Song Title | Artist | Topic |
The Wacky World of Rapid Transit | Del tha Funkee Homosapien | funny songs |
Wada Na Tod | Lata Mangeshkar | vibrato, tremolo & oscillations |
Wade in the Water | Soul Stirrers | bravery |
Wade in the Water | The Staple Singers | swimming & bathing |
Wading In Deeper | Katzenjammer | legs & trousers |
Wage Slaves | All Shall Perish | left wing politics |
Wagon Wheel | Darius Rucker | genre switch |
Wait (The Whisper Song) | Ying Yang Twins | whispering |
Waitin’ for the Bus | ZZ Top | buses |
Waiting Around to Die | Townes Van Zandt | getting older |
Waiting at the Church | Vesta Victoria | adultery & infidelity |
Waiting for a Train | Mississippi John Hurt | limbo |
Waiting for the Bus | Violent Femmes | punctuality |
Waiting for the End of the World | Elvis Costello | basements & underground |
Waiting for the Great Leap Forward | Billy Bragg | waiting |
Waiting Hopefully | D*Note | hope |
Waiting in the Park | The Chantells | futility |
Waiting (O Mistress Mine) | Nitin Sawhney | Shakespeare |
Waiting on a Friend | The Rolling Stones | rendezvous |
The Waitress | Atmosphere ft Tom Waits | regrets |
The Waitress | Jonathan Byrd | restaurants & cafes |
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go | Wham! | waking up |
Wake Me Up When September Ends | Green Day | autumn |
Wake Up | Arcade Fire | rallying cries |
Wake Up | Rage Against the Machine | social mobility |
Wake Up and Smell the Coffee | The Cranberries | coffee |
Wake Up Boo! | The Boo Radleys | songs to start the morning |
Wake Up Everybody | Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes | crisis |
Waking the Witch | Kate Bush | volume changes |
Waking Up | Elastica | waking up |
Waking Up in the Sun | The Adult Net | the sun |
Walcott | Vampire Weekend | New England |
Walk | Pantera | walking & running |
Walk a Mile in My Shoes | Joe South | empathy |
Walk & Skank | Jah Screechy | expressing movement of walking |
Walk Away | Gabby Young and Other Animals | moving on |
Walk Away Renee | The Left Banke | walking & running |
A Walk in the Black Forest | Horst Jankowski | forests & woodlands |
easy listening |
A Walk in the Park | Beach House | parks |
Walk Like a Panther | The All Seeing I ft Tony Christie | mammals |
cats |
Walk Like an Egg | The Dickies | curves & spheres |
Walk Like an Egyptian | The Bangles | walking & running |
Walk Now… | Orbital | walking & running |
The Walk of the Giant Turtle | Erik Truffaz Quartet | reptiles |
Walk On By | Isaac Hayes | impressive intros |
Walk On By | Leroy Van Dyke | infidelity |
Walk On By | Dionne Warwick | body language |
Walk on Hot Coals | Rory Gallagher | overturning the odds |
Walk on the Right Side | Femi Kuti | songs offering advice |
Walk on the Wild Side | Lou Reed | movie & TV stars |
Walk on the Wild Side | Jimmy Smith | super solos |
Walk Tall | Val Doonican | pride |
Walk Tall | Queen Esther Marrow | consolation |
Walk the Proud Land | Bunny Wailer | wheels |
Walk This Way | Run-D.M.C. with Aerosmith | collaborations & side projects |
Walk with the Zombie | Graham Wood Drout’s Iko-Iko | zombies |
Walkabout | Throbbing Gristle | being lost |
The Walker | Fitz and the Tantrums | whistling |
Walkin’ After Midnight | Patsy Cline | walking & running |
Walkin’ Blues | The Butterfield Blues Band | harmonica |
The Walkin’ Blues | Jesse Powell & Fluffy Hunter | great songwriting 1900-1955 |
Walkin’ in the Rain with the One I Love | Love Unlimited | telephones |
Walkin’ Like Brando | Royal Crown Revue | wanting to be someone else |
Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog | Norma Tanega | famous or notable animals |
Walkin’ on Eggs | The Ground Floor People | eggs |
Walking Down Madison | Kirsty MacColl | strange, rare or unlikely words |
Walking Home Alone Again | The Radiators from Space | being single |
Walking in Memphis | Marc Cohn | Elvis |
Walking in My Shoes | Depeche Mode | guilt & apology |
Walking in the Opposite Direction | Adrian Borland | stubbornness |
Walking in the Rain | The Ronettes | bad weather |
Walking Make-Up Counter | Soft Cell | makeup |
Walking on the Ceiling | Terminal Heads | inversions |
Walking on the Moon | The Police | songs by trios |
Walking Round in Circles | Lightnin’ Hopkins | circles |
Walking the Blues | Willie Dixon | expressing movement of walking |
Walking Through a Wasted Land | Richard Thompson | wastelands |
Walking to New Orleans | Fats Domino | walking & running |
Wall of Death | Richard and Linda Thompson | carnivals & funfairs |
Wall of Denial | Stevie Ray Vaughan | denial |
The Wall Street Shuffle | 10cc | banks & banking |
Wallet | Regina Spektor | lost and found |
Walls Come Tumbling Down! | The Style Council | unity |
Walt Grace’s Submarine Test, January 1967 | John Mayer | making things |
Walter Carlos | Momus | time travel |
Waltz #2 (XO) | Elliott Smith | three |
Waltz for a Lovely Wife | Stan Getz | Valentine’s Day songs |
Waltz for Debby | Bill Evans Trio | songs by trios |
Waltz of the Snowflakes | Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | snow & ice |
Wamba | Salif Keïta | high-pitched vocals |
Wana Wanyika | Simba Wanyika | made you fall in love with music |
The Wanderer | Dion | showing off |
Wandering Star | Portishead | celestial bodies |
Wand’rin’ Star | Lee Marvin | out-of-tune songs |
Wang Dang Doodle | Howlin’ Wolf | celebration |
Wang Dang Doodle | Koko Taylor | fun |
Wannabe | Spice Girls | friendship |
Want Ads | The Honey Cone | obsolete things |
Want Remover | Protomartyr | electricity |
WAP | Cardi B ft Megan Thee Stallion | orgasms |
War | Hypnotic Brass Ensemble | brass songs |
War | Edwin Starr | war |
The War Criminal Rises and Speaks | Okkervil River | justice |
War on Drugs | Barenaked Ladies | addiction |
War on Freedom | Killing Joke | freedom of expression |
War Pigs | Black Sabbath | horror-inspired songs |
Warchild | Emmanuel Jal | biography & autobiography |
Warm Heart Pastry | Mike Heron | bread, cakes, pastry & biscuits |
Warm It Up, Kane | Big Daddy Kane | great opening lines |
Warm Leatherette | Grace Jones | fetishes |
Warm Leatherette | The Normal | cars & driving |
Warm Wet Circles | Marillion | geometric shapes |
The Warmth of the Sun | The Beach Boys | summer |
The Warnings | Cadaver Club | bad decisions |
Warrior Charge | Aswad | bravery |
Warrior in Woolworths | X-Ray Spex | brands |
Warsaw | Joy Division | places in Europe |
Warzone | Pete Rock ft Dead Prez | nightclubs |
Was a Friend | Robert Wyatt | forgiveness |
Was Dog a Doughnut? | Cat Stevens | more questions than answers |
Wash, Mama, Wash | Dr. John | spring cleaning & household chores |
Wash Your Face in My Sink | Dream Warriors | debut songs |
Washaway | XTC | spring cleaning & household chores |
Washday Blues | Dolly Parton | spring cleaning & household chores |
Washed Ashore | The Platters | wide open spaces |
Washing Machine Heart | Mitski | genre defying |
Wasn’t Born to Follow | The Byrds | fate & destiny |
Wasn’t That a Mighty Storm | The Duhks | wind |
The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat) | The Doors | songs with talking |
Wasted Words | The Allman Brothers Band | arguments #2 |
Wasteland | The Jam | trash |
Wastelands | Suede | wastelands |
Wat a Heat | Luciano | heat #2 |
Watch Her Disappear | Tom Waits | surveillance |
Watch the Sunrise | Big Star | dawn |
Watch Your Back | Cock Sparrer | refusal |
Watch Your Posture | The Nightingales | bodily motion & exercise |
Watch Your Step | Bobby Parker | warnings |
Watching the Detectives | Elvis Costello | influenced by reggae |
Watching the News | Iggy Pop | news & media |
Watching TV | Roger Waters | propaganda |
Watching Windows | Roni Size & Reprazent | windows |
Watching You Without Me | Kate Bush | birdsong |
Water | PJ Harvey | unusual time signatures |
Water | The Sugarcubes | underwater |
The Water Is Wide | Fred Neil | water |
Water No Get Enemy | Fela Kuti | the obvious |
Water Torture | Herbie Hancock | different 7″ versions |
Waterfalls | TLC | advice |
Waterloo | ABBA | 19th century life |
Waterloo Sunset | The Kinks | London |
Watermelon Man | Herbie Hancock | genre defying |
Watermelons | The Lovely Eggs | farm produce |
The Watersample | Tarwater | the coast |
Watersong | Cranes | misheard, nonsense or inaudible lyrics |
Watussi | Harmonia | electronic music to 1983 |
Wau Wau | Lord Melody | shame |
Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf) | Pixies | B sides |
Wavin’ Flag | K’naan | flags |
Waving | The Bevis Frond | physical gestures |
Waving Flags | British Sea Power | flags |
Waxie’s Dargle | The Pogues | coins |
Waxwing | Olivia Chaney | organ |
Way Down Hadestown | Anaïs Mitchell | caves |
Way Down in the Hole | Steve Earle | holes |
Way Down in the Hole | Tom Waits | TV theme songs |
The Way It Is | Bruce Hornsby & the Range | unemployment |
The Way We Were | Gladys Knight | old age |
The Way You Dream | 1 Giant Leap ft Michael Stipe, Whirimako Black & Asha Bhosle | unlikely collaborations |
The Way You Look Tonight | Fred Astaire | crooners |
We | The Roches | brothers & sisters |
We All Stand Together | Paul McCartney & the Frog Chorus | unity |
We Almost Lost Detroit | Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson | close shaves & near misses |
We Are All Animals | The Rakes | id, ego & superego |
We Are All Bourgeois Now | McCarthy | songs that capture the zeitgeist |
We Are All Made of Stars | Moby | eureka moments |
We Are All Prostitutes | The Pop Group | discordant songs |
We Are America | Esperanza Spalding | justice |
We Are Family | Nile Rodgers | songs by buskers |
We Are Family | Sister Sledge | siblings |
We Are Legion | Anonymous | anonymity |
We Are Neighbors | The Chi-Lites | neighbours |
We Are Normal | Bonzo Dog Band | normal & abnormal |
We Are Sick on the Bus | Sick on the Bus | indifference |
We Are the Boyz | Pulp | gangs |
We Are the Champions | Queen | determination |
We Are the Firm | Cockney Rejects | call and response |
We Are the Wave | Harry Belafonte | wide open spaces |
We Are the Winners | LT United | so bad they’re good |
We Are Young | fun. ft Janelle Monáe | youthfulness |
getting brighter |
We Are Your Friends | Justice Vs Simian | friendship |
We Call It Acieeed | D Mob | youth cults |
We Can Be Together | Jefferson Airplane | youth cults |
We Can Work It Out | The Beatles | compromise |
We Can Work It Out | Stevie Wonder | Beatles covers |
We Can’t Make It Here Anymore | James McMurtry | stick it to the man |
We Did It Again | Soft Machine | ten words or fewer |
We Died in August | Dana & Karen Kletter | ambiguity |
We Do What We’re Told (Milgram’s 37) | Peter Gabriel | electricity |
We Don’t Love Enough | The Triumphs | shame |
We Got Back the Plague | The Fiery Furnaces | natural disasters |
We Got the Beat | The Go-Go’s | rhythm, beat & boogie |
We Got the Neutron Bomb | The Weirdos | power |
We Gotta Get Out of This Place | The Animals | rallying cries |
We Hate You (Little Girls) | Throbbing Gristle | unsettling songs |
We Have All the Time in the World | Louis Armstrong | relaxation & leisure |
We Have All the Time in the World | My Bloody Valentine | estimates of distance & time |
We Just Won’t Be Defeated | The Go! Team | hope & resilience |
We Live As We Dream, Alone | Gang of Four | being alone |
We Love You | The Rolling Stones | scandal |
We Might Be Dead by Tomorrow | Soko | tomorrow |
We Never Know | Nicolette | never |
We Praise Thee | Pavel Chesnokov & St. Petersburg Chamber Choir | choirs |
We Shall Overcome | Joan Baez | survival |
We Shall Walk Through the Streets of the City | Kid Sheik, John Handy & Friends | from New Orleans |
We Should Never Have Children | Absentee | children performing |
We Speak Music | Reeps One with Second Self | more questions than answers |
We Stand Around | I, Ludicrous | football |
We Take Care of Our Own | Bruce Springsteen | homelessness |
We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue | Curtis Mayfield | black |
We Three Kings | Jimmy Smith | three |
We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me) | The Ink Spots | echoes |
We Took the Wrong Step Years Ago | Hawkwind | mistakes |
We Used to Be Friends | The Dandy Warhols | upbeat break-up #2 |
We Want Your Soul | Freeland | advertising |
We Will All Asphyxiate | Money Can’t Buy Music | philosophers |
We Will All Go Together When We Go | Tom Lehrer | nuclear war |
We Will Rock You | Queen | handclaps |
We Won’t Be in Your Way Anymore | Irma Thomas | divorce |
Weak Become Heroes | The Streets | mood-changing music |
The Weakness in Me | Joan Armatrading | uncertainty |
secrets & secrecy |
The Weapon | Rush | being scared |
Wear Clean Draws | The Coup | cleansing |
Wear My Ring Around Your Neck | Elvis Presley | spine & neck |
Wear Your Love Like Heaven | Definition of Sound | similes |
Wearing Her Crown | Midnite | crowns |
The Weaver’s Answer | Family | ages |
Web | The Roots | minimalist songs |
Wedding Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine | Shearwater | famous last words |
The Wedding List | Kate Bush | revenge |
The Wedding of Mister Mickey Mouse | Harry Leader & His Band | comics & cartoons |
Wedding Song | Anaïs Mitchell | old meets new |
Weed Bus | The Stairs | marijuana |
Week-end à Rome | Étienne Daho | places in Europe |
A Week in a Country Jail | Tom T. Hall | prisons |
A Weekend Without Makeup | The Long Blondes | the weekend |
Weekender | Flowered Up | mixtape closers |
Weep and Mourn | Israel Vibration | 12″ singles to 1979 |
The Weeping Song | Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds | songs about songs |
The Weight | The Band | debut songs |
Weightlifting | Trashcan Sinatras | kindness |
Weird Sisters | Sparklehorse | omens & prophecies |
Welcome Back | John Sebastian | reunions |
Welcome Home | Kramer | animal sounds |
Welcome Home | Peters and Lee | visitors |
Welcome Home Baby | The Shirelles | welcoming |
Welcome to the Black Parade | My Chemical Romance | surprising intros |
Welcome to the Monkey House | Animal Magnet | monkeys & apes |
Welcome to the Party | The Har-You Percussion Group | welcoming |
Welcome to the Pleasuredome | Frankie Goes to Hollywood | visitors |
Welcome to the Void | Morgen | fairytales |
Welcome Tomorrow | Love and Rockets | tomorrow |
Welfare Cheese | Emanuel Lasky | COVID-19 lockdown |
The Well | Richie Havens | wells |
We’ll Be Right Back | Steinski & the Mass Media | advertising |
Well, Did You Evah! | Deborah Harry & Iggy Pop | duets |
Well Fancy That | Fun Boy Three | teachers |
Well Fed Slave / Hungry Free Man | Lucky Dube | stomach & guts |
We’ll Gather Lilacs | Anne Ziegler & Webster Booth | positive songs |
We’ll Meet Again | Vera Lynn | redefined by film |
A Well Respected Man | The Kinks | punctuality |
We’ll Sweep Out the Ashes in the Morning | Gram Parsons | tomorrow |
We’re a Winner | The Impressions | winners |
We’re All Going to Die | Malcolm Middleton | doom |
We’re All in This Together | Gabby Young and Other Animals | underrated artists |
We’re an American Band | Grand Funk Railroad | outstanding percussion |
We’re an American Band | Yo La Tengo | concerts |
We’re Going To Be Friends | The White Stripes | friendship |
We’re Going to Live for a Very Long Time | Heaven 17 | immortality & longevity |
We’re Gonna Hold On | Solomon Burke | songs with special guests |
We’re Gonna Make It | Little Milton | optimistic songs |
We’re Leaving | DeVotchKa | departures |
We’re So Cool | Au Pairs | Birmingham & the Black Country |
We’re Still Here | Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat | personification |
We’re Stronger Than That | Amy Rigby | marriage |
Werewolf | CocoRosie | magic |
Werewolf | UK Decay | mythical beasts |
The Werewolf of Old Chapeltown | Bob Pegg | unexplained phenomena |
Werewolves of London | Warren Zevon | Halloween |
Wessex Boy | Frank Turner | England |
West Canterbury Subdivision Blues | The Stonemans | castles & palaces |
The West Coast of Clare | Planxty | Ireland |
West End Girls | Pet Shop Boys | urban environment |
West Indian Man | Rubén Blades with Son del Solar | the Caribbean |
West Texas Highway | Lyle Lovett | hitchhiking |
Western Dream | New Model Army | bad decisions |
Western Union | Elvis Presley | indirect messages |
Wet Dream | Wet Leg | awkwardness |
We’ve Never Met But Can We Have a Coffee or Something? | In Love with a Ghost | hello |
We’ve Only Just Begun | Carpenters | marriage |
Wha Me Eat | Macka B | nuts & edible seeds |
The Whale Has Swallowed Me | Hugh Laurie | stomach & guts |
The Whale Has Swallowed Me | J. B. Lenoir | cetaceans |
Whale Meat Again | Jim Capaldi | cetaceans |
Whammer Jammer | The J. Geils Band | harmonica |
Wharf Rat | Grateful Dead | redemption |
What? | Ursula Rucker ft U-Love | dares |
What a Fool Believes | The Doobie Brothers | fools |
What a Happy Day | Burning Spear | happiness |
What a Little Moonlight Can Do | Billie Holiday | the moon |
What a Man | Linda Lyndell | lesser known originals |
What a Waste | Ian Dury & the Blockheads | ambition |
What a Wonderful World | Louis Armstrong | miracles |
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted | Jimmy Ruffin | heartbreak |
What Came First, the Egg or the Hen? | Koko Taylor | chicken and egg |
What Can a Song Do to You? | The Unthanks | singing |
What Can I Say After I Say I’m Sorry | Dinah Washington | mistakes |
What Did You Learn in School Today? | Tom Paxton | propaganda |
What Do I Do Now? | Elvis Costello | indecision |
What Do I Get? | Buzzcocks | questions |
What Do You Want from Life? | The Tubes | ambition |
What Good Can Drinkin’ Do | Janis Joplin | hangovers |
What Happened to My Brother? | Mark Kozelek and Jimmy Lavalle | brothers & sisters |
What Have I Done to Deserve This? | Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield | songs with special guests |
What Have They Done to My Song, Ma | Melanie | music industry |
What I Go to School For | Busted | school |
What I Like About You | The Romantics | retro style |
What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend | The Special AKA | insulting songs |
What If | Lucinda Williams | conditional phrases |
What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes | Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings | taxation |
What Is Hip? | Tower of Power | ensembles, big bands & orchestras |
What Is Life? | Black Uhuru | meaning of life |
What Is Life | George Harrison | solo Beatles songs |
What Jail Is Like | The Afghan Whigs | stuck or trapped |
What Makes a Man a Man | Marc Almond | homosexuality |
What More Can I Say? | Danger Mouse | the Beatles |
What Sarah Said | Death Cab for Cutie | hospitals |
What the Hell | Avril Lavigne | starting over |
What the World Is Waiting For | The Stone Roses | B sides |
What Up Dog? | Was (Not Was) | songs with jokes |
Whatchamacallit | Esquivel | psychedelic songs |
What’d I Say (Pts 1 & 2) | Ray Charles | call and response |
Whatever | Oasis | cello |
Whatever Happened to Pong? | Frank Black | hobbies |
Whatever’s Written in Your Heart | Gerry Rafferty | arguments #2 |
What’s Become of the Baby | Grateful Dead | psychedelic songs |
What’s Behind the Mask | The Cramps | anonymity |
What’s Going On | Marvin Gaye | violence |
What’s Good? | Lou Reed | bereavement |
What’s Happening?!?! | The Byrds | uncertainty |
What’s Happening Brother | Marvin Gaye | siblings |
What’s Hardcore? | K’naan | Africa |
What’s He Building? | Tom Waits | questions |
What’s in the Headlines | Don Covay | journalism & the news |
What’s It Gonna Be? | Dusty Springfield | genre switch |
What’s It Like to Be Old? | Cock Sparrer | immaturity |
What’s Love Got to Do with It | Tina Turner | comeback songs |
What’s My Age Again? | Blink-182 | ages |
What’s New | Helen Merrill | regrets |
What’s That Smells Like Fish? | Blind Boy Fuller | smells |
What’s the Matter Here? | 10,000 Maniacs | surveillance |
What’s the Matter with the Mill? | Kansas Joe & Memphis Minnie | dialogue |
What’s the Ugliest Part of Your Body? | The Mothers of Invention | offensive, insulting songs |
What’s Wrong with Groovin’ | Letta Mbulu | freedom of expression |
What’s Your Business Here Elijah? | Maher Shalal Hash Baz | omens & prophecies |
The Wheel | SOHN | wheels |
Wheel Inside the Wheel | Mary Gauthier | parades |
Wheels | Mark Lanegan | wheels |
Wheels Ain’t Coming Down | Slade | aviation |
When All Is Said and Done | ABBA | autumn |
old age |
When an Old Cricketer Leaves the Crease | Roy Harper | sport |
When Breathing Starts | Ulrich Drechsler Quartet & Tord Gustavsen | quiet songs |
When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You | Marvin Gaye | hatchet jobs |
divorce |
When Do I Get To Sing “My Way” | Sparks | other songs |
When Doves Cry | The Be Good Tanyas | unlikely cover songs |
When Fall Comes to New England | Cheryl Wheeler | New England |
When He Loved Me | Sarah McLachlan | platonic love |
When I Am Laid in Earth (Dido’s Lament) | Alison Moyet (composer: Henry Purcell) | pathos |
When I Die, You Better Second Line | Kermit Ruffins | music for funerals |
When I First Came to Town | Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds | welcoming |
When I Get Low I Get High | Ella Fitzgerald | smoking |
When I Go Deaf | Low | silence |
When I Grow Up (To Be a Man) | The Beach Boys | getting older |
When I Laugh | The Maytals | laughter |
When I Paint My Masterpiece | The Band | painting & painters |
When I Was a Boy I Watched the Wolves | Paul Kantner & Grace Slick | dogs |
When I Was on Horseback | Steeleye Span | death |
When I Was Otherwise | Gazelle Twin | ambiguity |
When I’m 84 | The Beautiful South | refusal |
When I’m by Your Side | Alice Ripley & Emily Skinner (written by Bill Russell & Henry Krieger) | famous or notable duos |
When I’m Cleaning Windows | George Formby | glass |
When I’m Up, I Can’t Get Down | Oysterband | motivation |
When It All Comes True | Lanterns on the Lake | North East England |
When It’s Springtime in Alaska | Johnny Cash | spring |
When Joanna Loved Me | Scott Walker | months of the year |
When Love Breaks Down | Prefab Sprout | long-distance relationships |
When New York Had Her Heart Broke | John Hiatt | September 11 attacks |
When People Are Dead | The Go-Betweens | funerals |
When That Helicopter Comes | Oysterband & Brett Sparks | aviation |
When the Battle Is Over | Aretha Franklin | crowns |
When the Bomb Drops | Subhumans | distractions & diversions |
When the Bridegroom Comes | Judee Sill | Jesus |
When the Deal Goes Down | Bob Dylan | impressive videos |
When the Fuel Runs Out | Executive Suite | power |
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going | Billy Ocean | spirit of 2021 |
When the Going Is Smooth & Good | William Onyeabor | synth pop 1980-2000 |
When the Levee Breaks | Led Zeppelin | rain |
When the Levee Breaks | Kansas Joe McCoy & Memphis Minnie | earth, soil & dirt |
underwater |
When the Master Calls the Roll | Rosanne Cash | 19th century life |
When the Music’s Over | The Doors | wastelands |
When the Party’s Over | Billie Eilish | humming |
When the Revolution Comes | The Last Poets | genre defying |
When the Roses Bloom Again | Laura Cantrell | flowers |
When the Ship Comes In | The Chieftains & the Decemberists | waiting |
When the Sun Goes Down | Arctic Monkeys | prostitution |
When the Sun Goes Down | The Ink Spots | evening |
When the Sun Goes Down Tomorrow | Dolly Parton | hitchhiking |
When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano | The Ink Spots | crowds |
When the Thames Froze | Smith & Burrows | winter |
When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around | The Police | spirit of 2021 |
When the World Smiles with You | Andy Hickie | contentment |
When Tomorrow Hits | Spacemen 3 | tomorrow |
When Under Ether | PJ Harvey | nursing & healthcare |
When We Remain | Samantha Crain | wastelands |
When We Was Fab | George Harrison | the Beatles |
When We Were Young | Whipping Boy | adolescence |
When Will I Be Loved | The Everly Brothers | cheating |
When Will We B Paid? | Prince | waiting |
When You Are Who You Are | Gil Scott-Heron | acceptance |
When You Get Out of Jail | Fried | waiting |
When You Walk in the Room | Jackie DeShannon | Valentine’s Day songs |
When You Were Mine | Cyndi Lauper | upbeat break-up #2 |
When You Were Young (Lindbergh Palace Remix) | The Killers | teenagers |
When Your Hair Has Turned to Silver | Gene Ammons | hair |
Where Are the Barricades? | Leon Rosselson | banks & banking |
Where Are We Going? | Donald Byrd | change #2 |
Where Are We Now? | David Bowie | specific or obscure places |
Where Did Our Love Go | The Supremes | questions |
Where Did the Night Go | Gil Scott-Heron | midnight |
Where Did You Get That Hat? | Stanley Holloway | inheritance |
Where Did You Sleep Last Night? | Lead Belly | jealousy |
Where Do I Begin | The Chemical Brothers | hangovers |
Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere? | Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds | songs of desperation |
Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)? | Peter Sarstedt | underdogs |
Where Eagles Dare | Oddjob | raptors |
Where Everybody Knows Your Name | Gary Portnoy | pubs & bars |
Where Grass Won’t Grow | George Jones | earth, soil & dirt |
Where I Find My Heaven | Gigolo Aunts | spiritual songs |
Where Is My Mind? | Pixies | redefined by film |
Where Is the Love? | Black Eyed Peas | September 11 attacks |
Where Is the Love? | Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway | disappointment |
Where It’s At | Beck | musical instruments |
two – part 2 |
Where It’s At Ain’t What It Is | Tom Morello | big and meaty |
Where Love Lives (Frankie Knuckles/David Morales Remix) | Alison Limerick | triggering dancing |
Where Me Keys, Where Me Phone? | Mr. Zip | keys & locks |
Where the Devil Don’t Stay | Drive-By Truckers | the Devil |
Where the Soul of Man Never Dies | Hank Williams | immortality & longevity |
Where the Wild Roses Grow | Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds ft Kylie Minogue | flowers |
Where Were You? | The Mekons | secret admirers |
Where You Lead | Carole King | following & chasing |
Where’s Me Jumper? | The Sultans of Ping FC | fashion |
Where’s Your Child? | Bam Bam | anxiety |
Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home) | Marvin Gaye | hats |
Wherever I May Roam | Metallica | strangers |
Which Craft Is Witchcraft | Sharon Forrester | witches |
Which Dreamed It | Boeing Duveen & the Beautiful Soup | ambiguity |
The Whiffenpoof Song | Rudy Vallée & His Connecticut Yankees | higher education |
While My Guitar Gently Weeps | The Beatles | guitars |
While My Guitar Gently Weeps | Prince with Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Winwood, Billy Preston et al | guitars |
While You Were Sleeping | Elvis Perkins | sleep & insomnia |
Whine & Grine / Stand Down Margaret | The Beat | politicians |
Whip It | Devo | fetishes |
Whip Jamboree | Storm Weather Shanty Choir | Liverpool & Merseyside |
Whip You with a Strap | Ghostface Killah | children |
Whip Your Booty | Andre Williams and Velvet Hammer | fetishes |
Whipping Post | The Allman Brothers Band | similes |
Whiskey in the Jar | Thin Lizzy | whiskey |
Whiskey Lullaby | Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss | whiskey |
Whiskey Lullaby | Jon Randall | whiskey |
Whisky | Astor Piazzolla | whiskey |
Whispering Grass (Don’t Tell the Trees) | Windsor Davies & Don Estelle | gossip |
Whispering Grass (Don’t Tell the Trees) | The Ink Spots | trees, grass & flowers |
White Bird | It’s a Beautiful Day | violin |
white |
White Car in Germany | The Associates | places in Europe |
White Christmas | Otis Redding | alternative Christmas songs |
White City | Day One | white |
White City | The Pogues | ensembles, big bands & orchestras |
The White Cliffs of Dover | Vera Lynn | coming home |
White Dress | Fairport Convention | clothes |
White Foxes | Susanne Sundfør | from Nordic countries |
White Heat, Red Hot | Judas Priest | red |
White Horses | Jacky | white |
White House Blues | Charlie Poole | assassination |
White Keys | Chilly Gonzales | white |
White Knuckles | Elvis Costello | joints of the body |
White Lightning | The Fall | cocktails & spirits |
White Line Fever | Richmond Fontaine | itinerants & migration |
White Lines (Don’t Don’t Do It) | Melle Mel | advice |
(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais | The Clash | concerts |
White Mice | Mo-dettes | animals |
White Noise | Exitmusic | crosses |
White Rabbit | The Damned | rabbits |
White Rabbit | Jefferson Airplane | literary songs |
White Rabbit | Emilíana Torrini | surprising intros |
White Riot | The Clash | change |
White Room | Cream | rooms |
The White Ship | H. P. Lovecraft | books |
White Socks / Flip Flops | Super Furry Animals | clothes |
white |
A White Sport Coat | Marty Robbins | white |
White Star Liner | Public Service Broadcasting | white |
White Teeth Teens | Lorde | teeth |
The White Tent the Raft | Jane Siberry | white |
White Train | The dB’s | white |
White Valiant | The Mutton Birds | white |
White Walls | The KVB | borders, barriers, walls & fences |
White Wine in the Sun | Tim Minchin | tradition |
White Winos | Loudon Wainwright III | pathos |
A Whiter Shade of Pale | King Curtis & the Kingpins | saxophone |
A Whiter Shade of Pale | Procol Harum | misheard, nonsense or inaudible lyrics |
White’s Not My Color This Evening | Cherry Glazerr | bodily fluids |
Whitey on the Moon | Gil Scott-Heron | historical events |
Whitman’s Wood | John Surman | great solo performances |
Who Are You | The Who | anonymity |
Who Are You Trying to Fool | Little Ann | denial |
Who Did That to You | John Legend | outlaws & rebels |
Who Do You Love? | Bo Diddley | dares |
Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr. Hitler? | Bud Flanagan | retro style |
Who Gives a Fuck Where You From | Three 6 Mafia | compass points |
Who Have Eyes to See | Mike Brooks | eyes |
Who Is He (And What Is He to You)? | Creative Source | awkwardness |
Who Is He (And What Is He to You)? | Bill Withers | questions |
Who Is in Your Heart Now | Studio Killers | eureka moments |
Who Killed Brian Jones | David Peel and Death | conspiracy theories & paranoia |
Who Killed ‘Er (Who Killed the Black Widder) | Hoagy Carmichael | spiders |
Who Knew | P!nk | broken promises |
Who Knows | Protoje ft Chronixx | love songs to places |
Who Knows Where the Time Goes? | Sandy Denny | speed |
Who Knows Where the Time Goes? | Fairport Convention | autumn |
Who Knows Where the Time Goes? | Nina Simone | waiting |
Who Loves the Sun | The Velvet Underground | the sun |
Who Loves You | Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons | great arrangements |
Who Needs Action When You Got Words | Plan B | anger |
(Who Planted Thorns in) Miss Alice’s Garden | The Explosive | gardens |
Who Put the Benzedrine in Mrs. Murphy’s Ovaltine | Harry “The Hipster” Gibson | unusual rhymes |
Who Says a Funk Band Can’t Play Rock?! | Funkadelic | music genres |
Who Stole My Last Piece of Chicken? | Organized Konfusion | nostalgia |
Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys? | Arctic Monkeys | self-referential songs |
Who Will Buy | Jon Lucien | advertising |
Who Will the Next Fool Be | Charlie Rich | uncertainty |
Whoever You Are | Prefab Sprout | strangers |
Whole Lotta Love | Led Zeppelin | odd noises & instruments |
Whole Lotta Love / Symphony No. 5 | 2Cellos | cello |
Whole Lotta Rosie | AC/DC | volume |
being fat |
A Whole New Ball Game | Oi Polloi | curves & spheres |
The Whole of the Moon | The Waterboys | opposites |
Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Noise? | Age of Chance | noise |
Who’s Gonna Fill Those Shoes | Buddy Guy | children performing |
Who’s Gonna Take the Weight? | Gang Starr | questions |
Who’s in Here with Me? | The Cravats | anonymity |
Who’s Laughing Now | Jessie J | schadenfreude |
Who’s Making Love | Johnnie Taylor | ironic songs |
Why | The Byrds | arguments #2 |
Why? | Tracy Chapman | inversions |
Why | Carly Simon | questions |
Why Can’t I Touch It? | Buzzcocks | touch |
Why Can’t We Live Together | Timmy Thomas | great riffs |
Why Did You Leave Me | Dorothy Ashby | harp, lyre & zither |
Why Did You Stay? | The Pipettes | sweetness |
Why Do You Bob Your Hair, Girls? | J. E. Mainer’s Mountaineers | fads & crazes |
Why Do You Bob Your Hair, Girls | Blind Alfred Reed | hair |
Why Do You Exist? | The Weirdos | meaning of life |
Why Does the Sun Shine? | They Might Be Giants | knowledge |
Why Don’t You Kill Yourself | The Only Ones | blessings & curses |
Why D’Ya Do It? | Marianne Faithfull | sweary songs |
tragedy & comedy |
Why Is a Frog Too..? | Bentley Rhythm Ace | amphibians |
Why Is It Always Dairy Lea | The Shirehorses | farm produce |
Why Is It So Hard | Charles Bradley | biography & autobiography |
Why (The King of Love Is Dead) | Nina Simone | songs that make you cry |
Why Theory? | Gang of Four | more questions than answers |
Why We Build the Wall | Anaïs Mitchell ft Greg Brown | obstacles |
Why Write a Letter That You’ll Never Send | The Drones | misanthropic songs |
Why Your Feet Hurt | Rebirth Brass Band | from New Orleans |
Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High? | Arctic Monkeys | asking, begging & pleading |
Wi’ Nae Wee Bairn Ye’ll Me Beget | The Magnetic Fields | rejection |
Wichita Lineman | Glen Campbell | work |
Wicked Game | Chris Isaak | crooners |
Wickerman | Pulp | rivers |
Wide Open Spaces | Dixie Chicks | girl groups |
The Width of a Circle | David Bowie | id, ego & superego |
Wiegenlied (Lullaby) (Opus 49 No. 4) | Johannes Brahms | children’s songs |
Wig | The B-52s | hats & accessories |
Wig-Wam Bam | The Sweet | famous or notable duos |
Wigglesticks | Miracle of Sound | tools |
Wild and Free | Curtis Mayfield | freedom |
Wild Billy’s Circus Story | Bruce Springsteen | male names |
Wild Card in the Pack | Prefab Sprout | playing cards |
Wild Cats of Kilkenny | The Pogues | sound like other songs |
Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud | David Bowie | capital punishment |
Wild Gilbert | Lovindeer | storms |
Wild Horses | The Flying Burrito Brothers | mammals |
Wild Horses | The Rolling Stones | staying |
Wild Imagination | Sweet Baboo | using your imagination |
Wild in the Streets | Circle Jerks | urban environment |
Wild Is the Wind | Esperanza Spalding | wind |
Wild Mountain Honey | Steve Miller Band | inspired by India |
psychedelic songs |
Wild Mountain Thyme | Dick Gaughan | purple |
Wild Mountain Thyme (Live) | The Silencers | mountains |
The Wild Ones | Suede | staying |
Wild Roses | Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions | roses |
The Wild Rover | The Pogues | new resolutions |
Wild Wood (Sheared Wood Remix) | Paul Weller | trees, grass & flowers |
Wildfire-in-Memphis | Jobriath | prostitution |
Wildfires | Sault | shame |
Will o’ the Wisp | Miles Davis | mythical beasts |
Will the Real Geraldine Please Stand Up and Be Counted | Scrugg | sitting & standing |
Will You? | Hazel O’Connor | anticipation |
Will You Cry (When You Hear This Song) | Chic | crying |
Will You Love Me Tomorrow? | The Shirelles | one night stands |
Will You Miss Me When You’re Sober? | Deborah Conway | schadenfreude |
William, It Was Really Nothing | The Smiths | boring & dull |
Williams’ Blood | Grace Jones | roots |
Williamsburg Will Oldham Horror | Jeffrey & Jack Lewis | other musicians |
Willie and the Hand Jive | Johnny Otis | fads & crazes |
Willie the Pimp | Frank Zappa | rendezvous |
Willie’s Lady | Martin Carthy | witches |
Willin’ | Little Feat | smuggling & stealing |
Willkommen | Alan Cumming | welcoming |
Willow | Joan Armatrading | kindness |
Willow Tree | Seth Lakeman ft Wildwood Kin | trees |
Wimoweh | Karl Denver | wordless vocals |
Wimpeez | Peter and the Test Tube Babies | restaurants & cafes |
Win It All | Ian Hunter | winners |
(Win, Place or Show) She’s a Winner | The Intruders | competition |
The Wind Blows | Skeletal Family | wind |
Wind Chimes | The Beach Boys | notable outros or codas |
The Wind Cries Mary | The Jimi Hendrix Experience | girls’ names |
The Wind Knows My Name | Fairground Attraction | itinerants & migration |
The Wind of Change | Robert Wyatt with the Swapo Singers | change #2 |
The Wind That Shakes the Barley | Dead Can Dance | wind |
The Windhover | Lorcán Mac Mathúna | raptors |
The Windmills of Your Mind | Noel Harrison | memory |
The Windmills of Your Mind | Dusty Springfield | circles |
Window | Fiona Apple | breaking things |
Window Seat | Erykah Badu | windows |
Windowlicker | Aphex Twin | windows |
Winds and Leaves | CukoO | forests & woodlands |
Windy | The Association | nicknames & pseudonyms |
Wine, Women an’ Song | Whitesnake | wine |
Wings | Jimmy Buffett | wings |
Wings | Little Mix | wings |
Wings | Hans Theessink | wings |
Wings of a Dove | Madness | steelpan |
Wings of an Eagle | Ziggy Marley & Elizabeth Mitchell | wings |
Wings of Forgiveness | India Arie | forgiveness |
Winnebago Warrior | Dead Kennedys | hunting |
The Winner Takes It All | ABBA | pathos |
Winter | Darkwood | winter |
Winter | The Fall | songs with sudden changes |
Winter | The Rolling Stones | cold |
Winter in America | Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson | winter |
Winter Mountain | Mostly Autumn | mountains |
Winterstürme (from Die Walküre) | Richard Wagner (performed by Max Lorenz) | storms |
Wipe That Shit-Eating Grin Off Your Punchable Face | The Smith Street Band | stick it to the man |
Wipeout | The Surfaris | impressive intros |
Wires | Athlete | overturning the odds |
Wise and Foolish | Misty in Roots | sand |
Wise County Jail | Dock Boggs | earth, soil & dirt |
Wise Up | Aimee Mann | pathos |
Wish | Nine Inch Nails | trust |
Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down | R. L. Burnside | sitting & standing |
Wish Someone Would Care | Irma Thomas | indifference |
Wish You Were Here | Aryeh & Gil Gat | songs by buskers |
Wish You Were Here | Pink Floyd | opposites |
Wishing on a Star | Rose Royce | stars |
Wishing Well | Free | wells |
Wishmaster | Nightwish | so bad they’re good |
The Witch | The Rattles | running |
The Witch Queen of New Orleans | Redbone | witches |
Witchcraft | Fela Kuti | magic |
Witchcraft (For Your Love) | The Temptations | witches |
Witches Hat | The Incredible String Band | magic |
Witches’ Song | Marianne Faithfull | sisters |
Witchin’ Hour Blues | Tampa Red | witches |
With a Gun in My Hands | Otis Gibbs | refusal |
With a Little Help from My Friends | Joe Cocker | high-pitched vocals |
With Arms Wide Open | Creed | discovery |
With Every Heartbeat | Robyn | from Nordic countries |
With God on Our Side | The Neville Brothers | acceptance |
With My Daddy in the Attic | Dory Previn | domestic songs |
With My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock | George Formby | memorabilia & souvenirs |
With or Without You | U2 | songs of desperation |
With This Ring | The Platters | weddings |
With You I’m Born Again | Billy Preston & Syreeta | slow, sexy love songs |
Withered Roses | Shawn Phillips | roses |
Within You Without You | The Beatles | inspired by India |
Without Me | Eminem | narcissism |
Without You | Nilsson | heartbreak |
Woke Up This Morning (Chosen One Mix) | Alabama 3 | guns |
W·O·L·D | Harry Chapin | losers |
The Wolf | Catie Curtis | wolves |
Wolf | First Aid Kit | wolves |
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing | Big Youth | authenticity & fakery |
The Wolf Is at Your Door | Howlin’ Wolf | wolves |
Wolf Totem | The HU | impressive videos |
paganism |
Wolfman Jack | Todd Rundgren | nicknames & pseudonyms |
Wolves (Song of the Shepherd’s Dog) | Iron & Wine | animals |
A Woman a Man Walked By | PJ Harvey & John Parish | mistaken identity |
A Woman Left Lonely | Janis Joplin | being a man or a woman |
Woman of the Ghetto | Marlena Shaw | adversity |
Woman to Woman | Shirley Brown | songs with talking |
The Woman with the Tattooed Hands | Atmosphere | tattoos & piercings |
Wondaland | Janelle Monáe | fantasy |
Wonder If the Snow Will Settle | Clearlake | snow & ice |
Wonderful | Everclear | promises & choices |
The Wonderful Soup Stone | Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show | cooking |
Wonderful World | Sam Cooke | intelligence |
Wondering Where the Lions Are | Bruce Cockburn | cats |
Wonders of a Crescent Moon (4 Peyote Songs) | Louie Gonnie | American west |
Wondrous Place | Billy Fury | paradise |
Wondrous Place | The Last Shadow Puppets | supergroups |
Won’t Get Fooled Again | The Who | change |
Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) | Scritti Politti | bees |
Wood Thrush’s Song | Laurie Lewis | nightingales & thrushes |
Wooden Horse (Caspar Hauser’s Song) | Suzanne Vega | anonymity |
Wooden Ships | Jefferson Airplane | more questions than answers |
Woods of Darney | Richard Thompson | substitutions |
Woodstock | Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young | community |
Woodstock | Joni Mitchell | crowds |
Woolunda | David Hudson | drone music |
Wooly Bully | Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs | four-legged livestock |
Wop-A-Din-Din | Red House Painters | cats |
The Word Girl | Scritti Politti | influenced by reggae |
The Word/Sardines | The Junkyard Band | austerity |
Word Up! | Cameo | choosing & using words |
Words | Bee Gees | freedom of expression |
Words | Givers | choosing & using words |
Words of Advice for Young People | William S. Burroughs | advice |
Words of Wisdom | Dennis Brown | words of wisdom |
Wordy Rappinghood | Tom Tom Club | choosing & using words |
Work | Rihanna ft Drake | tautonyms |
Work for Peace | Gil Scott-Heron | peace |
Work It | Missy Elliott | regressing & reversing |
Work On Natty | Culture | fate & destiny |
Work Song | Nina Simone | prisons |
Work to Do | Average White Band | multitasking & being busy |
Work, Work, Work (Pub, Club, Sleep) | The Rakes | work |
Workin’ in the Cornfield | Junior Murvin | manual labour |
Working Class Hero | John Lennon | sweary songs |
Working for the Man | Roy Orbison | anti-work songs |
Working in the Coal Mine | Lee Dorsey | tiredness |
Working Late | Lone Justice | domestic songs |
Working Man | Rush | outstanding percussion |
Working on a Building | Cowboy Junkies | buildings |
Working on a Building of Love | Chairmen of the Board | tools |
Working on the Highway | Bruce Springsteen | manual labour |
Working Where the Sun Don’t Shine (The Colo-Rectal Surgeon’s Song) | Bowser and Blue | stomach & guts |
Workinonit | J Dilla | ten words or fewer |
A World Alone | Lorde | striking album endings |
World Destruction | Time Zone | apocalypse |
World in Action Theme | Mick Weaver & Shawn Phillips | organ |
World in Motion | New Order | football |
World Is Mine | Supercell ft Hatsune Miku | artificial intelligence |
The World Is Turned Upside Down | Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band | inversions |
The World Is Yours | Nas | start with the chorus |
The World Isn’t Fair | Randy Newman | philosophers |
World Leader Pretend | R.E.M. | deceptive appearances |
A World of Hurt | Drive-By Truckers | lessons in life |
The World Should Revolve Around Me | Little Jackie | eggs |
World Shut Your Mouth | Julian Cope | quiet |
The World Turned Upside Down | Billy Bragg | revolution |
The World Turned Upside Down | Chumbawamba | inversions |
The World Unseen | Rosanne Cash | the invisible |
The World Will Deem Us Dangerous | Her Space Holiday | lessons in life |
Worlds Apart | …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead | September 11 attacks |
Worried Brown Eyes | Jake Thackray | brown |
Worry | Scotty | underrated artists |
The Worst Band in the World | 10cc | ironic songs |
Worst Comes to Worst | Dilated Peoples | superlatives |
Worst That Could Happen | The Brooklyn Bridge | being single |
Would Not Be Denied | Buffalo Tom | denial |
Would You…? | Touch and Go | flirting |
Wouldn’t It Be Nice | The Beach Boys | accordion |
youthfulness |
Wounded Tigers | Gordon Haskell | tigers |
Wow | Beck | similes |
Wow | Kate Bush | actors |
Wow and Flutter | Stereolab | media for listening to recorded music |
Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games | of Montreal | misleading or incongruous titles |
Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams | Nico | dreams |
The Wreck of the Athens Queen | Stan Rogers | discovery |
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald | Gordon Lightfoot | rough & smooth |
Wrecking Ball | Gillian Welch | breaking things |
The Wright Brothers | Wednesday Campanella | famous or notable duos |
Writing the Book of Last Pages | Let’s Active | choosing & using words |
Written on the Wall | The Invitations | borders, barriers, walls & fences |
Wrong | Everything but the Girl | bad decisions |
Wrong Bathroom | Tribe 8 | awkwardness |
The Wrong Child | R.E.M. | games |
Wrong ’Em Boyo | The Clash | cheating |
The Wrong Shoes | Furniture | forgotten follow-ups |
Wrote for Luck (Vince Clarke Remix) | Happy Mondays | 1980s 12” singles |
WTC 9/11 | Steve Reich | September 11 attacks |
Wuthering Heights | Kate Bush | can’t live with or without you |
WWPRD | Jeffrey Lewis & the Rain | authenticity & fakery |