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With today's release of Wilco (The Album), we celebrate not only a band, but also a rich musical tradition. No, not album-cover camels, or even rock 'n' roll groups with frontmen named Jeff. Rather, musical parentheses.
From Was (Not Was) to Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), SunnO))) to Sigur Rós' ( ), parentheses have been invoked throughout music history for various reasons, across all genres. Most often, though, and arguably to greatest effect, they are used in song titles. Below is a playlist of merely 40 (there are so many!) of the Paste staff's favorite parenthetical songs. But first, a brief word from Terence of Sling Blade:"Morris is real smart with philosophies and things. That's why him and me are the songwriting team of our group. I make up good tunes or melodies as we call them and Morris is the lyrics... We wrote one last night standin' outside the Mini-Mart. Morris called it "Stuart Drives a Comfortable Car." Then, you know, like on country songs in parenthesis it says, 'There is usually someone in the trunk.'"
Enjoy, and leave your favorite musical parentheses in the comments:
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Glad to see Tom Waits' "Spare Parts I (A Nocturnal Emission)" made the list. Perhaps one of my favorites is Sufjan Stevens' ode to my hometown, "Flint (For the Unemployed and Underpaid)". Perfect representation of the city.
Great list! Before looking at the list, the first song that came to mind (and was subsequently shocked to find missing):
"Stay (Faraway, So Close!)", U2
Their best song. Hands down. On top of that, the video for it was inspired by one of my favorite films, "Wings of Desire".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=838dPcVq0c4