Inexplicable Album Titles

    Quote from Liquid Len

    That’s like Houses Of The Holy by Led Zeppelin. Houses of the Holy was the title of their fifth album, but the song Houses of The Holy was on their sixth album, Physical Graffiti.

    Quote from IWishItWouldRainDown

    There's also Roxette's debut album Pearls of Passion with the same-titled song not included among the album's original tracklist, being only released at its time as a B-Side to one of the singles. 'Pearls of Passion' would only appear in the album 11 years later with the remastered edition.

    There's a similar scenario with the Doobie Brothers' album CYCLES. It was named after a song written by the bassist, Tiran Porter, that wasn't selected for the actual album. In fact he had so many songs rejected by the band over the years that it's a wonder he stayed with them as long as he did. He finally recorded the song "Cycles" for his solo album, and IMO it would have been a worthy inclusion on the CYCLES album if it had been properly recorded. (His solo version was very demo-like, with drum machine, etc.)


    Anyway, I was hoping to see more examples of album titles that are utterly, bizarrely disconnected from the albums themselves. So far I don't think anything has topped my own first example.

    “When the waitress asked if I wanted my pizza cut into four or eight slices, I said, ‘Four. I don’t think I can eat eight.’” -- Yogi Berra


    A soldier survived mustard gas in combat, and then pepper spray from the police. He's now a seasoned veteran.

    Edited once, last by DecomposingMan ().

    I don't think the title (or cover art) of REM's Automatic For The People has anything to do with the music, but that is probably because I just don't like it.


    How about Blonde On Blonde by Bob Dylan? Or some of the Pet Shop Boys titles. Very... very what? They tend to use pithy one word titles for their albums, but are they necessarily related to the music?

    Quote from FeelItComing

    I don't think the title (or cover art) of REM's Automatic For The People has anything to do with the music

    Although it was the slogan of a favourite food place of theirs, so it has a connection with the band but I'm not sure how much of a non-connection to album content qualifies suggestions for the thread.

    Abandon all reason

    Quote from thewatcher

    I've no idea why the Smashing Pumpkins first album is called Gish.

    Never mind Gish. What the shrieking pirouetting fuck were they thinking when they came up with "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness"? It's very likely the worst album title in the history of the universe. And I mean that. There are cultured, sophisticated species out there from whom we can learn so much. But they avoid us because of that album title. It's made us intergalactic pariahs.

    Abandon all reason

    Dookie by Green Day. One of my favorite all time bands, Green Day. But Dookie for an album name? Naming their breakout album after a steaming turd didn’t hurt them one bit and the album is stellar. Still don’t know what its significance is though.

    Quote from Backdrifter

    "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness"? It's very likely the worst album title in the history of the universe.

    2nd worst. First worst is Limp Bizkit's "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water."

    “When the waitress asked if I wanted my pizza cut into four or eight slices, I said, ‘Four. I don’t think I can eat eight.’” -- Yogi Berra


    A soldier survived mustard gas in combat, and then pepper spray from the police. He's now a seasoned veteran.

    Quote from Backdrifter

    Never mind Gish. What the shrieking pirouetting fuck were they thinking when they came up with "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness"? It's very likely the worst album title in the history of the universe. And I mean that. There are cultured, sophisticated species out there from whom we can learn so much. But they avoid us because of that album title. It's made us intergalactic pariahs.

    Hahaha. Yes, that and his marmite vocals are the obstacles that must be navigated to discover the bountiful riches and unexpected treasures that lie within.


    Thank you for posting Nad's album cover. Always brings a preposterously broad smile to my face!

    Quote from FeelItComing

    Or some of the Pet Shop Boys titles. Very... very what? They tend to use pithy one word titles for their albums, but are they necessarily related to the music?

    Because the album is very Pet Shop Boys? They always use one-word titles, sometimes it makes sense like "Pet Shop Boys, please." or "Pet Shop Boys, actually." Their latest album is called 'Nonetheless'. Open for interpretations. I recall an interview in which they talked about their album 'Super' and they said something like as simple as the title is, it was the end of a long creative brainstorming. I'm never sure when they cross the line from serious to ironic in their interviews.

    Quote from Schrottrocker

    Because the album is very Pet Shop Boys? They always use one-word titles, sometimes it makes sense like "Pet Shop Boys, please." or "Pet Shop Boys, actually." Their latest album is called 'Nonetheless'. Open for interpretations. I recall an interview in which they talked about their album 'Super' and they said something like as simple as the title is, it was the end of a long creative brainstorming. I'm never sure when they cross the line from serious to ironic in their interviews.

    Yes, I see. We are getting further & further away from titles being 'inexplicable' now! I don't think Melon Collie (Melancholy) etc is inexplicable, just bad.

    Quote from rkive

    Genesis- Foxtrot.


    I don't see what this has to do with Supper's Ready. :/

    Peter Gabriel said that the Fox is in some cultures symbolic of the Devil. It's to do with how each letter of the word corresponds to 6 in a number pattern thus FOX = 666 . I can't remember how it is supposed to work now but that it certainly the theory.

    Quote from Mr.Farmer

    It's to do with how each letter of the word corresponds to 6 in a number pattern thus FOX = 666 . I can't remember how it is supposed to work now but that it certainly the theory.

    🤣 Well I don't know about the theory, but it's certainly *A* theory.


    It sounds like the start of one of the convoluted "clues" in 3-2-1.

    Abandon all reason

    Quote from Backdrifter

    🤣 Well I don't know about the theory, but it's certainly *A* theory.


    It sounds like the start of one of the convoluted "clues" in 3-2-1.

    Yes Peter Gabriel at his cryptic best. It's on the boxed set interviews. Found it on YouTube here. 9 minutes 20 secs in.

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