< Today In Music History: CSNY's "Ohio" | Main | Fourth of July Weekend 2011 on The Current >

Monday Coffee Break: Vocabulary Test

Posted at 8:52 AM on June 27, 2011 by Steve Seel (56 Comments)
Filed under: 9:30 Coffee Break

Today's 9:30 Coffee Break is all about big words: songs titled with words that not everyone knows the meaning of. Now, naturally, it's very possible that we'll get some suggestions featuring words that you yourself know very well, but keep in mind, we're allowing for words that you might find on a high school vocabulary test for example - and if you know them, that's because you're simply more learned that somebody else. (We're even going to include a song with a title Steve didn't know the meaning of, and he was subsequently shamed by the artist performing it for not knowing the definition).

Songs played:
James Blake "Lindisfarne"
The Replacements "Androgynous"
Andrew Bird "Nomenclature"
Dessa "The Chaccone"

Comments (56)

Muzzle of Bees Wilco

Posted by Gus | June 27, 2011 9:05 AM

Onomatopoeia -- Todd Rundgren and/or John Prine

Narcolepsy -- Ben Folds Five

Posted by lou | June 27, 2011 9:08 AM

pretty much any andrew bird song

Posted by Andrew S. | June 27, 2011 9:09 AM

"Contrecoup" by They Might be Giants

Posted by Jim | June 27, 2011 9:09 AM

Another vote for Onamatopeia - John Prine

Posted by Becky | June 27, 2011 9:10 AM

The Okee Dokee Brothers - Antidisestablishmentarianism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-FWL4g42L0

Posted by matthew | June 27, 2011 9:11 AM

Tenuousness - Andrew Bird

Posted by Shannon | June 27, 2011 9:12 AM

May Seem Macabre - Peter Bjorn and John

Posted by Kathleen | June 27, 2011 9:12 AM

I learned what "chaconne" means from you guys playing Dessa.

Posted by Jim | June 27, 2011 9:12 AM

the mesopotamians THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS

Posted by Timothy Stouffer | June 27, 2011 9:13 AM

Myxomatosis by Radiohead

Posted by Sean | June 27, 2011 9:14 AM

Undulate by Popsicle
Perfidia by The Ventures

Posted by Jami | June 27, 2011 9:15 AM

Synchronicity- The Police

Second to Andrew Bird, I'll admit I'm still not sure what "Imitosis" is.

Posted by Kari | June 27, 2011 9:15 AM

Reciprocity -- Loudon Wainwright III

Posted by lou | June 27, 2011 9:15 AM

Girl Anachronism by The Dresden Dolls

Posted by Todd Hollingsworth | June 27, 2011 9:16 AM

They Might Be Giants:

The Mesopotamians
Palindrome

Posted by Breanne | June 27, 2011 9:16 AM

Odalisque by The Decemberists

Posted by Shannon | June 27, 2011 9:16 AM

The Rake's Song - The Decemberists

Posted by Jay | June 27, 2011 9:16 AM

Savoy Truffle -- the Beatles

Posted by kyle | June 27, 2011 9:17 AM

Kettering by The Antlers

Posted by Shannon | June 27, 2011 9:18 AM

Myxomatosis - Radiohead

Quadrophenia - The Who

Posted by Andy | June 27, 2011 9:20 AM

"Who Do You Love" The Woolies

Posted by rob | June 27, 2011 9:20 AM

Polythene Pam - The Beatles. It might be too hard to just play this one song though

Suffragette City - Bowie
The Rake's Song - The Decemberists. In that context anyway

Posted by d | June 27, 2011 9:20 AM

Dyslexic Heart - Paul Westerberg
Zooropa - U2

Posted by ken | June 27, 2011 9:20 AM

I'm just going with Decemberists songs because I can. The whole coffee break could be Decemberists today, and lets not even get started on their lyrics ;-)

"Odalisque"
"The Infanta"
"Eli, the Barrow Boy"
"A Bower Scene"
"Calamity Song"

Posted by Patrick | June 27, 2011 9:21 AM

Adrogenous - The Replacements
Teenage Lobotomy - Ramones
Blitzkried Bop - Ramones
Extra Svoir-Faire - They Might Be Giants
Exhuming McCarthy - REM
I Palindrome I - They Might Be Giants
Subliminal - They Might Be Giants
While Reprobate - Scatterd Few

Posted by loran | June 27, 2011 9:22 AM

Schadenfreude- Avenue Q soundtrack

Enigmatic- Huffamoose

Posted by Aiden | June 27, 2011 9:22 AM

Atavistic Viking -- Stuart Davis

Posted by Danomite | June 27, 2011 9:22 AM

Idioteque - radiohead

Posted by Casey | June 27, 2011 9:23 AM

Armistice by Phoenix

Posted by Adam | June 27, 2011 9:24 AM

Armistice by Phoenix

Posted by Adam | June 27, 2011 9:24 AM

I 3rd myxomatosis by radiohead

Posted by Jack | June 27, 2011 9:24 AM

"Mongoloid" by Devo!

Posted by John Moore | June 27, 2011 9:24 AM

Though not in the title, the word "pompatus" in "The Joker" has to be the most famous example.

Posted by Craig Kepler | June 27, 2011 9:24 AM

Schadenfreude- Avenue Q

Enigmatic - Huffamoose

Posted by Aiden | June 27, 2011 9:25 AM

Wow, a lot of comments already! Here's my $0.02:

Fischerspooner - Amuse Bouche

Thanks!

Posted by Brian | June 27, 2011 9:27 AM

Nefarious - Spoon

Posted by monica | June 27, 2011 9:27 AM

Tenuousness

Posted by Elizabeth Harris | June 27, 2011 9:27 AM

viscera eyes- mars volta
the apparatus must be unearthed mars volta
Rolodex propaganda- at the drive in

any andrew bird!!!!!!

Posted by ben | June 27, 2011 9:27 AM

Countenance - Beth Orton

Had to look it up:
Verb: Admit as acceptable or possible.
Noun: A person's face or facial expression.

Posted by joy c | June 27, 2011 9:28 AM

Hoodoo - Muse

Posted by Casey | June 27, 2011 9:29 AM

INXS - "Mediate" - Granted I was younger when I first heard this song. But I remember looking up many of the words in this song as well as the title word trying to figure out how they all went together.

Posted by Trevor | June 27, 2011 9:30 AM

Sequestered in Memphis- The Hold Steady

Posted by Aiden | June 27, 2011 9:30 AM

Horchata - Vampire Weekend

Posted by dave | June 27, 2011 9:30 AM

"Disseminated" - Soul Coughing

Posted by bob | June 27, 2011 9:33 AM

Sherpa...Tragically Hip, Trouble at the Hen House...

Posted by The Fig | June 27, 2011 9:38 AM

Papillon - Editors

Posted by C | June 27, 2011 9:38 AM

Mansard Roof - Vampire Weekend

Posted by Shannon | June 27, 2011 9:39 AM

Imotosis - Andrew Bird
Acquiesce - Oasis

Posted by JoeC | June 27, 2011 9:39 AM

ack, got here late....

Why Does the Sun Shine - They Might Be Giants

..lots of big words in there.

Posted by Jason | June 27, 2011 9:39 AM

How about Synonym Girl by Neil Young?

Posted by paul allbright | June 27, 2011 9:46 AM

What about Uncle Tupelo 'Anodyne'

Rich in Denver

Posted by Rich | June 27, 2011 9:53 AM

An Of Montreal song. Take your pick.

Posted by Chad | June 27, 2011 9:55 AM

Halcyon by the band Delphic

Posted by Lauren Gill | June 27, 2011 9:57 AM

Heard on the current:
Chaconne - Dessa
Repudiated Immortals - Of Montreal
Province - TV on the Radio

Also consider:
Fake Palindromes (and many others) - Andrew Bird
Amygdala - Honey Dogs
Somnambulistic - Information Society {Synthesizer}
Narcolepsy - Ben Folds
Sufragette City - David Bowie
Delirious - Prince (or Controversy)
Moral Kiosk - R.E.M.
Sanctify yourself - Simple Minds

Posted by Dave Linton | June 27, 2011 10:00 AM

Dramamine Modest Mouse

Posted by Isak Hawkinson | June 27, 2011 10:04 AM

June 2011
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30

Master Archive