# Celebrities in pop songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 22, 2001, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804 "2001-10-22T04:10:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/41 "2001-10-22T15:38:33Z")
I know we’re trying to stay away from fictional characters, but the first thing I thought of when I opened this thread was Captain Kirk in Nena’s “99 Red Balloons.” Al Stewart’s album _Past, Present, and Future_ mentions plenty of historical figures–from General Guderian in “Roads to Moscow” to Nostradamus in “Nostradamus.” The Righteous Brothers’ “Rock and Roll Heaven” mentions many dead pop and rock stars–off the top of my head, I can think of references to Jim Croce, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Jim Morrison, and Bobby Darin. There is another mention of James Dean in David Essex’s “Rock On.” And in “Candle in the Wind,” Elton John sings to Norma Jean–a reference to Norma Jean Baker, better known as Marilyn Monroe. ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/42 "2001-10-22T15:41:38Z")
David Wilcox sings _Chet Baker’s Unsung Swan Song_. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/43 "2001-10-22T15:46:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spoons \* > \*\* > > There is another mention of James Dean in David Essex’s “Rock On.”\*\* Also covered (badly) by Michael Damien, if we’re counting remakes. > [@](#): > > \*\* > > And in “Candle in the Wind,” Elton John sings to Norma Jean–a reference to Norma Jean Baker, better known as Marilyn Monroe. \*\* And he remade this into a song about Princess Di ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/44 "2001-10-22T15:54:30Z")
My first thought was _Michael Caine_ by Madness (the guys who did _Our House_). This gets a bonus for actually having him in the song, saying “My name is Michael Caine.” Bob Crane is mentioned in The Dead Milkmen’s _Life is Shit_. One of David Bowie’s early songs, _The Width of a Circle_ mentions Kahlil Gibran. In addition to Bob Dylan and the Beatles, The Who’s _The Seeker_ also mentions Timothy Leary. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/45 "2001-10-22T15:58:24Z")
Oh yeah, and Warren Zevon’s mentioned Patty Hearst, Lon Chaney Jr. and Sr., Zapata and Red Sox pitcher Bill Lee. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/46 "2001-10-22T20:07:52Z")
They Might Be Giants have mentioned Kurtis Blow, Edith Head, and James Ensor. Jonathan Richman has written songs about Vincent Van Gogh (who liked color and let it show) and Pablo Picasso (who was never called an asshole). Matthew Sweet has a creepy stalkeresque song called “Winona”, presumably about Winona Ryder. Alex Chilton has a song about the Dalai Lama, and The Replacements have a song about Alex Chilton. To bring us full circle, TMBG have a song about The Replacements. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/47 "2001-10-22T21:03:14Z")
I remembered two more: The Posies have a song called “Grant Hart,” about the Hüsker Dü drummer. I don’t know that you’d call him a celebrity, but there it is. Tom Petty’s “Jammin’ Me” mentions Vanessa Redgrave, Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/48 "2001-10-22T22:10:34Z")
There was a song back in the 70s about Mohammed Ali called “Black Superman” by ???. **Was (Not Was)** has a song called “MAn vs. The Empire Brain Building” that mentions Johnny Cash. ---
**Author:** ![GreatKingRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@GreatKingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreatKingRat)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/49 "2001-10-22T22:44:41Z")
Elton John’s “Since God Invented Girls” - Brian Wilson. Paul Simon’s “Late Great Johnny Ace” -John Lennon. Neil Young’s “Ohio” -Richard Nixon Warren Zevon’s “Hurry On Home” - Boom Boom Mancini, Bobbby Chacon, Alexis Arguello and Du Koo Kim. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/50 "2001-10-22T23:08:29Z")
“Rocky Horror Picture Show”! From “Science Fiction Double Feature” "Michael Rennie was ill the day the Earth stood still But he told us Where we stand And Flash Gordon was there in silver underwear Claude Raines was the Invisible Man But something went wrong for Faye Ray and King Kong They got caught in a celluoid jam" (and so on and so on) Then there was the line: “Anne Francis stars in Forbidden Planet” from the chorus, followed by SECOND VERSE: I knew Leo G. Carroll was over a barrel when Tarantula took to the hills. And I really got hot when I saw Janette Scott fight a Triffid that spits poison and kills. Dana Andrews said prunes gave him the runes, and passing them used lots of skills. But When Worlds Collide, said George Pal to his bride, “I’m gonna give you some terrible thrills”. Like a… And of course, from Frank N. Furter’s opening song: “Maybe we can take in an old Steeeve Reeeves movie” ::hip bump:: :::off to do the time warp again::: ---
**Author:** ![GreatKingRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@GreatKingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreatKingRat)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/51 "2001-10-22T23:10:56Z")
Queen’s “Killer Queen” - Marie Antoinette, Krushev and Kennedy Queen’s “The Miracle” - Captain Cook and Jimi Hendrix Queen’s “Life Is Real” -Jonh Lennon Queen’s “Stone Cold Crazy” -Al Capone ---
**Author:** ![GreatKingRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@GreatKingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreatKingRat)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/52 "2001-10-22T23:17:50Z")
Queen’s “Killer Queen” - Marie Antoinette, Krushev and Kennedy Queen’s “The Miracle” - Captain Cook and Jimi Hendrix Queen’s “Life Is Real” -Jonh Lennon Queen’s “Stone Cold Crazy” -Al Capone ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/53 "2001-10-23T00:19:46Z")
Artist: Ian Dury and the Blockheads Song: “There Ain’t Half Been Some Clever Bastards” Mentioned: Noel Coward, Van Gogh, Einstein, Segovia. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/54 "2001-10-23T01:15:37Z")
Another Bob Dylan one, which I am amazed didn’t come up yet: he’s in “Mr. Jones” by Counting Crows. Another Ronald Reagan one (sort of): “Bonzo Goes to Bitburg” by the Ramones, criticizing his visit to a cemetery that contained some graves of SS officers. The song was difficult for them to do, because they had been big Reagan supporters until then. Some artists that have already been mentioned: Mojo Nixon also recorded “Don Henley Must Die!”. Supposedly he later changed it to “Michael Bolton…” when performing it live. In addition to “Vincent”, Simon and Garfunkel also recorded a song called “So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright”. I think it is on the album “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. Also: Dexy’s Midnight Runners mention Johnny Ray in the first line of “Come on, Eileen” Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Road”: “…Roy Orbison singing for the lonely…” The Smithereens, “Behind the Wall of Sleep” mentions Jeannie Shripton (a fashion model, I think) and Bill Wyman. Rolling Stones, “You Can’t Always Get what you Want” mentions Mr. Jimmy, which I believe refers to Jimi Hendrix. Now, a few where the person’s name isn’t mentioned, but the song is about them: George Harrison wrote “All Those Years Ago” in honor of John Lennon. For that matter, I think one of Lennon’s early solo song was a condemnation of Paul McCartney, but I don’t remember the title. U2’s “Angel of Harlem” about Billie Holliday. Carly Simon’s “You’re so Vain”: supposedly about her relationship with Warren Beatty, but I don’t know if she has said this, or just other people have. Don McLean’s “American Pie” is loaded with what appear to be references to Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, Richie Valens, Bob Dylan (again!), the Beatles, the Byrds, the Rolling Stones, James Dean…but I don’t think he has admitted to any of them. I know the lyrics have been dissected on this board. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/55 "2001-10-23T01:18:12Z")
The Clash, in “Magnificent Seven” mention Socrates, (Richard) Milhouse Nixon, Plato, and Rin Tin Tin. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/56 "2001-10-23T01:45:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by galen ubal \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Osiris \* > > \*\*A lot of people mentioned Reagan too. In a Don Henley song he mentions “this tired old man that we elected king” which his him. I can’t recall the tune but I imagine he was mentioned, as would be others, in the song with the puppets. \*\* > > That song would be “End of the Innocence” on the album of the same name. I don’t remember puppets being involved, though. Are you thinking of the video for “Land of Confusion” by Genesis? \*\* That’s it. Hmm should have hit enter a couple times between thoughts, oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/57 "2001-10-23T01:51:47Z")
Wow, it never ceases to amaze me how much dopes love to list things. I think it’s a sign of intelligence. In my first post I mentioned a Kinks song but gave it the wrong title. It’s mentioned again later in the thread but I thought I’d should say anyway that it was “Celluloid Heroes” and that I was too lazy to go get the CD. Did someone mention Don McLean’s “Vincent”? about Van Gogh? I saw a reference to a Simon and Garfunkel song but not that one. There’s also “Calling Elvi” by Dire Straights which is pretty funny. And there is a really great song by Woody Guthrie put to music by Billy Bragg called “Ingrid Bergman” and how he has the hots for her and what he’d do with her. Good song. ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/58 "2001-10-23T01:53:08Z")
Joan Osborne mentions Ray Charles in her song _Spider Web_, found on her **Relish** CD. Van Morrison mentions the same fellow in _These Dreams of You_, from his **Moondance** album. He sings about Brother Ray on a few songs. Not to mention some other famous Blues artists… The Pogues made a few references on their CD **If I Should Fall From Grace With God**. Like Frank Sinatra, in _Fairytale of New York_, and JFK, in _Thousands are Sailing_. Neil Young stole a song from the Rolling Stones, and he admits it on the song _Borrowed Tune_, on the **Tonight’s the Night** album. XTC sing a song to Supergirl called _That’s Really Super, Supergirl_, on the **Skylarking** CD. ---
**Author:** ![GreatKingRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@GreatKingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreatKingRat)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/59 "2001-10-23T02:07:29Z")
Another Queen song “Bicycle Race” -John Wayne ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804/60 "2001-10-23T02:09:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Osiris \* > \*\*\*\*\* There’s also “Calling Elvi” by Dire Straights which is pretty funny. \*\*\*\*\* ummm, “Calling Elvis” Just 1, not many. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-in-pop-songs/88804.md?page=4)