Hit singles whose titles don't feature in the lyrics.

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Because it came up in the pub last night, and we could only think of five:

Bohemian Rhapsody, Unchained Melody, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Groovejet, Lola's Theme.

List 'em!

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:45 (twenty years ago)

Chas and Dave, Stars Over 45

― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (and His Endless Stupid Jokes) (Dada), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:47 (twenty years ago)

Flat Beat

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:49 (twenty years ago)

Axel-F ??

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:50 (twenty years ago)

That answer is incorrect. The Chas and Dave one.

Manic Street Preachers "If you tolerate this, your children will be next"

(as they insert a 'then' every time)

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:50 (twenty years ago)

DJ Dado 'The X-Files Theme' (it has lyrics)

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:51 (twenty years ago)

if that's the rule then "cha cha slide"

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

4 Non Blondes: "What's Up"

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

Crescendo 'Are You Out There?' (#20, Dec 95)

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

MC Tunes vs 808 State 'Tunes Splits The Atom'

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:53 (twenty years ago)

KLF 'America: What Time Is Love'
2 Unlimited 'Get Ready For This'
SL2 'On A Ragga Tip'

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:53 (twenty years ago)

M People: "Renaissance"

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:54 (twenty years ago)

dakota - stereophonics

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:54 (twenty years ago)

The Bassheads 'Is There Anybody Out There?'

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:54 (twenty years ago)

Daft Punk 'Digital Love'

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:55 (twenty years ago)

and don't eamon and frankee's songs count too

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:55 (twenty years ago)

297 New Order songs to thread.

Steve that's rubbish - it's sampled off Pink Floyd at the beginning!

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:55 (twenty years ago)

(nb i'm only doing #1s, but i see this is just "hits")

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

Underworld 'Born Slippy (Nuxx)'

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

If "America: What Time Is Love" passes, then so should "N.Y. State of Mind" by Nas.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

i don't think that was a hit single tho (not in UK anyway)

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:57 (twenty years ago)

The Ketchup Song - Las Ketchup!!

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:57 (twenty years ago)

The Hindu Times - Oasis
Killer - Adamski

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

Independent Women Part 1 - Density's Child

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 11:59 (twenty years ago)

Annie's Song - John Denver
Amoureuse - Kiki Dee

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:00 (twenty years ago)

Beats International 'DUB Be Good To Me'

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:00 (twenty years ago)

S Express 'Theme From S Express'

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:01 (twenty years ago)

Toca's Miracle - Fragma

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:01 (twenty years ago)

Gym & Tonic - spacedust (?)

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:02 (twenty years ago)

Sugarhill Gang: "Rapper's Delight"
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five: "The Message"

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:04 (twenty years ago)

Professional Widow - tori amos

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:04 (twenty years ago)

Metallica: "Enter Sandman"

Does "Under the Bridge" have the title in it's lyrics?

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:07 (twenty years ago)

Just Who Is The Five O'Clock Hero - The Jam
Shakermaker - Oasis

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:07 (twenty years ago)

... and "Under The Bridge" does have the title in its lyrics.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:09 (twenty years ago)

The Prodigy: "Out of Space"

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:09 (twenty years ago)

Enigma: "Sadeness Part 1"

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:11 (twenty years ago)

(It does have lyrics, but only in French.)

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:11 (twenty years ago)

The Ballad Of John & Yoko - The Beatles

(But then there's probably a whole raft of "The Xxxxx Song" type titles, and they're a bit boring to list.)

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:11 (twenty years ago)

THE Model - Kraftwerk

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:12 (twenty years ago)

OMG:Space Oddity - Bowie

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:14 (twenty years ago)

Wire - Map Ref. 41°N 93°W (OK not strictly a hit I guess)

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:14 (twenty years ago)

(Spin-off thread: New Order singles where the title DOES feature in the lyrics. Erm... Touched By The Hand Of God... erm... um...)

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:18 (twenty years ago)

(
Ruined in a day
Crystal
Regret
jetstream
)

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:21 (twenty years ago)

(
World in Motion
)

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:26 (twenty years ago)

Confusion

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Friday, 2 December 2005 12:28 (twenty years ago)

new order

― retrogurl, Friday, 2 December 2005 12:46 (twenty years ago)

"Crystal" DOES feature the title in the lyrics though. In the first line: "We're like crystal--we break easy."

― owen moorhead (i heart daniel miller), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:54 (twenty years ago)

owen, all those new order suggestions are in ()s response to mike's spin off suggestion

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Friday, 2 December 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)

Ooooohhhh. I was wondering.

"How Soon is Now"--a hit in the UK, am I right?

To say nothing of every hit surf song, ever, with the possible exception of Link Wray's "Rumble," but only if you count "Rumble" as onomatopeia.

― owen moorhead (i heart daniel miller), Friday, 2 December 2005 16:05 (twenty years ago)

"Land of 1000 Dances"?

― Swamp Thing (Swamp Thing), Friday, 2 December 2005 16:54 (twenty years ago)

Like half of Nirvana's songs.

― Whiney G. Weingarten (whineyg), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:01 (twenty years ago)

Led Zeppelin:
Trampled Underfoot, Over the Hills and Far Away, The Rain Song, Black Dog, Thank You, Immigrant Song, The Crunge,

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:11 (twenty years ago)

Coldplay: "The Scientist"?? Just barellly, like walking a tightrope.

― Yoshinorimike (Yoshinorimike), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:32 (twenty years ago)

Tubthumping

― El Cronado, Friday, 2 December 2005 17:44 (twenty years ago)

The Ketchup Song - Las Ketchup!!

The Ketchup Song isn't really called that way. Somebody just chose that name to market it for the English speaking public.

― daavid (daavid), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:51 (twenty years ago)

"Positively Fourth Street"

― A|ex P@reene (Pareene), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:26 (twenty years ago)

Rainy Day Women, blah, blah

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:31 (twenty years ago)

I don't think songs called "The ---- Song" or "Ballad of ----" should count if they actually mention the thing in the blank. I mean obviously Robert Plant isn't going to go "The RAIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNUUHHHHHHHHHHH SO-OO-WOAH-OOONG yeah"

― Abbadabba Berman (Hurting), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:32 (twenty years ago)

The Cure: "Primary", "The Walk", "The Caterpillar", "Inbetween Days", "Lullaby", "Lovesong", "A Letter To Elise", "The 13th", "Mint Car", "Cut Here", "alt.end".

― LeRooLeRoo (Seb), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:37 (twenty years ago)

I mean obviously Robert Plant isn't going to go "The RAIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNUUHHHHHHHHHHH SO-OO-WOAH-OOONG yeah"

It would be better if he did.

― Alba (Alba), Friday, 2 December 2005 18:38 (twenty years ago)

"Young Turks," Rod Stewart

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Friday, 2 December 2005 19:25 (twenty years ago)

Yes, those hit singles "Primary", "Cut Here" and "The 13th".

― Dan (In My Dreams, Perhaps) Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 2 December 2005 19:31 (twenty years ago)

I'm sure Primary and The 13th sold more than alt.end!

― kit brash (kit brash), Friday, 2 December 2005 20:27 (twenty years ago)

Hm. The 13th got to #15, everyhit doesn't have Cut Here, Primary or alt.end making the top 100.

― kit brash (kit brash), Friday, 2 December 2005 20:31 (twenty years ago)

The End Of The World and Taking Off both went Top 40 though! (Presumably inna Morrissey-stylee #200 the second week fashion.) Was alt.end a UK single?

― kit brash (kit brash), Friday, 2 December 2005 20:34 (twenty years ago)

"Fairytale of New York"
"Song 2"
"Paranoid Android"

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 2 December 2005 20:51 (twenty years ago)

"alt.end" was the US single, "Taking Off" was the UK single. And I really should have listed "alt.end" in my post.

― Dan (Lazy) Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 2 December 2005 20:54 (twenty years ago)

Led Zeppelin:
Trampled Underfoot, Over the Hills and Far Away, The Rain Song, Black Dog, Thank You, Immigrant Song, The Crunge,

None of these were singles, "hit" or otherwise.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 2 December 2005 20:59 (twenty years ago)

"Popcorn" by Hot Butter

― Unnamable, Friday, 2 December 2005 21:39 (twenty years ago)

"Bohemian Rhapsody" was mentioned in the initial post.

― eek, Friday, 2 December 2005 22:16 (twenty years ago)

http://musicolinuxien.lost-oasis.net/MesImages/lzimmig.jpg

http://musicolinuxien.lost-oasis.net/MesImages/blackdog.jpg

http://musicolinuxien.lost-oasis.net/MesImages/led451.jpg

I was certain of the first one, not so certain of the others.

― jim wentworth (wench), Saturday, 3 December 2005 02:20 (twenty years ago)

http://musicolinuxien.lost-oasis.net/MesImages/lzimmig.jpg

http://musicolinuxien.lost-oasis.net/MesImages/blackdog.jpg

http://musicolinuxien.lost-oasis.net/MesImages/led451.jpg

― jim wentworth (wench), Saturday, 3 December 2005 02:23 (twenty years ago)

Paranoid Android DOES contains the line "I may be paranoid, but i'm no andriod" but we are only counting non seperation so I'll go with Sudehead.

― MitchellStirling (MitchellStirling), Saturday, 3 December 2005 02:38 (twenty years ago)

Was "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" a hit or is it just a radio staple? I think it counts just for the fact that plenty of people know the song and have no idea what to call it.

"Blue Monday."

― Doctor Casino, Saturday, 3 December 2005 03:03 (twenty years ago)

"Helena" by My Chemical Romance

― 31g (31g), Saturday, 3 December 2005 03:45 (twenty years ago)

also:

Green Day, "Basket Case"
Blink 182, "Dammit"
AFI, "Girl's Not Grey"
Smashing Pumpkins, "Bullet With Butterfly Wings"
Radiohead, "Pyramid Song"
Stone Temple Pilots, "Creep," "Big Empty"

There are probably tons of pop-punk singles this would apply to, although I can't think of any others.

― 31g (31g), Saturday, 3 December 2005 06:41 (twenty years ago)

The Monkees, "Tapioca Tundra" (minor hit in '68)

John Mellencamp, "Key West Intermezzo" (though he later added the "I Saw You First" subtitle)

Fred Wesley & the JB's, "Doin' It to Death"

A Flock of Seagulls, "Space Age Love Song"

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Saturday, 3 December 2005 07:14 (twenty years ago)

The Monkees, "Randy Scouse Git" (minor hit at some point, I think)

Mentioning STP reminds me of "Interstate Love Song." What was the consensus on " Song" titles? It's not like he says "Interstate Love" at any point in the song...

― Doctor Casino, Saturday, 3 December 2005 07:22 (twenty years ago)

Oooh, and:

Pink Floyd, "Young Lust"

― Doctor Casino, Saturday, 3 December 2005 07:24 (twenty years ago)

Dexys Midnight Runners, "There There My Dear"

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Saturday, 3 December 2005 12:57 (twenty years ago)

The Shadows: Apache
The Tornados: Telstar
Royal Scots Dragoons: Amazing Grace

Etc. :)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 3 December 2005 15:26 (twenty years ago)

Gorillaz "19-2000"
Gorillaz "Clint Eastwood"
Goo Goo Dolls "Iris"
Joy Division "Atmosphere"
Rolling Stones "Sympathy for the Devil" ?
Nirvana "Lithium"
Mya "Case of the Ex"
Queens of the Stone Age "Feel Good Hit of the Summer"
Radiohead "Street Spirit (Fade out)" (okay it mentions "Fade out")
The Strokes "Juicebox"
New Order "Bizarre Love Triangle" etc.
Black Sabbath "Paranoid"
The Smiths "How Soon Is Now?"
...plus about a million emo bands with pretentiously long song titles.

I just realized there are very few hiphop/rnb hits that don't mention the title in the lyrics - at the very least, they shout out the title at the start or something.

― Roz (Roz), Saturday, 3 December 2005 16:41 (twenty years ago)

Green Day: "Basket Case"

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Saturday, 3 December 2005 16:48 (twenty years ago)

Sex Pistols: "Anarchy in the UK" (according to lyrics sites Johnny Rotten says "anarchy for the UK" in the song)

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Saturday, 3 December 2005 16:51 (twenty years ago)

"Baba O'Riley"!

― Douglas (Douglas), Saturday, 3 December 2005 19:13 (twenty years ago)

Pulp: "Babies", "Disco 2000"

― D. Bachyrycz, Saturday, 3 December 2005 21:30 (twenty years ago)

Dandy Warhols, "Not If You Were the Last Junkie On Earth"

Primitve Radio Gods, "Standing Outside a Phone Booth ..."

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Saturday, 3 December 2005 21:45 (twenty years ago)

Keith West - "Excerpt from a Teenage Opera"

― Amity Wong (noodle vague), Saturday, 3 December 2005 21:47 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

Outkast: "Rosa Parks"
Outkast: "B.O.B."
Wu-Tang Clan: "Triumph"
Björk: "Hyper-Ballad"

― Tuomas, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 12:20 (seventeen years ago)

"For Your Babies" by Simply Red.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 12:36 (seventeen years ago)

destiny's child, 'independent women part 1'
mary j blige, 'family affair'
timbaland/keri hilson/d.o.e., 'the way i are'
crazy cousinz ft. calista, 'bongo jam'

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 12:45 (seventeen years ago)

Link Wray, "Rumble"
The Who, "Dogs"

― Sara Sara Sara, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 13:07 (seventeen years ago)

Hit singles? "Dogs"?

― Tom D (Tom D.), Tuesday, 16 September 2008 13:12 (seventeen years ago)

B.O.B. stands for Bombs Over Baghdad, which is in the lyrics.

― Granny Dainger, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 14:05 (seventeen years ago)

#25 in July 1968 innit (xpost).

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 14:21 (seventeen years ago)

Green Day - Basket Case

― filthy dylan, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 14:27 (seventeen years ago)

Rockefeller Skank

― casino royale with cheese (Roz), Tuesday, 16 September 2008 14:28 (seventeen years ago)

Blur - Song 2

― Gavin in Leeds, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 14:51 (seventeen years ago)

R.E.M. - E-Bow The Letter

― Gavin in Leeds, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 14:53 (seventeen years ago)

Keith West, Excerpt From a Teenage Opera

― Tom D (Tom D.), Tuesday, 16 September 2008 14:53 (seventeen years ago)

"A Lover's Concerto" by the Toys
"Opus 17" by the Four Seasons
"Unfinished Sympathy" by Massive Attack

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 14:56 (seventeen years ago)

ELO - The Diary of Horace Wimp

― Gavin in Leeds, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 15:51 (seventeen years ago)

Jilted John, Jilted John

― Tom D (Tom D.), Tuesday, 16 September 2008 15:53 (seventeen years ago)

Space Oddity. I've heard people call it 'Major Tom' loads of times.

― chap, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 15:54 (seventeen years ago)

Coldplay, "Viva la Vida"

― Joseph McCombs, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 16:40 (seventeen years ago)

Dylan- Subterranean Homesick Blues

― ColinO, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 16:47 (seventeen years ago)

That wasn't a single was it? Let it alone a hit? However:

Dylan - Rainy Day Women #12 & #35

― Tom D (Tom D.), Tuesday, 16 September 2008 16:49 (seventeen years ago)

B.O.B. stands for Bombs Over Baghdad, which is in the lyrics.

Yeah, but they never say "B.O.B." in the lyrics, do they?

― Tuomas, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 18:35 (seventeen years ago)

Unlike in "OPP".

― Tuomas, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 18:36 (seventeen years ago)

Suzanne Vega - "Tom's Diner"
Snoop Dogg - "Who Am I? (What's My Name?)"
The Butthole Surfers - "Pepper"

(my brain is still kinda stuck in 90s mode)

― it be me, me, me and timothy (bernard snowy), Tuesday, 16 September 2008 18:41 (seventeen years ago)

Gary Glitter, "Rock & Roll, Part 2"

― Sara Sara Sara, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 18:43 (seventeen years ago)

ok, by that logic Tuomas, I nominate Girls LGBNAF by Ice T.

― Granny Dainger, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 19:04 (seventeen years ago)

Primitive Radio Gods, "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money In My Hand"

― Jake Brown, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 20:32 (seventeen years ago)

upthread... Course it was!

http://i14.ebayimg.com/04/i/001/09/18/fc96_1.JPG

― Mark G, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 20:47 (seventeen years ago)

"The War Song" and "The Medal Song" by Culture Club.

― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 21:43 (seventeen years ago)

2 Unlimited 'Get Ready For This'

Definitely not:

get ready for this
mind your own biz
cause i am bad
yeah the microphone wiz
no need to sit
cause we 2 unlimited
ready, ready, ready for this

― Siegbran, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 22:18 (seventeen years ago)

Doesn't that single actually start with "Yo, get ready for this!" as well?

― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 23:48 (seventeen years ago)

Btw The Shadows and Duane Eddy to thread I guess ;)

― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 16 September 2008 23:49 (seventeen years ago)

3 most recent US #1s that qualify:

Coldplay, "Viva la Vida"
Nelly, "Dilemma"
Mary J. Blige, "Family Affair"

― commando. liberty! (The Reverend), Wednesday, 17 September 2008 01:48 (seventeen years ago)

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