Songs that are aware of themselves

go little record go
it is named by
some guy named joe
and the words
are the letters of the words
said
electrically played
for outer space and those of they who paid
this song is twice ocurred
and now its time to go
away on holiday.

Soft Machine - "Moon in June"
"Just before we go on to the next part of our song
Let's all make sure we've got the time"

Also: King Crimson "Happy with What You Have to Be Happy With"

And are we going to count all of the songs that start out with someone saying "This one is for all the [ladies/guys/whathaveyou]"?

This is a love song to John and Leisha's mother /
This isn't easy I might not write another

He says at the start that he's listening to a familiar song on the radio, and then later on that he's 'hiding in his music' so the big swelling notes that follow are like the dream he has when he 'closes his eyes and he drifts away.' And it's 'More Than a feeling' because it's a feeling manifested in the actuality of the song. And if you think it's pretentious that he says 'hide in my music' well you have to suspend that idea.

have no doubt, Marcello: "Feel" is rivalling "Strong" in my mental chamber of horrors. hearing the album might reduce me to a floating skull off Chesil Beach.

Shame on us.

Now I've heard there was a secret chord
that David played and it pleased the Lord,
but you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this: the fourth, the fifth
the minor fall, the major lift;
the baffled king composing Hallelujah!

And "The Fear" as well - "And the chorus goes like this" - not Jarvis's finest lyrical hour, admittedly, but it's there.

"Why do I find it hard to write the next line..."

rather, cherchez la ghost

The Monkees: Pleasant Valley Sunday

"The local rock group down the street is trying hard to learn this song"

That is such an underrated line.

which is the worst, as he keeps going SAYING THAT!!!

(Spandau Ballet, True, for the USA bods)

Mekons: Empire of the Senseless

"They took away our films and tapes and notebooks but it's OK, we self-censored this song. But these lines are all individuals! And there's no such thing as this song."

"This song promotes homosexuality. It's in a pretended family relationship with the others on this record. And on the charts and on the jukebox. And in the radio."

That is such an underrated song.

Were You There for that Session

This Is a Song that Only Has One Chord

Watering Down the Legacy

"I think I saw you in an ice-cream parlour,
drinking milk shakes cold and long
Smiling and waving and looking so fine,
don't think you knew you were in this song..."

David Bowie, 5 Years. But Borrowed Tune comes a close 2nd.

Billy Bragg – New England
I was 21 years when I wrote this song, I’m 22 now but won’t be for long
Nicked from Paul Simon: Leaves That Are Green

Second verse,
Same as th first,
Judy Is Punk - Ramones
Nicked from Herman's Hermits (et al): I'm Henry The Eighth I Am

- True to the Game, Ice Cube

I think this song was top 5 in the USA too.

How does it feel?
Your night light, your curling iron
Lit up by the sweat of others,
For many's the day
But not from November to May

The floor is littered
With woodchips and apple cores
And hulls (holes?) of acorns
There is a chattering sound

Because they were squirrels; real squirrels.
(And there were thousands)
This isn't some kind of metaphor,
Goddamn, this is real

Oh I love her, and I just can't live without her
And I've got the urge to tell the world about her
But our love's a secret and can't see the light of day
But I went and wrote this love song anyway
Her name is [twang]
Her eyes are [twang]
Her hair is just like [twang]
And she measures [twang]
Oh someday, I'll fill in the lines when she and I are free
And we'll walk in the sunshine, [twang] and me

Still fitting (I think) but less awesome, though not by much:

1. "Another Irish Drinking Song," DaVinci's Notebook,
2. "Title of the Song," DVN,
3. "Meaningless Songs In Very High Voices" by Hee Bee Gee Bees, once they sing "The world is very very big and bacon comes from a pig but it's you I really want on my plate,"
4. "The Most Offensive Song Ever" from Kenny and Mr Hankey ("'Cause you can *mmph mmph mmph mmph* and still be a virgin, Mary!"), 5. "Silly Love Songs," Wings, and
6. "That's Evolution!" by Wally Pleasant ("Jesse Pickerel[sp?], why don't you just take it away! [musical interlude] Oh, Jesse, give it back!")

So, "Sunny Days" by Lighthouse: "it was four in the afternoon when I wrote this tune."

This is the song against itself
It's of two minds of its own
The discussion brough to logical conclusion
It follows through
But is not true

We'll just write a song against itself
Why do you act like you don't know
What in the world i'm talking about?
It follows through
You have no clue

another from john hartford:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBZFebgYU_I

Love a tune that boasts about repeating the first verse, eg:

Violent Femmes - Prove My Love / The Ramones - Judy is a Punk / Herman’s Hermits - I’m Henry the VII I am

^otm

You criticize our method of how we make records
You said it wasn't art, so now we're gonna rip you apart
Stop, check it out my man
This is the music of a hip-hop band
Jazz, well you can call it that
But this jazz retains a new format
Point, where you misjudged us
Speculated, created a fuss
You've made the same mistake politicians have
Talkin' all that jazz

#onethread

Radio stations I question their blackness, they call themselves black, but we'll see if they'll play this

Smudge - I Don’t Want To Be Grant McLennan