The most fiendishly and ridiculously difficult music question ever to grace AB

[sp1814]

Seriously - you have to be an utter music nerd to get this one:

In terms of album titles, what do Sade, Elton John and Dire Straits have in common?

It's quite unique.

I heard this question back in the very late eighties and to my knowledge, I believe these are the only three artists this applies to. The only clue you have is that it relates to album titles and songs.

MarkRae/Steve.5 - I will feast on your tears as you struggle, and fail together the answer.

[MarkRae]

> It's quite unique.

Come on, mate! Something's either unique or it isn't...

[MarkRae]

Love? Love Deluxe, Victim of Love, Love Over Gold

[Ellipsis]

Title of the album = the first words of the first song on the album ?

[sp1814]

Okay - its absolutely unique. When you hear the answer you'll struggle to think of any other acts who have done the same.

Seriously. I've been trying to add a fourth to the list since about 1990, and have failed.

[jno]

yes, that must be the answer, nobody else has ever had "love" in a song title.

[kawakiri]

Contain lyrics ina track that is the album title.

[sp1814]

Ellipsis - close. But I want details.

Bloody well done by the way.

[MarkRae]

> Okay - its absolutely unique.

LOL! You mean it's unique.

[sp1814]

kawakiri - closer...now, what are the albums, and what are the songs.

Come on MarkRae, don't let these whippersnappers fox you. Make the connection!

[Ellipsis]

Well, Sade gave it to me. "Diamond life, lover boy" are the first words of "Smooth operator" on the "Diamond life" album. I'll let the afficionados take it from there ...

[Ellipsis]

Oh, and "Smooth Operator" is the first track on that album, so these are the first words you hear ...

[sp1814]

Ellipsis - you've got a third of the answer - I can almost feel Google's servers heating up with the strain of all the queries being thrown at it...

[kawakiri]

Elton john nikita ice on fire
Dire straits skateaway

[kawakiri]

Whippersnapper, I'm flattered. Although I do bow to Mark's music knowledge.

[MarkRae]

Er, well...

The first track on Elton's Ice on Fire is called This Town. The line "Ice on Fire" comes from the fourth track "Nikita", which is a Russian boy's name...

[sp1814]

kawakiri

A hamper from Fortnum and Masons is on its way to you (except, of course, that it isn't).

Full answer:

They've all released albums that have titles which refer to lines from hit singles from that album, but don't contain songs with the title:

Sade released an album called 'Diamond Life' which has no song on it called 'Diamond Life, but the phrase is mentioned in the single 'Smooth Operator

Diamond life lover boy
We move in space with minimal waste and maximum joy

Elton John released an album called 'Ice On Fire', which has no song on it called 'Ice On Fire', but is referenced in the single from that album, 'Nikita':

Oh I saw you by the wall
Ten of your tin soldiers in a row
With eyes that looked like ice on fire

Dire Straits released an album called 'Making Movies' with no song called 'Making Movies' but in the song 'Skateaway' on that album, is the line:

She gets rock n roll a rock n roll station
And a rock n roll dream
She's making movies on location

[sp1814]

Signing off now - but if anyone knows of any other albums that match that criteria, I'm all ears!

[MarkRae]

Seriously? That's it???

Genesis - Selling England by the Pound, the title being found in the lyrics of Dancing with the Moonlit Knight.

"I'll see you on the dark side of the moon". That's quite a well known one!

And many, many others...

[kawakiri]

Can we add "Down on the Corner" Credence Clearwater Revival from Willy and the Poor Boys.