| 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 (ft Justin Vernon, Ani DiFranco & Ben Knox Miller) | caves |
| Way Down in the Hole | Blind Boys of Alabama | defined or redefined by television |
| 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 Both Reached for the Gun (from Chicago) | Richard Gere | songs with or about errors |
| 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 (ft Justin Vernon) | 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 My Baby’s Beside Me | Big Star | energising songs |
| 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 Cock Robin? | John Jacob Niles | puzzling & mysterious |
| 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 |
| Whodunnit? | Robb Johnson | detectives |
| 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 |
| William Tell Overture (Finale) | Gioachino Rossini | defined or redefined by television |
| 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 |
| Wiring | World Saxophone Quartet | hardware |
| 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 |