I must set you a task, so that you can prove yourself worthy of my daughter's hand....

edited February 2016 in whirling dervish
I'm running a little experiment, building a list of examples of song/artist titles that inspire mental imagery of fantasy/imaginary objects that could conceivably be reproduced in solid form. I'm hoping that some members of this forum will find this project right up their alley. 

I've posted this list on the Rate Your Music site. This is the introduction to the list:
"This list is part challenge and part experiment. I'm looking for help, from the RYM hive mind, to collect titles of songs and albums or band names that are very visually stimulating and produce mental images of non-existent objects or imaginary animals. 
Assigning a name to music that is picturesque or cinematic must require a great deal of thought or inspiration as evocative as the music itself. I want to focus on a subset of these unusual and vivid types of titles. Can you recommend a band name, song or album title that conjures up not a mental painting or sense of place but an imaginary object; one that with a little creativeness could cross over into the real world and conceivably be carved in wood or stone? 
I've only recently started to think about this theme. Unfortunately some great title examples, that first inspired thoughts along these lines, now seem to elude me. Below are some lesser samples to plant a seed and provoke your thoughts. Hopefully with everyone's input we'll be able to come up with much more evocative and lucid specimens. 
Hopefully these mental images aren't too individually specific and become "lost in translation". I'm curious to see if there is a "language" for imaginary 3D visualization. So please, suggest away :-)"

I'd love to hear any examples you guys can think of. Assuming that any suggestions offered here exist in the RYM database, I will add it to the source list; and certainly give your credit for your input.


If you'd like to read the list of examples, the source list can be found here:

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/dataGuy/titles_that_inspire_my_minds_eye_in_3d/

Comments

  • Doyeq - Eyelashes of Lanterns
    WMRI - Galactic Sewer?
  • edited February 2016
    Thanks @Germanprof those are some really left-field suggestions - great stuff. However, while a fun concept, I'm having trouble visualizing the galactic sewer and even harder to conceive being reproduced in solid form; not sure I want to try too hard to imagine alien waste steams ;)

    As it turns out that WMRI album has a cut called 'Electronic Tree' that I think will fit the list very well. While that title sounds a bit generic, I find it easy to imagine all kinds of trees that contain electronics. Maybe because some already exist, like the solar-powered tree WiFi spots. [I've seen much better examples of WiFi trees in the past but that link gives you the general idea]

    Thanks very much for your help - blowing my mind already....
  • Robyn Hitchcock used to write songs like that - "Star of Hairs," "Heart Full of Leaves," "Furry Green Atom Bowl," "Globe of Frogs," "Daisy Bomb," and a few others. Not so much anymore... But other than those, and maybe the Cocteau Twins' "Glass Candle Grenades" and "Spooning Good Singing Gum," I can't think of any. This is actually kind of a challenge, if you take a fairly strict approach to the requirement parameters.

  • Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears - "Booty City"

    It's a whole city.  Made of booty.

    Craig
  • It's a whole city.  Made of booty.

    I've driven through one of those.
  • edited February 2016
    Thanks very much guys - appreciate the suggestions. Very interesting the examples that people come up with.

    This is actually kind of a challenge, if you take a fairly strict approach to the requirement parameters.

    True - that's part of why I asked for help. That's why I regret not collecting the titles that inspired this idea. Seemed like examples, that would fit were all over, they turned out to be a bit rarer that that. Thanks again guys for your help....

  • edited February 2016
    Looking through my collection with these parameters in mind I am struck by how few ambient tracks are named for objects rather than descriptors or states. And of those that do, most are real- world (e.g. Lucette Bourdin - Silver Trees, Wil Bolton - Dead Branches).

    Ian Hawgood - Pirouette of Cotton.
    Manrico Montero - Sweet palms and burning bees.
    Twincities - Cadaver Dogs.
    Off the Sky and Pillow Garden - Feather Anchor For A Tidal Yawn.
    Teeth of the Sea - Knees like Knives


  • I've always found this band name to be highly evocative.  Of something
  • edited February 2016
    @Germanprof I agree. I've made a pass through a few genres that I thought for sure would be a wellspring of examples, only to find that so many titles evoke a state or sense rather than an object. 

    Of the examples found, so far, many of them are simply a noun married with an unexpected material (ex. Glass Onion). I guess I was expecting more surrealism. When I was writing my introduction to the list, one thought that popped into my mind to use as an example was "Little Red Wagon in Full Sail". [On a related note, if I ever record my own album I always wanted to name it: "Runes In the Sand"; which could sort of fit this list]

    It is fun however, to see what other people have come up with. Even the suggestions that don't fit the parameters are interesting. It will also be curious, after a while, to step back and see if any of the examples that made the list are also good musical finds.
  • @Doofy that is an interesting name. What popped in my mind was "Rosetta Stone". Which it turns out is also the name of a gothic rock band  :D
  • How about:
    Group - Voodoo Glow Skulls
    Song - The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)

    And for all you amiestreet longtimers: Crimson Razorback

  • @dataGuy That is actually an old in-joke, long since run into the ground.  P-in-R was one of a small number of guys with a seemingly limitless number of uninspired tracks uploaded to the old Amie Street website...as was Crimson Razorback.  If you ever see any mention of "monies," that's another moldie oldie...

  • Growing up in the 70's I've seen plenty of Voodoo Glow Skulls in real life.... or at least Voodoo Day-Glo Skulls
  • Before I invest too much time in the task, I'd like to see a picture of this daughter.
  • Because she's a f***ing princess, that's why!
  • More importantly surely would be a picture of the hand.
  • edited March 2016
    Good point - who says you are getting anything more that her hand  :p

    Just in case not everyone is familiar with the reference, you can see the King Otto's daughter in this skit:


    Unfortunately the televised version was shortened and leaves out some of the best bits. Use the link below to hear the whole story of Princess Mitzi Gaynor (who had fabulous tits and an enchanting smile, and wooden teeth which she had bought at a chemist's in Augsburgh, despite the fire risk):

  • that reminds me of the famous story of Phil Lynott from Thin Lizzy, when he asked his future father in law for his daughters hand, he said well sure because you have had everything else!
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