Song titles: Why "Bartender" and not "Hey Bartender"?

[DocTore]

I am talking, of course, about the Lady Antebellum song.

I think "Hey Bartender" is a better song title and makes more sense as the title:

* someone guessing the title would guess "Hey Bartender" - it is the actual phrase from the song. "Bartender" alone in the song has no meaning.
* "Hey Bartender" is less generic. It begins to tell a story - causes one to ask questions. It is a more provocative title, especially for someone who hasn't heard the song yet, or doesn't know the lyrics.

Did they simply drop the "Hey" so that the song would be on the top of alphabetical lists?

I find this strange, but important. Nothing a Nashville band on Lady A's level is done by mistake. Everything - I suspect - is calculated, well-thought out.

What am I missing here about naming songs in general, or about this particular case?

[Len911]

Let's start with the name of the group. Anything with a feudalistic title in the name seems like an effort to make something sound classy and sexy, it just sounds well, pretentious and feudalistic to me,lol! Alcohol might have been a better title alphabetically speaking. Contemporary country songs seem to be saturated in booze-speak, at least what little I have heard, not very compelling imo. I haven't heard the song and don't know the lyrics. If there is a bar stool in the song, I think I'd have named it, "Stool", lol! Now I am curious and will look up the lyrics!
Could be that they're not very good at titles, I mean doesn't their name suggest "feudal plantation"??

[DocTore]

Let's start with the name of the group. Anything with a feudalistic title in the name seems like an effort to make something sound classy and sexy, it just sounds well, pretentious and feudalistic to me,lol! Alcohol might have been a better title alphabetically speaking. Contemporary country songs seem to be saturated in booze-speak, at least what little I have heard, not very compelling imo. I haven't heard the song and don't know the lyrics. If there is a bar stool in the song, I think I'd have named it, "Stool", lol! Now I am curious and will look up the lyrics!
Could be that they're not very good at titles, I mean doesn't their name suggest "feudal plantation"??

"Antebellum" is referring to the period of time prior to the Civil War in the South. "Lady", I guess, is referring to the lead vocalist - who I think is sporting a Shania Twain sound. Yes, perhaps an attempt at a classy and pretentious band name.

Yes, please check out the song if you are interested - it is quite catchy and very popular, and the band is hugely popular. I envy the hooks in this song, and in another called "Downtown".

Not a big country fan - I prefer all kinds of rock and blues before country. But I am a sucker for a catchy pop tune in any style!

[burpo]

Maybe it's because there's at least one song called "Hey, Bartender," (I remember that The Blues Bros. covered it.)

[DocTore]

Maybe it's because there's at least one song called "Hey, Bartender," (I remember that The Blues Bros. covered it.)

Thanks, Burpo. Could be - I suppose - but that was a long time ago, and I don't think the song was that popular, or isn't so now anyway.

Regardless, recall that the following huge bands all had a popular song during the same 10 year period (69-79) named "Heartbreaker" (By the way, all these songs are great!):

Led Zeppelin
Rolling Stones
Grand Funk Railroad
Pat Benetar

And upon looking it up right now, I see that even Dionne Warwick - later than all the others - had a song named Heartbreaker.

[burpo]

Yeah. I agree with you on the whole thing.