SOME PEOPLE ARE AFRAID ILM IS TURNING INTO THE TVTROPES OF MUSIC, SO HERE'S A CATCH-ALL THREAD WHERE WE CAN DOCUMENT THE THEMATIC/SONIC/COMPOSITIONAL LINKAGES BETWEEN SONGS WITHOUT HAVING TO START A NEW THREAD FOR EACH AND EVERY TROPE THAT POPS INTO OUR HEADS DURING MOMENTS OF DESPERATE BOREDOM
― how to diss a peer completely (unregistered), Monday, 12 February 2018 01:44 (six years ago) link
songs where a woman corresponds with her husband under an assumed identity and arranges a liaison with him as a test of his marital fidelity:
Rupert Holmes - Escape (The Piña Colada Song)Kate Bush - Babooshka
― how to diss a peer completely (unregistered), Monday, 12 February 2018 01:45 (six years ago) link
"some people"
― Fedora Dostoyevsky (man alive), Monday, 12 February 2018 01:45 (six years ago) link
Songs that are not John Cage's 4' 33"
― calstars, Monday, 12 February 2018 02:26 (six years ago) link
Songs in which Instrumentation is or is not used
― calstars, Monday, 12 February 2018 02:27 (six years ago) link
Songs in which the vocalist audibly takes a drag on a cigarette between verses:
Sandy Denny - "No End"
― J. Sam, Monday, 12 February 2018 02:28 (six years ago) link
this would be a good thread to collect all of the disparate 'songs where' threads, cause i can never find any of them.
― hoooyaaargh it's me satan (voodoo chili), Monday, 12 February 2018 02:34 (six years ago) link
songs where you can't find what you're looking for
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K89RsKaEO7I
― how to diss a peer completely (unregistered), Monday, 12 February 2018 02:41 (six years ago) link
songs written by a non-famous family member of the recording artist:
Grizzly Bear - MarlaThrowing Muses - Sinkhole
― how to diss a peer completely (unregistered), Monday, 12 February 2018 02:46 (six years ago) link
Songs by 90's-era American indie bands about 80's-era British female singers:
Unrest - "Cath Carroll"June & the Exit Wounds - "Cathy Dennis"
― henry s, Monday, 12 February 2018 15:27 (six years ago) link
Songs by 90's-era American indie bands about 80's-era British female singers
Black Tambourine - Throw Aggi Off the Bridge
(about Aggie and Stephen Pastel)
― how to diss a peer completely (unregistered), Monday, 12 February 2018 19:50 (six years ago) link
the plot thickens!
― henry s, Monday, 12 February 2018 20:04 (six years ago) link
songs where the narrator is so miserable that even the sight of children playing fails to cheer his burdened heart:
Rolling Stones - As Tears Go ByPearl Jam - BlackScreaming Trees - Winter Song
― the yolk sustains us, we eat whites for days (unregistered), Sunday, 22 April 2018 22:26 (six years ago) link
Lol
― after party for the apocalypse (Ross), Sunday, 22 April 2018 22:38 (six years ago) link
young girl: hahaha wheeee I love playing in the puddlesMark Lanegan, grunger: HOW CAN YOU BE SO CAREFREE WHEN MY SOUL IS LITERALLY DYING 😢😢😢
― the yolk sustains us, we eat whites for days (unregistered), Sunday, 22 April 2018 22:40 (six years ago) link
songs that in off whacking with which trailer
― j., Sunday, 22 April 2018 23:38 (six years ago) link
lol i have been bumping a lot of these
― flappy bird, Monday, 23 April 2018 00:08 (six years ago) link
songs where the narrator is so miserable that even the sight of children playing fails to cheer his burdened heart
How could you leave off The Chi-lites, Have You Seen Her
― lana del boy (ledge), Monday, 23 April 2018 08:37 (six years ago) link
and Chicago, Make Me Smile
― Lee626, Monday, 23 April 2018 09:16 (six years ago) link
Songs in which, it is not I who is mad, it's you normals!
Elton John - Madman Across the WaterBonzo Dog Band - My Pink Half of the DrainpipeSupertramp - Asylum
― Hideous Lump, Tuesday, 24 April 2018 03:48 (six years ago) link
Songs where the singer is bored of music:
Cat Power - Colors and the Kids
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, 24 April 2018 04:28 (six years ago) link
songs where a singer expresses disdain for being put on a pedestal as artist
ionnalee- samaritan
― after party for the apocalypse (Ross), Tuesday, 24 April 2018 06:14 (six years ago) link
London CallingDon't Look Back in Anger
?
― ad homineminem (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, 24 April 2018 08:47 (six years ago) link
much better to have a catch-all thread, good job
― niels, Tuesday, 24 April 2018 17:04 (six years ago) link
Eminem - Marshall Mathers
― 808s & Deep States (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 24 April 2018 17:16 (six years ago) link
Ani DiFranco - Little Plastic Castle
People talk about my imageLike i come in two dimensionsLike lipstick is a sign of my decling mindLike what i happen to be wearingThe day that someone takes a pictureIs my new statement for all womankindAnd i wish they could see us nowIn leather bras and rubber shortsLike some ridiculous new team uniformFor some ridiculous new sportQuick someone call the girl policeAnd file a report
And i wish they could see us nowIn leather bras and rubber shortsLike some ridiculous new team uniformFor some ridiculous new sportQuick someone call the girl policeAnd file a report
― ... (Eazy), Tuesday, 24 April 2018 17:19 (six years ago) link
"Where Is My Mind"
― ... (Eazy), Tuesday, 24 April 2018 17:22 (six years ago) link
Neil Young - On The Beach
^ arguable, but i think he touches on the need for an audience and how frustrating that is - possibly more ambivalent??
― after party for the apocalypse (Ross), Tuesday, 24 April 2018 17:24 (six years ago) link
songs where the strength of the protagonist's relationship is evaluated based upon their awareness of their lover's potato preferences:
Gershwin - Let's Call the Whole Thing OffSia - Sweet Potatoes
― ilxor-com-dog-meat-drawer-7-840-x-600.jpg (unregistered), Friday, 3 August 2018 03:36 (five years ago) link
Songs in which the Beatles wish you a Happy Birthday
― i’m still stanning (morrisp), Friday, 3 August 2018 04:20 (five years ago) link
Songs in which the singer reads off a phone number:“867-5309/Jenny” — Tommy Tutone“Group Sex” — Circle Jerks“The Vietnamese Telephone Ministry” — Fiery Furnaces
― i’m still stanning (morrisp), Friday, 3 August 2018 04:30 (five years ago) link
^Brenda Lee - Bigelow 6-200
― ilxor-com-dog-meat-drawer-7-840-x-600.jpg (unregistered), Friday, 3 August 2018 04:37 (five years ago) link
Transylvania 6-5000
― calstars, Friday, 3 August 2018 04:39 (five years ago) link
Oh snap!
― i’m still stanning (morrisp), Friday, 3 August 2018 04:40 (five years ago) link
Songs in which the boys are back in town:
Thin Lizzy - The Boys are Back in Town
― josh az (2011nostalgia), Friday, 3 August 2018 07:03 (five years ago) link
roxy music - remake/remodel ... "CPL 593H!"
― visiting, Friday, 3 August 2018 07:06 (five years ago) link
scraping foetus off the wheel - DI-1-9026
― visiting, Friday, 3 August 2018 07:10 (five years ago) link
isaac hayes - good love ... "call good love 69-9-69"
― visiting, Friday, 3 August 2018 07:26 (five years ago) link
squeeze - "853-5937"
are there any phone-number songs yet that have modern 8, 10, or 11 digit numbers?
― Lee626, Friday, 3 August 2018 08:19 (five years ago) link
City Boy – 5705
― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Friday, 3 August 2018 08:24 (five years ago) link
Not a phone number, it was the registration number of Bryan Ferry's car.
― Father Ted in Forkhandles (Tom D.), Friday, 3 August 2018 08:48 (five years ago) link
songs written by a non-famous family member of the recording artist:Grizzly Bear - MarlaThrowing Muses - Sinkhole― how to diss a peer completely (unregistered), Monday, 12 February 2018 02:46 (five months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― how to diss a peer completely (unregistered), Monday, 12 February 2018 02:46 (five months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Lyn Paul - The Waiting Game (Doreen Belcher)
I know. I do.
― Mark G, Friday, 3 August 2018 10:21 (five years ago) link
"Maybe Baby" had some lines written by Buddy Holly's mom.
― Sam Weller, Friday, 3 August 2018 10:40 (five years ago) link
George Harrison's "Piggies" had one line he couldn't fill, needed to rhyme with "lacking". His mum suggested "What they need's a damn good whacking" which is the "WHOA" line in the song.
― Mark G, Friday, 3 August 2018 11:09 (five years ago) link
Isn’t this every Cat Power song?
― grawlix (unperson), Friday, 3 August 2018 11:30 (five years ago) link
POLL: Songs Written By The Artist's Mom
― Sam Weller, Friday, 3 August 2018 11:44 (five years ago) link
Harry Nilsson, "Little Cowboy"Harry Nilsson, "Marchin' Down Broadway"
― Father Ted in Forkhandles (Tom D.), Friday, 3 August 2018 12:07 (five years ago) link
Jeremih - 773 LOVE
― ant banks and wasp (voodoo chili), Friday, 3 August 2018 12:36 (five years ago) link
This doesn't count but Hoyt Axton's mom wrote "Heartbreak Hotel."
― devil's avocado (Ye Mad Puffin), Friday, 3 August 2018 12:42 (five years ago) link
Walking to New OrleansWalking in Memphis
But I would wank 500 miles, and I would wank 500 more...
― Hereward the Woke (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 13 September 2023 10:00 (eight months ago) link
Alternatively, how about songs improved by changing "Walkin'" to "Walken"?
https://ministryofbollockscouk.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/boots_walken.jpg
― Hereward the Woke (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 13 September 2023 10:02 (eight months ago) link
60s UK toytown pop songs which contain the phrase “all fingers and thumbs”:
Manfred Mann - Ha! Ha! Said the ClownWorld of Oz - The Muffin Man
― houdini said, Wednesday, 13 September 2023 13:07 (eight months ago) link
Baggy-type songs by (ahem) non-baggy artists. Whether intentional or not (almost always intentional).
Bon Jovi - Keep the FaithGeorge Michael - Freedom '90Jane's Addiction - Been Caught StealingSiouxsie & the Banshees - Kiss Them for MeThe Cure - Never Enough, Harold & JoeU2 - Mysterious WaysThe Fall - Telephone ThingThe Jesus & Mary Chain - Far Gone and Out, Reverence, etcJulian Cope - Poet Is Priest...Fatboy Slim - Praise YouThe Beautiful South - Hooligans Don't Fall in LoveManic Street Preachers - La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)Vampire Weekend - Harmony Hall
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Wednesday, 13 September 2023 14:24 (eight months ago) link
Can - I'm So Green
― Josefa, Wednesday, 13 September 2023 21:07 (eight months ago) link
songs about getting around l.a. without a car
missing persons - "walking in l.a."juan wauters - "millionaire"
― is he disgruntled adrian? (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 4 October 2023 16:37 (seven months ago) link
Hit singles that begin really dissonant and/or atonal
OMD - Maid of OrleansAdam & the Ants - Prince CharmingThe Cure - The CaterpillarFamily - In My Own Time
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Wednesday, 25 January 2023 05:27 (eleven months ago) bookmarkflaglink
I suppose Purple Haze
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Wednesday, 25 January 2023 05:28 (eleven months ago) bookmarkflaglink
The Human Beinz - Nobody But Me
(which I guess is just following the example of The Beatles - I Feel Fine)
― got it in the blood, the kid's a pelican (Doctor Casino), Wednesday, 25 January 2023 12:37 (eleven months ago) bookmarkflaglink
The Wedding Present - No Christmas. Which was a hit...
The Cure - Strange Attraction. Which wasn't, unless apparently getting to no. 145 in Oz counts.
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Thursday, 28 December 2023 19:04 (five months ago) link
Songs that have a conspicuous exhale Janet Jackson - All For You
― calstars, Sunday, 7 April 2024 20:29 (one month ago) link
Albums whose best songs are the first and final tracks (yes, I know this is subjective):Pinback - Summer in AbaddonThe Strokes - First Impressions of Earth
― rendered nugatory (morrisp), Sunday, 7 April 2024 20:35 (one month ago) link
The best songs on Summer in A are in the middle, “red book,” “3x0,” etc
― calstars, Sunday, 7 April 2024 20:46 (one month ago) link
My favorite track in the middle is “Bloods on Fire”… I love the It's not in the spark that's not in your eye /Like we used to talk… part.(But “Non-Photo Blue” and “AFK” are just all-time jams)
― rendered nugatory (morrisp), Sunday, 7 April 2024 21:00 (one month ago) link
songs which list a geographical region that doesn't exist or at least isn't a place that's remarkable like they made it out to be
"Don't Stop Believin'" - South Detroit"The Night Chicago Died" - the East Side of Chicago
― CEO Greedwagon (Neanderthal), Monday, 8 April 2024 01:50 (one month ago) link
"Kids in America" - East California
― Josefa, Monday, 8 April 2024 02:20 (one month ago) link
Artists, not songs, but seems as good a thread as any...
Albert AylerBilly BraggCharlie ChristianDelia DerbyshireEazy EFreddy FenderGrant GreenHolly HerndonIIJanis JoplinKerry KingLyle LovettMarissa MarchantNNOzzy OsbornePatti PageQQRick RossSly StoneTanya TuckerUUVinny VincentWesley WillisXiu XiuYYZZ Hill
― m0stly clean (Slowsquatch), Monday, 8 April 2024 12:57 (one month ago) link
It's Immaterial
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Monday, 8 April 2024 13:02 (one month ago) link
Nina Nastasia
― Lavator Shemmelpennick, Monday, 8 April 2024 13:42 (one month ago) link
or Nervous Norvus
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Monday, 8 April 2024 13:46 (one month ago) link
Yin and Yan
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Monday, 8 April 2024 13:47 (one month ago) link
Zig & Zag
― ledge, Monday, 8 April 2024 14:16 (one month ago) link
Quando Quango
― Kim Kimberly, Monday, 8 April 2024 14:29 (one month ago) link
nappy nina, rapper from the bay
― the defenestration of prog (voodoo chili), Monday, 8 April 2024 14:31 (one month ago) link
quickly, quickly
deadpan 90s dance covers of rock songs with Meaning
jam tronik - another day in paradisea.d.a.m. feat. amy - zombieatlantis - d'you know what i mean
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Monday, 8 April 2024 16:22 (one month ago) link
songs which are on all early 2001 dance compilations and were hit singles but no one remembers them now
santos - camelshatiras - spaced invader
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Monday, 8 April 2024 16:37 (one month ago) link
Oh boy, I *totally* remember 'Spaced Invader' - I could sing it to you if you wanted!
'Camels', on the other hand, I have literally no memory of.
― emil.y, Monday, 8 April 2024 16:43 (one month ago) link
Glad then that Spaced Invader erasure hasn't been totally successful, it's a cracking record
Other uk/european dance hits of the periods which I feel *are* remembered/still used on comps:Safri Duo - Played-a-LiveJakatta - American DreamPlanet Funk - Chase the SunPublic Domain - Operation Blade (but not so much its inferior twin, Warp Brothers - Phat Bass)Rui da Silva - Touch MeM&S/The Girl Next Door - Salsoul Nugget
And more which could join Camels and Spaced Invader:ATB feat York - The Fields of LoveVoodoo & Serano - Blood Is Pumpin'Fragma - Every Time You Need MeSimon - Free at Last (only a minor hit though)Rhythmkillaz - Wack Ass MF (ditto)
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Monday, 8 April 2024 17:13 (one month ago) link
songs slower than November Rain and faster than Get Lucky are now banned in Chechnya.https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/08/europe/chechnya-music-ban-scli-intl/index.html
― StanM, Monday, 8 April 2024 19:47 (one month ago) link
yabby you
(xxxxxp)
― fact checking cuz, Tuesday, 9 April 2024 22:15 (one month ago) link
Songs in which a woman takes a pregnancy test:
Nilsson - "1941" (positive!)NRBQ - "It Was a Accident" (negative!)Lovedrug - "Skeleton Jill" (we don't find out!)Squeeze - "Up the Junction" (positive, although the narrator seems ambivalent about impending parenthood)
Any others? Implied in Madonna "Papa Don't Preach", though it occurs before the song begins so not sure if it should count.
Older songs that invoke this trope usually reference seeing a doctor, as home pregnancy tests weren't widely available yet. I wonder if younger listeners innately understand what the doctor visit is for.
― Lee626, Thursday, 11 April 2024 09:25 (one month ago) link
Aerosmith - "Sweet Emotion"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_test
― budo jeru, Thursday, 11 April 2024 22:39 (one month ago) link
Wow, I had no idea what "the rabbit done died" meant in Sweet Emotion. Apparently "the rabbit died" was code for "I'm pregnant" in lots of vintage films, and the "rabbit test" was the procedure performed in the days following the aforementioned doctor visits. In actuality the rabbit always died, pregnant or not.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-rabbit-test
― Lee626, Thursday, 11 April 2024 23:36 (one month ago) link
yes! thank you for giving me the chance to share this otherwise useless trivia, lol
― budo jeru, Friday, 12 April 2024 01:17 (one month ago) link
songs/tracks that have titles instructing you what to do with the track:
GusGus - Add This SongMartine Gore / Vince Clark - Skip This Track
― scanner darkly, Wednesday, 17 April 2024 19:47 (one month ago) link
Blur - Turn It UpBlack Eyed Peas - Play It Loud
not quite the same thingThe Tamperer feat Maya - If You Buy This Record (Your Life Will Be Better)
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Thursday, 18 April 2024 01:28 (one month ago) link
Songs with long names that still aren't the actual lyric
Manic Street Preachers - If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be NextU2 - Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out OfThe Smiths - There Is a Light That Never Goes OutArctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good on the DancefloorMeat Loaf - I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Thursday, 25 April 2024 01:44 (one month ago) link
Something I was thinking about. I'm sure there are 10,000 others.
https://i.imgur.com/P5WDmuV.png
https://i.imgur.com/zJFKlXJ.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/IUyT4uz.jpeg
― pplains, Monday, 13 May 2024 16:11 (two weeks ago) link
https://e.snmc.io/i/600/s/727b8a23493800e58e73196aa86afa2a/6799146/fleetwood-mac-english-rose-Cover-Art.jpg
― Josefa, Monday, 13 May 2024 16:27 (two weeks ago) link
Also https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d3/Fleetwood_Mac_-_Mr._Wonderful.jpg
― brimstead, Monday, 13 May 2024 16:44 (two weeks ago) link
"Album covers what display only a single bandmember?"
Two others are Groundhogs' "Hogwash" and The Runaways' debut
― Hongro Hongro Hippies (Myonga Vön Bontee), Monday, 13 May 2024 17:09 (two weeks ago) link
drummer
― brimstead, Monday, 13 May 2024 17:11 (two weeks ago) link
https://cdn.shoplightspeed.com/shops/634895/files/22235249/1600x2048x2/bauhaus-press-the-eject-and-give-me-the-tape-white.jpg
― your dog is fed and no one cares (flamboyant goon tie included), Monday, 13 May 2024 17:19 (two weeks ago) link
― Hongro Hongro Hippies (Myonga Vön Bontee), Monday, May 13, 2024
― brimstead, Monday, May 13, 2024
Brimstead's correct. (There was a fourth one I was trying to remember, like maybe Chris Mars on the back of a Replacements single?)
But MYB's on to something. Not sure about the two listed there, where it's the "star" or the primary member or Angus Young appearing on every other AC/DC cover. More like some random model who just happens to be in the band, like Clam Dip & Other Delights with Karl the bassist or the back of Mike's head on Double Nickels.
Not sure where London Calling would fit into this. It's different from the other two, you know?
― pplains, Monday, 13 May 2024 20:46 (two weeks ago) link
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excellent_Italian_Greyhound#/media/File:Shellac-ExcellentItalianGreyhound.jpg
Drummer's dog.
― nate woolls, Monday, 13 May 2024 21:06 (two weeks ago) link
fucks sake, never mind
― nate woolls, Monday, 13 May 2024 21:07 (two weeks ago) link
LMJ on the 'official' cover of u2's songs of innocence
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Monday, 13 May 2024 23:52 (two weeks ago) link
songs that are titled wrong on spotify
julian cope - know (cut my friend down) - cut my friends downpearl jam - aye davanita - aya davanita
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Thursday, 16 May 2024 11:55 (two weeks ago) link
This also happened to be the JL album that I most loved📹
Songs with long names that still aren't the actual lyricManic Street Preachers - If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be NextU2 - Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out OfThe Smiths - There Is a Light That Never Goes OutArctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good on the DancefloorMeat Loaf - I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
― Alba, Thursday, 23 May 2024 13:11 (one week ago) link
_"Album covers what display only a single bandmember?"
― Alba, Thursday, 23 May 2024 13:13 (one week ago) link
Tindersticks have a couple of these.
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91QerPGmBLL._UF350,350_QL50_.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b5/Tindersticks-CanOurLove.jpg/220px-Tindersticks-CanOurLove.jpg
― bored by endless ecstasy (anagram), Thursday, 23 May 2024 14:13 (one week ago) link
Doug Yule is the only person pictured on Velvet Underground Loaded.
― bbq, Thursday, 23 May 2024 20:04 (one week ago) link