Top 10: Album title puns
The very best wordplay in the pop and rock canon, from ‘Aladdin Sane’ to ‘Blizzard of Ozz’
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Your support makes all the difference.This list was suggested by Phil, otherwise known as Höhlenbewohner, German for cave dweller.
1. Aladdin Sane, David Bowie, 1973. A lad insane. One of the best.
2. Ruth is Stranger than Richard, Robert Wyatt, 1975. Nominated by Rob Prince.
3. Moroccan Roll, Brand X, 1977. Thanks to David Bertram and Patrick Davies.
4. Singles Going Steady, Buzzcocks, 1979. From Steve Van Riel.
5. Sound Affects, The Jam, 1980. Nominated by Craig Winneker.
6. Blizzard of Ozz, Ozzy Osbourne, 1980. From David Mills.
7. Beauty and the Beat, the 1981 debut album by US all-female band The Go-Go’s. “Thumpingly memorable guitar pop. File under: ‘Better than The Bangles,’” said Rob Prince. “And yes, I know the band’s name sports an unnecessary apostrophe, but I think we can forgive them that.”
8. From Her to Eternity, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, 1984. Thanks to Mary Elwin.
9. Road to Rouen, Supergrass, 2005. More from Rob Prince and Craig Winneker.
10. Big Inner, Matthew E White’s first album, 2012. “Has the added bonus of being brilliant,” said Simmy Richman.
Honourable mentions for Jonathan Dunn for Hairway to Steven by the Butthole Surfers (1988), Ed Butler for From Here to Infirmary, Alkaline Trio (2001) and Andrew Cotterill for Pete Sounds, Pete Wylie (2017). And I suppose Who’s Next, by the Who (1971) is quite clever.
In the “there’s always one” category: Graham Fildes, who nominated The Very Best Of Cliff Richard (2013).
Next week: bizarre lyrics of national anthems; none stranger than the dormant verses of “God Save the Queen”.
Coming soon: places with more famous places named after them, such as Falkland, in Scotland
Your suggestions please, and ideas for future Top 10s, to me on Twitter, or by email to top10@independent.co.uk
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