It’s somewhat interesting (to me anyway) that everyone knows that “Bohemian Rhapsody” is “Bohemian Rhapsody” despite neither term appearing in the lyrics. Why doesn’t it fit the profile?
Probably because, lacking a traditional chorus and/or repetition, it doesn’t have an extremely obvious alternate title that people would just assume it was called. Maybe the closest I can think of is “nothing really matters”.
You Don’t Have to Call Me Darlin, Darlin. - David Allen Coe
Years ago searched for this for a few days after it was requested by the above name for a wedding reception.
Finally found You Never Even Called me By My Name
The title of the Stevie Nicks song is Edge of Seventeen not Just Like The White Winged Dove
It seemed like every other song in the early 90s alternative scene followed this formula.
No no no no no no no!
For a long time I thought the Golden Earring song was called “When The Bullet Hits The Bone” (instead of “Twilight Zone”).
I assumed that “Flagpole Sitta” was called something like “I’m Not Sick”.
Hymnaries in my youth always came with and ‘Index of Titles’ /and/ an ‘Index of First Lines’ for exactly that reason.
For a while when I started listening to Duran Duran in the early 80s, I thought The Chauffeur was named Sing Blue Silver.
Decades ago, it was quite common for people to refer to “You Are The One” when they meant “Night and Day”
Mine is the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” - for decades, I thought it was called “One More Chance.”
Do parentheticals count? You would think that one of the biggest offenders of recent times is “Exhale” from the movie Waiting to Exhale, which everybody I know who has heard the song calls, “Shoop Shoop.”
“Jar of Hearts” by Christina Perri. I woulda guessed “Who Do You Think You Are?”
Although “Jar of Hearts” is a cool title, and captures the sentiments of the lyrics quite well.
I never mistook the title, but for awhile I did think he was singing “Sing Lucilda”.
I used to always think RHCP’s “Sidewinder” was called “Parallel Universe” . . . Wait! It *IS *called “Parallel Universe”! And I always thought it was called “Sidewinder”. Damn, I can’t even remember how I misremembered it.
It’s not actually called “What’s going on”? Well I’ll be darned. But that makes sense, I guess.
Same here. I used to think it was called “I’m not sick, but I’m not well”.
It’s the 59th St. Bridge Song. Not “Feeling Groovy”
I always thought the Styx song was “Carry On.”
To give some examples (and just sticking with stuff that got radio play):
“Cherub Rock” - Smashing Pumpkins (and also “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” “33,” “Rhinoceros,” and a whole mess of others.)
“Elderly Woman Behind a Counter in a Small Town” - Pearl Jam (also “Corduroy,” “Yellow Ledbetter.”)
Song 2 - Blur (the “WOO HOO!” song)
“Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Lithium,” “In Bloom,” etc., by Nirvana.
“Plush,” “Interstate Love Song,” “Big Empty” - Stone Temple Pilots
“Basket Case” - Green Day
“Iris” - Goo Goo Dolls
Often heard in conjunction with that Kansas song, “Don’t You Cry No More”.
Just heard one on the radio: the Talking Heads’ “This Ain’t No Party,” which I believe is called … something else.