# I didn't know I knew that song or nondescriptive song titles. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2004, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805 "2004-02-24T01:52:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/41 "2004-02-24T20:48:25Z")
Joni Mitchell’s _Big Yellow Taxi_. There is a mention of a taxi in it, but I think it’s better known by the opening line/chorus, “They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot.” ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/42 "2004-02-24T22:14:59Z")
**The Band’s** _The Weight_: > [@](#): > > Take a load off, Fanny > Take a load for free ---
**Author:** ![noodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/278dde/32.png) [@noodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/noodler)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/43 "2004-02-25T01:21:02Z")
“The Rain, The Park, and Other Things” by the Cowsills. A.K.A.: I love the flowergirl. ---
**Author:** ![Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/44 "2004-02-25T02:40:54Z")
I was older than I care to admit before I realized that _The Ballad of John and Yoko_ was the name of the song that went “Christ you know it aint easy/You know how hard it can be/The way things are going/They’re gonna crucify me.” ---
**Author:** ![CadburyAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@CadburyAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CadburyAngel)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/45 "2004-02-25T05:29:03Z")
> [@Lisa-go-Blind](#): > > Oh, you mean the song that goes, “You know you make me want to SHOUT! Kick my heels up and SHOUT! Throw my hands up and SHOUT! Throw my head back and SHOUT!” 😃 I think it was called “The Bus That Couldn’t Slow Down.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/46 "2004-02-25T07:42:14Z")
> [@monster](#): > > PS. Bienville is my new favorite poster! I just thought this deserved to be quoted. Nothing more to add to the subject of the OP.- ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/47 "2004-02-25T13:57:05Z")
Lest we forget… “Sympathy for the Devil,” the Stones. _Pleased to meet you/Hope you guessed my name!_ “Dialogue, Parts 1 and 2,” Chicago. Doesn’t have anything remotely resembling a refrain until the very end, when they start singing _We can make it better/We can change the world now_ until you just want to stab yourself. “The Spirit of Radio,” Rush. Title could be confused with any of various phrases/words that Geddy chirps with varying degrees of regularity- i.e., “The power of music,” “Honesty/Yeah, your _honesty_” “Teacher,” Jethro Tull. _Hey man, what’s the plan/What was that you said…_ “N.I.B.” by Black Sabbath. _Your love for meee has just got to be real Before you know the way I’m going to feel I’m going to feel I’m going to feeeeeeuuuulll_ (Also a contender for _dumbest_ pseudo-chorus of all time) Great thread! -Moody ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/48 "2004-02-25T17:16:18Z")
“Teacher” by Jethro Tull? Maybe it’s just because I first became aware of this song was from a mix tape from my uncle with the songs listed, but I don’t see this one. Now “For Michael Collins, Jeffrey, And Me” on the other hand… I’m not seeing “Long Cool Woman In a Black Dress” either. There’s not a regular chorus but I never had a problem associating the title with the song, even when I was little and didn’t really understand the song. But two songs I know from Mott the Hoople where the title has little to do with the lyrics or chorus are “Dath Maybe Your Santa Claus” and their cover of Doug Sahm’s “At The Crossroads”. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/49 "2004-02-25T17:31:01Z")
> [@widdershins](#): > > “Teacher” by Jethro Tull? Maybe it’s just because I first became aware of this song was from a mix tape from my uncle with the songs listed, but I don’t see this one. The word “teacher” sneaks by early in the verse; it’s never used in the refrain, where, traditionally, the song title resides. If you didn’t know the name of this song, you might _possibly_ deduce it, but only after weighing what the entire song was about. ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/50 "2004-02-25T19:49:19Z")
Live’s “Selling the Drama” (“Now we won’t be raped—Hey-ey-ey. Now we won’t be scarred like that…”) ---
**Author:** ![Lux\_Interior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@Lux\_Interior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lux_Interior)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/51 "2004-02-25T20:11:08Z")
_Bohemian Rhapsody_ And, may I offer as the antithesis of this thread: _Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?_ 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/52 "2004-02-25T20:15:19Z")
Ding, ding! I think we have a winner! Or loser, as the case may be. I’m with **Dung Beetle** and **Beadalin**. Led Zep song titles are hard to tie to their songs. I’ve looked at entire CDs of theirs and not recognized a single title, but then listening to the CD revealed that I knew almost all of the songs. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/53 "2004-02-25T22:59:00Z")
A lot of **Green Day** ’s songs are like this. In addition to **“Good Riddance”** (“Time of Your Life”), there are **"Longview"** : _Bite my lip and close my eyes Take me away to paradise_ and **“Basket Case”** : _Sometimes I give myself the creeps Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me_ ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2004, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/54 "2004-02-25T23:42:11Z")
“Flagpole Sitta” by Harvey Danger. You know, that one that goes - “Ahhh… I’m not sick, but I’m not well… And I’m so hot… 'Cause I’m in Hell…” I can never remember what it’s called when I hear it on the radio, and it drives me nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/55 "2004-02-26T01:55:48Z")
Billy Joel’s “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant.” I’m surprised how many people have heard this and don’t recognize the title. I think it would be obvious. Pink Floyd’s “The Happiest Days of our Lives.” Also known as the middle bit with the helicopter in the middle of “We Don’t Need No Education.” :rolleyes: “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler, known to some as “Turn Around.” “A Simple Desultory Philippic (Or How I Was Robert McNamara’d Into Submission” by Simon & Garfunkel. This song has no chorus but you’d know if you knew it. “I’ve been Rolling Stoned and Beatled 'til I’m blind…” And a better antithesis to this thread is The Safaris doing “Wipeout.” It’s got, um, one lyric. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/56 "2004-02-26T02:21:06Z")
“Surrender” by Cheap Trick. (“Mommy’s all right, Daddy’s all right, they just seem a little weird”) ---
**Author:** ![Dizzy\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dizzy\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dizzy_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/57 "2004-02-26T02:24:24Z")
“What’s the Name of That Song?” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Treviathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/838e76/32.png) [@Treviathan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treviathan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/58 "2004-02-26T02:52:53Z")
From the very first musical recording I ever purchased (hey, I was eleven, cut me some slack), I submit “More Than Words Can Say” by Alias. Commonly known as “I Need you Now,” for obvious reasons: _I need you now More than words can say I need you now I’ve gotta find a way I need you now…_ “Touch of Grey” (aka “I Will Get By”) from the Grateful Dead is another. And I never could remember the name of The Pretenders’ “Brass in Pocket.” From the '90s: “Counting Blue Cars” by Dishwalla. Usually known as “that song where the singer calls God a chick.” “Possession” (…and I would be the one / to hold you down / kiss you so hard…) by Sarah McLachlan (though only for casual radio listeners - Sarah fans from my highschool years seemed to know _everything_ about her, like her blood type and first boyfriend). “Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand” by the Primitive Radio Gods, which doesn’t have a chorus and is, like “Tom’s Diner,” known for its “do-do-do-do-do-do” more than its lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/59 "2004-02-26T14:19:36Z")
Then, of course there’s “Lick My Love Pump” by Spinal Tap 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805/60 "2004-02-26T16:58:15Z")
> [@Jeff Lodoen](#): > > “Escape” by Journey- I gotta believe it was originally titled “Breakaway” or somesuch. Then there’s the Rupert Holmes song with the same title but just about everyone calls it “The Piña Colada Song”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-i-knew-that-song-or-nondescriptive-song-titles/230805.md?page=4)