Self-titled albums are one thing. But when a band names one of its songs after itself — or, alternately, when a band names itself after one of its songs — it’s a pretty big deal. The song itself comes off looking something like a mission statement, an encapsulation of everything that the band means. When Bad Company names a song “Bad Company,” they want you to know that this song is what they’re all about.
Not too many bands have been brave enough to attempt this trick throughout history. For some reason, a lot of the bands who did attempt it were either metal or hardcore. We’ve collected 20 of them below, and some of them are pretty great. We’ve weeded out all the songs that are only partially named after the groups, which means we’ve weeded out some more pretty great songs. Honorable mentions include Queen’s “Killer Queen,” the Clash’s “This Is Radio Clash,” Big Country’s “In A Big Country,” the Stray Cats’ “Stray Cat Strut,” Das-EFX’s “They Want EFX,” Nas’s “Nas Is Like,” Refused’s “Refused Are Fucking Dead,” Wilco’s “Wilco (The Song),” and of course the Monkees’ “(Theme From) The Monkees.”
Check out our selections and stream the songs below. And in the comments section, let us know what we forgot.
1. Atari Teenage Riot – “Atari Teenage Riot” (1993)
2. Bad Company – “Bad Company” (1974)
3. Bad Religion – “Bad Religion” (1981)
4. Belle & Sebastian – “Belle & Sebastian” (1997)
5. Black Sabbath – “Black Sabbath” (1970)
6. Body Count – “Body Count” (1992)
7. Damn Yankees – “Damn Yankees” (1990)
8. Green Day – “Green Day” (1990)
9. Icehouse – “Icehouse (1980)
10. Iron Maiden – “Iron Maiden” (1980)
11. Kool & The Gang – “Kool & The Gang” (1969)
12. Meat Puppets – “Meat Puppets” (1982)
13. Minor Threat – “Minor Threat” (1981)
14. Motörhead – “Motörhead” (1975) *
15. Pennywise – “Pennywise” (1991)
16. Porno For Pyros – “Porno For Pyros” (1993)
17. Talk Talk – “Talk Talk” (1982)
18. They Might Be Giants – “They Might Be Giants” (1989)
19. Titus Andronicus – “Titus Andronicus” (2008)
20. Youth Of Today – “Youth Of Today” (1986)
* “Motörhead” gets an asterisk because it’s a cover, after a fashion. Before Lemmy founded Motörhead, he was a member of Hawkwind, and Hawkwind’s song “Motörhead” is what gave Lemmy’s new band its name. Also, I couldn’t find versions of “New Kids On The Block” by New Kids On The Block or “Judas Priest” by Judas Priest on YouTube. And that’s a live version of “Meat Puppets” and a demo version of “They Might Be Giants.” Rare misses, YouTube.
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Wilco- “Wilco (the song)”
“We’ve weeded out all the songs that are only partially named after the groups… Honorable mentions include… Wilco’s “Wilco (The Song).”
Sly and the Family Stone
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
Spacehog
I would argue that “Wilco (the song)” is the best song ever about being a song called “Wilco (the song)” by Wilco (the band)
from Wilco (The album)
Crystal Stilts- Crystal Stilts
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I feel your pain…I hate it when we get extra, interesting content.
The comments section is the main appeal of stereogum to me. If you are only interested in news I would say a site like Pitchfork might be better for you. Or you could just not click on links that don’t interest you and only click on the ones that do.
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you…..you don’t know how music blogs work, do you?
Blogs = Comments = News. Michael I don’t think you know how blogs work. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to go watch the Comment Blog, CNN.
Dude, go hang out in turntable and see how many people stay in your room.
Hey Ddogunit –
I hear you! These lists are supposed to be fun — and people do seem to enjoy thinking of examples of whatever the topic is. (Perhaps we could all hang out at Union Pool and play music nerd games there, but instead we’re doing it here). We post them in addition to all the news that we normally post, something won’t fall through the cracks because of it. So feel free to skip over them.
Obvious troll is obvious.
I gave him an ironic thumbs up
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welcome to the comment circle jerk, glad you could make it
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Being a deliberate asshole makes nobody ever want to participate in a genuine dialogue with you about anything or ever take you seriously.
I may have been a huge dick with that comment. I guess I’m looking for a dumb discussion. As always.
The more I think about it, I need to stop commenting whenever someone makes a comment about why something sucks. I can never help myself. I truly don’t understand why people insist on unconstructively bitching about a post or letting everyone know how boring it is rather than just ignoring it and moving onto something else, but it’s not like I’m going to get an answer so what’s the point.
Well, for one, it cures boredom.
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Fair, I disagree both with your presentation and content because you don’t write for this blog, and you don’t seem to like it, so I guess to reiterate what plb102 wrote, you are criticizing, nonconstructively, the content of a blog, and you’re doing in the comment section, which will accomplish nothing. If you want the content to change, then 1) write a blog yourself with content you like or 2) email any of the site’s editors with suggestions. otherwise, participate in the conversation or don’t. But bitching about a site in the comment section is like being a Liberal frequenting a Conservative newsfeed, and constantly berating the bias and subjects of articles. Nobody cares. Or to use a different analogy, it’s like you hate milk, and you keep drinking milk and then telling people at the table “fuck I hate this milk, it tastes gross this milk could be so much different” but you keep drinking the goddamn milk. Every morning, the same milk, and the same complaint. DRINK SOMETHING ELSE.
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honest question, do the newer features like this one come at the expense of news and new music or are they in addition to them?
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Re reading your initial comment, I guess you didn’t really imply that. It’s just that to me, that would be the only valid reason to bitch. If you really need everyone to know how much you think this feature sucks I suppose that is fine, but it seems like a huge waste of energy as opposed to just skipping the features you don’t like. I would say that at least you will probably make it into the worst comments of the week, but you probably think that feature is terrible too.
“The old lucky charms had rainbows and horseshoes, but what are these new moons and hearts, these marshmallows are bullshit!”
If this was a pizza you ordered, then I would say obviously ‘Hey, you ordered no olives, and they keep putting some olives on your pizza and that is annoying, for sure.’
But you didn’t order this pizza. It’s a free pizza. Sure they make money off the site! The authors get paid, of course. But you the consumer, you pay nothing but the time your eyes maybe dance around the page and land on advertising. That’s the cost to you. It’s not a high cost. Certainly not high enough to warrant the level of frustration and anger that there are a few olives on your basically free pizza.
If you find yourself saying “Well I may be being a dick about this” then you’re being a dick about it. Guess what? Nobody likes it when you’re a dick about stuff. Seriously, you admit to being a dick and then you’re surprised about the result? What on earth?
So if you’re kind and reasonable about it, that would be welcome. If you were like “Hey guys, look, I’m just wondering about the toppings on this totally free pizza…do we really need olives?” then that would be fine. But your tone is completely insane. “FUCKING OLIVES ON MY FREE PIZZA” is what it sounds like sometimes.
Here is a very recent example of someone making a comment that sparked genuine discussion about a feature on Stereogum that doesn’t come of like the person is entitled to something they don’t pay for.
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ddogdunit, when it comes down to it I do agree that you can react to a post any way you want and you’ve already admitted to being a huge dick so I suppose we HAVE reached some level of understanding
You forgot the list the week’s best/worst comments list. I’m sure this will be featured on the latter part.
The Thermals – Everything Thermals
and i don’t know if it counts
James Mercer’s old band Flake Music had a track called “the Shins”
Jesu did the Motörhead thing too – Justin named it after a Godflesh song.
Also any Atari Teenage Riot song could be in their spot because they are never not mentioning their own name in their stuff
Slowdive
Kill Hannah – “Kill Hannah”
…late-90′s when they were at their best
Yo La Tengo- The Story of Yo La Tengo
big country by big country is a pretty good song….
that is a pretty good song
This one’s not exact but close enough for government work.
I’m From Barcelona – “We’re From Barcelona”
Built to Spill!
Read my mind.
Bob Dylan- “Bob Dylan’s blues”, “Bob Dylan’s dream”?
list is worthless without “new kids on the block” by new kids on the block!
Warpaint – “Warpaint”
One Day As A Lion – “One Day As A Lion”
Night Ranger – “Night Ranger”
O.C. Supertones – “O.C. Supertones”? Nah? Okay.
I love this list for having They Might Be Giants on it.
The song They Might Be Giants was on the album They Might Be Giants, which was released in 1986. The demo posted was from 1985.
“Are You Jimmy Ray?” by Jimmy Ray ;)
Oh, that song! Is it me, or was that song all over the radio and TV for like a week before disappearing without a trace?
ICEHOUSE was an Australian band actually originally called FLOWERS — their first 3 albums came out under the name Flowers, the third of which, in 1980, was the album ICEHOUSE, which broke them (in Australia). In 1981 they had to change their name due to some Scottish band named The Flowers, and they chose to rename themselves Icehouse. So in this case the band, 4 years in the making, named themselves after what they thought best represented their music. Tell me, what could they do, Electric Blue?
Exactly. The band was named after the song/album, not the other way round.
aias: aias
veronica falls: veronica falls
thumbs up for username
The Death Set- MFDS. Which, as the song makes immediately apparent, stands for “Mother Fucking Death Set”
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – Inside the World of the Blues Explosion
kinda surprised it took this long to get them a mention, since it seemed for a while there that Jon Spencer his own self was liable to ejaculate “Blues Explosion!” in the middle of just about every song they recorded.
Renegade Soundwave – Renegade Soundwave
Anyone know if Joy Division wrote Warsaw while their name was still Warsaw?
yep, this is so
Los Campesinos! – Death to Los Campesinos! :P
Other honorable mentions: Bob Dylan’s “Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream” (and all other similarly titled Dylan songs). Also Destroyer’s “Destroyer’s the Temple,” and “Saddestroyer,” and while we’re on the Bejar thing there’s also “Ballad of a Swan Lake (Or, Daniel’s Song)” by Swan Lake, which really should count for two. Really, if one were to make a “most references to self within a song by a non-rapper” list, Dan Bejar would be tough to beat.
Family of God – Family of God
“Blackfield” by Blackfield. It was even released on the album Blackfield.
“Living In A Box” by, er, Living In A Box, a top 20 hit in 1987. How soon we forget.
Aaargh… I had forgotten and now it’s back in my head for another decade I guess. Thumbs down for you, my friend.
“They Might Be Giants” is awesome because it wasn’t on TMBG’s self titled album.
There’s a band (they broke up) called Congratulations on Your Decision to Become a Pilot with a song called “Congratulations on Your Decision to Become a Pilot” from the album (you guessed it) Congratulations on Your Decision to Become a Pilot. It’s actually pretty good if you can track it down.
I guess it doesn’t really count, but “The Court of the Crimson King” by King Crimson? Bad ass tune.
What about longer titles that contain the band name? Then I’d add:
Mogwai – Mogwai Fear Satan
Handsome Furs – Handsome Furs Hate This City
Both were on their debut after all.
Also:
No Joy
Summer Camp
Fear Before – The State Of Texas Vs. Fear Before
SLOWDIVE!!
The Great Arcade Fire by Arcade Fire?
It’s actually awfully mediocre but people don’t realize it exists.
Also Who’s Afraid of the Art of Noise? by the Art of Noise,
Lady and Bird — La Ballade Of Lady & Bird
Rammstein — Rammstein
And I’m not sure if it counts because it’s only an intro, but IAMX — I am X
aaaaaaaaw shit! Body Counts in the house!
madder rose – madder rose! TWEE. AS. FUCK.
Slightly less related, Radiohead got their name from an absolutely wretched song from the Talking Heads, Radio Head. Which presents the possibility that Radiohead may have a thing for heads. Also contributing to this possibility are Scatter”brain”, Inside My “Head”, The “Head”master Ritual (Smiths Cover), and Melatonin (can be used as a preventive treatment for “head”aches and migraines). Therefore, sufficient evidence has been presented that craniums have had a major influence on the music of the legendary band Radiohead.
Eleven letters in KING OF LIMBS, TALKING HEADS CHRONOLOGY DVD released TWO-THOUSAND ELEVEN.
=======KING OF LIMBS pt. II
Code cracked. You’re welcome.
Ramones – R.A.M.O.N.E.S.
“Mister Heavenly” by Mister Heavenly
Ice Ice Baby
What about, The Blackouts– The Living Blue….Awesome Band..
I know its a band that changed its name from there own song title ..almost the same;’;';
“Iron Maiden” – Iron Maiden, off of the album ‘Iron Maiden’.
Black Sabbath pulled off that triple as well
Overkill
Infectious Grooves
The fact that you didn’t mention either of these makes me a little sad (and by “you” I mean everyone, not just tom.)
Okkervil River – Okkervil River Song
The Butthole Surfers say hi.
The Wooden Sky
“Grinderman,” by Grinderman, off the album Grinderman.
bob hund
ALL ABOARD THE LAG WAGON! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egnY43KGSDc
Warpaint – Warpaint
I remember thinking it was weird that Black Sabbath had a song titled “Black Sabbath” way back in the early music listening days of my youth. Then I grew up and understood things like lyrics and ass-kicking and all that changed.
I’m amazed at how this phenomenon spans from great bands to really shitty bands.
A related topic would be “Bands who reference their own band name frequently.” The Hold Steady comes to mind. Possibly Metalica as well since James Hetfield wore Metallica shirts on stage, which is so lame that it circles back on itself and is awesome?
“Free Energy” – Free Energy
How the hell could they leave out “The Beatles” by The Beatles?
OK…I’ll get me coat
Beastie Boys – “Beastie Boys” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc9299vZrkU
Arguably not their finest moment.
No R.A.M.O.N.E.S. by “The Ramones?”
How about “Young Dreams” by Young Dreams”?
The band Great Big Sea’s first album, Great Big Sea, has their first track named Great Big Sea.
“Right Away, Great Captain!” by Andy Hull’s Right Away, Great Captain! side-project.
Tin Machine by Tin Machine from Tin Machine in 1989.
No “Middle Brother” by Middle Brother? This is an outrage.
Anyone heard of Elias MacDaniel?
Just because he is a single artist, his first single being left out of this list is really an outrage!!!
For all who aren’t familiar with the name:
I’m talking about “Bo Diddley” (1955) by Bo Diddley!
oh, and what about Minor Threat?
ohh, that’s in …
Built to Spill – Built to Spill
Halo Benders – Halo Benders
Sigur Ros – Sigur Ros
Treepeople – Treepeople
gorilla biscuits
negative fx
Broken Social Scene did a song called “KC Accidental”, and seeing as how the band was features both the K and C of KC Accidental…
Where’s “The Wooden Sky” by The Wooden Sky? Trust me, it’s brilliant.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgMqwAZJCfo
“The Greatest Band in the History of Anything, Ever” – 311
(I know it’s not technically the same name, but I think it should count)
Great thread! I’ve got one…
Anthrax – “Anthrax” off of Fistful of Metal
Madrugada – Madrugada.
Great song.
In fact, I just said “Great song” because I just felt like I should add that. I’m now listening to the song and I realise it is in fact better than I remember. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3cYCmooxAM
Warpaint – Warpaint ?
I hate to be the one to mention this, but “Color Me Badd” by Color Me Badd.” *sigh*
La Düsseldorf by La Düsseldorf from the album La Düsseldorf.
NIGHT RANGER BY NIGHT RANGER