Part 6/Six of the Numbers Song Project

What are your favorite songs with the word "six" in the title?

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Is there such a thing as a baker’s half-dozen? And if there is, would it be six and a half? Like would a donut shop employee or a bagelista have to cut an old-fashioned or a bialy in half to accommodate? Would they round up to seven? Or would they kick your ass to the curb for even requesting a baker’s half-dozen?

These are the thoughts that keep me up at night.

As the digits increase for this numbers song project, I figured the suitable selections would decrease. I have been proven wrong. Like #5 (five), #6 (six) has provided dozens of great tunes to choose from.

Below I share my top 12 songs with the word “six” in the title. Not a baker’s dozen.

As always, I eagerly await your comments on the songs I’ve left out. Although I limit myself to the word variation of the number, feel free to expand it to the number 6 for your suggestions.

Also as always, I’ve tried to include rare and live versions of the songs below, when I can find a worthy alternative. The playlist consists of the studio versions.

1. The Six Teens — Sweet

Desolation Boulevard is, to me, one of the great pop-glam albums of all time. It’s essentially a greatest hits album, in that the majority of their best songs are on it (yes, I’m goading a super-Sweet fan to argue differently). It’s got “Ballroom Blitz,” “Sweet F.A.,” “Fox on the Run,” and I haven’t even mentioned the classic track that fits today’s playlist.

“The Six Teens” came gloriously close to not qualifying for this playlist. Thank goodness for the simple space between words. But it does have me thinking of jumping to the number sixteen for next month’s playlist!

Enjoy the extended live 1974 version above!

2. Six Blade Knife — Dire Straits

Dire Straits was one of the rare bands that had their unique “sound” formed from the start. Their 1978 self-titled debut is one of their best if not their best album. Most people know “Sultans of Swing,” Dire Straits’ biggest hit, but “Six Blade Knife” gives it a run for its money.

What Mark Knopfler and the band knew from the get-go was the importance of space; not filling it all up lets it breathe. I love my fair share of “wall of sound” bands (The Jesus and Mary Chain for example), but tunes like this are a wonderful reminder to slow down and take a deep breath.

3. Six-Fingered Man — Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint

I have a friend who has two cats with 6 toes on each paw (yes, same litter). I never got a clear answer as to whether it allowed for a better grip or not, but I’m pretty sure if I had six fingers, I’d have a better grip on things. I guess that all depends on where the finger is, I suppose.

For the guitar or piano, which the two legends on “Six-Fingered Man” — Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint — play with immense skill and feel, I can only assume a sixth digit would add more possibility.

EC has recorded with countless musical greats, but outside of his work with Burt Bacharach, Costello’s album with Toussaint, The River in Reverse, is my favorite.

Check out the fantastic live version in the clip above.

4. Six Months in a Leaky Boat — Split Enz

The first song that came to mind while compiling number “six” songs was this gem from Split Enz. I’m sure most of you music aficionados are very familiar with this Tim Finn composition, co-sung with brother Neil for the great Time and Tide album (1982).

The Finn brothers would reconvene again in Crowded House, but that band, as wonderful as it was/is, was Neil’s baby. Tim was always more of an art-house, experimental sort with a strong pop sensibility.

I love every note that crosses the Finn brothers’ lips, so for me to fanboy over a cover version of one of their songs means it’s got to be truly stellar.

What Ted Leo (solo, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists) does with this acoustic version is indeed stellar.

5. Six Different Ways — The Cure

Are we going to get to finally hear the “new” album from The Cure before the end of 2025? We’ve been promised it for a half-decade or more, so I won’t hold my breath.

Until that time comes, I’ll be happy revisiting Robert Smith et al’s back catalog. One of my favorite albums, Head on the Door, would certainly get a lot of replay. So I was thrilled when I discovered that “Six Different Ways” qualified for this list. It’s a lesser-known track from their oeuvre and one that was challenging to find a good live concert clip to share. But The Cure brought this oldie and goodie back for their most recent tour, and I found a decent enough crowd video. Robert Smith, the king of goth, seems downright bursting with joy when he performs. He also kind of looks a bit like my Nana Muriel circa 1983.

6. Six Gallon Pie — Meat Puppets

Back in college, a couple of other students used to call me Firehose, because I would often wear a t-shirt displaying the great punk band’s logo. This was true, but I also wore a t-shirt featuring the band Meat Puppets just as often. Want proof? Here’s a photo of me and my friend Samantha backstage at an Oingo Boingo concert (1987 I believe), flanking Danny Elfman.

You can only see the word “meat” but I guarantee “puppets” is behind Elfman’s massive right bicep.

The point is: I was and still am a massive Meat Puppets fan. And although Forbidden Places is not their best work, it’s got several noteworthy tracks, including “Six Gallon Pie.”

7. Six Pack — Black Flag

Keeping in the punk genre, I had to include one of Black Flag’s most iconic songs. It’s pre-Henry Rollins, who most people associate with the band, but it didn’t take long for him to make it his own. I’m not sure if it’s original vocalist Dez Cadena’s (for this song; Keith Morris and Ron Reyes preceded him) voice in the clip or Rollins'. The video shows Rollins so I assume it’s him.

The lyrics might be glorifying drinking, but it’s all about disillusionment, non-conformity, and personal agency. It’s actually an anti-drinking song of sorts. And it’s poking fun at original singer Keith Morris, who was known to chug down a six-pack or three.

8. Six Feet Deep — The Warning

The Warning are a hard-rock trio from Monterrey, Mexico comprised of Villarreal Vélez sisters Daniela, Paulina, and Alejandra. All of them are still in their early to mid-20s, and they have been performing and touring for more than a decade.

They’ve got a rabid international following and are fantastic live. I found a clip of them performing “Six Feet Deep” in concert that shows how dynamic they are. I’ve also included the Official Lyric Video too, so you can follow along.

9. Six Dick Pimp — Liz Phair

This is the only track on this playlist that I didn’t know beforehand. I was a big fan of Liz Phair back in her early days, with the albums Exile in Guyville and the follow-up, Whip-Smart.

Apparently, she contributed this song to the soundtrack for the 1996 Kids in the Hall movie, Brain Candy. I vaguely remember the film, and even more vaguely remember the soundtrack, but the track “Six Dick Pimp” did not register in my memory bank.

It reminds me a bit of The Replacements, both the melody and the gender-bendiness. It’s a deep cut, and one that deserves inclusion in this list.

10. Baby Six String — Dressy Bessy

This one was a (re)discovery that appeared in my iTunes (I still refuse to call it “Music”) library. I hadn’t played Dressy Bessy in like 20 years and revisiting their catchy early ‘80s alt-rock music put me in all kinds of good moods. Try to listen to “Baby Six String” and not bop your head to and fro.

They’ve collaborated with a bunch of rock legends over the years, including REM’s Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey, and Wild Flag’s Rebecca Cole.

Though the band hasn’t released any new music since 2019, I can’t find any notice that they’ve broken up, so I’m hopeful for something from them in 2025.

11. I Got the Six — ZZ Top

I couldn’t find a live version of ZZ Top performing “I Got the Six” either. What the hell is that about? I thought for sure YouTube would have something for me to share with you that shows how great the Houston, Texas blues-rock trio is in concert. But nope.

You’ll have to make due with the studio version, from their multi-platinum selling Eliminator album (1983).

12. Six Feet Under — Billie Eilish (Jerry Folk Remix)

I never thought I’d make a mix that had ZZ Top followed by Billie Eilish, but that’s what’s so great about life, it throws all sorts of surprises in your path.

As much as I don’t get the whole Taylor Swift thing and probably never will, I immediately connected with Billie Eilish when I first heard her. I’m a person who gravitates to the music of a song far more readily than the lyrics, at least on the first couple of listens. And “Six Feet Under,” Eilish’s debut single back in 2016, produced by her brother Finneas (who has produced all of her albums to this point), shows how uniquely talented the Eilish siblings were right from the start.

I liked the remix version of “Six Feet Under” even more than the original single, so I’ve chosen that to close out the playlist.

Also, the HBO series Six Feet Under is one of my all-time favorite shows, so I wanted to honor it as well by closing with this song. I’m sure that if the series was airing when this track came out, it would have been the theme song.

Though Danny Yount’s theme was pretty darned great as well.

• Are any of these 12 “six” songs standouts for you?

• What did I leave out that needs to be included in the bonus playlist?

• Did you grow up wearing a particular concert or band t-shirt so much that it became threadbare?

  Thanks as always for reading, and I’ll see y’all next week!