# People who are the subject of multiple songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 25, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589 "2009-05-25T18:11:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/1 "2009-05-25T18:11:24Z")
Small question: I know that nobody is going to beat Jesus in this category, but are there any historical or literary or Lady of the Lowlands types that have had several songs written about them? There are plenty of "Mary"s (Springsteen alone must have five or ten) but I’m talking about subjects that are a little more specific. Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/2 "2009-05-25T18:18:05Z")
Dunno. I bet there are lots of folk and rock songs about John Kennedy. I’m not finding a good list right now, though. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/3 "2009-05-25T18:26:00Z")
If her autobiography is to be believed, [Patty Boyd](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattie_Boyd) inspired George Harrison’s “Something” and Eric Clapton’s “Layla”, “Wonderful Tonight,” and “Bell Bottom Blues.” ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/4 "2009-05-25T18:39:15Z")
Hank Williams has been mentioned in many, many, many country songs by other people. ---
**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:** [May 25, 2009, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/5 "2009-05-25T18:54:55Z")
There have been quite a few songs about Superman; I think we’ve had at least one thread listing them. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/6 "2009-05-25T19:08:23Z")
[Romeo](http://www.songlyrics.com/index.php?section=search&searchW=romeo) pops up in a lot of popular songs, with and without Juliet. Sometimes the name refers to a specific literary character and sometimes it’s a signifier for any young man or boy in love, so I’m not sure how you’d count all the references. R&J have also inspired dozens of operas, symphonies, etc. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/7 "2009-05-25T19:15:18Z")
If you’re more interested in folk songs, [Robin Hood](http://www.csufresno.edu/search?NS-search-page=results) is a serious contender. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/8 "2009-05-25T19:19:59Z")
Of course, you get into murky territory trying to settle what a song is ABOUT, as opposed to what just happens to be mentioned or used as a metaphor. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/9 "2009-05-25T19:25:55Z")
Elvis ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/10 "2009-05-25T19:36:27Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > Hank Williams has been mentioned in many, many, many country songs by other people. Most often by Hank Jr. I think this is the winner though. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/11 "2009-05-25T19:41:09Z")
Lots of songs about Santa Claus (or St. Nicolas). ---
**Author:** ![parthenokinesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cc9497/32.png) [@parthenokinesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parthenokinesis)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/12 "2009-05-25T20:08:10Z")
Major Tom is a recurring character who, I believe, only exists in song. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/13 "2009-05-25T22:35:00Z")
Stagger Lee? ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/14 "2009-05-25T23:21:37Z")
If you look at folk or protest music, I’m sure you’ll find plenty of songs about a few particular politicians. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/15 "2009-05-26T00:30:09Z")
At least two big ones for George H W Bush: “Keep On Rockin’ in the Free World” and “Dizz Knee Land.” Queen Elizabeth II: “Her Majesty” and “God Save the Queen: She Ain’t a Human Being.” Jack White claimed that several of his songs were about Rita Heyworth. Elton John and Phoebe Legere have written and performed songs about Marilyn Monroe. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/16 "2009-05-26T03:35:46Z")
HW also features strongly in Beck’s Loser “I’m a driver, I’m a winner, things are going to change, I can feel it.” and KMFDM’s A Drug Against War. “Bomb the living bejeebus” ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/17 "2009-05-26T07:15:57Z")
[Patti D’arbanville](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patti_D%27Arbanville) is the inspiration for two Cat Stevens songs, \*Wild World \*and _My Lady D’arbanville_ ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/18 "2009-05-26T07:40:01Z")
deleted ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/19 "2009-05-26T07:41:31Z")
Not by the Friends of Distinction (Grazing in the Grass) ETA: He said in the deleted post that God and Jesus get mentioned a lot but the Holy Spirit gets left out. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589/20 "2009-05-26T07:45:29Z")
Heh, sorry, wrote the post then realized the OP had already mentioned God/Jesus. I should probably go to bed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-are-the-subject-of-multiple-songs/497589.md?page=2)