kind of intelligence that city frowns on so, despite nearly a dozen albums of solid magnificence, languishes in obscurity.
Who sang...
" It Ain´t Love but It Ain´t Bad "
Slade
(But don't tell anyone I told you)
Well how about...
I forgot to remember to forget her
or
You're right, I'm left she's gone
"Meat" "Loaf"/Jim Steinman
Surely the kings:
Life Is A Lemon And I Want My Money Back
A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
I'd Lie For You (And That's The Truth)
etc
and more PSB:
Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend
It Couldn't Happen Here
You Know Where You Went Wrong
We All Feel Better In The Dark
some Pulp:
Do You Remember The First Time?
Sorted For Es and Whizz
and some Cake:
Friend Is A Four Letter Word
I could go on. But it's bed time.
"Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"
The First Edition
Cowboys
Mama, Don´t Let Your Children Grow Up To Be Cowboys- good advice on so many levels.
Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforjustonedayitsworldwouldfallapart
by the Manics.
I'm sorry, but...
Surely, Parliament and Bootsy Collins have got to feature in this?
Aqua Boogie (A psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadolooop)
Bootzilla.
Stand alone
What about My dwarf is getting tired from Ry Cooder's I, Flathead
Soft Cell - Sex Dwarf
and its meaty accompanying video
Michael Marra
The genius that is Michael Marra is mentioned on the randomiser post. He has a way with song titles
Frida Kahlo's vist to the Taybridge Bar
Bob Dylan's visit to Embra
Schenectady Calling Peerie Willie Johnson
Mac Rebennack's Visit To Blairgowrie
Beefhearts And Bones
The Angus Man's Welcome To Mary Stewart
King George III's Return To Sanity
General Grant's Visit To Dundee
A lot of songs about visits !!!
Take me out drinking tonight - not a brilliant title but includes the immortal line (from those of us from north of the border)
Mr. MacEwan, you will be my ruin
And,as mentioned over there, a wonderful live act.
Luke Haines
Luke Haines, surely our most undervalued songwriter?
How to Hate the Working Classes
Unsolved Child Murder
The Death of Sarah Lucas
Kenneth Anger's Bad Dream
Light Aircraft On Fire
What Happens When We Die
The 'Bad Vibes' book is brilliant too.
another album title but...
it always made me grin was Spooky Tooth's
"You Broke My Heart, So I Busted Your Jaw"
Pigface excel
in album titles, go Google you Fuckin' Redneck Mexican Assholes
and I mean that in a nice way
Brackets Rock
John Otway: Beware Of The Flowers ('Cos I'm Sure They're Gonna Get You, Yeah)
AC/DC: It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)
Electric Prunes: I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night
A sense of history please
"I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream for Ice Cream" seems to me to put a cherry and topping on this lot....
Or perhaps "What's the Use of Getting Sober (If You Going to get Drunk Again?)
No Tom Waits?
How About
Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis
Whistlin' Past The Graveyard
Eggs and Sausage (In a Cadillac with Susan Michelson)
And a few others
The Divine Comedy:
Death of A Supernaturalist
Count Grassi's Passage over Piedmont
The Pop Singer's Fear of the Pollen Count
The Monochrome Set:
The Lighter Side of Dating
The Puerto Rican Fence Climber
The Fall:
The War Against Intelligence
Mere Pseud Mag Editor's Father
"Love Theme from Yeats: the Movie" by Toasted Heretic
also by the Toasties
"LSD (Isn't What it Used to Be)"
"The Best Things in Life are Mine"
and their album "Songs for Swinging Celibates"
"They Didn't Teach Music in My School" was on one of their EPs which also had an instrumental track called "They Did in Mine"
just got back
from the Duke Special gig:
Last night i nearly died (but i woke up just in time)
genius.
More Zevon
You're A Whole Different Person When You're Scared
Even A Dog Can Shake Hands
And let's hear it for Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown:
Going To Put A Bar In The Back Of My Car (And Drive Myself To Drink).
McLusky, anyone?
Bipolar Bears Take Seattle
Reformed Arsonist Seeks Child Bride
Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues
Without MSG, I Am Nothing
Random Celebrity Insult Generator
Be Average to Each Other
Dave, Stop Killing Prostitutes
And, yes, it's an album title, but: My Pain and Sadness is More Sad and Painful Than Yours.
Also, Mogwai:
Yes! I am a long way from home.
Mogwai Fear Satan
I Love You, I'm Going to Blow Up Your School
And Superchunk, with Never Too Young to Smoke.
ah, Mclusky
and you might have mentioned
Forget About Him, I'm Mint
She will only bring you happiness
You should be ashamed Seamus
KKKitchens, what were you thinking?
Whiteliberalonwhiteliberalaction
and Future of the Left
The Lord Hates a Coward
Lambchop
Soaky in the Pooper
A Day Without Glasses
Cigaretiquette
National Talk Like A Pirate Day
Your Sucking Funny Day
My favourite Morrissey one is still
You're the One For Me, Fatty