May 27 – National Title Track Day

nPostednon May 27, 2016

n
n

nThenfourth Friday of May has been deemed “National Title Track Day” –na day to listen only to title tracks.

n
n

nDonyou know what a title track is?

n
n

n Younsee, back before Spotify and Pandora and whatever the latest is innstreaming music services, there were these things called “albums.”nAn album was a gathering of 5 to 15 (or so) songs or “tracks” ofnmusic by a band (or several bands, sometimes), and you would pay onenprice to get all of that music. Whether you bought your albums onnvinyl records, cassette tapes, or CDs (compact discs), you were stillnbuying a group of songs…probably in order to get that one hit songnyou knew from the radio.
n

n
n

nEachnsong, of course, would have a name. And the album would also have anname.

n
n

n#1n- Sometimes the album’s name would just be the band’s name – thatnwas really common for a band’s first album.

n
n

n#2n- Sometimes the album’s name would be a song that was either a hit atnthe time that the album was released or was slated to become a hit,nbecause there was an awesome music video to back it up, or it wasnalso going to be released and publicized to the radio stations as ansingle. n

n
n

n#n3 – And sometimes the album’s name would be a unique title that isndifferent from any of the songs on that album.

n
n

nAntitle track is the song that shares its name with the album. (That’snthe #2 above.) Here are a few famous title tracks:

n
n

n

n

n“Letn It Be,” by the Beatles – from the album “Let It Be”

n

n“L.A.n Woman,” by the Doors – from the album “L.A. Woman”

n

n“Thriller,”n by Michael Jackson – from the album “Thriller”

n

n“Purplen Rain,” by Prince – from the album “Purple Rain”

n

n
n

nWhennan album is named the group’s name, it is often referred to asnself-titled. (That’s the #1 above.) The first album by the Doors wasncalled “The Doors,” and the first album by “Weezer” wasncalled “Weezer.” In general, people refer to the albums by thosennames, or as “self-titled,” or sometimes, “the band’s debutnalbum.” Sometimes a band decides to release a self-titled albumnwell into the band’s lifespan – and sometimes that album ends upngetting a nickname. For example, the Beatles released theirnfourteenth (or so, in the U.S.) album, named “The Beatles,” in 1968n– but almost nobody calls in “The Beatles.” Instead, peoplencall it “The White Album.”

n
n

nWhennan album has a unique name not shared by any of the songs on thatnalbum, as in #3 above, we could say that the album has a “lostntitle track.” We could try to imagine what that song might be…

n
n

nAndnthat’s when the band called “The Title Trackers” gets busy. Theyntake classic albums with no title tracks, and they create their ownnoriginal songs for that title.

n
n

nThenfun part is, they try to copy the sound of the particular band –nand the look, and the feel. And their lyrics can be downright funny,nin a loving, honoring-the-original sort of way….but not in a making-fun-of-the-original kindnof way.

nAt least, that’s how The Title Trackers intend their parodies.

n
n

nAnd that’s how I enjoy them, as well…

n
n

nChecknout “Checking into Morrison Hotel” on the Title Trackers’ website!

n
n

nAlsonon this date:

n
n