Some of the greatest classic rock songs of all time boast titles that you won’t find anywhere in the songs’ lyrics. In fact, some of these songs are often mistakenly called something else, simply because fans can’t remember their actual titles. Let’s take a look at a few classics with titles you won’t find anywhere in the actual songs.
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“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen (1975)
“Mama, just killed a man / Put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger, now he’s dead.”
This is probably the biggest shoo-in on our list of classic rock songs with titles that won’t be found in the songs’ lyrics. Queen’s most beloved rock anthem is a dark yet delightful tale with lyrics that continue to get picked apart today. But the song, as a whole, really fits its title. It’s a song about the individualism of bohemian art, wrapped together in a rhapsody that will be loved for decades to come.
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana (1991)
“Load up on guns, bring your friends / It’s fun to lose and to pretend.”
The title of grunge outfit Nirvana’s biggest hit song won’t be found anywhere in its lyrics, but there is a story behind the title itself. Apparently, way back when, Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna was hanging out with Cobain, who happened to be dating Bikini Kill member Tobi Vail at the time. She scribbled “Kurt smells like Teen Spirit” on his wall, a reference to a popular deodorant at the time. Apparently, Cobain didn’t even know what the message meant, accidentally mistaking it for a revolutionary slogan. And thus, Nirvana’s most beloved song was born!
“A Day In The Life” by The Beatles (1967)
“I saw a film today, oh, boy / The English Army had just won the war.”
This somewhat bizarre tune from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band has a mishmash of lyrics that explore everything from s*icide to car crashes to war. The song’s title isn’t anywhere in the lyrics. However, “A Day In The Life” is a pretty good title for an observational song about the absurdity of everyday life in the 1960s.
“Baba O’Riley” by The Who (1971)
“Don’t cry, don’t raise your eye / It’s only teenage wasteland.”
This beloved entry on our list of classic rock songs with titles that aren’t in the lyrics is constantly mistitled as “Teenage Wasteland”. I certainly understand why, considering Roger Daltrey belts those words out on repeat at the end of the song. The song was titled “Baba O’Riley” for a reason, though. Pete Townshend was inspired by the Indian guru Meher Baba and the composer Terry Riley.
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