# Albums named after a song that isn't on the album, but was released before or after (or never) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [September 9, 2025, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897 "2025-09-09T18:59:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/21 "2025-09-10T14:27:29Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Similarly, PJ Harvey’s debut album, _Dry_, doesnt have “Dry” until her next album, \*Rid of Me." Hey! I should’ve gotten that. Good grab. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/22 "2025-09-10T14:29:38Z")
I’m not sure how this fits. The Beatles don’t have a song called “Rubber Soul,” only an album. We’re looking for albums and songs with the same title, but not appearing on the same album. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/23 "2025-09-10T14:39:38Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > We’re looking for albums and songs with the same title, but not appearing on the same album. Oops! Sorry! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/24 "2025-09-10T15:04:53Z")
OK, going the other way (song first, album later), I found these: Tom Waits “Frank’s Wild Years” on _Swordfishtrombones_ (1983) followed by _Franks Wild Years_ (no apostrophe) in 1987. Guided by Voices has “Bee Thousand” on _The Grand Hour_ EP (1993). The following album is entitled _Bee Thousand_, and original release does not contain a song of that name, but a 6-side “director’s cut” of it does. Similarly, off the same _Grand Hour_ EP, there’s a song called “Alien Lanes,” with an album of that same name, but no track named after it, in 1995. Going in this direction seems a little tougher. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/25 "2025-09-10T15:08:11Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Tom Waits “Frank’s Wild Years” on _Swordfishtrombones_ (1983) followed by _Franks Wild Years_ (no apostrophe) in 1987. Should’ve thought of that, I have and love both albums. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/26 "2025-09-10T15:08:57Z")
I feel like there should be more of these “song title came first” examples, but I’m having a rough time of finding any. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/27 "2025-09-10T19:17:14Z")
In 1979 the was a documentary about The Who called The Kids Are Alright. That movie, and the soundtrack album, didn’t include the title song. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/28 "2025-09-10T19:37:12Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > _The Doors song “Waiting for the Sun” didn’t see release until two years after the album of the same name came out._ Good one, Mr. Fudd! It was on “Morrison Hotel.” I’ve always wondered why. Did they just not include that song on “Waiting for the Sun” for some reason, or did they name the album that (because it was a catchy title for an album) and come up with a song with that title later? It’s one of my favorite Doors album tracks. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/29 "2025-09-10T21:18:36Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > Did they just not include that song on “Waiting for the Sun” for some reason Wikipedia says the song was intended for the their third album but needed more work. As you surmised, the band found the title catchy and kept it for the album. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/30 "2025-09-11T03:36:08Z")
At the time, a friend of mine said that when her grandparents visited, wanted to hear “some of the music you kids like.” You guessed it, she put on Queen’s “Sheer Heart Attack.” Grandma said, “That could GIVE someone a heart attack!” [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rkHF_JMnB8o/hqdefault.jpg "Queen - Sheer Heart Attack (Official Lyric Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkHF_JMnB8o) ---
**Author:** ![theater\_in\_a\_crowded\_fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@theater\_in\_a\_crowded\_fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theater_in_a_crowded_fire)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/31 "2025-09-11T11:03:47Z")
I read the thread and didn’t see this one, but forgive me if I missed it. The song August and Everything After by Counting Crows was not released on their amazing debut album of the same name. The song didn’t get an official release until it appeared on side two of the album “Butter Miracle: Suite One” in 2021. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/32 "2025-09-11T12:17:13Z")
The Mothers of Invention had the Album _Absolutely Free._ Their next album, _We’re Only in it for the Money,_ used that as a song title. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/33 "2025-09-11T12:18:09Z")
Way up in post 8. ---
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/34 "2025-09-11T13:05:36Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Def Leppard’s debut album is _On Through the Night_, but a song of that title did not appear until their next album, _High ‘N’ Dry_. I know both those albums well and never made that connection! the term ´relayer’ appeared as a repeated lyric in the song The Remembering from Yes’ Tales from Topographic Oceans and then became the title of their next album. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/35 "2025-09-11T13:51:17Z")
The first album by Jets to Brazil was Orange Rhyming Dictionary but a song of that name by them did not come until later. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/36 "2025-09-11T17:05:03Z")
Concrete Blonde “Free” didn’t show on the album “Free”, but on the later “Still In Hollywood” compilation album. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2025, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/37 "2025-09-12T12:56:34Z")
The original 1979 vinyl debut album by **The Ruts** (they seemed hard core punks at the time but these days their songs sound like Power Pop) called **The Crack** didn’t have the song of that name. **The Crack** was used as a B side to a later single from their second album, a compilation of bits and pieces since lead singer Malcolm Owen had died of an overdose, **Grin & Bear It** although it didn’t appear on that vinyl album either. However it appeared on the CD extended reissues of both albums. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2025, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/38 "2025-09-12T13:17:02Z")
The Counting Crows released their debut album called _August & Everything After_, which is also the title of a song that didn’t make it onto the album itself. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2025, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897/39 "2025-09-19T05:45:37Z")
One of my favorite bands, Superchunk, did that two albums in a row. _On the Mouth_ does not feature the song “On the Mouth,” nor does the song “Foolish” appear on _Foolish_. I didn’t find out about either song until the band’s odds-and-sods collection _Incidental Music_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-named-after-a-song-that-isnt-on-the-album-but-was-released-before-or-after-or-never/1022897.md?page=1)