# Albums without titles **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 16, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983 "2005-09-16T16:00:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/1 "2005-09-16T16:00:41Z")
Why is it that almost every single band in existance has an untitled album, which often is either refered to as the same name of the band, or by what is on the artwork (often just a single color!). It seems like the majority of these are debut albums, but often times are a later album (The Beatles, Metallica, Collective Soul…although their first album was technically a demo tape that was good enough for a major release) ---
**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 16, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/2 "2005-09-16T16:41:44Z")
You run out of clever things to say. Or just don’t want to bother. It’s often used for first albums because you want to get the artist’s name out there. With no album title, there’s no confusion as to the name. If you remember either the group or the album name, you can find it easily. By the second album, it’s necessary to do something to differentiate, though Peter Gabriel’s first three albums had no title, and Chicago merely numbered their albums. And the Byrds had an album titled (untitled). ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/3 "2005-09-16T17:49:30Z")
Peter Gabriels’ fourth album was also supposed to be untitled, but his U.S. record company imposed the _Security_ title on him. The Grateful Dead made two self-titled albums, their debut, and the live set known informally as _Skull and Roses_ or _Skullfuck_ (the band’s intended title, again nixed by the record company). The French folk group Malicorne had, I think, three self-titled albums. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/4 "2005-09-16T21:33:56Z")
I don’t think the fourth Led Zeppelin album was officially titled. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/5 "2005-09-16T21:51:12Z")
ELO’s first album had no name in the UK, but ended up being called _No Answer_ in the US thanks to a [clerical error](http://www.snopes.com/music/hidden/noanswer.asp). ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/6 "2005-09-16T21:58:40Z")
To nitpick, AFAIK the official release name of the White Albums was “The Beatles.” The name “The Beatles” was embossed on the cover, too, so one can’t say it wasn’t given. It was never intended to be an untitled release. A self-titled album is not quite the same thing as an untitled album. ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/7 "2005-09-16T23:55:15Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > I don’t think the fourth Led Zeppelin album was officially titled. It was not, thus the continuing disparity; some people call it Zeppelin IV, some people call it Zoso, and some people call it “Runes”. They included no pictures of the band, song titles on the sleeve, or sleeve notes. It’s purported that they were interested in seeing whether people would buy it for the music and not for their name, and of course it went on to produce classic after classic, and catapult their popularity into the stratosphere. ---
**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 17, 2005, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/8 "2005-09-17T00:12:06Z")
> [@soulmurk](#): > > It was not, thus the continuing disparity; some people call it Zeppelin IV, some people call it Zoso, and some people call it “Runes”. > > They included no pictures of the band, song titles on the sleeve, or sleeve notes. It’s purported that they were interested in seeing whether people would buy it for the music and not for their name, and of course it went on to produce classic after classic, and catapult their popularity into the stratosphere. There were song titles within the gatefold, however. That wasn’t that unusual – groups that used a gatefold cover would put the song information inside. Pink Floyd did exactly the same thing with “Atom Heart Mother” (released the year before Led Zep IV), “The Dark Side of the Moon,” “Wish You Were Here” (originally in blue shrink wrap with only a sticker – probably added by the record company – to identify it; the song information was on the inner sleeve), and “Animals.” ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/9 "2005-09-17T00:43:06Z")
> [@soulmurk](#): > > They included no pictures of the band, song titles on the sleeve, or sleeve notes. It’s purported that they were interested in seeing whether people would buy it for the music and not for their name, and of course it went on to produce classic after classic, and catapult their popularity into the stratosphere. It doesn’t even have the band’s name on the spine. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/10 "2005-09-17T01:01:28Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > And the Byrds had an album titled (untitled). Quite by [accident](http://www.snopes.com/music/hidden/untitled.htm). ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/11 "2005-09-17T01:21:25Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > To nitpick, AFAIK the official release name of the White Albums was “The Beatles.” The name “The Beatles” was embossed on the cover, too, so one can’t say it wasn’t given. It was never intended to be an untitled release. A self-titled album is not quite the same thing as an untitled album. The Beatles were on the verge of splitting. Everyone was doing their own thing. With George now writing songs, John was Yoko Onoing, Paul was Linda Eastmaning and Ringo 😕 was becoming a jetsetter. Since no could agree on a cover(John wanted his nude pics with Yoko), the pics ended up on the inside. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/12 "2005-09-17T01:58:25Z")
> [@fusoya](#): > > (often just a single color!) Well, there was _Smell The Glove_ with its “none more black” cover. Although that _was_ because Polymer Records refused to accept the original artwork on the grounds of taste. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/13 "2005-09-17T02:35:13Z")
What about that one…you know…with the songs on it? The one without a name? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/14 "2005-09-17T02:48:37Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > What about that one…you know…with the songs on it? The one without a name? The original’s good, but the cover version sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/15 "2005-09-17T16:04:31Z")
Christian rock band **The 77s** recorded an album called _Pray Naked_, but the record company refused to release it under that title (they were afraid it was too risque for Christian bookstores, or some such) and changed the title to simply _The Seventy-Sevens_, even though the band had already previously released a self-titled album. So the words don’t appear on the album cover, but the band and its fans refer to the album as _Pray Naked_, and [I see it’s listed that way on Amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005MLLD/qid=1126972956/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-3903696-6269637?v=glance&s=music). ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/16 "2005-09-17T17:17:39Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > Peter Gabriels’ fourth album was also supposed to be untitled, but his U.S. record company imposed the _Security_ title on him. Actually, the name “Security” doesn’t appear anywhere but on the label. From the outside, it’s just another “Peter Gabriel” album. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/17 "2005-09-17T18:16:17Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Actually, the name “Security” doesn’t appear anywhere but on the label. From the outside, it’s just another “Peter Gabriel” album. IIRC, there was also a sticker on the shrinkwrap of the LP. ---
**Author:** ![mrunlucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7993a0/32.png) [@mrunlucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrunlucky)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/18 "2005-09-17T21:11:15Z")
Brasilian soul singer Tim Maia’s first four albums were all self-titled, and then, at least six more interspersed later on. And, equally silly, most the albums all have simple photographs of his face for cover artwork. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/19 "2005-09-17T21:52:19Z")
Does Weezer count? They have both a blue and green album which are simply called Weezer. ---
**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 17, 2005, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983/20 "2005-09-17T23:23:42Z")
> [@ouryL](#): > > The Beatles were on the verge of splitting. Everyone was doing their own thing. With George now writing songs, John was Yoko Onoing, Paul was Linda Eastmaning and Ringo 😕 was becoming a jetsetter. Since no could agree on a cover(John wanted his nude pics with Yoko), the pics ended up on the inside. Maybe, but the cover as it was originally designed was quite similar to the idea in many of Yoko Ono’s art works. Ono loved to work with white – one exhibition involved her painting everyday objects white. John loved her ideas and I can’t believe it’s a concidence that the album was white. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-without-titles/321983.md?page=2)