In order for this gamble to pay off, the song’s gotta be pretty good in order to stick the landing. Without further ado, here are some notable songs by that band off of that album (all with the same name).
“Bo Diddley” by Bo Diddley on the album Bo Diddley
The Godfather of self-promotion via song, Bo Diddley made a career out of telling people his name. He has released several variations of self-titled albums over the decades, beginning with this 1958 original classic. The riff even almost gives the impression it is somehow chanting “Bo Diddley” over and over again, and it never gets old.
“Kool & the Gang” by Kool & the Gang on the album Kool & the Gang
Defining cool in the ’70s and ’80s, Kool & the Gang actually released their debut in 1969 and kicked it off with a self-titled track. A skittering and bouncing soul groove with brassy horns and conga fills, the playful and teasing instrumental even serves up a “Nyah-nyah” chant in the bridge. The song serves as an announcement, an introduction to the group, and a good indicator of what the rest of the record will sound like.
“Black Sabbath” by Black Sabbath on the album Black Sabbath
This is one of a handful of trifecta songs that instantly comes to mind when people think about a song, album, and artist that all share the same name. Kicking off their 1970 debut album (much like Kool & the Gang above), the song sounds and feels as spooky and menacing as the album cover and band name evokes. Haunting and echoing church bells, rain, and thunder give way to the crashingly familiar Sabbath wallop, and Ozzy sings lyrics evoking figures in black and dire fates. Ironically, the song does not contain the lyrics “Black Sabbath.”
“Bad Company” by Bad Company on the album Bad Company
If you asked folks to name a song/band/album combo and they didn’t name “Black Sabbath,” they’d probably come up with this one. Much like “Bo Diddley,” “Bad Company” serves as a calling card and rallying cry, introducing you to this band of outlaws or cowboys or criminals or whatever they are (certainly not boring old London-area veteran musicians). The song starts with an unobtrusive piano giving way to a half-whispered lyric, before the guitars and drums pummel their way to the fore. The whole track ebbs and flows but steadily gains power, as Paul Rodgers menaces the townspeople with his allusions to six-guns in his unmistakable voice.
“Motörhead” by Motörhead on the album Motörhead
A bit of an oddball in this list, the song was originally bassist Lemmy’s last recording with Hawkwind before his firing in 1975. After Hawkwind, he needed a name for his next venture, and so “Motörhead” the song became Motörhead the band, and their rerecorded version (which became their first UK hit single) made its debut on their first album in 1977. Keeping with the apparent theme of the songs in this article, the riff that kicks off the tune is essentially the Bo Diddley riff all crunched up and belted out with furious energy.
“Angel Witch” by Angel Witch on the album Angel Witch
Metal acts really seem to enjoy declaring their existence in song, in album title, and in band name, and Angel Witch is a prime example. This 1980 track screams off the turntable with vocalist and songwriter Kevin Heybourne declaring his spectral beloved to be an angel witch. The band are now considered to be an integral part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, and this album was their flashpoint highlight.
“Iron Maiden” by Iron Maiden on the album Iron Maiden
Another 1980 metal trifecta, Maiden closed out their self-titled debut album with the guitar duel horror story called “Iron Maiden.” Unlike Sabbath and Angel Witch, Maiden opted not to have their signature song be the lead-off track, but as the coda, and it works. As original vocalist Paul Di’Anno sings “Iron Maiden can’t be fought, Iron Maiden can’t be sought.”
“Minor Threat” by Minor Threat on the album Minor Threat
Slamming into the punk era, the 1981 debut ep from Minor Threat (called Minor Threat) contains an era-defining song called…”Straight Edge.” It also closes with a song called “Minor Threat” which chugs and thrashes and lets the world know where they stand. “Take your time/Try not to forget/We never will/We’re just a minor threat.”
“Icehouse” by Icehouse on the album Icehouse
This one could have been called “Flowers” by Flowers on the album Flowers if they hadn’t changed their name to Icehouse to avoid confusion with a Scottish band called The Flowers. Lucky for us, Icehouse took their name from the first song on their first album (confusingly called Flowers), and delivered a chilly slice of clean synth-pop and what may be the most ’80s video ever.
“Talk Talk” by Talk Talk on the album Talk Talk
While critically beloved for their innovatory album The Spirit of Eden and known by a younger generation for penning “It’s My Life” (a cover of which was a massive hit for No Doubt), their trajectory started with the first song on their first ep in 1982. The tune was originally titled “Talk Talk Talk Talk” when Mark Hollis was in a band called The Reaction and appeared on a Beggars Banquet compilation in 1977. The punk edges were worn away by 1982 when the song was officially released in its final version.
“New Kids on the Block” by New Kids on the Block on the album New Kids on the Block
Back in 1986 when they were literally kids, NKOTB released their debut self-titled album and introduced themselves with a self-titled song. “New Kids on the Block” is about the most literal(ish) song you could imagine, with the boys telling the story of how they arrived on the actual block (like streets and corners and alleyways) and overcame the hoods and sucker MCs to be respected at last. They close out the track with a wordy introduction of all the members of the group and each of their special skills (the king of the spin, wizard of word, the runner GQ…whatever that is).
“Living in a Box” by Living in a Box on the album Living in a Box
The British pop-funk group boomed onto MTV in 1987 with a song named after themselves. Leaning away from the artfully clean and sexy sounds of Duran Duran, Living in a Box felt more like the new romantic band who had a collection of soul and funk records. While this was their only Top 40 single in the U.S., the song kept chugging along in the popular consciousness by appearing in movies such as Can’t By Me Love, Masters of the Universe, and in the game Grand Theft Auto V.
“Tin Machine” by Tin Machine on the album Tin Machine
What couldn’t David Bowie do? His career was the very definition of shifting with the times and breaking new ground, so why not form a semi-supergroup with guitarist Reeves Gabrels and the sibling rhythm section of Tony and Hunt Sales (the sons of legendary television comic Soupy Sales). Even better, why not write a song called Tin Machine and put it on your 1989 self-titled debut album? The tune is clanging and metallic, in theme with the title, with soaring guitars, with Bowie barking over top like a drill sergeant lording over his robotic troops.
“Damn Yankees” by Damn Yankees on the album Damn Yankees
Shaggy-haired guys with guitars love to make songs and albums with their name as the title, and Damn Yankees are no exception. Comprised of guitarist Ted Nugent, Styx’s Tommy Shaw, Night Ranger’s Jack Blades, and journeyman drummer Michael Cartellone, this gang of hair metal vets had a number of hits, and their anthem “Damn Yankees” is certainly a song. Much like the stereotypical view of Americans overseas, the band chants their name as a declarative statement, and this is exactly what you’d expect from The Nuge.
“Porno for Pyros” by Porno for Pyros on the album Porno for Pyros
On the other end of the spectrum were Porno for Pyros, Perry Farrell’s post-Jane’s Addiction band. Farrell apparently got the inspiration for … everything from a fireworks ad that he spotted in a dirty magazine combined with watching footage of the 1992 L.A. Riots, musing that for a pyromaniac, these would be about as exciting as it gets. The tune wheezes and whirls, decidedly more florid and psychedelic than the Jane’s Addiction output, but still has that carnival feel of wonderful danger behind it.
“Electric Wizard” by Electric Wizard on the album Electric Wizard
More Metal! Something about metal bands generates a powerful desire to establish the name in as many ways as possible. With a name as badass as Electric Wizard, who can blame them? This 1994 nine-minute opus lopes off the starting blocks and chugs like a freight train, giving way to Sabbath-esque riffs and an understated vocal lurking in the darkness. Fittingly, this song is the perfect introduction to the band’s downtuned, grinding, monolithic doom metal.
“Run the Jewels” by Run the Jewels on the album Run the Jewels
Jumping ahead to the 21st century, the combination of Killer Mike’s menacing Hulk power and El-P’s sneering quips and lively production are showcased perfectly on the self-titled track from their 2013 self-titled album. Bobbing and weaving like a pair of boxers, the flow is legendary and punctuated by a grimy organ line in the choruses. Yet another example of a trifecta song as the first introduction to the band by being placed first on the debut album, and this is among the best.
“The 1975” by The 1975 on the album The 1975
Finally, our list closes out with a quiet introduction. The rock-guitars-meet-dancefloor-synths sound of The 1975 are subtly teased in this brief near-instrumental, acting as a fanfare or prelude to the rest of the album. The final entry in our list is yet another first song on the first album by the band, and may pave the way for further self-aggrandizing and authoritative statements as time marches on.
In our “research” (a.k.a. Googling around), we stumbled into a handful of other tracks that fit the bill: “Pennywise,” “Rivers of Nihil,” “Bang Camaro,” “Train,” “Big Blue Ball,” “The British IBM” all are worthy additions.
Additionally, we found a couple of near-misses and technicalities, including “Stray Cat Strut” by Stray Cats on the album Stray Cats, “Body Count Anthem” by Body Count on the album Body Count, “Lucifer” by Lucifer on the album Lucifer III, and hilariously “Wilco (The Song)” by Wilco on the album Wilco (The Album) (who are clearly leaning into the joke).
What have we overlooked? What omissions are glaring? What fave tune is obviously missing? Let us know, let us know, let us know.
