slices of my mind: 10 songs about famous people

Sunday, July 24, 2016

10 songs about famous people

A friend asked me to name five songs that name real people in the titles. Three comments about the groundrules as decided by me.

I accept as true that biblical characters are real.
I am also willing to go with a first name if that first name is actually a reference to a real famous person, and not just a generic use of that first name. Thus, I used "Elvis is Everywhere" by Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper, but I wouldn't use "Your Auntie Grizelda by the Monkees.
I am willing to accept pseudonyms that were well known.
No two songs by the same artist
No two invocations of the same person.

1) "John Brown" by Rank and File

One of my favorite cowpunk bands wrote a song about the famous abolitionist.

2) "(I Just Wanna Be) Your Steve McQueen" by Eytan Mirsky

Possibly my favorite song by the Bard of Forest Hills

3) "I Want to Be Your Davy Jones" by Freddy Monday

I met Freddy at a house concert on Long Island. Janey Street was performing, and the event was hosted by the local chapter of Nashville Songwriters of America

4) "יחזקאל" by החלונות הגבוהים ("Ezekiel" by the High Windows)

I-Pop from the 1960s.

5) "Elvis is Everywhere" by Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper

When I was in grad school, I loved Mojo. And this was the song that got me intro him.

6) "Joe Meek" by Wreckless Eric

I've been a big fan of Eric's since high school. This song was from after his peek (popularity-wise), but he was still making damn good music. One thing about this song -- At about 1:45 he starts the line "The talented, the hopeful the hopeless and just plain starstruck." Every time I hear this song, my mind expects him to sing "...and just plain stupid"

7) "Roll Over Beethoven" by Chuck Berry