Calling a single by the lyric in the chorus is a tried and tested route to success. She Loves You, You Spin Me Round (Like a Record), Agadoo are just three of many hundreds of hit songs that hit paydirt doing just that. Other big songs may have a title that refers in some way to what’s coming up – Unchained Melody, An American Trilogy, New Song by Howard Jones.
Thinking about New Order earlier made me reflect on their contrarian ways. I can imagine a delighted Tony Wilson and Rob Gretton listening to this new single – assuming it to be called “Morning Sun” and excitedly imagining how they’d promote it, only to learn that it’s called True Faith. Similarly, Bizarre Love Triangle, Round and Round and Fine Time. All singles with unhelpful titles. The titles don’t refer to the song’s lyric in any way.
After a brief period of brain-wracking, I am struggling to come up with many more – unless of course you know different. I’m talking hit singles with lyrics here – not enigmatic album tracks or instrumentals (there’s loads of those).