Name some name songs.

March 6, 2006 10:35 AM

What are some songs where the bulk of the lyrical content is a list of names related to a certain theme?

Valid examples: Daft Punk/Soulwax - "Teachers" [musical artists that are "in the house"], Stereo Total - "Cinemania" [actors/actresses and directors].
Not valid example: Billy Joel - "We Didn't Start The Fire" [no central theme apart from, "hey, I noticed this when I was alive"]

posted by kuperman to media & arts (70 comments total)

I've been everywhere
posted by Capn at 10:38 AM on March 6, 2006

Lou Bega made a list of girls he fucked in Mambo Number Five.
posted by jon_kill at 10:39 AM on March 6, 2006

Type O Negative - "How Could She?" (mostly a list of female TV characters).
posted by malocchio at 10:40 AM on March 6, 2006

"Closet Romantic" - Damon Albarn (from the soundtrack to Trainspotting). Albarn lists all of the Sean Connery 007 films.
posted by grabbingsand at 10:40 AM on March 6, 2006

Dan Bern - "Chick Singers"

The Kinks - "Celluoid Heroes"

Animaniacs - song listing the US capitals
posted by mikepop at 10:42 AM on March 6, 2006

The Nails - "88 Lines about 44 Women"
Le Tigre - "Hot Topic"
posted by pazazygeek at 10:43 AM on March 6, 2006

Also in the Animaniacs repetoire: a song listing practically every country on the planet and another listing every U.S. President (up to Clinton, I'd suppose.)
posted by grabbingsand at 10:45 AM on March 6, 2006

Vogue - Madonna
posted by iconomy at 10:45 AM on March 6, 2006

Jim Carroll - "People Who Died" (At least the bit at the end.)

William Shatner - "You'll Have Time" (Well, the listing bit in the middle.)

Johnny Cash, JFK, that guy in the Stones,
Lou Gehrig, Einstein, and ... Joey Ramone.
posted by grabbingsand at 10:47 AM on March 6, 2006

You're the Top is a borderline example. It has places and things on the list as well as people, but it's not as vague as We Didn't Start the Fire either, since it's built around a theme — superlative things.
posted by nebulawindphone at 10:51 AM on March 6, 2006

Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me) by Reunion
posted by evilcolonel at 10:53 AM on March 6, 2006

Tom Lehrer's "The Elements"
posted by Robot Johnny at 10:54 AM on March 6, 2006

R.E.M- "The End of the World as We Know It (and I feel fine)"
Tom Lehrer's "The Elements"
Paul Simon's "50 ways to leave your lover"
The Brunching Shuttlecocks "88 Lines about 42 Presidents", which is a remake of
"88 Lines about 44 Women" by The Nails

Do you mind if I ask the purpose of this exercise? If not, I ask!
posted by leapfrog at 10:55 AM on March 6, 2006

Here's a flash video for The Elements.
posted by Robot Johnny at 10:58 AM on March 6, 2006

The "onetwothreeFOURfive, sixseveneightNINEten, eleven tweelve" song from Sesame Street (or was that the Electric Company).

Probably not valid: "Step Right Up" by Tom Waits. No names, but disconnected slogans/salesman speak make it a list song.
posted by fleacircus at 11:00 AM on March 6, 2006

"we didn't start the fire"- Billy Joel. List of historical events/people in chronological order
posted by cosmicbandito at 11:00 AM on March 6, 2006

obviously I need to actually READ the questions
posted by cosmicbandito at 11:01 AM on March 6, 2006

GrabbingSand, animaniacs did

The Planets
The Presidents
The Nations
The US States and Capitals
The Universe

and a 3 part joke-piece All the words in the English Language

Similarly they did one of reading the ingredients off of snack foods, "Be Careful What You Eat" with such classic lines as,

Deoxylite tri-silicon
Dipped in chocolate,
W+D : Bring it on!

And of course classic two-hit wonder Trio did Tutti Frutti ("that girl named sue, knows just what to do")
posted by nomisxid at 11:02 AM on March 6, 2006

- Land of 1,000 Dances
- Peter, Paul and Mary song that lists contemporary pop/folk groups
posted by mikepop at 11:03 AM on March 6, 2006

What's that song that mentions all the indie bands in it...
posted by iconomy at 11:03 AM on March 6, 2006

A bit of a stretch, but King Crimson's Elephant Talk, an alphabetical list of words about talking.
Babble, burble, banter, bicker bicker bicker
Brouhaha, balderdash, ballyhoo It’s only talk
posted by Aknaton at 11:07 AM on March 6, 2006

What's that song that mentions all the indie bands in it...

His Indie World by Mary Lou Lord?
posted by Robot Johnny at 11:07 AM on March 6, 2006

The chorus from Bob Dylan's "Country Pie" might qualify.
posted by EarBucket at 11:08 AM on March 6, 2006

These are the Daves I Know
posted by Robot Johnny at 11:10 AM on March 6, 2006

The Travelling Wilburys - "Store it in a Cool Dry Place" (lists types of musical instruments)

Jimmy Buffett - "Cheeseburger in Paradise" (cheeseburger toppings/serving suggestions)
posted by mikepop at 11:10 AM on March 6, 2006

"Destroy Rock & Roll", the title track from Mylo's Destroy Rock and Roll album, includes an exhaustive list of names of 80's rock musicians and bands, read aloud some preacher who wants to send them all to hell. pretty funny, too.
posted by ab3 at 11:11 AM on March 6, 2006

Blackalicious - "Chemical Calisthenics" (periodic table)
posted by the cuban at 11:14 AM on March 6, 2006

Van Lingle Mungo by David Frishberg. All (or almost all) the lyrics are unusual sounding names of former Major League Baseball players.
posted by viewofdelft at 11:14 AM on March 6, 2006

"My Favorite Things" (a bit subjective I suppose)

Graham Parker - "She Wants So Many Things" (a list of unreasonable demands)
posted by mikepop at 11:16 AM on March 6, 2006

Some clarifications. The purpose of this was to arm myself for a potential conversation exercise down the road, or even *gasp* make a mix disc/playlist with tracks whose content solely are related names/words.

I probably should have been clear that I was looking for mostly listing - consider "Michael Jackson" by Negativland as well as an example of what I'm looking for. Little additional content besides names. Sorry for the confusion.
posted by kuperman at 11:17 AM on March 6, 2006

Irk the Purists by Half Man Half Biscuit. (Lyrics for which aren't online, sadly.)

Altogether now ...

"Hüsker Dü Dü Dü, Captain Beefheart, ELO
Chris De burgh, Sun Ra, Del Amitri John Coltrane

Irk the purists
Irk the purists
It's a right good laugh"
posted by Len at 11:18 AM on March 6, 2006

the GZA/Genius - Labels -- (lists record labels)
posted by cadastral at 11:20 AM on March 6, 2006

Adam Ant's Friends (Version 2) lists celebrities with whom the singer is "friends."
posted by Xalf at 11:20 AM on March 6, 2006

Dave Van Ronck- "Garden State Stomp"

A list of New Jersey township names. This is probably the most pure example I can think of, as there are no other words besides the town names.

listen (RealAudio)
posted by mikepop at 11:26 AM on March 6, 2006

"Pop songs your new boyfriend's too stupid to know about" by Tullycraft
posted by unknowncommand at 11:28 AM on March 6, 2006

How about 107 steps, by Bjork? Maybe not, now that I read the question. Just counting. Not really a list...

I'm sure They Might Be Giants must have song that fits these criteria, no?
posted by bDiddy at 11:32 AM on March 6, 2006

Down the road, you say? Well, then: Route 66, by the Stones, among others.

The Who's The Seeker might fit.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 11:35 AM on March 6, 2006

"Dr. K" by femme fatality
posted by kaseijin at 11:44 AM on March 6, 2006

Adam Sandler's Hannukah songs?
posted by clh at 11:45 AM on March 6, 2006

Not specifically names, but Built To Spill's You Were Right is a list of famous song lyrics.

You were wrong when you said
Everything's gonna be alright
You were right when you said
All that glitters isn't gold
You were right when you said
All we are is dust in the wind
You were right when you said
We are all just bricks in the wall
And when you said manic depression's a frustrating mess
etc...
posted by Mijo Bijo at 11:50 AM on March 6, 2006

"700 Hobo Names" is arguably more of a spoken-word poem than a song, but it might fit the criteria. I believe the mp3 version is between 40 and 60 minutes long.

http://www.areasofmyexpertise.com/hoboes.html
posted by fermion at 11:50 AM on March 6, 2006

It's the End of the World as We Know It, by REM, has some of those features.
posted by Miko at 11:57 AM on March 6, 2006

Sidenote: I did not realize that Mylo's "Destroy Rock & Roll" used the same source audio as Negativland's "Michael Jackson" (I had not heard the Mylo track until just now).
posted by kuperman at 11:58 AM on March 6, 2006

"The Vicar of Bray".
posted by orthogonality at 12:18 PM on March 6, 2006

I'm sure They Might Be Giants must have song that fits these criteria, no?

The song "Grocery Bag" on No! is a grocery bag singing its list of contents.
posted by mikepop at 12:23 PM on March 6, 2006

The Hanukkah song comes to mind. Any one of them, really.
posted by philulrich at 12:26 PM on March 6, 2006

Daft Punk - Teachers
posted by freq at 12:28 PM on March 6, 2006

Alanis Morissette: 21 Things I Want in a Lover
posted by arcticwoman at 12:34 PM on March 6, 2006

Barenaked Ladies - "If I Had A Million Dollars" (things they would buy/do)
posted by mikepop at 12:35 PM on March 6, 2006

X - "The Have Nots". A list of bar names:

At the Hi-D-Hi and the Hula Gal
Beehive Bar and the Zircon Lounge
G.G.'s Cozy Corner, The Gift of Love
Stop 'N' Drink, Sit 'N' Sip, Rest 'N Pieces
Dexter's New Approach and The Get Down Lounge
The Aorta Bar, Detroit's main vein...
posted by donpardo at 12:50 PM on March 6, 2006

The Beautiful South, "Song for Whoever":

Oh Shirley, Oh Deborah, Oh Julie, Oh Jane
I wrote so many songs about you
I forget your name (I forget your name)
Jennifer, Alison, Phillipa, Sue
Deborah, Annabel, too
I forget your name
Jennifer, Alison, Phillipa, Sue
Deborah, Annabel, too
I forget your name

Reunion, "Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)." The lyrics are a list of '50s and '60s disc jockeys and musicians.
posted by kirkaracha at 1:11 PM on March 6, 2006

"Done Too Soon" by Neil Diamond
posted by exceptinsects at 1:27 PM on March 6, 2006

BNL's "One Week" fits in this category about as well as some other suggestions here (that is, loosely). Pop culture references is the closest thing I can come to a central topic, though.
posted by tkolstee at 1:30 PM on March 6, 2006

Peggy Lee - Fever
Mylo - Destroy Rock'n'Roll
posted by kitschbitch at 1:32 PM on March 6, 2006

the GZA/Genius - Labels -- (lists record labels)

In a similar vein is GZA's sublimely excellent "Fame" (warning: shitty lyrics site) from Legend of the Liquid Sword, the lyrics of which go something like:

They was told not to ride in Patty's Hearse and stay out of Charles' Manson
Took Abraham's Lincoln through the Todd Bridges expansion
Willis Reids a map that marks the spot showin'
On his left George Burns a blunt William's Holden
Tyra Banked the money that Chaka Khaned the poor

&c.
posted by maxreax at 1:38 PM on March 6, 2006

Ian Dury's "Reasons To Be Cheerful, Part 3" almost fits your description, although the list is of people and things rather than just people.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 1:44 PM on March 6, 2006

Saul Williams - Coded Language. (Only 1 verse of about 50-60 names)
posted by subtle-t at 2:37 PM on March 6, 2006

B 52s - 52 girls
posted by Meatbomb at 4:43 PM on March 6, 2006

"Hello" by The Beloved

so welcome to the world, yeah...
all you late-comers, just step onboard
i'm happy, glad you came
so welcome home again!

sometimes i feel we must be going mad

hello peter, hello paul
saints and sinners, welcome all
tommy cannon and bobby ball
hello, hello, hello, hello

consider, if you will
this great big question, unanswered still
oh, can you spot the difference that lies between
the colour blue and the colour green?

sometimes i feel we must be going mad

little richard, little nell
willy wonka and william tell
salman rushdie and kym mazelle
hello, hello, hello, hello...

so welcome to the team
oh, have you worked it out yet?
yeah - the riddle, i mean
what's the answer?
it's plain to see - blue is blue and it always will be

sometimes i feel that the whole world's going mad

mork and mindy, brian hayes
barry humphries and paris grey
little neepsie, chris and do
hello, hello, hello, hello...

billy corkhill, vince hilaire
freddie flintstone, fred astaire
desmond tutu, steve and claire
hello, hello, hello, hello...

charlie parker, charlie brown
leslie crowther, come on down
mary wilson, di and flo
hello, hello, hello, hello...

sir bufton tufton, jean paul sartre
zippy, bungle, jeffrey archer
andre previn and the lso
hello, hello, hello, hello...

hello!
posted by OneOliveShort at 4:44 PM on March 6, 2006

Butthole Surfers - Pepper
posted by radioamy at 4:53 PM on March 6, 2006

You want "Endless Art" by nineties Irish band "A House"

All art is quite useless according to Oscar Wilde
Turner 1775 to 1851
Toulouse-Lautrec 1864 to 1901
Andy Warhol 1928 to 1987 RIP
Ernest Hemingway 1899 to 1961
George Orwell, Jimi Hendrix, William Butler Yates, Jack B. Yeats
Richard Redgrave 1804 to 1888
Henry Moore 1896 to 1986
Henry Miller, Sid Vicious only 21
Brian Jones
Otis Redding 1941 to 1967 RIP

All dead, yet still alive
In endless time, endless art

Masters of their arts
Claude Monet 1840 to 1926
Beethoven, Bach, Brahms
Elvis Presley 1935 to '77
Man Ray, Johnny Ray
John Donne 1573 to 1631
Alfred Lord Tennyson 1809 to '92
Degeneration art, Joan Miro, RIP
Jackson Pollack 1912 to 1956
John Lennon '40 to '80
Henry Lamb, Cezanne, Paul Gauguin, William Shakespeare
Brendan Behan 1923 to 1964
Tennessee Williams 1912 to 1983
Gerard Manley Hopkins 1844 to 1889
Pissaro, Picasso, Degas RIP

All dead, yet still alive
In endless time, endless art

Joseph Conrad 1857 to 1924
Jack Kerouac 1922 to 1969
Keith Moon 1946 to 1978
D. H. Lawrence, James Joyce, Mozart
Van Gogh 1853 to 1890
Ian Curtis, Salvador Dali, Johann Strauss, Richard Strauss, Walt Disney's
Mickey Mouse RIP

All dead, yet still alive
In endless time, endless art
posted by Decani at 5:00 PM on March 6, 2006

Two that list things/experiences but not, technically speaking, names (in the capitalize-the-first-letter, proper-noun sense):

Pearl Jam's "Wishlist" and Audioslave's "Doesn't Remind Me."
posted by Clay201 at 5:08 PM on March 6, 2006

Beastie Boys - To All The Girls
posted by cortex at 5:37 PM on March 6, 2006

I'm sure They Might Be Giants must have song that fits these criteria, no?

They tend to expand on a theme more than simply list things. Mammals is close, though.
posted by team lowkey at 7:47 PM on March 6, 2006

"Night Train" by James Brown
posted by dmo at 8:33 PM on March 6, 2006

High School USA by Tommy Facenda. There were actually 28 local versions listing high schools in various regions around the country.
posted by rsclark at 9:42 PM on March 6, 2006

I can't believe the thread has gone this long without these two:

"Scopes" by Bauhaus (wherein Peter Murphy shouts the names of various scopes -- telecope, periscope, etc.)

"Unseen Power of the Pickett Fence" by Pavement (Chronological recap of the important moments in R.E.M.'s history, including the tracklist of the Reckoning album)
posted by JekPorkins at 12:45 AM on March 7, 2006

The Divine Comedy - The Booklovers [the third song down], he lists a host of writers chronologically from Aphra Behn to Salman Rushdie and they each have a little quote.
posted by featherboa at 2:03 AM on March 7, 2006

The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny list a whole bunch of good guys and bad guys.
posted by ArsncHeart at 5:54 AM on March 7, 2006

"Shake A Tailfeather" - Ray Charles
posted by SisterHavana at 1:09 PM on March 7, 2006