Song Titles that are not obvious in the song's lyrics

[roadman65]

Many songs have titles to them that are not at all mentioned in the song itself, with some of them not even being suggested at all.  Songs like Baba O' Reily by The Who or What She Wants by Wham do not make it obvious in the song when being sung that those are the titles of them.  In fact if you heard Baba O' Reily for the first time you would think the song is titled Teenage Wasteland or Wham's song is Somebody Tell Me for those are the two most sung phrases in the songs themselves. How many songs that made it to constant airplay or played around pop culture that you know of like these?

[Brian556]

Dilemma by Nelly & Kelly Rowland, 2002

I think it is a very bad idea for artists to do this. It makes it vary difficult for people to find and buy the song, thus could result in loss of sales.

[Scott5114]

These days you can find any song you like (barring the relentlessly obscure stuff, of course) by typing a random snippet of the lyrics into Google. It will match one of several dozen websites that list the lyrics to dang near every commercially published song out there, complete with artist and title.

[hotdogPi]

These days you can find any song you like (barring the relentlessly obscure stuff, of course) by typing a random snippet of the lyrics into Google. It will match one of several dozen websites that list the lyrics to dang near every commercially published song out there, complete with artist and title.

If you can hear the lyrics correctly. Sometimes it's hard to tell what the lyrics are.

[roadman65]

These days you can find any song you like (barring the relentlessly obscure stuff, of course) by typing a random snippet of the lyrics into Google. It will match one of several dozen websites that list the lyrics to dang near every commercially published song out there, complete with artist and title.

Not always like a song that Macy's Department Store always plays that has Push Push Shove Me Away in the lyrics does not come up in the search.  I google that one and it comes up nill, but bringing up similar songs by other artists, but not that particular one.  However, I found the correct title for a Judy Collins song just by googling some of the lyrics of the song. 

Both Sides Now is not mentioned in the lyrics of a song written and sung originally by Joni Mitchell and covered by Judy Collins.  The " I really.....at all" from whatever each verse is about sticks in one's mind, but google "I really don't know love at all" and it will lead you to it.

[vtk]

What's Up by 4 Non Blondes

Tomorrow Never Knows by The Beatles

Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin

Also, Shazam and SoundHound exist for identifying songs with a smartphone now.

[bugo]

Pretty much any Smashing Pumpkins song
Many nine inch nails songs
Many Tool songs

[hbelkins]

Several Zep songs come to mind. "Trampled Underfoot," "Black Dog," "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp," "Carouselambra," "Achilles Last Stand" off the top of my head.

"Poem For The People," "A Song For Richard And His Friends" and "Dialogue" by Chicago.

"One" by Metallica.

If I put my mind to it I could probably come up with many more.

[1995hoo]

"Old White Lincoln" by the Gaslight Anthem (probably my favorite band aside from Springsteen).

One that includes the lyric but doesn't seem obvious is Boston's "Something About You" (it'd be easy to think the song is called "It Isn't Easy," and indeed when Tom Scholz was working on the album he initially called the song "Life Isn't Easy").

[Takumi]

Most New Order songs (as well as their predecessor band, Joy Division)

[roadman65]

Actually Careless Whisper by Wham is another.  In fact when it first came out I thought that was What She Wants as for some reason that title fits that song more than it does the other one it was named for.  This was even before I heard the song's lyrics I assessed that notion.  I guess if a certain type of man could look like a Tom then a song melody can have a sound as well.

[amroad17]

"Train in Vain" by The Clash.  Never once is this phrase used in the song.
"South Central Rain" by R.E.M.  You would think the the song is "I'm Sorry" (which is the parenthetical title).  Of course, the way Michael Stipe mumbled through early R.E.M. songs, the title could have been sung.

[andrewkbrown]

"The Rain, The Park, and Other Things" by The Cowsills in 1967. Heard during the dream fantasy scene in the movie "Dumb and Dumber."

[Thing 342]

Good luck finding out what "I.G.Y" stands for and what it has in relation to the eponymous song by Donald Fagen.

[GaryV]

This isn't anything new.  Examples:
"The Christmas Song" - lyrics "Chestnuts roasting by the open fire ..."
"America" - lyrics "My country 'tis of thee ..." - the title is often confused with "America the Beautiful"

[mgk920]

Both Sides Now is not mentioned in the lyrics of a song written and sung originally by Joni Mitchell and covered by Judy Collins.  The " I really.....at all" from whatever each verse is about sticks in one's mind, but google "I really don't know love at all" and it will lead you to it.

Yes it is, several times (ie, the line "I've looked at love from both sides now").

Anyways, howabout 'Rainy Day Women' by Bob Dylan?



Mike

[bugo]

This thread is pointless because there are literally millions of examples.

I recommend for the moderators to lock it pronto.

[jakeroot]

"The Rain, The Park, and Other Things" by The Cowsills in 1967. Heard during the dream fantasy scene in the movie "Dumb and Dumber."

HOLY BALLS this is the last place I thought I would find this song. Thanks! (though I admittedly didn't look very hard).

--

Additionally, Baba O' Riley by the Who

[jp the roadgeek]

Both Sides Now is not mentioned in the lyrics of a song written and sung originally by Joni Mitchell and covered by Judy Collins.  The " I really.....at all" from whatever each verse is about sticks in one's mind, but google "I really don't know love at all" and it will lead you to it.

Yes it is, several times (ie, the line "I've looked at love from both sides now").

Anyways, howabout 'Rainy Day Women' by Bob Dylan?



Mike

#'s 12 & 35.

Many songs by Dylan: Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues, Bob Dylan's 115th Dream, From a Buick 6.
Every song but one on the album Anthem of the Sun, Wharf Rat, Black Peter, and New Speedway Boogie by The Grateful Dead
School Days by Chuck Berry
Norwegian Wood, Revolution 9, Tomorrow Never Knows by The Beatles
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes by CSN

[thenetwork]

ROLLING STONES:  "Sympathy For The Devil" and "Bitch".

By the way, if you ever want to hear a great musical segue, play the long version of the song "Beginnings" by Chicago and then "Sympathy For The Devil"!

[hbelkins]

Good luck finding out what "I.G.Y" stands for and what it has in relation to the eponymous song by Donald Fagen.

International Geophysical Year. I remember when the song came out.

[vtk]

Suite: Judy Blue Eyes by CSN

I believe that song title properly lacks punctuation, as does the movie title, Star Trek Into Darkness.  But I could be wrong I suppose.

[Scott5114]

Good luck finding out what "I.G.Y" stands for and what it has in relation to the eponymous song by Donald Fagen.

I.G.Y. was the International Geophysical Year, which was more or less 1958. The song's lyrics describe the future as someone from 1958 might imagine it.

[roadman]

These days you can find any song you like (barring the relentlessly obscure stuff, of course) by typing a random snippet of the lyrics into Google. It will match one of several dozen websites that list the lyrics to dang near every commercially published song out there, complete with artist and title.

And 99% of those web sites deliberatly misquote at least part of the song lyrics to avoid paying licensing fees.

[spooky]

What She Wants by Wham

The song you're thinking of is "Everything She Wants". It says "everything she wants, is everything she sees" in the first verse of the song.