# Famous people (living or dead) whose deaths are mentioned in a song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 8, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177 "2013-04-08T19:11:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/1 "2013-04-08T19:11:34Z")
For obvious reasons, I was thinking of the showtune from Billy Elliot [Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2og7P1S-joA), which includes the line _Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher May God’s love be with you we all sing together in one breath; Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher We all celebrate today For it brings us one day closer to your death!_ (That will probably be an awkward moment next time it plays in the show.) I can only think of one other song that mentions the death of a person who was living when the song was written, that being Timothy Leary in The Moody Blues [Legend of a Mind](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldSFuEOA9wc). I can think of a few famous people whose deaths were referenced _after_ they were dead, but can anybody think of any others whose deaths were mentioned in song while they were living? And if not, who were some famous folk, living or dead and **OTHER THAN JESUS** , whose deaths were mentioned in songs? A close-but-not-quite: McCartney wrote a song about [Picasso’s Last Words](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_8QkvnDLA) the day he read them, per anecdote to win a bet with Dustin Hoffman that he could write a song about a random event in the newspaper. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/2 "2013-04-08T19:29:12Z")
Well, Maggie Thatcher merited a couple more death songs: [Tramp the Dirt Down](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Znn5a-88tY) by Elvis Costello and [Margaret on the Guillotine](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsq3H_6XuFA) by Morrisey. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/3 "2013-04-08T19:30:35Z")
While he isn’t mentioned by name, Martin Luther King Jr’s death is the subject of U2’s _Pride (In the Name of Love)_ and having actually read the OP fully, I see that he’s asking for people who were living when the song was written…so never mind… ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/4 "2013-04-08T19:43:35Z")
How about “[Don Henley Must Die](http://www.lyricsmania.com/don_henley_must_die_lyrics_mojo_nixon.html)” by Mojo Nixon? (Mentions Sting too) I guess there are a bunch of songs in which the singer sings about their own death; does that count? David Bowie’s is the only one I know in which it was used as the [title](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/My-Death-lyrics-David-Bowie/113B538411ACE463482568A20015CE46). ---
**Author:** ![Hermione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cdc98d/32.png) [@Hermione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermione)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/5 "2013-04-08T19:48:09Z")
Paul Simon’s song “The Late Great Johnny Ace” mentions three Johns dead before their time: R & B singer [Johnny Ace](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Ace) (naturally), JFK, and in the last verse: _On a cold December evening I was walking through the Christmas tide When a stranger came up and asked me If I’d heard John Lennon had died And the two of us went to this bar And we stayed to close the place And every song we played Was for The Late Great Johnny Ace._ ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/6 "2013-04-08T19:50:33Z")
“If I had a million dollars, I’d buy you John Davidson’s remains …” ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/7 "2013-04-08T19:58:59Z")
“Timothy Leary is dead…” (Moody Blues) ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/8 "2013-04-08T20:03:14Z")
John Lennon in ‘I Just Shot John Lennon’ by the Cranberries ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/9 "2013-04-08T20:09:11Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > “If I had a million dollars, > I’d buy you John Davidson’s remains …” Ha, the original lyrics are “John Merrick’s remains… all them crazy elephant bones” but they say “Davidson” in the live version from Rock Spectacle. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/10 "2013-04-08T20:09:37Z")
John Denver discussed his simple funeral needs in _Forest Lawn_… ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/11 "2013-04-08T20:19:47Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Ha, the original lyrics are “John Merrick’s remains… all them crazy elephant bones” but they say “Davidson” in the live version from Rock Spectacle. Which led me to believe that John Davidson was actually dead for a number of years. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/12 "2013-04-08T20:20:18Z")
James Brown is Dead. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/13 "2013-04-09T00:17:28Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > “Timothy Leary is dead…” No no, he’s outside, looking in. ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/14 "2013-04-09T00:34:35Z")
Abraham, Martin and John, oh and Bobby too. “Where have you gone Joe Dimaggio?” ---
**Author:** ![theoldman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@theoldman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theoldman)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/15 "2013-04-09T00:50:09Z")
Lenny Bruce is dead - Bob Dylan ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/16 "2013-04-09T00:50:27Z")
[It’s too late / to fall in love with Sharon Tate](http://youtu.be/vgWkF1M6pSU) ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/17 "2013-04-09T01:04:40Z")
Paul Simon (& Garfunkel) **So Long Frank Lloyd Wright** His/their third mention so far in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/18 "2013-04-09T03:30:43Z")
[Bela Lugosi’s Dead](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKRJfIPiJGY) ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/19 "2013-04-09T03:34:51Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > Well, Maggie Thatcher merited a couple more death songs: [Tramp the Dirt Down](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Znn5a-88tY) by Elvis Costello and [Margaret on the Guillotine](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsq3H_6XuFA) by Morrisey. There was also the repulsive song “We’ll Dance On Your Grave Mrs. Thatcher”. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177/20 "2013-04-09T04:02:55Z")
There’s also “The Day That Thatcher Dies” by Hefner. > [@](#): > > We will laugh the day that Thatcher dies, > Even though we know it’s not right, > We will dance and sing all night. > > I was blind in 1979, by '82 I had clues, > By 1986 I was mad as hell. > > The teachers at school, they took us for fools, > They never taught us what to do, > But Christ we were strong, we knew all along, > We taught ourselves the right from wrong. Badly Drawn Boy in You Were Right mentions a swathe of them > [@](#): > > I remember doing nothing on the night Sinatra died > And the night Jeff Buckley died > And the night Kurt Cobain died > And the night John Lennon died > I remember I stayed up to watch the news with everyone > And that was a lot of nights > And that was a lot of lives [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-people-living-or-dead-whose-deaths-are-mentioned-in-a-song/655177.md?page=2)