(An Article That Asks) “Does It ( ) Effectively?” A (Parenthetically Inspired) Inquiry (About Certain Song Titles)

My favorite piece of punctuation is the parenthesis.

I think it’s an addiction of mine. And I’m already shaking and talking to myself from not including at least a pair in this paragraph.

The focus here is a look at the use of parentheses in song titles over the years. 

• Why are they there?
• Are they ever really needed?
• Do they add anything to one’s enjoyment of the song? (Oh lord, here we go. I told you I couldn’t resist. Universally, do titles matter? Is “Take on Me” less of a pleasure if it was simply “Track 1?” What about titles that have no connection to the song itself?)

But most of all:

I may not answer the aforementioned questions, but there’s no harm in randomly pulling mussels (from the shell):

Hurting Kind (I’ve Got My Eyes on You)

Bob Plant, famously part of a band who played fast and loose with titles in the misty, crungey past.

This solo effort from 1990 features the dual title approach. Yes, she’s a hurting kind, but you only mention that twice. That you have your eyes on her you repeat at least twelve times. If you’ve got to parenthesize, may I suggest:

“I’ve Got My Eyes on You (Hurting Kind).” Although, even better, ‘I’ve Got My Eyes on You (Let’s Talk About Love).’ The latter phrase is repeated six times, and works better with the former. But it should have been simply “I’ve Got My Eyes on You.” Obvious is sometimes best.

Other examples:

Ah, the old “parenthetical part of the title is a direct extension of what came before” gambit.

Does it scan? I guess. It probably works just as well unbracketed. My sneaking suspicion in this case: Some record executive in 1974 looked at “You Make It So Hard” on the label and thought:

In any case, “You Make It So Hard (To Say No),” the actual tune, functions well as a Motownish dry run for the effortless cool Scaggs achieves with “Georgia” et al, in ’76.

Other examples, of many:

The flip side of the trailing parenthetical addition, and the rarer for it.

At first glance, it’s a conundrum: by virtue of the parentheses, the first phrase is a lesser part of the whole. And yet, it’s in the leadoff position, which gives it natural precedence.

Of course Weezer’s in on the fun, titularly. The addition of the first phrase makes the whole thing a mouthful of rough syllables that don’t need to be there. “I Want You To” is perfectly serviceable; “(If You’re Wondering if I Want You To) I Want You To” is making sure you’re in on the song’s artless shaggy-doggedness. I only wish they’d gone whole hog:

Other examples:

I – What-?

Uh-, Timmmberrrrlakkkkkke!

This is just a flat-out crime, against titles, against punctuation, against the English language, against humanity, even against mild, flabby, dance-soul-pop, a genre hard to crime against. 

First off, the slash already suggests a medley, so get rid of it. And if it’s a prelude, where’s the main body of the song? And the prelude is a medley? What’s going on here?

Other examples:

If you must, read the song list on FutureSex/LoveSounds.

Note: Speaking of the aforementioned album’s song list, ‘(Feat. Xxxxx)’ is a separate issue that should be dealt with at some point. I think it makes more sense to drop it next to the artist’s name rather than the song title, i.e., artist and zzz; artist featuring zzz; artist, yyy, and zzz. Something like that.

The Seed (2.0)

The FYI approach. JT tried it up there, but it got away from him. This category has the artist or songwriter feeling like the title’s not giving you the whole story. More technical information is needed.*

Got it! The real question: does ‘2.0’ need parentheses? I say no. ‘2.0’ by itself makes it clear that it’s a follow-up, a remake, a re-imagination.

What are you saying? It’s not true? It’s ironic? Somebody said it once, so you put it up there?

Other examples:

* Additional post-recording addenda (‘single version,’ ‘remix,’ ‘re-recorded’) exempted, since they’re not part of the original title.

In the end, I don’t think there’s any overarching strategy when it comes to adding parentheses to song titles.

It really does feel scattershot. Like they’re all decisions made at 2AM, just because, for variety’s sake. Probably 99% of these titles would be clearer without their parentheses. Unless…

• “(Push) It”
• “(It’s Only Rock and Roll) But I Like It”
• “Bitter (Sweet) Symphony”
• “(Anti-) Hero”
• “Here (Comes the Sun)”
• “(Peg)”
• “Drank”
• “Let’s Go (Let’s Go, Let’s Go”
• “I’m Gonna Be 500 Miles”
• “(Hys)teria”
• “Standing [Outside {a Broken Phone Booth}] With Money in My) Hand”

Try it at home! Fun for the whole family!

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