Eponymous Songs, or: "BrianR's Thread"

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One of my favorite pop conventions is self-referentiality, where the artist/band in question name-checks themselves in the lyrics or the even the title of a song. We all know how prevalent this is in the hip hop world, but I believe it's common in the larger pop landscape as well. What are some sweet eponymous tunes?

To start off, here's a playlist for a radio show I hosted once.

― BrianR, Friday, 18 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Does "Who Are You" count? Oval has a track called "Oval Office." This is tough outside of hip-hop.

― Mark, Friday, 18 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You didn't play "In a Big Country"?!?

Well, "Belle and Sebastian" is absolutely charming, as is the self-referential, apologetic "hidden" track on the 3…6…9 EP.

― scott p., Friday, 18 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm so predictable: "The Dismemberment Plan Gets Rich."

― scott p., Friday, 18 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Geri Halliwell supposedly has a song on her new album called something like "It's Hell (Being Geri Halliwell)" which is just about the greatest idea I've ever heard in my entire life.

― Ally, Friday, 18 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Following up on the Monkees tune mentioned in the playlist, remember the Justified Ancients of MuMu? In addition to loudly proclaiming that they WEREN'T the monkeys, they had the single "Justified and Ancient". And then when they morphed into the KLF, every other song was self-referential.

― Sean Carruthers, Friday, 18 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hmmm..."Chubby Checker and the fat boys are doing the twist"

Servotron "S.R.A" Servotron Robot Aligence, Devo "are we not men? we are Devo"...

― james e l, Friday, 18 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

'Black Sabbath' by Black Sabbath on the LP _Black Sabbath_, obviously. This stupendous coup snagged the word "eponymous" for the sole use in perpetuity, by rock-writers, of the word "eponymous"...

― mark s, Friday, 18 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Whatever

― mark s, Friday, 18 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"The Monochrome Set" by, erm, the Monochrome Set.

― Robin Carmody, Friday, 18 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Spread Eagle" by Spread Eagle on the album SPREAD EAGLE.

― AP, Friday, 18 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Hey, no Wham Rap either?

ummm what else, ok, got one...Young Fresh Fellows, The Young Fresh Fellows Theme.

Also, Backstreet Boys (Everybody), and that one S Club 7 song.

― Kim, Friday, 18 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yeah, the NME this week have decreed that 'Its Hell (being Geri Haliwell)' is the worst song ever. Predictably, I'm now tempted to buy the album just to hear it...

― DG, Saturday, 19 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

And the winner is... 'Bo Diddley'. 'Diddley Daddy'. 'Hey Bo Diddley'. 'Bo's Guitar'. 'Bo Meets the Monster'. 'Story of Bo Diddley'. 'Run Diddley Daddy'. 'Bo Diddley's A Gunslinger'. 'Bo Diddley is a Lover'. 'Bo Diddley is Loose'. 'Bo's Bounce'. 'Bo's Twist'. 'Bo's A Lumberjack'. 'Cookie Headed Diddley'. 'Bo Diddley's Dog'. 'Bo's Waltz'. 'Monkey Diddley'. 'Bo Diddley's Hoot'Nanny'. 'You Bo Diddley'. 'Bo Diddley-Itis'. 'Bo-Jam'.

― Andrew L, Saturday, 19 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

taking sides: 'bo diddley's a gunslinger' vs.'monkey diddly'

― ethan, Saturday, 19 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

GREAT ONES: "Triumphal Theme" by Cop Shoot Cop, "Adrenochrome" by the Sisters of Mercy, "Jocko Homo" by Devo (quoting the "Are We Not Men?" question from "The Island of Doctor Moreau/Lost Souls"), "Motorhead" by Motorhead (orig. version, however, by Lemmy-era Hawkwind).

― alex in nyc, Saturday, 19 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think Iron Maiden had a song called Iron Maiden.

― james e l, Sunday, 20 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oooh. That's what I was going to say.

We are comin to you town
We're gonna mess your head around
Hey hey we're the Gories
Hey hey we're the Gories

I remember there was this Boston band called Green and when REM came out w/their album (not "Eponymous") Green came out w/an album called "REM". Hotcha

― Tracer Hand, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I can't get enough of this reflexivity, but I've traced these sympathies back to stoned conclusions I made years ago at my typewriter; an unhelpful principle that lead me to believe that I couldn't fully express myself unless I made reference to the process. Taken to an extreme I found myself unable to write anything that wasn't happening as I sat there, which lead to some very dull, but honest, prose on joys of typing.
Despite this, I continue to enjoy self-referentiality in music, particularly when it offers commentary: an insight on the process and perspective from the other side of the music. It allows them to acknowledge the distinction between their personas: a person (outside of the music,) a member of a band, or in the media. Like watching Celebrity Big Brother, it's hilarious to see the friction when these aspects brush up against each other.

― K-reg, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one month passes...

How about "Bad Company" (also from the album 'Bad Company', I believe)

― Tim Foster, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Talk Talk" by "Talk Talk" from the album "Talk Talk." We used to be very amused when that video title would come 'round on MTV in its first year or so.

― X. Y. Zedd, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I can't believe that no one has got this far without mentioning "Creation" by The Creation on Creation Records.

Or did they, and I need stronger glasses?

― masonic boom, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

they did...hahahaaha....

umm...

my favourite is primal scream doing screamadelica....(the song)

― doompatrol23@hotmail.com, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I've always fancied "They Might Be Giants" on Flood by the band of the same name, though I know they don't exactly go over well on ILM...

― palpable, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

And let's not forget Madness' "Madness (Is All in the Mind)".

― palpable, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Kool & The Gang" by Kool & The Gang, and all those Miles Davis tunes that had names of musicians playing on them for titles - "John McLaughlin" and whatnot.

― Patrick, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Fotheringay: Sandy Denny's band *named after* a song she had written and recorded with Fairport Convention. Since the song was not actually recorded by the band, it doesn't really count, but are there any other instances of bands-named-after-previously-recorded-songs-by- person-who-forms-band?

Two dance hits from summer 1990: "LFO" by LFO and "Tricky Disco" by Tricky Disco. "Doop" by Doop, as well.

Also: "Creation" by The Creation, reissued on Creation, I think.

― Robin Carmody, Monday, 16 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Robin: closest thing I can think of is the Waterboys recording "World Party" after one of them walked off to form World Party, especially since the song features said World Party guy.

― Patrick, Monday, 16 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

slowdive - slowdive
on remand - on remand
dj's unite - dj's unite

― gareth, Tuesday, 17 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, Take That and party!

And does Alex's Song by Blur count?

― Madchen, Tuesday, 17 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

its a shame that The Rock'n'Roll Dubble Bubble Trading Card Co of Philadelphia 19141 didn't have an eponymous song, would have been very catchy i'm sure

― gareth, Tuesday, 17 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Liberation" by Liberation scraped the lower end of the UK charts in 1992.

Gareth: that's a *band*? Sounds like some ultimate Tom Cox powerpop combo ...

― Robin Carmody, Tuesday, 17 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

yes, robin, it is really a band. from about 1966 they were part of the whole kasenatz-katz, ohio express bubblegum stuff. released On A Summer Night, which is a likable bubblegum ballad.

― gareth, Sunday, 22 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

four months pass...

S'express by S'express and the seminal 1995 UK Eurovision Song Entry 'Love City Groove' by 'Love City Groove'.

― David Hinds, Thursday, 22 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I can't believe that this thread has got this far without mentioning...(Part 73):
"Quadrophonia" by Quadrophonia. IIRC, the rap even tried to include things that rhymed with Quadrophonia.

― Jeff W, Thursday, 22 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

four months pass...

Hassisen kone, Hassisen kone

― Domus, Saturday, 13 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

eight months pass...

-- Tracer Hand wrote:

"I remember there was this Boston band called Green and when REM came out w/their album (not "Eponymous") Green came out w/an album called "REM". Hotcha "

Adding an interesting note here.
After Van Halen released 'OU812?', Gang Green (of Boston hardcore fame) released an album 'i81B4u'.

― glow88skullz@yahoo.com, Tuesday, 17 December 2002 03:27 (twenty-three years ago)

Living In a Box

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 07:39 (twenty-three years ago)

Baxendale's funky new single "Walk Like Baxendale".

I didn't see the original list - - it's 'http 404' or whatever that forbidden code is according to my browser - but can I assume it includes "Visage" and "Motorhead" ? Also: "Shine On" ("in a garden in the house of love.."), and the marvellous "Mull Historical Society".

Not forgetting dear ol' Nick's Gainsbourg trip: Momus, "Hippopotamomus".

― Darren, Tuesday, 17 December 2002 14:24 (twenty-three years ago)

Has nobody mentioned The Selecter by The Selecter yet?

― Daniel (dancity), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 18:11 (twenty-three years ago)

~~"I've always fancied "They Might Be Giants" on Flood by the band of the same name, though I know they don't exactly go over well on ILM..."~~

I love the backup vocals in that song...they sound EXACTLY like the monsters in the back-row on The Muppets. (Another track with great Muppet-monster back-up vocals is Outkast's "The Whole World".)

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 18:15 (twenty-three years ago)

Dan Bejar of Destroyer specializes in this: "there's a rumor going 'round/even detroyers have a price" being one of my favorite instances

― J0hn Darn13ll3 (J0hn Darn13ll3), Tuesday, 17 December 2002 18:17 (twenty-three years ago)

Minor Threat
Jonathan Richman's always going on about Jonathan this Jonathan that
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's always done it, done it best on ORANGE
Railroad Jerk, "Talking Railroad Jerk Blues" & "The Ballad of Railroad Jerk"
Andre Williams has been known to talk about Andre Williams as well.

― Emmet Matheson, Tuesday, 17 December 2002 19:30 (twenty-three years ago)

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