Late Night Music Part 115......."So What's This Song Called Again?"

How often are you caught wondering what the title of a song is when you don't know what it is? Then when the title isn't even mentioned in the lyrics, how often do you find yourself scratching your head wondering HOW that's the title? Tonight's list salutes those songs that where the writer just HAD to be different. Some call it artistic, some call it stupid. Nonetheless, it's fun to talk about.

Ok, this was a tough one. Any song with the word "song" or "ode" or anything else musical in the title was disqualified- those are just too easy. So "Adam's Song" by Blink 182 and "Song 2" by Blur were disqualified. This would also include "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. I promise I'll find a way to get it on here sometime. Also receiving votes in this category were "Superstar" by the Carpenters, "Epic" by Faith No More, and "Fade To Black" by Metallica. I didn't wanna get sued by James Hatfield.

"Scenes From An Italian Restaurant"- Billy Joel. In 1977, Billy Joel was one of the top acts in the world as his mega album "The Stranger" would win the Grammy for Best Album that same year. Surprisingly though, the most popular song among his fans and his longest song ever was this gem which is actually 3 songs fused together into 1. Billy Joel stated that the famous Beatles "B Side Medley" from "Abbey Road" was a huge influence for this song, which is freakishly similar to the Beatles 1969 composition. I almost didn't count this one, but it's the only borderline song we'll have tonight. Really good live performance here from 1984.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au74rR9lIYQ

"Detlef Schrempf"- Band of Horses. This song from Band of Horses' 2007 album "Cease To Begin" was written as a tribute to our favorite white basketball player, German Detlef Schrempf. Well known for his philanthropy and charity work, the band wanted to pay tribute to this with this song, although no mention of his name is anywhere in the lyrics. This song was never released as a single, but remains one of the bands most famous songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za71GzDQJ2c

"Baba O'Riley"- The Who. Go ahead and admit it, you thought the name of this song was "Teenage Wasteland".....I know I did. This lead track from The Who's 1971 album "Who's Next" (and a dang good one if you ask me) was named after their band influences Meher Baba and Teddy O'Riley. This song remains popular at sporting events across the world, and gets 10 million bonus points for being the opening song for the Super Bowl 44 halftime show The Who performed at halftime of the Super Bowl the Saints won. Oh man! I smell a bonus video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2KRpRMSu4g

"Australia"- The Shins. I've heard this song literally 2000 times and I had no idea that the title of it was "Australia"- I think it's kinda cool when bands do that. This song from The Shins 2007 album "Wincing The Night Away", and gave us a video that makes me think I'm watching a local car dealership commercial. The Shins kind of remind me of a cross between Fall Out Boy and Panic! At The Disco......oh yeah- more on them later.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHTSxw6zN1E

"Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand"- Primitive Radio Gods. I remember when this song came out in 1996 from the Primitive Radio Gods major label debut album "Rocket". This song, which makes absolutely no even allusions to the title, hit #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart and was run in the ground by shows like Casey Kasem and Rick Dees. Besides the title being confusing, I think the band prided themselves on confusing us more with the video featuring the London phone booth in the middle of a airport runway.......wow I'm confused. Big bonus points for sampling B.B. King's "How Blue Can You Get?".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1piLRStP7xE

"For What It's Worth"- Buffalo Springfield. In 1967, Buffalo Springfield (which included a pre-CSNY Neil Young and Stephen Sills), had to get in on the "protest the Vietnam War" movement with this song which became the band's one and only hit from their self-titled debut album which peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band, however claimed that the song was written in protest of the Sunset Strip Curfew Riots in 1966 and not the Vietnam War, but you can seriously tell me anything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp5JCrSXkJY

"Santa Monica"- Everclear. Here is a band people forget about a lot of times, but they still were one of the better bands of the 90's. This song from Everclear's 1995 album "Sparkle and Fade" was actually never released as a single, but was played to death by so many radio stations (including Y101 and Z106 in Jackson), that it reached #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay Charts in 1996. Despite the upbeat nature of the song, the background of the song actually comes from Art Alexakis's high school girlfriend committing suicide by jumping off the Santa Monica pier, and his feelings from that experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW6E_TNgCsY

"A Day In The Life"- The Beatles. This song was the perfect ending to the perfect album. As the last track to the Beatles mega album "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", it remains one of the most famous songs of all time by any band, and was actually one of the last songs that John Lennon and Paul McCartney actually wrote together (although all of their compositions contained both of their names due to a childhood pact they made in elementary school). Like so many songs on this list, this song was never released as a single, but gained popularity just due to it's awesomeness. This was also the favorite song of my late friend Anthony Shams. Can't listen to this song without thinking about him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-Q9D4dcYng

"Iris"- Goo Goo Dolls. This hit song from the soundtrack of the movie "City of Angels" and from the Goo Goo Dolls 1998 album "Dizzy Up The Girl" was actually named for folk singer Iris DeMent because lead singer Johnny Rzeznik saw an article about her in Billboard Magazine and thought that it would be a cool title of this song. This song was instrumental in breaking Johnny Rzeznik's writer's block after 4 years of inactivity, and propelled the Goo Goo Dolls back into the mainstream when this song peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1998.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdYWuo9OFAw

"That Green Gentleman"- Panic! At The Disco. Speaking of the devil- do these guys have any song with the title in the lyrics? This song by the always eccentric Panic! At The Disco does a good job as usual, of being a great cross between the hobbits of "Lord Of The Rings", oompa loompas, and the little people from Nickelodeon's "David The Gnome". I guess just due to the first line, this is the "title track" from the album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f3K2sEHuIM

"The Last Resort"- The Eagles. This epic final track to the Eagles 1976 mega album "Hotel California" makes a final statement in a very personal and political album. I hate I can't find the live version from their 1994 reunion concert "Hell Freezes Over" because it might be their best live track ever. (I smell a bonus video). While the song was never released as a single, it was released as the B-Side to the 1977 single "Life In The Fast Lane". Don Henley also said the song was one of his favorite just due to his environmental activism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekytTpFy96o

"Jumper"- Third Eye Blind. This track from Third Eye Blind's 1997 debut self-titled album rode the waves of its appearance on MTV's "Road Rules" when it was featured in one of the missions. It went on to be released as a single and peak at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1998. The inspiration for the song actually came from the band hearing the story of a gay teenager jumping off a bridge to commit suicide after being bullied at school. It's amazing that 14 years later, this is still an epidemic in America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FXU3RuX8eo

"The Scientist"- Coldplay. SO MANY BONUS POINTS FOR THE REVERSE VIDEO! I freaking love reverse videos! This song from Coldplay's 2002 album "A Rush Of Blood To The Head" was actually written after Chris Martin was inspired by the George Harrison song "All Things Must Pass" (I smell a bonus video). Also, "The Scientist", according to Chris Martin, is Dan Keeling, the A&R rep from Parlophone who signed them to their first contract. This song peaked at #18 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqWLpTKBFcU

"The Weight"- The Band. I have to admit, I like the Staple Singers version better (once again, I smell a bonus video! But I'll go ahead and feature them in this from the Band's live concert film "The Last Waltz" here). This song, about "taking the load off" makes no mention of "the weight". The song was featured on the Band's 1969 album "Music From Big Pink", and is one of the most covered songs in music history.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjCw3-YTffo

"Cherub Rock"- Smashing Pumpkins. In 1993, you weren't cool if you didn't have Smashing Pumpkins hit album "Siamese Dream". This last single from the album, was widely popular and was written by Billy Corgan about the indie rock community's relationship with the mainstream media. You know to be so awesome, Smashing Pumpkins were always one of the stranger looking bands- really gonna disagree on that one? This song gets tons of bonus points for being on "Guitar Hero 3".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-KE9lvU810

"My Immortal"- Evanescence. VERY. FREAKING. WEIRD. At least Amy Lee is hot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5anLPw0Efmo

BONUS VIDEOS- "SUPER BOWL 44 HALFTIME SHOW"- The Who.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNdAvKzGsQg

"Heart Of The Matter"- Don Henley and the Eagles. From "Hell Freezes Over".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw9jiaNI6P0.

"All Things Must Pass"- George Harrison.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-l1y0gnSnI

"One"- Mary J. Blige and U2. No Reason.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpDQJnI4OhU

Panic! At The Disco

Band of Horses

Evanescence