“Tramp the Dirt Down” by Elvis Costello, too.
Jackie Kennedy was named in at least the Misfits “Bullet” and the B-52s “52 Girls.” I’m sure many more.
Bob Dylan is the subject of Jimi Hendrix’s “Highway Star,” Joan Baez’s “Diamonds and Rust,” David Bowie’s “Song for Bob Dylan,” among others.
Human Sexual Response had a song called Jackie Onassis
There’s at least three strands of Stagger Lee songs - the folk/blues version, the New Orleans version and the toast version - each of which has it’s own unique take on the story.
If we’re counting covers, I’ve got 142 versions of the song in my own collection, and there’s an American collector who, last I heard, had 280. It’s a safe bet that the song’s been recorded well over 300 times (probably many more) and, although the vast majority spring from one of the three archetypes above, he’s undoubtedly one of the most biographied figures in popular music.
Click the link below if you want to know more:
I always thought that sounded like the elder Bush too, but according to Wiki it’s actually a sample from an indie film called Kill the Moonlight that was directed by Beck’s friend Steve Hanft.
Really interesting stuff, Slade. Thank you. Printing out that article for my commute.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ *Tupelo *is about Elvis, and it is fucking awesome.
Ministry also samples HW in “NWO” (New World Order), a song about Bush, as mentioned in this performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87b4a4a2wmY
Hope it’s a long trip!
Patsy Cline has a few songs about her too. She definitely deserved them.
“Let me In,” which is off that album, is about Kurt Cobain. I don’t believe that there’s any specific song on Monster that they’ve said is about River Phoenix.
Supposedly, all the Papa John songs he wrote for the Mamas and the Papas were about Mama Michelle.