Band on the Pun

For Write Right Monday Night this week, I’ve got to make is short. Last minute plans for my stepdaughter’s wedding on Saturday are taking up most of my brain space. This also explains why I am so far behind in reading most of the blogs I follow, as well as responding to the awards that have been bestowed upon me by Dr. Meg Sorick and Cathy Lynn Brooks. I haven’t forgotten! I’ve added links to their blog pages, so please go check them out.

I’ve also noticed that many of the bloggers I met through Blogging 101 have started daily assignments for Writing 101. I wish I could have joined you, but with the big pending family event, I just knew I wouldn’t be able to give it the attention it deserves. Write on everybody!

So anyway, on to my weekly feature…

I simply adore puns and wordplay, and I love to work them in my writing whenever I can. One place that I notice a lot of puns is in music. There are album titles like REO Speedwagon’s “You Can Tune a Piano But You Can’t Tuna Fish” and songs like The Bellamy Brothers’ “If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me?”

These are examples of really clever writing, but one area that often impresses me is the titles of bands themselves. Probably the most famous band name pun is Led Zeppelin. They changed the spelling, but the name originates from the old adage that something will “go over like a lead balloon” or “go down like a lead zeppelin.” Apparently an early critic described them using that saying.

When I googled “puns in band names” I found a bunch that I had never heard of. Obviously, you can’t judge a band by its name (or a cover band by its covers) so this is in no way an endorsement of them as musicians. For all I know, their music may be awful, but they have my respect for their clever names. A few of my favorites: Kathleen Turner Overdrive, Harmonica Lewinsky, and Velveeta Underground. Awesome!

When I lived in Chicago, a popular local band was The Blind Venetians. Here in the St. Louis area, Dr. Zhivegas plays often at the bars and casinos, and no festival, food fair, or outdoor art show would be complete without a performance by The Well Hungarians. Aren’t those great?!

This is the kind of wordplay that makes me envious. It also makes me want to check out these bands. With that kind of creativity and sense of humor, I bet they’d put on a fun show.

There are so many puns in music titles and lyrics. What are some of your favorites? Please share!