# Meta-songs: Songs about being a musician **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [September 6, 2022, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057 "2022-09-06T14:20:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2022, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/121 "2022-09-16T23:11:22Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Or we can refer to the words of the Master: Of course I respect the word of the Great and Perfect Master. Even though he is referring to the explanation from the writer of the song, Robert Lamm, same as my linked article did, I’m sure Cecil was better able to divine the true intention of the writer, and thus confirm the meaning with much higher clarity and certainty. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2022, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/122 "2022-09-17T15:01:54Z")
“Road Ladies”- Frank Zappa “On the Road”- The Kinks “Success Story” and “How Many Friends” from The Who’s underrated Who By Numbers ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2022, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/123 "2022-09-17T16:56:04Z")
> [@P-man](#): > > “On the Road”- The Kinks Are you thinking of [“Life On the Road”](https://kindakinks.net/discography/showsong.php?song=208) or [“The Road”](https://kindakinks.net/discography/showsong.php?song=327)? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2022, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/124 "2022-09-17T17:09:22Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > “Six-String Orchestra” by Harry Chapin Also, “Taxi” is a no, but “Sequel” is a yes… ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2022, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/125 "2022-09-17T17:15:33Z")
Yeah, I think “The Road” is it. I have the album (actually CD), but was to lazy to get up to confirm the name on a Saturday morning. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2022, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/126 "2022-09-17T19:34:59Z")
Ani DiFranco’s “Napoleon” is about a friend who signs with a commercial record label - something Ani’s always refused to do - then complains to her about being taken advantage of, and the pressures of fame. _Oh yeah now that, now that there’s a problem You call me up to confide And you go on for over an hour About each one that took you for a ride And I guess that you dialed my number 'Cause you thought for sure that I’d agree I said baby, you know I still love you But how dare you complain to me?_ Fan speculation is that it’s about Suzanne Vega. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/127 "2022-09-19T20:13:20Z")
> [@veryfrank](#): > > ETA: how could I forget “It’s A Long Way To The Top” by AC/DC? Classic ode to the grind of touring, with a kickass bagpipe solo to boot. Half of the songs by Bon Scott were about sex, the other half were about touring. The rest just were about having sex while touring. Two more songs by AC/DC about being a musician: The hope of rise to fame (written and recorded before they became famous) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xxqCEPBDZxk/maxresdefault.jpg "Rock 'N' Roll Singer") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxqCEPBDZxk) The downsides: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sFUGvdxuQGQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Ride On") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFUGvdxuQGQ) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/128 "2022-09-19T20:52:15Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The Kinks album _Lola vs. Powerman and the Money-Go-Round_ has several songs about being a musician, notably “Get Back in Line” and “Top of the Pops.” Um, you missed a kinda obvious one there - The Moneygoround is about music promotions and management. > [@](#): > > Robert owes half to Grenville > Who, in turn, gave half to Larry, who > Adored my instrumentals > And so he gave half to a foreign publisher > He took half the money > That was earned in some far distant land > Gave back half to Larry > And I end up with half of goodness knows what speaking of which, Queen’s “Death on Two Legs” was written about their first manager. That’s (unfortunately) part of the music business. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/129 "2022-09-19T20:58:09Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > speaking of which, Queen’s “Death on Two Legs” was written about their first manager. That’s (unfortunately) part of the music business. Yeah, that’s a subset of songs about being a musician, songs about being pissed off by your label. I once started a thread about it. Here’s some more: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jbnEuFMTbCg/hqdefault.jpg "Sex Pistols - E.M.I (with lyrics on description)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbnEuFMTbCg) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/x4sScuSORz0/maxresdefault.jpg "Workin' For MCA") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4sScuSORz0) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/WMCjbX6gSEo/maxresdefault.jpg "Rough Trade") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMCjbX6gSEo) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sAunCCRtPjM/maxresdefault.jpg "Nick Lowe - "I Love My Label" (Official Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAunCCRtPjM) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2022, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/130 "2022-09-20T01:07:38Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > “So You Want to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” - The Byrds Must be a lot of performers Wanting to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star… the advice is even a little more poignant when being given from the middle of a tour (I looked for live performances). [Tom Petty](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q3dXiQJukM) [Crowded House (with Roger)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-jutmxYcvo) [Patti Smith](https://youtu.be/Cppyn-u3Djw?t=23) [Byrds (“fake live”)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMaJWESoZlk) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2022, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/131 "2022-09-20T10:40:21Z")
“Songs of Love” by The Divine Comedy, a rather entertaining ditty about writing love songs for the pubescent crowd. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/k64RlXzecPU/maxresdefault.jpg "Songs of Love") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k64RlXzecPU) If it sounds familiar, it’s probably because a slower instrumental version was used as the theme to _Father Ted_. (Divine Comedy - or at least Neil Hannon, who is basically the band anyway - was also responsible for writing and singing “My Lovely Horse” BTW.) ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2022, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/132 "2022-09-20T16:12:09Z")
Pretty much all of Joe’s Garage Act 1 by Zappa Playin In the Band by the Grateful Dead ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/133 "2022-09-21T18:37:04Z")
_I Like To Rock_ by April Wine https://www.youtube.com/embed/YlcY_enzwmI?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=RDYlcY_enzwmI ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/134 "2022-09-21T19:37:12Z")
We Are the Nowtones – Blotto [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/rnwZGGV0rX8/hqdefault.jpg "BLOTTO - We are the Nowtones") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnwZGGV0rX8) ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2022, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/135 "2022-09-21T20:18:23Z")
here is a classic time capsule of 1979 [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/df9uxaqpEGQ/hqdefault.jpg "Tim Curry - I do the Rock 1979") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df9uxaqpEGQ) ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/136 "2022-10-20T22:37:34Z")
Another one from April Wine, _The Band Has Just Begun_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-6hUU3Fm41U/hqdefault.jpg "April Wine - The Band has Just Begun") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6hUU3Fm41U) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/137 "2022-10-20T22:58:46Z")
Somehow the above song, beginning with “The Band”, reminded me of Joe Jackson’s “The Band Wore Blue Shirts”. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DaEFDS9-CcY/hqdefault.jpg "Joe Jackson - The Band Wore Blue Shirts") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaEFDS9-CcY) ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/138 "2022-10-21T00:24:59Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Another name for these is [“dues songs”](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dues-songs/431266). Yes! I learned this a zillion years ago from an old Doonesbury comic with “Jimmy Thudpucker”. I suggest (from one of Black Sabbath’s original line-up’s worst albums, _Technical Ecstasy_), “Back Street Kids”. I love Sabbath but that album was just awful. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057/139 "2022-10-21T01:16:16Z")
Bachman Turner Overdrive - “Takin’ Care of Business” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meta-songs-songs-about-being-a-musician/971057.md?page=6)