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SWWFHMATSITAYKILYBBIGTH

CarlDennis

Retired Editor
Posts: 2752

CarlDennis @ 2018-07-27 06:50:42 UTC

Dear all,

I think, that I just entered the longest song title in the SHS database: She Was Waitin' for Her Mother at the Station in Torino and You Know I Love You Baby but It's Getting Too Heavy to Laugh (SWWFHMATSITAYKILYBBIGTH)...........

This work was written and first performed by Shawn Phillips in 1970 and on the record label the title reads SWWFHMATSITAYKILYBBIGTH.

The reason it was entered into the database, was the cover by local hero and Finnish supterstar Hector (Heikki Harma for his mother), who was the lyricist and was able to limit his title to Käenpoika! And this means just Cuckoo.

Isn't the World of Covers interesting?

Last edit: 2018-07-27 10:28:02 UTC by CarlDennis


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Clee J

Junior Editor
Posts: 320

Clee J @ 2018-07-28 19:15:31 UTC

Holy smoke! That's a real long title, especially for a cover.

Congratulations, man! Grin Happy Smile

Oldiesmann

Managing Editor
Posts: 2733

Oldiesmann @ 2018-08-12 23:53:11 UTC

On a related note, It is my understanding that Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand is the longest titled song to chart in the US.


Nope. That title belongs to 1. Stars on 45 - 2. Intro "Venus" - 3. Sugar Sugar - 4. No Reply - 5. I'll Be Back - 6. Drive My Car - 7. A Hard Day's Night - 8. Do You Want to Know a Secret - 9. We Can Work It Out - 10. I Should Have Known Better - 11. Nowhere Man - 12. You're Going to Lose That Girl - 13. Stars on 45 (officially "Medley: Intro 'Venus' / Sugar Sugar / No Reply / I'll Be Back / Drive My Car / Do You Want to Know a Secret / We Can Work It Out / I Should Have Known Better / Nowhere Man / You're Going to Lose That Girl / Stars on 45" according to Wikipedia).

Tar Heel

Member
Posts: 5771

Tar Heel @ 2018-08-13 00:56:06 UTC

On a related note, It is my understanding that Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand is the longest titled song to chart in the US.


Nope. That title belongs to 1. Stars on 45 - 2. Intro "Venus" - 3. Sugar Sugar - 4. No Reply - 5. I'll Be Back - 6. Drive My Car - 7. A Hard Day's Night - 8. Do You Want to Know a Secret - 9. We Can Work It Out - 10. I Should Have Known Better - 11. Nowhere Man - 12. You're Going to Lose That Girl - 13. Stars on 45 (officially "Medley: Intro 'Venus' / Sugar Sugar / No Reply / I'll Be Back / Drive My Car / Do You Want to Know a Secret / We Can Work It Out / I Should Have Known Better / Nowhere Man / You're Going to Lose That Girl / Stars on 45" according to Wikipedia).


My guess is that Stars on 45 single had an official short title in the U.S. I'm going by my memory of some DJ's comment when "Standing" was charting.


Of course the 12" from Stars may have charted with the long title.

camembert electrique

Editor
Posts: 6507

camembert electrique @ 2018-08-20 22:27:23 UTC

Nope. That title belongs to 1. Stars on 45 - 2. Intro "Venus" - 3. Sugar Sugar - 4. No Reply - 5. I'll Be Back - 6. Drive My Car - 7. A Hard Day's Night - 8. Do You Want to Know a Secret - 9. We Can Work It Out - 10. I Should Have Known Better - 11. Nowhere Man - 12. You're Going to Lose That Girl - 13. Stars on 45 (officially "Medley: Intro 'Venus' / Sugar Sugar / No Reply / I'll Be Back / Drive My Car / Do You Want to Know a Secret / We Can Work It Out / I Should Have Known Better / Nowhere Man / You're Going to Lose That Girl / Stars on 45" according to Wikipedia).

I have added the labels to Stars on 45. As visible, the titles are indeed numbered (no "Medley" or other main title) and the release itself simply goes by "Stars on 45".

Somebody may want to add the 12" edition, though, as it includes ten or so more titles ;-).

camembert electrique

Editor
Posts: 6507

camembert electrique @ 2018-08-20 22:38:32 UTC

Congratulations, Thom!

Isn't Hector a typical Finn? Why long sentences if it can be said in one word?

Some people seem to have performed live versions of [[|this one]] on a small scale (on the "Future Fossils" LP), but I didn't find any released covers... Maybe there are, with shorter titles...Have fun! PS: [[|Here is one]] - missing the spoken intro being the original title) - from the trio's self-titled 1986 LP.

Nice & funny song, btw.

Last edit: 2018-08-20 22:54:31 UTC by camembert electrique

CarlDennis

Retired Editor
Posts: 2752

CarlDennis @ 2018-08-21 21:45:47 UTC

Congratulations, Thom!

Isn't Hector a typical Finn? Why long sentences if it can be said in one word?


Nice & funny song, btw.

Nice and funny indeed! And we all love Hector having read our Homer at school.......

Thom

camembert electrique

Editor
Posts: 6507

camembert electrique @ 2018-08-21 22:42:20 UTC

... And we all love Hector having read our Homer at school.......

Homer et al.: The word epos was invented just for them - and mounting in epic (episch, épique etc.)...

Even if there wasn't M.A. Numminen, I might prefer 'our' Finnish Hector over the Greek myth one...

Anyway...

Tar Heel

Member
Posts: 5771

Tar Heel @ 2018-08-21 22:59:04 UTC

I might prefer 'our' Finnish Hector over the Greek myth one...


Blasphemy! Hector is one of the nine worthies and is far more honorable and sympathetic than any of the Greeks of the "Iliad".

camembert electrique

Editor
Posts: 6507

camembert electrique @ 2018-08-21 22:59:24 UTC

Thom,

[[|this song]] is great, too. You even added the artist and the album named after the song, yourself. It uses a traditional's melody, but I haven't found out which one's...

CarlDennis

Retired Editor
Posts: 2752

CarlDennis @ 2018-08-22 12:22:32 UTC

Besides "The Iliad" (arguably?) being the epic epic of all epics: Is there any correlation between Homer and humor?

We have the expression in Dutch about "Homeric laughter" and I understood, that the Gods did have a lot of fun together often at the expense of one of them.............

"ἄσβεστος γέλως" = uncontrollable laughter and in German it is called "Homerisches Gelächter", is it not............ So yes, there must be humour in Homer!

camembert electrique

Editor
Posts: 6507

camembert electrique @ 2018-08-23 02:41:25 UTC

We have the expression in Dutch about "Homeric laughter" and I understood, that the Gods did have a lot of fun together often at the expense of one of them.............

"ἄσβεστος γέλως" = uncontrollable laughter and in German it is called "Homerisches Gelächter", is it not............ So yes, there must be humour in Homer!

Aphrodite and Ares in bed and having fun, being spun into a virtual net, and the ensemble of horny, voyeur gods laughing thunders while A's husband laments...

Tragedy or comedy?

Those gods were polyamorous beyond their own species, which may (but shouldn't neccessarily) take us to Leda and the swan/Zeus and his messenger Hermes or Europa and the bull (see Greek 2€ coins)....

To sort of close the (vicious) circle: Wasn't the 'outcome' Aphrodite's Child? And would there be Europe without?

CarlDennis

Retired Editor
Posts: 2752

CarlDennis @ 2018-08-24 20:58:27 UTC

Oh, yes, Aphrodite's Child and the legendary "huilebalk" Demis Roussos (1946-2015)....................

I am so glad having had a classical education and being reminded by you , Erik, what it came to!

Thom

tsk

Retired Editor
Posts: 6484

tsk @ 2018-09-06 19:16:00 UTC

Actually, I put a longer song title into the database in February, 2013. It was written by Christine Lavin:


"Regretting What I Said to You When You Called Me 11:00 On a Friday Morning to Tell Me that at 1:00 Friday Afternoon You're Gonna Leave Your Office, Go Downstairs, Hail a Cab to Go Out to the Airport to Catch a Plane to Go Skiing in the Alps for Two Weeks, Not that I Wanted to Go With You, I Wasn't Able to Leave Town, I'm Not a Very Good Skier, I Couldn't Expect You to Pay My Way, But After Going Out With You for Three Years I DON'T Like Surprises!! - A Musical Apology"


Covered simply as "Regretting What I Said".

camembert electrique

Editor
Posts: 6507

camembert electrique @ 2018-09-06 22:29:58 UTC

Actually, I put a longer song title into the database in February, 2013. It was written by Christine Lavin:

"Regretting What I Said to You When You Called Me..."

Covered simply as "Regretting What I Said".

Hi Tim, happy to see you back!

See https://secondhandsongs.com/message/188459 ... I was so sure it hadn't been added that I didn't even look it up. You may want to replace the Chenile Sisters clip, though...

Duchess of Brooklyn

Member
Posts: 2

Duchess of Brooklyn @ 2021-01-30 06:02:40 UTC

"She was waiting for her mother in the station in Torino and you know I love you baby but it's getting too heavy to laugh" was, thankfully, shortened some time after it's release on Shawn's Second Contribution Album. He called it, simply, "Woman." It's one of the most beautiful ballads ever, and particularly so with his tremendous vocal range.


See e.g.,


camembert electrique

Editor
Posts: 6507

camembert electrique @ 2021-04-29 22:59:42 UTC

Just re-found the longest German one I (think I) ever saw:

"Nach der endgültigen und vollständigen Einführung und Inkrafttretung der Notstandsgesetze würde ich allen leichtfertig gutgläubigen Wählern ein Liedchen singen, aber vorsichtshalber singe ich es schon jetzt" by Dieter Süverkrüp

I have no idea if someone covered it with a (drastically?) shortened title.

Oldiesmann

Managing Editor
Posts: 2733

Oldiesmann @ 2021-04-30 02:07:36 UTC

Just re-found the longest German one I (think I) ever saw:

"Nach der endgültigen und vollständigen Einführung und Inkrafttretung der Notstandsgesetze würde ich allen leichtfertig gutgläubigen Wählern ein Liedchen singen, aber vorsichtshalber singe ich es schon jetzt" by Dieter Süverkrüp

I have no idea if someone covered it with a (drastically?) shortened title.


Apparently a political song. According to Google, that mess translates to "With the emergency laws finally and fully in place and coming into effect, I would sing a song to all gullible voters frivolously, but as a precaution I am already singing it"