This morning, the car bluetooth randomly threw on “Twisty Bass” from Neil Finn’s very good (but overlong) Try Whistling This album.
This then reminded me of Suede’s “Indian Strings”. By this stage, the red mist had descended.
Is there anything more annoying* than songs which have obviously retained their working title through to their finished place on the LP?
Gentlemen – and ladies – you have not finished writing the song.
Are there any songs that, like me, and even at a subconscious level, you hold in slightly lower esteem because of what appears to be the use of their working title?
Also, are there other songs whose excellence transcends the mental image of the singer chewing on his pencil and saying “Y’know lads, I really do think ‘New One’ really nails the song’s lyrical and thematic brilliance” and render this crime acceptable and, indeed, become part of the song’s appeal?**
*your annoyances may differ
**Most pieces on The Church’s Priest=Aura were reportedly given one word vibe-based titles by MWP which SK then tried to write ‘toward’. This method doesn’t count in terms of the OP.
Song 2 by Blur.
They may have thought they were being ultra cool by giving it a throwaway title but I find it annoying.
Alternate Title by The Monkees
Randy Scouse Git is a great title and The Monkees should have stuck to their guns instead of letting their American label make them change it.
Blur also had a song called Good Song on Think Tank. And it lives up to its working title. It is a good song. It’s actually my favourite Blur song and easily the best on the album. They could’ve called it Best Song. Albarn does a very nice falsetto on it. It’s quite sweet. Another track on the album is called Sweet Song, but it’s not particularly sweet. They should have called that one Not As Sweet As Good Song Song.
The most annoying title on my iPod is Pink Floyd’s Wot’s… uh the Deal. It’s one the best band ever’s very best songs, with a gorgeous guitar motif and lovely, rolling piano and a title so stupid that I’m embarrassed for it.
Pink Floyd, eh? The studio sheet for Saucerful… apparently listed “See-saw” as “ The Most Boring Song I’ve Ever Heard Bar Two”… wiser heads prevailed and it was changed for the release,
What about that Sigur Ros album () that has no titles for the songs. I think they have subsequently assigned some names. Made it very hard to shout out for my favourites during gigs.
Then there’s the ones the name After the chord progression (e.g DAF by Powderfinger).
Supergrass have a few of these, I think. Richard III being an example & a fairly big hit. I wouldn’t change anything about it personally, it’s a great rush of energy.
I had a hunch you’d say that.
Sorry 😔
Well it made me laugh anyway!
God yes. It’s a really irritating thing isn’t it? Smacks of injokeness and “aren’t we great for giving the plebs a glimpse behind the curtain?” Nah, go away and finish the whole creative process off properly.
Isn’t there a Small Faces song called “Call It Something Nice?” Urgh.
I know you’re gagging for Depeche Mode examples. Many albums have small unfinished-sounding pieces, usually about a minute long with a weird title. The Violator LP has three – and these were initially unnamed but eventually called “Interlude 1, Interlude 2 + Interlude 3”. This one samples the Eraserhead baby near the end.
Kid Dynamite will probably disagree with me, but Floodland had three+ decent tent peg songs, and a lot of fragments and fillers – Flood I, Flood II – I ask you! Never Land” (a fragment) – a fine example of ‘will this do, Ed?’
“But it’s his art – echoing Eliot’s fragmentary poetic style!”
“No, it’s laziness. Go and score some speed and pull a few all-nighters, Eldritch! This isn’t good enough.”.
“Shan’t! I’ll give you an album of sub par generic corporate rock, then I’ll never record another note of music ever again!”
On their album Curtains, Tindersticks follow “Dick’s Slow Song” immediately with “The Fast One”. As if the mumbled delivery wasn’t Kevin The Teenager enough of a patience tester..
I’m guessing Billy’s Third by the Undertones was a working title they stuck with. Presumably Billy Doherty the drummer had two others that didn’t quite make the grade. Great song that’s still a regular in their setlist.
Fairport’s Sloth was the working title as there was supposed to be a Fasth one too. Fasth never got recorded and they never changed the title for Sloth.
Thelonious Monk had a few. Great tunes though…
Let’s Call This
Think Of One
Joe Jackson: A Slow Song
Objection! That’s not because its a slow song, it’s because he’s imploring the DJ to play a slow song so he can have a smooch
So you say.
Couldn’t call it unexpected no. 4 is a great song on the Elvis Costello album Mighty like a Rose.
There is no mention of the title in the song nor is there as far as I know versions 1,2 and 3.
Not sure if the title is him being ironic or what but it is a little odd.
After say I saw him singing it solo without musical instruments and off mike. It was sensational.
This is maybe the most straightforward example of not having a title that works. Rose Elinor Dougall’s debut single was “Another Version of Pop Song”, it’s a lovely song and deserves more recognition.
On the album front: let’s not forget that Curved Air’s second album was titled “Second Album”.
Duncan Reid & The Big Heads second album was titled The Difficult Second Album
Roy Buchanan’s second album was also entitled “Second Album”.
Starting to see a trend…
Ron Wood’s I’ve Got Me Own Album to Do