# Songs you know by a name other than the REAL title. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562 "2004-10-04T23:20:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/41 "2004-10-06T02:30:00Z")
_Escape_ is better known as “The Pina Colada Song”. _Ob La Di Ob La Da_ is often called “Life Goes On”. \*Mambo #5 \* is probably better known as "A Little bit of . . . " ---
**Author:** ![High\_Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8797f3/32.png) [@High\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/High_Cheese)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/42 "2004-10-06T02:44:07Z")
> [@Number Six](#): > > _Escape_ is better known as “The Pina Colada Song” Actually _Escape_ **is** _The Pina Colada Song_. Official title = \*Escape (The Pina Colada Song). \* So does this actually fit into this thread? I believe the OP was looking for songs with misperceived titles, not songs with dual titles called by one or the other. That’s how I took it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/43 "2004-10-06T06:29:49Z")
(The Pina Colada Song) is like _Episode IV: A New Hope_. It was added retroactively, and isn’t part of the real title. The title, as it appears on the original album (which my dad has and I have verified personally), is simply _Escape_. The addendum was added later to aid those who were unaware of the song’s true title in finding it. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/44 "2004-10-06T12:15:49Z")
> [@CurlyD](#): > > How about _The Guilty Feet Song_ for Wham’s _Careless Whispers_? Except it’s _Careless Whisper_ (no “s”) and it’s not by _Wham!_. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/45 "2004-10-06T12:17:22Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Except it’s _Careless Whisper_ (no “s”) and it’s not by _Wham!_. 😃 OK, I am now informed that it was released under the Wham! name in the US, for some reason. In the UK it was a George Michael solo effort. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/46 "2004-10-06T12:19:23Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > OK, I am now informed that it was released under the Wham! name in the US, for some reason. In the UK it was a George Michael solo effort. Becase, at least in the US, it was on Wham’s album **Make it Big**. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/47 "2004-10-06T16:15:09Z")
[There’s quite a lot of these.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=241444&page=1) Among them: “Silent Running” by Mike & the Mechanics (“Can you hear me?”) “Run Like Hell” by Pink Floyd “The Logical Song” by Supertramp “The Load Out” by Jackson Browne (technically part of a medley called “The Load Out/Stay”, but they can be perceived as different songs on the album _Running on Empty_) “The Wedding Song” by Paul Stookey “Ode to Billie Joe” by Bobbie Gentry “Tubthumping” by Chumbawumba Loads more [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=191360&page=1&pp=50). ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/48 "2004-10-06T16:31:15Z")
> [@CurlyD](#): > > How about _The Guilty Feet Song_ for Wham’s _Careless Whispers_? I’ve always called that song _Never Gonna Dance Again_. ---
**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/49 "2004-10-06T17:29:20Z")
> [@ouryL](#): > > CSI: Miami? > :eek: 😃 I believe that’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/50 "2004-10-06T17:37:08Z")
How about **The Drunken Dickhead Song** as Jimmy Buffett’s **Margaritaville** is also known? Or is that just the former karoke host in me coming out? ---
**Author:** ![joshmaker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a587f6/32.png) [@joshmaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joshmaker)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/51 "2004-10-06T18:07:48Z")
Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)” aka “We Don’t Need No Education” ---
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/52 "2004-10-06T18:12:20Z")
In my house, Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” is known as “The ‘I Know’ Song” due to the long section where he sings, “I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know…” ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/53 "2004-10-06T18:57:13Z")
We called _Take it Easy_ the “Runnin’ Down the Road Song.” ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/54 "2004-10-06T20:41:06Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Most people incorrectly call _The 59th Street Bridge Song_ “Feelin’ Groovy”. I learned that last year, when I moved within spitting distance of said bridge. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/55 "2004-10-08T15:00:03Z")
Most people of my generation know Scott Joplin’s **The Entertainer** as **The Sting** ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/56 "2004-10-08T15:39:23Z")
How about **Nazareth’s “Hair of the Dog”?** I always think of it as, “Now You’re Messin’ With a Son of a Bitch.” ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/57 "2004-10-08T15:49:36Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Most people incorrectly call _The 59th Street Bridge Song_ “Feelin’ Groovy”. > > StG And to bring this thread to a new level, most people incorrectly refer to The Queensboro Bridge as The 59th Street Bridge. Note that there is no 59th Street in NYC – it’s called 59 Street…the th is just how it is pronounced. How come nobody ever calls the Williamsburgh Bridge the Delancy St Bridge? ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/58 "2004-10-08T15:59:03Z")
I should also add **Synchronicity II** by the Police. My first impression of it was “A Million Miles Away.” ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/59 "2004-10-08T20:25:19Z")
Back when the Greaseman was a force to be reckoned with (at least in the DC radio listening area), the “Can Can” was popularly known as “The Tuna Fish Song.” ---
**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:** [October 8, 2004, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562/60 "2004-10-08T20:54:27Z")
There is a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ song that’s officially named Opus No. Somenumber-or-other, and before I found that out, I was never certain what exactly to call it. “Don’t you worry `bout me”? “I’ll be strong/I’ll try to carry on (although you know it won’t be easy when you’re gone)”? Usually, I would just sing the chorus, which features both of these phrases. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-know-by-a-name-other-than-the-real-title/267562.md?page=4)