Do you remember the first time you listened to Led Zeppelin’sHouses of the Holy? One of the tracks that may have caught your attention could have been “D'yer Mak’er.” Not only is it a ridiculous title that is not referenced in the song, how the hell do you say it? Perhaps you were like me and just called it “Track 6.”
Go on, say “D’yer Mak’er.” Before the days of the internet millions of people messed it up with an unconfident “Die-r may-ker” “Dire Macker” only to be laughed at by diehards who knew it was pronounced “Jamaica.” You sure got us, Zeppelin!
Apparently to comprehend the name of the song you need to have a British accent and know this joke:
Person 1: "My wife's gone to the West Indies."
Person 2: "Jamaica?"
Person 1: "No, she went of her own accord".
Now, if you have a British accent and enjoy a good pun in life “"Did you make her?" sounds just like “Jamaica,” get it? According to Jimmy Page in a 1977 interview with Dave Schulps of Trouser Press “ I didn't expect people not to get it. I thought it was pretty obvious. The song itself was a cross between reggae and a '50s number” Well, The Hold Steady got it, and perhaps helped many people clue in with their 2008 track “Joke About Jamaica.”
What hard to pronounce songs, artists and albums have had you tongue tied? What ones have you downright avoided saying?
Back in 2007 CBC Radio 3 had a "Most Unpronounceable Name” Bucky Awards category, the winner was Basia Bulat, beating out Camaromance, Anemones, The Phonemes and 9Nyne.
I’m still trying to figure out how to pronounce Malajube’s “Synesthésie” and Quique Escamilla.
Related
“That’s a band, not one guy!?” Band names that sound like solo acts.
“That’s a guy, not a band?” When band names confuse, Part II