Songs whose lyrics mention the band's name...

While I'm not a fan of this at all, Bad Religion (possibly my favourite band depending on when you ask me) mention their name in their song "No Direction".

"I don't believe in self important folks who preach, no Bad Religion song can make your life complete"

 

The Australian hard rock band, Heaven, mentions their own name in the tune "In the Beginning" from the album Bent.

Iron Maiden is referenced in the song, you guessed it, "Iron Maiden" from the album, yep, Iron Maiden.

 

"We are the Fall
Northern white crap that talks back
We are not black. Tall."

The Fall - Crap Rap 2/Like to Blow

 

"Hollywood Swinging" - Kool & The Gang

"I remember, not too long ago
I went to the theater
And I saw the Kool & The Gang show"

 

"By the way, which one's Pink?"

 

Counting Crows - "A Murder of One"

"Casting shadows on the winter sky as you stood there counting crows"

 

"Whiplash" - Metallica: "We will never stop/We will never quit/'cause we are Metallica!"

 

Public Image Ltd - "Public Image"

 

Or "Pink isn't well, he stayed back at the hotel."

My favorite is "The King Crimson Barber Shop":

"I'm Tony
I'm Billy
I'm Bobby
I'm Belew
We're here to sing and play for you
Oh we're the King Crimson band..."

 

Andrenochrome by The Sisters of Mercy

 

Wang Chung "Everybody Have Fun Tonight"

 

The Queers - "You're Tripping" (NSFW)



Oddly the song is about a different band, probably Skrewdriver.

 

The Fat Boys and The Beach Boys version of "Wipe Out" mentions The Beach Boys.

 

Relatively obscure, but the song "My Crime" by Canned Heat says "That's the reason why they're tryin' to tear Canned Heat's reputation down." Also, Jerry Lee Lewis namechecked himself in quite a few songs.

 

Manowar - "Fighting The World" and "Kings Of Metal"

Twisted Sister - "Come Out And Play"

 

Ramones - The Return of Jackie & Judy from "End of the Century" -- "...they both came up to New York Just to hear the Ramones"

 

Big Star - O My Soul

"I can't get a license to drive my car,
But I don't really need it, if I'm a big star."

 

I know it's not their own name, but surrender by cheap trick mentions KISS in it.

chad

 

Phish - "Roggae"

First set of lyrics has each band member sing a line, one by one. Page McConnell sings "Gordon knew the moment when the stars all turned around.", and then (Mike) Gordon sings "But from that vantage point I frowned"...

 

Well, I was just commenting in a Brian Eno thread, so I'll go with The True Wheel from Taking Tiger Mountain, with Eno and the backup singers repeatedly singing "We are the 801, We are the central shaft" .... and of course 801 became the name of his short-lived but brilliant collaboration for a set of live concerts with Phil Manzanera and all the others. And knowing his penchant for word games and anagrams and the like, it's only a short reach from 801 to Eight-Naught-One to Eno, though I think Eno claimed it never occurred to him. It does name-check a couple other bands of the time in The Modern Lovers and A Certain Ratio, though.

 

Or better yet, the last album before the breakup...

Phish - Two Versions of Me
"Now there is none
No more light from the sun
Now waters run free
No more fish in the sea"

 

And don't forget Clash City Rockers.

 

There is the Residents track "All The Freaks" that was on a fan club CD where the lyrics were:

All of the freaks are not inside the tents
Some sit around and listen to the Residents

 

Off the top of my head, Devo also mentions themselves in:

Stop, Look and Listen
Mr DNA
Time Out For Fun
Step Up
Watch Us Work It