Dec 212010
 

Here’s an obsessive task we might be suited to complete for the rock nerd community at large: Can we complete a rock ‘n roll timeline in song titles, beginning from 1954 (ie, the release of Elvis Presley’s “That’s All Right” b/w “Blue Moon of Kentucky”)? In other words, how many song titles including a specific year from 1954 to now can we list?

We’re talking songs with a year from 1954 to the present right in the title, not buried in the lyrics. There’s no credit for song titles with years already cited, but you can feel good about yourself for providing an additional option for whatever use future rock nerds might have.

Partial credit will be given to song titles specifying a particular decade from the 1950s to our present decade.

Townspeople will be welcome to revisit this thread in the year 2525 to gain credit for a song title that is not eligible today.

Filling in rock ‘n roll songs with titles involving dates from 1954 to even 2000 is likely an impossible task, but how many times have you heard that before?

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  109 Responses to “A Rock ‘n Roll Timeline in Song Titles”

  1. misterioso

    Can I just say, first, that that’s about what I always figured Zager and Evans looked like?

  2. Of course you can say that!

  3. mockcarr

    1985 by Paul McCartney and Wings

  4. mockcarr

    A couple of em by the Stooges 1969 and 1970.

  5. Indeed! I should have mentioned: in the interest of sharing the nerdiness, we should try to limit ourselves to one date-based song title per comment.

  6. misterioso

    I think I just did.

  7. mockcarr

    December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night) – The Four Seasons

  8. misterioso

    Bob Dylan, “I’m Not There (1956).”

  9. misterioso

    Jimi Hendrix, “1983 (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)”

  10. mockcarr

    1999 by Prince

  11. BigSteve

    1977, the B-side to The Clash’s White Riot.

  12. misterioso

    David Bowie, “1984.”

  13. “Disco 2000” by Pulp

  14. BigSteve

    It’s just outside the arbitrary endpoints of this survey, but 1952 Vincent Black Lightning by Richard Thompson.

  15. misterioso

    Robyn Hitchcock, “1974.”

  16. BigSteve

    1985, Manic Street Preachers

  17. misterioso

    James Brown, “Think ’73.”

  18. BigSteve

    2001, Gilberto Gil

  19. We’ll allow this as long as someone can cite a songs with 1953-1955 in the title.

  20. 1979 smashing pupkins

  21. Early 1970 by Ringo Starr and 1959 by Patti Smith. Also, I Wish It Could be 1965 Again by the Barracudas.

  22. Great ones, Frank, and welcome to the fray!

  23. cherguevara

    I’m not proud, but 1971 by James Blunt.

  24. misterioso

    The Rutles, “Back in ’64.”

  25. mockcarr

    I don’t think we can go back to 1921 by the Who.

  26. No, and the first Townsperson who tries to slip in that mining disaster song by The Bee Gees will feel the sharp talons of The Eagle!

  27. mockcarr

    Against The 70’s by Mike Watt

  28. alexmagic

    Blur – “1992”

  29. “April 29, 1992 (Miami)” by Sublime – a band that I surprisingly do not hate.

  30. If I may weigh in again, Saturday Mornings in 1962 by Rickie Lee Jones and the Stones’ 2000 Man.

  31. plasticsun

    1975 by Gene Clark

  32. Keep ’em coming, Frank. You and fellow Townspeople are off to a fantastic start at completing this once-thought impossible task!

  33. misterioso

    James Brown, “Sex Machine ’76”

  34. misterioso

    I’m enjoying the fact that perhaps the most obvious one, by a diminutive Minnesotan partial to purple, has not been used yet.

  35. I was going to post it, but then I held off in hopes of packaging it with date-citing songs by ELO and ZZ Top.

  36. THIS is a bad trend: citing the cheapo [Insert Year] remix edition. However, since the rules did not state anything against it and since it may be the only way we can complete this task I will allow it. Well played, misterioso!

  37. mockcarr

    If it’s 1999, I responded to something else with it earlier.

  38. The Beach Boys — Disney Girls (1957)

    This is sometimes listed as only Disney Girls, but I think they listed it the right way on Surf’s Up.

  39. misterioso

    Thus totally ruining the chance for a discussion of the great, great Bryan “Summer of ’69” Adams.

  40. Ramones – Planet Earth 1988

  41. Jackie Greene — 1961

    Actually — not a bad song — came out in 2010 on the album Till the Light Comes.

  42. Bryan Adams – Summer of ’69

  43. 1974 — Ryan Adams

    A rocking little number off 2003’s Rock N Roll album — celebrating the year of his birth — “. . . just like the year I born — nineteen seventy four . . . “

  44. We’ve already covered 1965, but ’65 Love Affair by Paul Davis came to mind and now no amount of bashing my head against the wall is going to help shake that chorus loose from my skull.

  45. misterioso

    Someone help me here–is the ’68’ in The Alarm’s “68 Guns” a reference to 1968? Cripes, I detest those fist-pumping phonies.

  46. My last one —

    2003 — Nina Gordon (formerly of Veruca Salt)

    Off her first solo album 2000’s “Tonight and the Rest of My Life”

  47. A quick glance at the lyrics made me think not. A shared dislike for that band confirmed this decision.

  48. cherguevara

    Also “Summer Of ’77” by Nada Surf.

  49. cherguevara

    Sorry, I’m wrong – the song is 1973!

  50. I bet you were a little happy to know that you were wrong, although not so happy as those of us who had no idea you were wrong, excluding those of us who live for donning the Pince Nez, that is.

  51. BigSteve

    Gotta love the self-Pince Nez.

  52. Mr. Mod,

    How come we don’t get complaints from you regarding Zager and Evans’ Bullfighting Music?

  53. We used to laugh at that song title — every summer should be the summer of 69!

  54. What’s there to complain about – or more accurately, who is there to complain to? Don’t we all agree that the song blows? My mission, re: Bullfighting Music, is to get some of you to hear the same thing when you listen to Love’s supposed masterpiece.

  55. misterioso

    Ok by me. Doesn’t make me want to punch them any less, though.

  56. bostonhistorian

    “1964” by Too Much Joy

    “Bird ’65” by The Trashmen

    “68 Nova SS” by Scruffy the Cat.

  57. I am trying SO hard not to have this song get lodged into my brain….damn you!

  58. alexmagic

    Since that’s allowed, we can strike 1990 off with a two-fer of Bowie’s “Fame ’90” and sudden, shocking new Rock Town Hall Favo(u)rite Son George Michael’s “Freedom! ’90”.

    I trust that, at some point, we’ll get a recap of the years covered and those still needing representation?

    Meanwhile, who has the guts to drag the old RTH “Critical Upgrade” feature out of the mothballs for a Critical Upgrade: George Michael post, possibly incorporating some of the points made in the discussion around Duran Duran’s influence on post-’83 rock?

    Finally, it’s a shame that Hendrix has 1983 taken, as noted above by misterioso. Not because of the song itself (which I’m a big fan of, as noted several times previously), but because it would have been perfect if we finished this list with every year but ’83 covered, which would require an all-star Townsperson team-up to write and record a song called “1983 (The Year Rock Died)”.

  59. alexmagic

    Veruca Salt also had “Spiderman ’79”, though I think ’79 has already been accounted for.

  60. We’re taking remixes? That’s lame. I’m filled with self loathing as I say Strutter ’78 by KISS

  61. I can’t resist helping out with probably the cheapest of super-cheapo song title for 1989: Stars on 45′ “Stars on ’89 Remix,” their Stars on 45 remix of Beatles songs, otherwise known as the demos for the Vegas extravaganza The Beatles’ Love, or whatever that Cirque du Soleil thing was called.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stars_on_45_Medley#1989_Remix

    I’m not sure that I’ve found a YouTube audio of the ’89 remix, but I did have the displeasure of stumbling across this horrifying “live” performance from 1983:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6mxMjs1iNo&playnext=1&list=PL4FDAD0F6D14988BC&index=4

  62. Here are the open years, as of the speed of my typing:

    53
    54
    55
    58
    60
    66
    67
    71
    72
    80
    81
    82
    86
    87
    91
    93
    94
    95
    96
    97
    98
    02
    04
    05
    06
    07
    08
    09
    10

  63. “66” by Afghan Whigs

  64. Public Image Ltd: “1981”

  65. The Anderson Council – “Never Stop being ’67”

  66. BigSteve

    Out Hud has a song called 2005: A Face Odyssey.

  67. BigSteve

    On the Tranceport album there’s a track by Binary Finary called 1998 [Original Mix/PVD Mix].

  68. BigSteve

    On Mr. Music Head Adrian Belew has a track called 1967.

  69. sammymaudlin

    Beck- Whiskeyclone, Hotel City 1997

  70. ladymisskirroyale

    This is impressive!
    All the years I had come up with have already been spoken for, alas. My only offering at this point is in reference to the future: “2080” by Yeasayer on “All Hour Cymbals.”
    I’ll keep checking the stacks…

  71. plasticsun

    1998 by Rancid – I guess 1977 had already been taken.

  72. cherguevara

    XTC – Shore Leave Ornithology (Another 1950) from the “Explode Together” compilation.

  73. cherguevara

    Whoops, ok, four years too early.

  74. Hey man, the only thing you could have done cooler (in my book, at least) than to suggest that pre-rock/Charlie Parker (?) entry would have been to have credited it to the original vinyl Mr. Partridge album:)

  75. We’re getting there! Here’s what’s left:
    53
    54
    55
    58
    60
    71
    72
    80
    82
    86
    87
    91
    93
    94
    95
    96
    02
    04
    06
    07
    08
    09
    10

  76. Hank Fan

    Tom T. Hall – “Kentucky Feb. 27, ’71”

  77. Hank Fan

    Randy Travis – “1982”

  78. BigSteve

    1972, Josh Rouse

  79. BigSteve

    1994, Loudon Wainwright III

  80. Born Late, 58 – Mott the Hoople

    (cant play Queen’s ’39)

  81. The ’70s art OFF the board! (I would have thought the ’60s would go first, but 1960 has yet to be cited in a song title.)

  82. I want to know if k waited until the 58th comment to post Born Late ’58?

  83. cherguevara

    I knew Explode Together was a compilation of sorts, but couldn’t get off my butt to look at my vinyl. Was thinking 3D EP, but wasn’t sure.

    If you want to go back to 1950, could also throw in 1952 Vincent Black Lightning. That only leaves 1951.

  84. cliff sovinsanity

    2002

    Golden Smog has a song called 5-22-02. The 02 being 2002

  85. cliff sovinsanity

    2006

    The Pernice Brothers – Grudge Fuck 2006

  86. cliff sovinsanity

    1986

    Death Cab For Cutie – Expo ’86

  87. Can cliff run the table? This is incredible!

  88. cliff sovinsanity

    Digging thru the my punk lp’s. They generally write about the how pissed off they are in Year (X)

  89. cliff sovinsanity

    1982

    Abrasive Wheels – 1982 ( I forgot about this one).
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OLTUV-UsoM

  90. Nine-ty Five by Dolly Parton?

  91. cliff sovinsanity

    (2010) – Bad Religion – Ten in 2010
    (2004) – Reuben Studdard – Sorry 2004

  92. underthefloat

    The one I keep wanting to add is Spark’s “It ain’t I918”. I’m sooo close to being relevant to this topic.

  93. cliff sovinsanity

    (1960) – America – 1960
    (1991) – The Membranes – Time Warp 1991
    (1987) – Robert Fripp – 1987
    (1980) – Gil Scott-Heron – 1980

    I think we need to reset the list ’cause I’m starting to repeat myself.

  94. HE COULD GO! ALL! THE! WAY! The ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s are off the board!

    cliff, here’s where we stand after your spectacular run:

    53
    54
    55
    93
    95
    96
    97
    98
    05
    07
    08
    09

    Come on, Townspeeps, we can do it!

  95. I’ll get to work on that “1983 (The Year Rock Died)” number when I see E. Pluribus over the holidays.

  96. Ol’ 55 by Tom Waits.

  97. cliff sovinsanity

    1998 was already taken by plasticsun

    (1993) Jamiroquai – Revolution 1993
    (1954) Captain & Tennille – 1954 Boogie Woogie (uggh)

  98. We can do it! Remember, 1953 is a bonus date that’s only on the board to qualify that Richard Thompson song about Gene Vincent and 1952. There must be some lame Britpop remix to cover one of the remaining dates in the ’50s, something like a last-ditch Jesus Jones effort.

    53
    95
    96
    97
    98
    05
    07
    08
    09

  99. BigSteve

    Pince nez: The song 1952 Vincent Black Lightning is about a motorcycle, not Gene Vincent.

  100. cliff sovinsanity

    (1953) – The Fall – Midwatch 1953
    a rather forgettable number from Mark E

  101. Shit! You sure it’s not also about that beret he started wearing?

  102. The ’50s are OFF the board, thanks to cliff sovinsanity. This Townsman deserves a day of thanks and praise. PLEASE do your part in supporting his efforts to complete this Herculean task. The Rock World will one day thank us, but much of the thanks must go directly to cliff.

  103. cliff sovinsanity

    (1995) Julian Cope – 1995
    from the underrated 20 Mothers

    (1996) Marilyn Manson – 1996
    from the utterly bombastic Antichrist Superstar

    (1998) – R. Stevie Moore – 1998 List
    from the truly out there Comeback Special

    (2005) – Dalida – L’an 2005
    par la chanteuse suprème des années 50 et 60

  104. OK I lied — I’m back with one more.

    1997 — 1997 by Mason Jennings — a Minnesota song.

  105. cherguevara

    Cliff is rocking it!

  106. Check this out! Recently I overheard someone saying, “Rock Town Hall thinks it’s the best, but the fact of the matter is, it’s not.”

    I say, “Fuck them! You people ARE the best. Hands down.”

    07
    08
    09

  107. cliff sovinsanity

    (2007) Los Campenisos! – 2007, The Year Punk Broke My Heart
    bonus track to their 2008 lp Hold on Now, Youngster

    (2008) Brain Failure – 2008
    Beijing’s own ska/punk outfit.

    (2009) Loudon Wainright III – Halloween 2009
    from his latest Songs for the New Depression

    Owwww, my brain hurts !!!!!!! partial credit goes to emusic, itunes, amazon for these last few.

  108. With a HUGE effort by cliff sovinsanity, WE DID IT! As a show of thanks, please watch the following video and imagine a montage of our joint effort.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfHnzYEHAow

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