List Song Titles That Are Really Shit Puns

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"Methodone Man" Fastball
"Bruise Pristine" Placebo
And a Morrissey double bill of "Roy's Keen" and "Alma Matters"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:26 (twenty years ago) link

Hella: Hold Your Horse Is

― Yancey (ystrickler), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:29 (twenty years ago) link

Campag Velocet, "To Lose La Trek". Actually a very underrated unit IMO

― dave q, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:29 (twenty years ago) link

I cant think of any, but let me say "Alma Matters" is really bad.

― David Allen, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:31 (twenty years ago) link

the locust

― Jonathan Williams (ex machina), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:34 (twenty years ago) link

every Osymyso track...and the majority of bootlegs :)

― blueski, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:40 (twenty years ago) link

Would stupid shit like "When 2 R in Love" count? Or is that just bad spelling? How about OU812?

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:41 (twenty years ago) link

The Fall's No Xmas For John Quays is my favourite.

Am I the only one that doesn't get the "Bruise Pristine" one?

― Baxter Wingnut (Baxter Wingnut), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:43 (twenty years ago) link

>Am I the only one that doesn't get the "Bruise Pristine" one?

I never thought about this before but im assuming hes getting at it being Bruce Springsteen. Sort of tangential id say

― Geoff, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:49 (twenty years ago) link

Would April Wine's "If You See Kay" count?

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:49 (twenty years ago) link

It not only counts, it wins.

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:52 (twenty years ago) link

Albums too:

Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins
Free Peace Sweet

― Mr Swygart (mrswygart), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:54 (twenty years ago) link

"Come, Staines."

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:55 (twenty years ago) link

Thankyou (Falettin me be Mice Elf again)

― Geoff, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 19:19 (twenty years ago) link

I've always quite liked Coldcut's "Last Night A Cliché Saved My Life". In fact I probably wouldn't usually call it "shit", but I felt compelled to mention it. And I don't know if this counts but it took ages for the title of Reynolds' "To Unwind To Unwound" to click in my brain and then I fell in love with it even more (rockist! especially since some of my original love was inspired by the fact the 7" has a lock-groove loop).

I'm sure there are loads more pun titles which I like, these things always amuse me. Then again I will admit that Clinic (eg Voodoo Wop) and Marble Valley's (C-Side, Triple E) puns are embarrassingly bad even though I like the bands.

I'd never thought of Bruise Pristine that way before: it is really really dreadful. I mean, it makes the old-fashioned NME pun headlines look clever and hilarious.

― Rebecca (reb), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 19:22 (twenty years ago) link

Public NME shirley ownZ0r the album category

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 19:26 (twenty years ago) link

"Ohm Sweet Ohm" - Kraftwerk

― jamesmichaelward, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 20:07 (twenty years ago) link

Didn't someone have a song called "Holes in our souls" or something ?

No Carter USM or Half Man Half Biscuit allowed on this list, obviously, for the sake of brevity !

― darren, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 20:28 (twenty years ago) link

"Tom Waits" - Anouk

― , Wednesday, 23 October 2002 20:29 (twenty years ago) link

and ted nugent song/album

"Full Bluntal Nugity" for example.

― Brock K. (Brock K.), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 20:40 (twenty years ago) link

Intensities in Ten Cities

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 21:13 (twenty years ago) link

Didn't someone have a song called "Holes in our souls" or something ?

"In The Valley Of Our Souls" was a Tony Ferrino song...

I like Teenage Fanclub's "Neil Jung" a lot.

I don't get The Fall's one tho - explain?

― Charlie (Charlie), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 22:18 (twenty years ago) link

"for unlawful carnal knowledge", less a pun than a not-the-joke-they thought it was acronym.

― mike (ro)bott, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 22:30 (twenty years ago) link

"Hole Hearted" by EXTREME!!

― Captain Sleep (Captain Sleep), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 22:39 (twenty years ago) link

OutKast's "Toilet Tisha" deserves some kind of award for bting a "shit pun"! (hah! get it! hah!)

― M Matos (M Matos), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 23:08 (twenty years ago) link

that's "being," duh

― M Matos (M Matos), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 23:08 (twenty years ago) link

Ok, just from my hard drive's mp3list alone we have: The Super Friendz - Everything Writes Itself (...in the end), Lambchop - The Petrified Florist, Lambchop - The Distance From Her To There, Death Cab For Cutie - The Face That Launched 1000 Shits, Long Pigs - The Frank Sonata, The Dears - Heartless Romantic, Those Bastard Souls - The Train From Terminal Boredom, Japan - I Second That Emotion (orig. Smokey Robinson), and The Clientele - Five Day Morning (at least I *think* this is a pun)

― Kim (Kim), Thursday, 24 October 2002 00:49 (twenty years ago) link

I don't get 'Bruise Pristine'. What's the pun?

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Thursday, 24 October 2002 00:54 (twenty years ago) link

Alastair Galbraith - "Warden Tie" and "Welfare Child". Oh and "Talisman" and actually the more I look at the tracklist for Talisman the more they ALL look like they might be puns, so I'll stop now.

― Poppy (poppy), Thursday, 24 October 2002 01:08 (twenty years ago) link

Nick Cave, "From Her to Eternity"

― j.lu (j.lu), Thursday, 24 October 2002 01:11 (twenty years ago) link

Can't believe nobody's mentioned Yerself Is Steam. Took me nearly 9 years to realise it was a pun, tho - ooops.

― Charlie (Charlie), Thursday, 24 October 2002 01:36 (twenty years ago) link

Aladdin Sane
The Ids Are Alright

― Underclocked, Thursday, 24 October 2002 03:14 (twenty years ago) link

I read an article about Soul Coughing once that said their name was a pun. ??

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 24 October 2002 03:16 (twenty years ago) link

Soul Coughing took their name from a poem M. Doughty wrote about Neil Young on the back of a tour bus.

M. Doughty is my favorite hack poet of all time.

― Famous Athlete, Thursday, 24 October 2002 04:06 (twenty years ago) link

The Church - "Constant In Opal"

― Chris Barrus (xibalba), Thursday, 24 October 2002 06:26 (twenty years ago) link

I don't get 'Bruise Pristine'. What's the pun?

Bruce Springsteen?

― Jez (Jez), Thursday, 24 October 2002 07:09 (twenty years ago) link

I don't get 'Bruise Pristine'. What's the pun?

Say "Bruise Pristine" in Brian Molko's nasal Americanised tones. Then realise it sounds exactly the same way as he'd pronounce a popular working class troubadour musician.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 24 October 2002 07:12 (twenty years ago) link

Charlie: Me too. D'oh!

Nurse With Wound: "I'm a Frayed Knot"

― OleM (OleM), Thursday, 24 October 2002 08:27 (twenty years ago) link

RTepublica: "From the Rush Hour with Love"

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, 24 October 2002 09:43 (twenty years ago) link

Mentally remove that T, please.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, 24 October 2002 10:35 (twenty years ago) link

Regarding Van Hale's lamentable 0U812, I'm reminded of Boston harcore band GangGreen's brilliant retort album:

I81B4U

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 24 October 2002 12:24 (twenty years ago) link

Seek entire Tenacious D. album.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Thursday, 24 October 2002 12:34 (twenty years ago) link

I always thought "Bruise Pristine" referred to "A Love Supreme" but in a neo-death-rock, masochist kind of way.

Also, the Sugarcubes released a video called "Live Zabor" - say it aloud.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 24 October 2002 15:13 (twenty years ago) link

Devil Lee Rot Hellscraper/A Little Devil Ain't Enough

― Siegbran (eofor), Thursday, 24 October 2002 15:17 (twenty years ago) link

'Bruise Pristine' as Bruce Springsteen? Nah! Why would a band like Placebo, with their rubbish and narrow aesthetic, be referencing Springsteen? I think it is a possibility that the title came from Molko's subconscious liking the rhythm of the familiar name (not a very interesting possibilty, I admit), but I don't believe it's a deliberate pun. If it is, then I agree it's not good.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Thursday, 24 October 2002 15:27 (twenty years ago) link

I differ from Eyeball Kicks on Placebo's worth, but I agree with him on the unlikelihood of that being a Springsteen reference...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 24 October 2002 15:59 (twenty years ago) link

Landscape "From the Tea rooms of Mars to the hell holes of Uranus"- the one that had "Einstein a-go-go" on it.
Momus "Marquis of sadness", "Hippopotamomus"
Les Ryhtmes Digitales "Jacques Your Body"

― darren, Thursday, 24 October 2002 18:51 (twenty years ago) link

Forgive me if these have been cited already,...and I know these are album titles but:

YOU CAN TUNE A PIANO BUT YOU CAN'T TUNA FISH - Reo Speedwagon
SHEIK YERBOUTI - Frank Zappa

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 24 October 2002 19:27 (twenty years ago) link

Mekons, "Garage d'or".

― Andrew Norman, Thursday, 24 October 2002 19:31 (twenty years ago) link

I don't get The Fall's one tho - explain?

When pronounced aloud, it sounds like "No Christmas for Junkies"

Robert Wyatt has a ton: "Ruth is Stranger than Richard", ""CP Jeebies", "Lisp Service", "Vandalusia" and 'The End of an Ear"

― JasonD, Thursday, 24 October 2002 21:07 (twenty years ago) link

"Shoot First, Ask Christian Slater" by Tom Morgan

(OCP to thread!)

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 24 October 2002 23:47 (twenty years ago) link

one year passes...

Not a song title, but "My Old Man's a Dustman" by Lonnie Donegan certainly must hold the all-time title of the largest number of bad puns in one single track.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 27 December 2003 14:11 (nineteen years ago) link

five months pass...

http://www.halfacow.com.au/label/artists/smudge/hac54.jpg

― wombatX (wombatX), Monday, 21 June 2004 02:44 (eighteen years ago) link

fastball. id forgotten. jesus.

― tom cleveland (tom cleveland), Monday, 21 June 2004 03:16 (eighteen years ago) link

http://www.banophernalia.com/kihn1989.jpg

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Monday, 21 June 2004 03:46 (eighteen years ago) link

Elvis Jackson "Ahh Soul"

― dave q, Monday, 21 June 2004 03:51 (eighteen years ago) link

"i'm the scatman," scatman john

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 21 June 2004 03:53 (eighteen years ago) link

doug mulray "you are soul"

― are 'friends' electricsound? (electricsound), Monday, 21 June 2004 03:54 (eighteen years ago) link

McCartney, "Helen Wheels"

― phil dennison, Monday, 21 June 2004 13:31 (eighteen years ago) link

badabadabadaba deedadadadadop dadadadadop

― peter smith (plsmith), Monday, 21 June 2004 13:36 (eighteen years ago) link

Brute Force - "The King of Fuh"

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 21 June 2004 13:43 (eighteen years ago) link

Rubber Soul

― Joseph McCombs, Monday, 21 June 2004 13:48 (eighteen years ago) link

there's a band in winnipeg that has a song called:

"the winter of my disco tent"

― ddd, Monday, 21 June 2004 15:56 (eighteen years ago) link

I know it's the name of an album, not a track, but I think "A Salt With A Deadly Pepper" deserves a mention.

― Jamie Fake (the pirate king), Monday, 21 June 2004 16:03 (eighteen years ago) link

They Might Be Giants have several. Off the top of my head:

"Cage and Aquarium" is a play on "Age of Aquarius." It's more obvious if you hear the entire chorus. ("This is the spawning of the cage and aquarium...")

"The World's Address." (They even call it a "sad pun" in the lyrics.)

"Stand On Your Own Head"

"We Want a Rock"

― martin m. (mushrush), Monday, 21 June 2004 16:15 (eighteen years ago) link

Butthole Surfers "To Parter"
aka "2 Part-er"

― sexyDancer, Monday, 21 June 2004 16:27 (eighteen years ago) link

I either don't get 95% of these, or they are not really "puns" as I understand the form.

― Neb Reyob (Ben Boyer), Monday, 21 June 2004 17:53 (eighteen years ago) link

boredoms-young assouls

― Felonious Drunk (Felcher), Monday, 21 June 2004 19:32 (eighteen years ago) link

pork recording artists to thread

― oops (Oops), Monday, 21 June 2004 19:42 (eighteen years ago) link

It was already mentioned upthread (ie. two years ago), but for nobody has ever topped Nugent's brilliant "Intensities In Ten Cities". (Title = circumstances of recording: Didn't think he was that smart, didja?)

I'll probably never get around to recording my solo LP, so any of you musically inclined ILXers, please feel free to steal my title: Pre-Madonna Prima Donna!

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 21 June 2004 20:19 (eighteen years ago) link

Perhaps not valid, but I've always enjoyed TISM's 'Jung Talent Time'

― Sasha (sgh), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 01:40 (eighteen years ago) link

"Ballot Bachs" - The Shades ('60s U.S. garage band--I actually like this title)

― Tim Ellison, Tuesday, 22 June 2004 02:08 (eighteen years ago) link

(ooh i love that song)

― are 'friends' electricsound? (electricsound), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 02:13 (eighteen years ago) link

"Given the Dog a Bone"
"Beatin' Around the Bush"
"Let Me Put My Love Into You"
"Sink The Pink"
Are these puns? It hardly matters.

― Chuck's Bike-O-Rama (calstars), Tuesday, 22 June 2004 02:18 (eighteen years ago) link

Aren't The Sea & Cake named after a song called The C In Cake?

― mzui, Tuesday, 22 June 2004 08:44 (eighteen years ago) link

six years pass...

This thread needs no explanation.

First nominee:

"Falling in Love (is Hard on the Knees)"

― San Te, Tuesday, 20 July 2010 01:46 (twelve years ago) link

UJ3Rk5

― iago g., Tuesday, 20 July 2010 01:52 (twelve years ago) link

Super Furry Animals - "Happiness Is a Worn Pun"

― Mr. Snrub, Tuesday, 20 July 2010 01:53 (twelve years ago) link

Since nobody mentioned "If You Seek Amy," I will.

Sorry.

― Fruitless and Pansy Free (Dr. Joseph A. Ofalt), Tuesday, 20 July 2010 02:02 (twelve years ago) link

"Hickory Dichotomy"

― gato busca pleitos (Eazy), Tuesday, 20 July 2010 02:05 (twelve years ago) link

Where's the thread for horrible visual puns inside a band's videos? Because I'd like to report "Why Can't I Be You?" by The Cure.

― Sean Carruthers, Tuesday, 20 July 2010 02:25 (twelve years ago) link

Nectarine Number Nine - A Sea With Three Stars
Cousteau - "Wish You Were Her"

― henry s, Tuesday, 20 July 2010 02:33 (twelve years ago) link

five years pass...

"Soft Offering (For the Oft Suffering)"

The parentheses of embarrassment. That's the opposite of the ellipsis of anticipation. It just depends how proud you are of the pun.

Less punny threads include.
Funniest song titles
What makes a "good" song title?
Songtitles referring to major news events
What is the greatest song with a comma in it's title?

― sbahnhof, Friday, 1 April 2016 23:03 (seven years ago) link

Joey Kline - "Pomp and Circus Pants"

― rhymes with "blondie blast" (cryptosicko), Saturday, 2 April 2016 01:00 (seven years ago) link

seven years pass...

Spotted in the landfill indie poll:

“Killamangiro” – Babyshambles

― Kim Kimberly, Saturday, 20 May 2023 19:01 (one week ago) link

this is the chorus

They killed a man for his giro today
Oh, wasn't very gay, I didn't mind
I wasn't money-mad anyway
They killed a man for his giro today

also they were called "babyshambles'

― the world is your octopus (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Saturday, 20 May 2023 19:19 (one week ago) link

Pete Doherty, the People's Poet.

― Maggot Bairn (Tom D.), Saturday, 20 May 2023 19:22 (one week ago) link

I know it's the name of an album, not a track, but I think "A Salt With A Deadly Pepper" deserves a mention.

today in things you were shockingly old when you learned

― slugbuggy, life has new meaning to me (breastcrawl), Saturday, 20 May 2023 20:18 (one week ago) link

Lol

― Cathy Berberian Begins at Home (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 20 May 2023 20:30 (one week ago) link

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