# Everybody knows the song as "Title X" but it's really called "Title Y" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 3, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949 "2008-03-03T19:22:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/41 "2008-03-04T01:59:47Z")
I think the song that starts “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” was first just called “The Christmas Song.” Not sure if inertia has changed what it is typically called these days. The pop song that starts “How gentle is the rain” to the classical minuet tune (you may recall it from Mr. Holland’s Opus) is properly titled “A Lover’s Concerto.” I’m not sure what people typically call it, but the title is not intuitive from the lyrics, as it never appears. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/42 "2008-03-04T02:00:01Z")
[QUOTE=Ghanima] Steve Miller’s “The Joker” is often referred to as “Space Cowboy” by enthusiastic drunks. He does have a song called “Space Cowboy” as well, but people mix them up. [/QUOTE] It could be worse. They could call it “The Pompatus of Love”. ---
**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:** [March 4, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/43 "2008-03-04T02:05:27Z")
[QUOTE=The Scrivener] It could be worse. They could call it “The Pompatus of Love”. [/QUOTE] Some people call it Maurice. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/44 "2008-03-04T03:35:51Z")
“The Rain, the Park, & Other Things” by the Cowsills is often referred to as “I Love the Flower Girl.” ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/45 "2008-03-04T04:08:27Z")
Scott Joplin’s “ **The Entertainer** ” is frequently called, mostly by people of my parents’ generation, “ **The Sting** ”. [QUOTE=lobotomyboy63] OK (I’ll take your word on the unbridled merriment part). So that’s why… _Oh, oh oh oh oh, you don’t have to go…_ And yet later, he sings: _Baby please…don’t go._ Hmm, ambivalence. [/QUOTE] I’ve never been a big Zeppelin fan, and hence own none of their records. Consequently, I’ve heard the _title_ **D’yer Mak’er** hundreds of times, but never connected it to the song you’ve quoted, which I’ve also heard hundreds of times. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/46 "2008-03-04T04:53:03Z")
[QUOTE=Biffy the Elephant Shrew] Some people call it Maurice. [/QUOTE] Those people are all drunk. The Wang Chung song best known as “Everybody Wang Chung Tonight” or just “Everybody Wang Chung” is really “Everybody Have Fun.” The “theme from _2001_” is “Thus Spake Zarathustra,” or in the original Klingon, “Also Sprach Zarathustra.” Big Country’s biggest hit is “In A Big Country.” I won’t forget that since I once lost a trivia game in which I claimed the song as an example of “80s hits titled the same as the band that sang them.” ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/47 "2008-03-04T05:23:27Z")
It’s **Tubular Bells** , not **The Exorcist Theme**. It’s **Hocus Pocus** , not **That Yodel Song**. ---
**Author:** ![MagicBlueEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ec9cab/32.png) [@MagicBlueEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicBlueEyes)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/48 "2008-03-04T05:37:44Z")
Does misunderstood lyrics count?? Cause if so I know a few people who thinks CCR’s Bad Moon Risin is There’s a bathroom on the right. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/49 "2008-03-04T05:42:27Z")
When the title track to **Quiet Riot** ’s _Metal Health_ was released as a single it was re-named “Bang Your Head (Metal Health)” I’ve seen **Evanescence** ’s “Bring Me To Life” mis-titled as “Wake Me Up Inside” ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/50 "2008-03-04T05:56:43Z")
[QUOTE=Fiver] The Wang Chung song best known as “Everybody Wang Chung Tonight” or just “Everybody Wang Chung” is really “Everybody Have Fun.” [/QUOTE] Actually, it’s [Everybody Have Fun Tonight](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:jpfwxzqaldde). ---
**Author:** ![Achren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@Achren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achren)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/51 "2008-03-04T06:00:33Z")
Coldplay’s “Don’t Panic” is often called “We Live in a Beautiful World”. Clearly these people don’t read enough Douglas Adams. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/52 "2008-03-04T06:12:56Z")
“Rocky’s Theme” is called **Gonna Fly Now**. “Set 'em Up, Joe” is called **One For the Road**. (So is “One For My Baby.”) “Freedom’s Just Another Word” is called **Me and Bobby McGee**. “Daisy” is called **Daisy Bell**. (So is “Bicycle Built for Two.”) ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/53 "2008-03-04T08:51:47Z")
[QUOTE=Meyer6] Most people call the Eastern European dance song Dragostea Din Tei “The Numa Numa Song”, which I find mysterious. I don’t know the language, but they say the name a lot and it’s not hard to pronounce. [/QUOTE] It’s Romanian. I’ve also heard this song called “Ma Ya Hi”. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/54 "2008-03-04T09:37:29Z")
[QUOTE=Nonsuch] “Rocky’s Theme” is called **Gonna Fly Now** [/QUOTE] Rocky’s Theme is listed as “Gonna Fly Now” on the Rocky Balboa soundtrack for sure and according to Amazon, the rest of them as well. Wait, do I have that backwards? Did you say the song people call “Rocky’s Theme” is really “Gonna Fly Now”? I’m so confused. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/55 "2008-03-04T13:49:00Z")
This long thread without a mention of Grand Funk Railroad’s [Closer to My Home](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/g/grand+funk+railroad/im+your+captain_20062096.html) actual title of “I’m Your Captain” ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/56 "2008-03-04T14:03:34Z")
MagicBlueEyes writes: \> Does misunderstood lyrics count?? I think that should be a separate thread. We’ve actually done that several times. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/57 "2008-03-04T14:37:50Z")
Neither Stephen Foster nor George Gershwin wrote a song called _Swanee River_. Foster wrote _Old Folks at Home_, and Gershwin _Swanee_. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/58 "2008-03-04T14:38:35Z")
Nazareth’s **Hair of the Dog** , which I hear often refered to as some form of “Now your messin’ (with a son of a bitch)”. Probably because the title is not said in the lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/59 "2008-03-04T14:43:18Z")
[QUOTE=Nonsuch] “Daisy” is called **Daisy Bell**. (So is “Bicycle Built for Two.”) [/QUOTE] Oh, thank Jebus. I’m so tired of calling it “the song HAL sings when he’s dying.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949/60 "2008-03-04T15:11:17Z")
Billy Joel’s “Seen the lights go out on Broadway” song is properly titled **Miami 2017.** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/everybody-knows-the-song-as-title-x-but-its-really-called-title-y/439949.md?page=4)