Been thinking about this. It seems more common in some genres than others.
For example, there must be hundreds of funk songs that explain the concept of funk, though I somehow can't think of any examples right now.
Of course there is 'Black Metal' by Venom. Or 'Rapper's Delight' by Sugarhill Gang.
Any other noteworthy examples?
― mirostones, Saturday, 4 May 2019 15:29 (six years ago)
Parliament, "Everything Is On the One" and numerous others.
― Ned Caligari (Tom D.), Saturday, 4 May 2019 15:36 (six years ago)
Such as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E7DM37bIuE
― How I Redd One of the Blecchs (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 4 May 2019 15:38 (six years ago)
“Gimme Indie Rock”
― get your hand outta my pocket universe (morrisp), Saturday, 4 May 2019 15:38 (six years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bVukKvLGL4
― How I Redd One of the Blecchs (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 4 May 2019 15:45 (six years ago)
Does it need to be explanatory in the lyrics, or does something like Faust's 'Krautrock' count?
― emil.y, Saturday, 4 May 2019 15:55 (six years ago)
Krautrock definitely counts imo
― :∵·∴·∵: (crüt), Saturday, 4 May 2019 15:59 (six years ago)
D-Mob "We Call It Acieed"
― visiting, Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:13 (six years ago)
Doucette - Mama Let Him Play [Some Rock and Roll]AC/DC - For Those About to Rock etc
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:19 (six years ago)
It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing?
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:20 (six years ago)
There are definitely some synth-pop examples. Like Stereo Total, "Automatic Music."
― obvious, Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:21 (six years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC3VTBG0tRc
― How I Redd One of the Blecchs (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:22 (six years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa17h1n5kCw
― How I Redd One of the Blecchs (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:23 (six years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAqZgv_TEGI
― Ce Ce Penistongs (Old Lunch), Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:30 (six years ago)
It's not about Techno noiseIt's subtle grooves for girls & boysCalled psychedelic
Hawke & God Within - Acid Funk
(In the tradition of Maurice - This Is Acid and Frankie Bones - Call It Techno.)
― Armand Frippanino (Noel Emits), Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:30 (six years ago)
Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Rage Hard (The Young Person's Guide To The 12" Mix) surely must count as well.
― Armand Frippanino (Noel Emits), Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:37 (six years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAcfrYtOxA8
― Ned Caligari (Tom D.), Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:44 (six years ago)
Not a song but
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbVRn3q3fEw
― pomenitul, Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:46 (six years ago)
Oh yeah!
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:48 (six years ago)
Sparks probably get meta quite a bit but isn't that one about sperms?
― Armand Frippanino (Noel Emits), Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:51 (six years ago)
Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra also fits the bill, sort of.
xp
― pomenitul, Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:51 (six years ago)
Ha, except that is completely unlike most concerti!
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:51 (six years ago)
Oh I see, didn't clock it was the 12". Doh. xp
― Armand Frippanino (Noel Emits), Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:52 (six years ago)
Heh, fair enough. It does have the 'orchestra' part down pat, though.
― pomenitul, Saturday, 4 May 2019 16:53 (six years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AYB-Gjo6cU
Also about half the Manowar catalog:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyjNkG3yKak
― shared unit of analysis (unperson), Saturday, 4 May 2019 17:46 (six years ago)
A debatable one but I'd say it counts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHmzFVDjVnM
― pomenitul, Saturday, 4 May 2019 17:50 (six years ago)
Oh wait, mirostones mentioned it, sorry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIaREvEjUkM
― llurk, Saturday, 4 May 2019 18:12 (six years ago)
good vibrations explains the concept of music
― difficult listening hour, Saturday, 4 May 2019 18:17 (six years ago)
N’Sync - Pop
― Tim F, Saturday, 4 May 2019 20:50 (six years ago)
Rubber Ring by The Smiths?
― fetter, Tuesday, 7 May 2019 10:26 (six years ago)
What Is House by LFO spectacularly fails to answer the question it poses.
― what if bod was one of us (ledge), Tuesday, 7 May 2019 10:42 (six years ago)
dlh OTM
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Tuesday, 7 May 2019 11:05 (six years ago)
M - Pop Muzik
(I'm still not entirely sure how much a song has to do the heavy lifting of explanation here, but... that's got to be one, right?)
― emil.y, Tuesday, 7 May 2019 13:57 (six years ago)
I Used to Love H.E.R. And I guess American Pie sorta does too, if you consider it rock n’ roll?
They seem to go beyond just conception and into lengthier histories though.
― triggercut, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 08:15 (six years ago)
Plain Wrap - Punk Rock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaDPumR-zMU
also Minor Threat - Straight Edge I guess
Pooh Sticks - Indiepop Ain't Noise Pollution, maybe
― Colonel Poo, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 09:02 (six years ago)
https://youtu.be/xsF6zjIilxI
― thomasintrouble, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 12:21 (six years ago)
Led Zeppelin's 'Rock and Roll', maybe.
― pomenitul, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 12:24 (six years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQUIsgrlp10
― FernandoHierro, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 12:41 (six years ago)
Music Is My Radar, sort of
― Morley Timmons, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 15:39 (six years ago)
like one-fifth of country songs
― like, I’m eating an elephant head (katherine), Wednesday, 8 May 2019 15:42 (six years ago)
seems like we need a song to explain the concept of this thread
― na (NA), Wednesday, 8 May 2019 15:42 (six years ago)
archie bell & the drells "tighten up" is an excellent example of this imo
― budo jeru, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 18:35 (six years ago)
In 'Ciuleandra', Maria Tănase instructs her musicians on how to play this kind of dance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W395ryBuqg
― pomenitul, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 18:41 (six years ago)
^ this is great
― budo jeru, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 18:45 (six years ago)
The Reynold Girls - I'd Rather Jack
― kinder, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 21:28 (six years ago)
The Adverts- "One Chord Wonders"
― We were never Breeting Borting (President Keyes), Thursday, 9 May 2019 13:51 (six years ago)
^Excellent!
― Careless Love Battery (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 9 May 2019 13:55 (six years ago)