# The longest streak of songs with years as the titles we can get **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 22, 2012, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692 "2012-05-22T05:27:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/1 "2012-05-22T05:27:57Z")
I was just noting the other day that with The Tallest Man on Earth’s new single “1904” and Phoenix’s song “1901”, we could easily get a streak going if only a couple more years were filled in. So let’s list all the song titles we know that consist of a year, and see how long an unbroken streak we can get going. So far I can’t fill in even two years that connect up with each other but I’m confident we can improve upon this. 1901 - Phoenix 1904 - The Tallest Man on Earth 1969 - Boards of Canada 1999 - Prince 2112 - Rush I’d also like to play with two rules: 1. song title should be only the year, no other words or numbers. 2. song title should be specifically referring to the year, so a song title that happens to be a four-digit number but has some other meaning would be exempt. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/2 "2012-05-22T05:58:23Z")
1969 - the Stooges 1970 - the Stooges (Both recorded and released in the years they’re named for) ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/3 "2012-05-22T05:59:18Z")
1979 - Smashing Pumpkins 1984 - David Bowie ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/4 "2012-05-22T06:09:24Z")
2525 - Zager and Evans Disco 2000 - Pulp . ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/5 "2012-05-22T06:34:31Z")
Paul McCartney and Wings had a song called “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five.” And \*Bowling for Soup \*had a totally different song called “1985.” You can add those to the list. Edit: there were also two novelty records a few years ago, both called “1955” - both were parodies of the BFS song, one of them based on the plot of “Back to the Future.” ---
**Author:** ![KellyCriterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@KellyCriterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyCriterion)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/6 "2012-05-22T06:43:58Z")
Hasn’t [The Internet](http://www.allmusic.com/) ruined games like this? ---
**Author:** ![Galwegian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galwegian/32/3426_2.png) [@Galwegian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galwegian)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/7 "2012-05-22T08:15:40Z")
1984 - Eurythmics. (I didn’t know about the David Bowie one) ETA: '39 - Queen ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/8 "2012-05-22T08:20:28Z")
1921 - The Who 1930 - The Gaslight Anthem 1974 - Ryan Adams 1983 (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) - Jimi Hendrix 1992 - Blur ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/9 "2012-05-22T08:21:50Z")
_Silverchair - Anthem for the Year 2000 Bryan Adams_ - Summer of '69 (Yes, I know, he didn’t mean it as in the year) ---
**Author:** ![Galwegian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galwegian/32/3426_2.png) [@Galwegian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galwegian)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/10 "2012-05-22T08:23:43Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > _Bryan Adams_ - Summer of '69 (Yes, I know, he didn’t mean it as in the year) He didn’t??? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/11 "2012-05-22T08:40:03Z")
Nope 🙂 He was 9 at the time so unless Canada has changed significantly since then, I doubt he was working the drive-in in 1969. He said himself it was a song about long teenage/young adulthood summers spent fucking the time away. Best days of his life. One sympathizes. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/12 "2012-05-22T09:15:09Z")
1959 - Sisters Of Mercy 1969 - Sisters Of Mercy 1977 - The Clash ---
**Author:** ![Hyperion89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hyperion89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperion89)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/13 "2012-05-22T09:19:37Z")
1983 - Neon Trees. Great song ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/14 "2012-05-22T09:45:19Z")
I can do over 25 years easy: 1988 - Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ 1989 - Clem Snide 1990 - The Temptations 1991 - Billy Thorpe 1992 - Blur 1993 - Boz Scaggs 1994 - Gluecifer 1995 - Mudhoney 1996 - Marilyn Manson 1997 - Pistol Grip 1998 - Rancid 1999 - Prince 2000 - Robert Fripp 2001 - Robert Fripp 2002 - Robert Fripp 2003 - Nina Gordon 2004 - The Thins 2005 - Analog Brothers 2006 - Nuclear Massacre 2007 - Spirit 2008 - Loudness 2009 - The Scarred 2010 - Apocalyptica 2011 - Sepultura 2012 - Burnt By The Sun 2013 - Veritas Earthkorp Heck, I can do 8 years all by one artist (Transcend), on one album: 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/15 "2012-05-22T11:53:33Z")
The only one I have is: 1916-Motorhead ---
**Author:** ![Nom\_de\_Plume](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/85f322/32.png) [@Nom\_de\_Plume](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nom_de_Plume)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/16 "2012-05-22T13:19:18Z")
1941 - Bee Gees - New York Mining Disaster 1941 ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/17 "2012-05-22T13:49:52Z")
I love how so many posters ignore the rules set forth by the OP. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/18 "2012-05-22T14:23:22Z")
I know right? I was going to say “Summer of '69” based on the thread title until I actually read the rules. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/19 "2012-05-22T14:25:30Z")
I’m conflicted about “2113” by Coheed and Cambria as it is an obvious callout to Rush which is a year. But it doesn’t mention the year and indeed has a line that “and the clock reads 2113”, which is most likely a time. But I’d count it if there were songs for 2111 or 2114 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692/20 "2012-05-22T14:32:30Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Nope 🙂 He was 9 at the time so unless Canada has changed significantly since then, I doubt he was working the drive-in in 1969. He said himself it was a song about long teenage/young adulthood summers spent fucking the time away. > Best days of his life. One sympathizes. It was my understanding that it was originally about 19_75_, but the record company convinced him to change it for a broader appeal. I’d say it worked (if true). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-longest-streak-of-songs-with-years-as-the-titles-we-can-get/622692.md?page=2)