Rocking with tv.

July 3, 2008 12:42 PM

I'm looking for songs that reference television in the lyrics or the title that are relatively new (no music before 1980) for a mix. Blur's Coffee and TV and Arcade Fire's (Antichrist Television Blues) are on the list already. I'd like to get the hive mind's suggestions for others.
posted by psergio to media & arts (53 comments total)

The Mitchell Brothers, Alone With The TV
posted by JakeWalker at 12:44 PM on July 3

Television, the Drug of the Nation by the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy.
posted by Shepherd at 12:47 PM on July 3

Television by Mansun (1998)
posted by WPW at 12:48 PM on July 3

This'll probably save some time...
posted by Shepherd at 12:51 PM on July 3

So will this...
posted by Lemurrhea at 12:54 PM on July 3

57 Channels (And Nothin' On), Bruce Springsteen
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 12:55 PM on July 3

TV Party!

(iTunes link)
posted by mds35 at 12:56 PM on July 3

Love for Sale, Talking Heads

"I was born in a house with the television always on."
posted by Meatbomb at 12:56 PM on July 3

Money For Nothing by Dire Straits
posted by wabbittwax at 12:56 PM on July 3

Hard-Fi - Television
posted by sian at 12:56 PM on July 3

psergio,
Could you give more information about your mixtape ?
Is your theme more specific besides just mentioning television ? Negative critique ? Positive ?
what genres of music are you looking for ?

A brief look in my library shows:

Gil Scot-Heron - the revolution will not be televised [oh wait, that was 1974, but you might want it anyways]
The simpsons - tv sucks [from a fish called wanda episode] [on 'songs from springfield' - a simpsons album][the title line is said by bart].
Young black teenagers - my tv went black and white on me [well, their lyrics are so quick are mumbling, it's not easy to comprehend it] [hip-hop]

I may be able to find more if I can get a better idea of what you're looking for.
posted by fizzix at 12:58 PM on July 3

The best one of all" Kill Your Television, Ned's Atomic Dustbin.
posted by Ponderance at 12:58 PM on July 3

Television by Robyn Hitchcock
posted by picklefoot at 1:00 PM on July 3

Yes to Ned's Atomic Dustbin! I came in to post that. Also, "Television, Television" by OK Go.
posted by serialcomma at 1:01 PM on July 3

Weird Al had enough songs about TV to fill a compilation album.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 1:03 PM on July 3

Their big album, Marquee Moon, came out in 1977, but the band Television is totally frickin' awesome.

See also: every Weird Al album (some examples are compiled in The TV Album, which does not include later songs, such as Jerry Springer, Syndicated Inc., and Couch Potato).
posted by designbot at 1:04 PM on July 3

"Sunken Treasure" by Wilco, off Being There has a couple lines about passing houses with their TVs on and the blue color of their windows as a result.
posted by LionIndex at 1:07 PM on July 3

And while we're mentioning the Talking Heads, there's always "Television Man."
posted by anthom at 1:09 PM on July 3

My obligatory Paul Weller-related suggestions:

The Jam, Going Underground (1980): We talk and talk until my head explodes / I turn on the news and my body froze / The braying sheep on my TV screen / Make this boy shout, make this boy scream / I'm going underground...

The Style Council, Walls Come Tumbling Down (1985): The competition is a color TV / We're on still pause with the video machine / That keeps you slaves to the H.P.*
*H.P. = Houses of Parliament.
posted by scody at 1:13 PM on July 3

Vast - My TV and You
posted by slimepuppy at 1:14 PM on July 3

TV Addict Sex Maniac- Dirt Bike Annie
TVC-15 - David Bowie (Okay, before 1980, but so fucking good)
posted by kimdog at 1:15 PM on July 3

Jammin Me by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
posted by christinetheslp at 1:16 PM on July 3

It may be hard to find, but "Live on TV (You Can Watch Them Die)" by Montreal 80's band The Box is a great tune.
posted by rocket88 at 1:16 PM on July 3

Wilco - Kicking Television
posted by bah213 at 1:21 PM on July 3

just wanted to second Bowie's TVC-15, even if it's a couple of years before your cutoff date. I've been listening to it on an endless loop this week and I can't get over what an insanely great song it is.
posted by scody at 1:23 PM on July 3

Speaking of Wilco, they have an excellent track called "Kicking Television." (another itunes link)
posted by synaesthetichaze at 1:25 PM on July 3

Liz Phair - "Chopsticks"
I met him at a party and he told me how to drive him home
He said he liked to do it backwards
I said, "That's just fine with me,
That way we can fuck and watch TV.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:25 PM on July 3

The Frightened Rabbits' "Old Old Fashioned," in the first line: Turn off the TV/It's killing us, we never speak
posted by mattholomew at 1:33 PM on July 3

Blue Meanies, "Smash the Magnavox"
posted by equalpants at 1:35 PM on July 3

Okkervil River's "Plus Ones" off their latest album.
posted by minicloud at 1:43 PM on July 3

"Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles.

A classic, and of course the first video ever played on MTV.
posted by oddman at 1:50 PM on July 3

a couple of Ben Lee songs-

American Television
Household Name
posted by ascheele at 1:52 PM on July 3

I've Got My TV And My Pills - Julian Cope
posted by panboi at 1:54 PM on July 3

The Music Tapes, "The Television Tells Us".
posted by scruss at 1:54 PM on July 3

Basic Cable by Aesop Rock.
posted by dreadpiratesully at 2:02 PM on July 3

she watch channel zero !? - public enemy
posted by sergeant sandwich at 2:07 PM on July 3 [1 favorite]

Talking Heads - Found A Job - about a couple who solve all their problems by making a television show of their lives (this was written decades before reality TV).
posted by matildaben at 2:13 PM on July 3

A couple of Todd Snider songs briefly mention television: "Happy New Year" and "Ballad of the Kingsmen".
posted by backwards guitar at 2:25 PM on July 3

I'll add "Television," sung by Marshall Crenshaw on the Nick Lowe tribute album Labour of Love.

And, who can forget "(I'm a) TV Savage" on I Want Candy by Bow Wow Wow.
posted by Sculthorpe at 3:13 PM on July 3

Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Throw Away Your Television"
posted by theiconoclast31 at 3:28 PM on July 3

"TV Age" by Joe Jackson (1989)
posted by angiewriter at 3:31 PM on July 3

When Will You Come Home? - Galaxie 500
Watchin t.v. all alone / Watchin Kojak on my own
posted by K.P. at 3:36 PM on July 3

Dirty Laundry by Don Henley skewers TV news shows.
posted by MiamiDave at 3:44 PM on July 3

Ben Folds Five: One Angry Dwarf (not the best example, I admit) or Battle of Who Could Care Less (video)
posted by bah213 at 4:05 PM on July 3

Mecca Normal's Blue TV
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 5:00 PM on July 3

Rasputina: Watch TV
posted by thylacine at 5:13 PM on July 3

Black Flag - TV Party (Repo Man!)
Violent Femmes - I Hate The TV

(Personally, the former is better than the latter.)
posted by Mael Oui at 9:33 PM on July 3

Sorry, I forgot to consider time. Black Flag was 1982 (the movie Repo Man was 1984) and Violent Femmes was from.. post-1981, at least.
posted by Mael Oui at 9:44 PM on July 3

Boring The Children by The Futureheads.
posted by terrynutkins at 8:25 AM on July 4

Headlights - TV: Guitar-driven indie pop from 2006, under 3 minutes and perfect for mixes. (mp3)
posted by kyleg at 12:58 PM on July 4

Television Rules the Nation by Daft Punk!
posted by ifthe21stcentury at 7:06 AM on July 5

I actually hate that song, but Daft Punk incorporated it into their live sets last year to great effect, by combining it with Crescendolls (yet another iTunes link)... this version appears on their Alive 2007 live album.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 9:04 AM on July 5

Television by Bertie Blackman.
posted by indienial at 3:07 AM on July 6