Just before I was heading out for a run today, I saw some headline that had the words “tribute to Willie Mays” and for a sec I was “oh no!” but it was just about naming some field for him. I was at Shea Stadium and saw Willie play centerfield and bat (1 hit, 2 RBIs) just once in his last year when he returned New York to play for The Mets in 1973. A day game after a night game he only came in after a major collision between two of the Mets outfielders that had both taken out of the game. Yogi Berra had the greatest centerfielder ever on the bench.
He’s only 92 so he’s younger than my Mom.
“Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn?” When I heard Roger Waters sing that line in “Vera” from The Wall I had no clue. I hadn’t yet seen Dr. Strangelove and her “We’ll meet again” song over all the atomic bombs (spoiler!). She was only 62 in 1979 when The Wall came out and lived to 103!
So along those lines and wishing Willie many more years as the greatest outfielder - and perhaps greatest baseball player ever - what person is named or clearly referenced in song that is older? May 6, 1931 for Willie.
Until recently, Tony Bennett may have applied as during his signature song “Capital City” Marge Simpson calls out his name. I reckon he had some songs where he’d throw in a self reference as Sinatra and Deano did - so those would (could have) count.
“Frodo lives!” indeed yet despite Leonard Nimoy’s splendid documentary “In Search of The Shire” and most excellent song, Frodo is right out, as is anybody biblical even if Mick Jagger (a mere 80 - Keith Richards is younger!) sings about them too.
If Paul McCartney has an Uncle Albert or Auntie Gin (living), they would certainly apply. Phil & Don, alas, no longer do.
The song I had in my head for my entire run was John Fogerty’s “Centerfield” from 1985 yet how old the song is doesn’t really matter.
Ha! Well, if the teachings of Methusaleh somehow were left out of the bible, yeah it is a bit of a stretch.
I mentioned Frodo in particular as I have a copy of Robert Foster’s Guide to Middle Earth from 1972 and I thought - heck I still think - it profound that he and Bilbo’s life span is like TA 2890 -
for Bilbo (and yes, to correct myself, Leonard Nimoy sings about Bilbo and he does sing about Bilbo in the present-tense!)
I hadn’t thought about Jimmy Carter and would have been hard-pressed to think of a song, yet Jophiel has set the age to 98!
Ugh - even though he wasn’t Carter’s Secretary of State - I absolutely know there are songs about Henry Kissinger. Maybe Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedy’s wrote one? (Holiday in Cambodia doesn’t mention him by name). Green Day? John Lennon?