Songs with Their Band's Name in the Title

Wilco's much-anticipated album, Wilco (the Album), has been released, and it is their best one in several years. The blend of piano, electric guitar and subtle drumming offers a welcome change after the sterile acoustic dominance of their last CD, Sky Blue Sky. Jeff Tweedy's lyrics are as clever as anything he's done, including the critically-acclaimed Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. The words to the feisty "I'll Fight For You" announce Tweedy's return to criticizing religious hypocrisy, and the sorrowful "One Wing" showcases his place as one of music's most talented poets.

The most unusual aspect of the album is the opening song. It's simply called "Wilco (the song)." Few bands have ever recorded songs with the titles of their names in them. The Beatles never did, nor did the Talking Heads, the Moody Blues, or the Kinks.

The Rolling Stones did a version of Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," but obviously it wasn't their own composition. Probably the most famous example of a band using its own name in a title is the Monkees, who made the song to introduce their TV show.

after some consideration I was able to think of ten bands or artists who us their names in titles of their own songs. (Note: Neil Young recorded the song "Buffalo Springfield Again" years after that group had disbanded.)

10. "Black Sabbath" by Black Sabbath: This self-titled tune is the first song on the first side of the band's first album. It uses words such as fire, Satan and black to introduce Ozzy and his metal mates to the world.

9. "Baby Fratelli" by The Fratellis: This electric pop gem comes from the band's excellent debut album, Costello Music. The tune serves as a catchy compromise between the jaunty power chords of "Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night" and the danceable acoustic guitar of "Whistle for the Choir."

8. "Radio Clash" by The Clash: The song is from the Super Black Market Clash album. It seems to be critical of mainstream media, who too often glorify war. It also has one of the catchiest intros, as the band warns that "This is radio clash stealing all transmissions, Beaming from the mountaintop using aural ammunition."

7. "Bad Company" by Bad Company: The song shares the distinction with Black Sabbath as having its self-titled debut song open its self-titled debut album. They never developed the following that Ozzy's (and Dio's and numerous other guys') band amassed, but Bad Company leaders Paul Rodgers and Mick Ralphs collaborated on a dozen classic rock hits.

6. "In a Big Country" by Big Country: The 80s new wave song known for its bagpipe sound has one of the best lines for those realists who edit the American dream: "I'm not expecting to grow flowers in the desert, But I can live and breathe and see the sun in wintertime." Unfortunately lead singer Stuart Adamson could not see the sun in wintertime; he hanged himself in 2001.

5. "Who Killed the Zutons?" by The Zutons: This track from the indie rock band's debut was overshadowed by the hit "You Will You Won't," but you have to love the temerity of a group that announces its death on its first record.

4. "Who Are You?" by The Who: The drumming in this title track is probably the best Keith Moon ever did. Unfortunately he died after the release of the album. The song is also memorable for Roger Daltrey's use of the f-word in between the chorus lines.

3. "Ballad of Mott the Hoople" by Mott the Hoople: Ian Hunter and Mick Ralphs reveal little about their band here, but the electric guitars and the slow organ offer again that the British glam band is underrated.

2. "Killer Queen" by Queen: The group's first big hit introduced Freddie Mercury to the world on the Sheer Heart Attack album. I liked it because I thought it mentioned "gunpowder and guillotine." Even long after I found that the word was gelatin I still regard it as one of my favorite Queen songs.

1. "Bob Dylan's 115^th Dream" by Robert Zimmerman: Dylan had his first dream on a prior album, then 113 more before penning this track for Bringing It All Back Home. The stream of consciousness narrative is humorous, but the intro is the most appealing part of the song. Dylan starts strumming and gets a few words into the song before he starts cracking up, laughing for several seconds before the band joins in from the beginning.