Song titles with parentheses (that should absolutely not have them)

[HueyRamone]

Twisted Sister - Wake Up (The Sleeping Giant)
Not one person in the universe, including the band, has ever called this song just "Wake Up".

BOC - (Don't Fear) The Reaper - It's only four goddamn words, i think you could just have the whole thing unparenthesized.

Stranglers - (Get A) Grip (On Yourself) - That's a bit much, isnt it?

Rolling Stones - Do Do Do Do Do Do Do (Heartbreaker) - Just call it Heartbreaker, assholes. The lyrics are a bit rough for it to be titled Doo do doo anyway...

[LitaStrauss]

Metallica - Welcome Home (Sanitarium). I've never heard a single person refer to this song as Welcome Home. "I hope Metallica plays Welcome Home" is a sentence that's never been said. It's just Sanitarium.

Extreme has a few like:
It ('s A Monster) - never even understood that one

Van Halen - Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do) seems unnecessary too.

[Brainy Lane]

(I can’t live without your) Love and Affection
Nelson.

[GoodJudge]

Stranglers - (Get A) Grip (On Yourself) - That's a bit much, isnt it?

I'll see that and raise you The Jesus Lizard - (Fly) On (The Wall)

[Hairball]

Who started the parentheses trend?

(What's) the earliest example you saw?

[Tommy]

Most of them. Always found it annoying.

[Sleek]

Dude, how could you not mention: Animal (F**k Like a Beast)

[HueyRamone]

Dude, how could you not mention: Animal (F**k Like a Beast)

I dont actually find that one to be bad. It's called Animal, and that's in the chorus, but most people would remember for it going all quiet when he screams "I fuck like a beast!"

Sorta like Metal Health (Bang Your Head) ... or as it was known in some instances as Bang Your Head (Metal Health)

[HueyRamone]

Stranglers - (Get A) Grip (On Yourself) - That's a bit much, isnt it?

I'll see that and raise you The Jesus Lizard - (Fly) On (The Wall)

Oh yeah. On is a fucking banger!

[DemonFilth2001]

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) - Journey

Who calls it anything BUT Separate Ways?

[GreatWhiteSnake]

It's all just pretentious songwriting license to try to make rockers feel like actual artists...

[Neil Diamond Dave]

Dude, how could you not mention: Animal (F**k Like a Beast)

Blackie has a few of these dumb things - I raise you: Sleeping (In The Fire).

[Sleek]

Dude, how could you not mention: Animal (F**k Like a Beast)

I dont actually find that one to be bad. It's called Animal, and that's in the chorus, but most people would remember for it going all quiet when he screams "I fuck like a beast!"

Sorta like Metal Health (Bang Your Head) ... or as it was known in some instances as Bang Your Head (Metal Health)

But I mean, how does that shit work? Like, everbody I know calls that son FUCK LIKE A BEAST so what good does the "Animal" part do?


For that matter, I don't think I ever heard anybody call Metal Health "Bang your head", so in both cases, the word NOT in parentheses seems irrelevant.

Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (Everybody Must Get Stoned) makes sense, because nobody would know the song by its title and the parenthetical text is helpful. If it was Everybody (must get stoned) it would be worthless.

I am not down with partial song titles that use parentheses to give you the rest of the song's name. Not down with it at all. That's just a copout. "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" should just fucking be called: "Just dropped In to see what condition my condition was In"

[Kid-Wicked]

there must be a handful of meat loaf tunes

[BernieTaupson]

Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) which makes no sense at all. If it was Isn’t It Good (Norwegian Wood) that would at least make sense. No one on earth would refer to that song as This Bird Has Flown, it’s not even in the lyric. It’s had in the lyric and has in the title.

Thin Lizzy : Dancing In The Moonlight (It’s Caught Me In Its Spotlight), to differentiate between the old song which was a hit in the 70s - and again in the 90s.

[BernieTaupson]

there must be a handful of meat loaf tunes

(But I Won’t Parenthesise That)

[HueyRamone]

I am not down with partial song titles that use parentheses to give you the rest of the song's name. Not down with it at all. That's just a copout. "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" should just fucking be called: "Just dropped In to see what condition my condition was In"

Fully agree. Whats wrong with a nice long title. Cool song too, by the Gambler!

For that matter, I don't think I ever heard anybody call Metal Health "Bang your head", so in both cases, the word NOT in parentheses seems irrelevant.

This is to sell records. If a kid hears it on the radio and wants to buy it, all he knows is they said "Bang Your head" a lot. He wouldnt get that it's called metal health cause they said it once in the song. By doing that, they get the sale when he walks into the store and sees it/requests it. And even then, they switched it around to help the kids out.



vs

[HueyRamone]

And here's a graphic designer who just up and said "Fuck Yo Parentheses".

[War_in_D]

One half of Shania Twain's catalogue.

[Psychobolia.com]

Eminem: Guilty Conscience (featuring Dr. Dre).

People generally refer to this song as Guilty Conscience.

[WentEast]

Mr. Bungle have a catchy little song on their Bowel of Chiley demo simply titled ( )

https://youtu.be/KNQhyXhNr_4?si=lOVre14ZJa7Rs8v2

[WentEast]

Mr. Bungle have a catchy little song on their Bowel of Chiley demo simply titled ( )

https://youtu.be/KNQhyXhNr_4?si=lOVre14ZJa7Rs8v2

Sorry for the double tap

[Love_Industry]

Rainbow: The Shed (Subtle). WTF is that about? Neither part of the title has anything to do with the lyrics.

Maybe they thought it would be too cliché to call it "Street Walkin'" but the title makes zero sense. Great song BTW.

[Mister Freeze]

One half of Shania Twain's catalogue.

She's the queen of unnecessary parentheses (and unnecessary exclamation points!)

Home Ain't Where His Heart Is (Anymore)

(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!

The Woman in Me (Needs the Man in You)

I'm Holdin' On to Love (To Save My Life)

Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)

(Wanna Get to Know You) That Good!

Thank You Baby! (For Makin' Someday Come So Soon)

I'm Not in the Mood (To Say No)!

[BernieTaupson]

In My Car (I'll Be the Driver)"

[Love_Industry]

Just remembered the Heart tune is called "Will You Be There (In the Morning)". Why?

[Ol' Dirty Bastard]

Deftones fucking loved this

Change (In the House of Flies)
Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)
My Own Summer (Shove It)
Back to School (Mini Maggot)

And these were all their hit singles too

[HueyRamone]

Guns N Roses have some stupid ones.

Pretty Tied Up (The Perils of Rock N' Roll Decadence) - Just why is the second part needed at all
Locomotive (Complicity) - the second word is just there for pretentiousness.

[Michael Hotts Ghost]

Animal (Fuck Like A Beast) kind of makes sense ... to have a PG way to refer to the song.

[BernieTaupson]

Sabbath “Am I Going Insane (Radio)” is a good one. Everyone thought it was a radio edit or something, but it’s an abbreviation for radio rental which is British Cockney rhyming slang for mental.