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Music Trivia -> Lighter Side of Serious Bands -> R
Some bands don't wait around for Weird Al to parody one of their songs, and take a pre-emptive strike and write a silly song of their own.
Entries Beginning with R
"Rainy Day Women #12 & 35," Bob Dylan
The most misleading song title ever created. No one knew Bob could laugh until this came out.
Agrimorfee
"Rat Race," Phil Collins
he starred in the MIAMI VICE episode "Phil the Shill" and he wrote a song for the closing credits of that episode that has the line, "Life is a rat race, rat race, rat race....". It's not available on any Phil album and you won't hear it anywhere else.
Turn It On, Turn It On Again
"A REAL Wardrobe Malfunction," Paul Revere & the Raiders
My mom told me when I was a teenager she saw this band perform on a Dick Clark type show like Shindig or Hullabaloo. They'd play while wearing American Revolution period getup. One of the Raiders' tri-corn hat fell off his head and instead of picking it off the floor he just kept on playing and he danced around his hat! That's true devotion to your art, folks!
One If By Land, Two If By Sea
"Record Label Name," Led Zeppelin
When the band had the option to start their own little label (like Apple by the Beatles, and Rolling Stones records and Mother Records by U2 and Paisley Park by Prince), they first wanted to name it "Slut Records". They were convinced to use the name "Swan Song" instead.
Jas Goodyear
"Release Me," Def Leppard
Def Leppard has put out their box set CD Collection Volume One, which collects all their 80s albums and their 1979 debut EP AND a bonus live CD together. On top of that there is a rarities disc of B-sides, single edits, remixes and more. One of those rarities is a B-side to the hit 'Rocket' (a cover of Englebert Humperdinck's 1967 hit 'Release Me') that was recorded by the band with a guitar tech at the vocals and this was issued out not under the Def Leppard name but as by 'Stumpus Maximus and the Good Ol' Boys'. Strange enough, that song itself went to #6 on the pop charts in Greece. Anyway, I was playing this CD in my car and my stereo was telling the song title and artist on the display (every track was listed as being by 'Def Leppard' until this song came on) and then my stereo indicated that the track was 'Release Me' by 'Stumpus Maximus and the Good Ol' Boys'! The liner notes state that this song was done as a prank and a backstage gimmick by the band and let me tell you, folks - it's AWFUL. Absolutely horrid. I love Def Leppard and I've seen them live twice but this recording - yeeeccchhh!!!
Too Much Beer Can Make You Do Dumb Things
"Return To Sender," Elvis Presley
In early 1993 the US Postal Service finally issued stamps of rock icon Elvis Presley. For years there have been rumors and speculations that he was still alive, in 1988 the rumors really flew bigtime and Cheap trick capitalized on that by scoring a Top 10 cover hit with 'Don't Be Cruel' . Living Colour parodied this commotion with 'Elvis Is Dead' in 1990 (with Little Richard guesting, criticizing the commercialization of Elvis). US law prohibits having living persons on US stamps and photographs are verboten. Finally the USPS issued stamps featuring Elvis, after many other nations have done so for years. Here's a twist. Many people placed these Elvis stamps on empty envelopes with intentially fake addreses written on them. Of course these bogus 'letters' were sent back, stamped with 'RETURN TO SENDER' which is the title of an Elvis hit.
Elvis Ain't Dead, Is He?
"Roxette," Dr. Feelgood
The UK pub rock band Dr. Feelgood took its name from a slang word for heroin. The Swedish band Roxette took their name from a 1975 Dr. Feelgood song. In late 1989 - early 1990 Roxette scored a #2 with "Dangerous" and at the same time Motley Crue had a hit with the thrash thriller "Kickstart My Heart" which is from #1 album "Dr. Feelgood". The title cut from that album was a huge smash for the Crue during the summer and fall of 1989, and it despicts a dope dealer. Strange coincidence or what?
Cold Warrior 89
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