# Songs about other musicians **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [February 10, 2022, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255 "2022-02-10T23:53:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2022, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/1 "2022-02-10T23:53:41Z")
A favorite topic for musicians is songs about other musicians. Herte is a place for them. Here’s a tune about Neko Case: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hSgcS_0jmUI/maxresdefault.jpg "Neko Loves Rock 'N' Roll") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSgcS_0jmUI) And this one is supposedly about Lydia Lunch [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XksJW4B2mIM/hqdefault.jpg "Dead Boys-I Need Lunch") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XksJW4B2mIM) Your turn… ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/2 "2022-02-11T00:05:28Z")
“Crash On The Barrelhead” by Old 97s is supposedly about Ryan Adams. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/uk0fPDBb_Ss/maxresdefault.jpg "Crash on the Barrelhead") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk0fPDBb_Ss) ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/3 "2022-02-11T00:37:00Z")
Jayne Mansfield [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hi53rgdJyvI/maxresdefault.jpg "SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES - Kiss Them For Me") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi53rgdJyvI) W.A. Mozart [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cVikZ8Oe_XA/maxresdefault.jpg "Falco - Rock Me Amadeus (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVikZ8Oe_XA) ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/4 "2022-02-11T00:38:38Z")
Is there a limitation regarding having to explicitly name the person / muso or them having to be a real musician? Johnny Be Goode would count as a fictional [possibly [fictionalised](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_B._Goode)] candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/5 "2022-02-11T00:40:14Z")
David Bowie’s [Song for Bob Dylan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO75DGyGTig) Edwyn Collins’ [Campaign for Real Rock](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SklI0Xl9dvE) - also mostly about His Bobness ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/6 "2022-02-11T00:43:04Z")
Songs about John Lennon, written and performed after he was murdered: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/eNL40ql4CYk/hqdefault.jpg "George Harrison 'All Those Years Ago' (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNL40ql4CYk) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ojdAD_xNt9c/maxresdefault.jpg "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojdAD_xNt9c) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wl20NGS3VF8/hqdefault.jpg "Queen - Life Is Real (Song For Lennon) (Official Lyric Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl20NGS3VF8) ---
**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:** [February 11, 2022, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/7 "2022-02-11T00:47:19Z")
Hats off to (Roy) Harper [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sM_Czps7sgU/maxresdefault.jpg "Hats off To (Roy) Harper (Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM_Czps7sgU) ---
**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:** [February 11, 2022, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/8 "2022-02-11T00:48:13Z")
Blind Willie McTell [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_AIRdU6CPf0/maxresdefault.jpg "Bob Dylan - Blind Willie McTell (Studio Outtake - 1983 - Official Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AIRdU6CPf0) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/9 "2022-02-11T00:49:27Z")
Randy Newman’s “The Story of a Rock and Roll Band” is a tongue-in-cheek song about Electric Light Orchestra. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FtbKch8x37o/maxresdefault.jpg "The Story of a Rock and Roll Band") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtbKch8x37o) ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/10 "2022-02-11T00:53:23Z")
Chixdiggit - Henry Rollins Is No Fun [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/K6eZnMYuVTQ/hqdefault.jpg "Henry Rollins is no Fun - Chixdiggit") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6eZnMYuVTQ) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/11 "2022-02-11T00:54:29Z")
Stevie Wonder’s song about Duke Ellington: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ETFvmkIA6S4/maxresdefault.jpg "Sir Duke") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETFvmkIA6S4) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/12 "2022-02-11T00:59:17Z")
Bowie’s In Space / Flight of the Conchords [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/g8f_XCH3zmM/maxresdefault.jpg "Flight of the Conchords - "Bowie's In Space" [HQ]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8f_XCH3zmM) ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/13 "2022-02-11T00:59:46Z")
Robbie Fulks, “Fountains of Wayne Hotline” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7vVJ2Om-QVg/maxresdefault.jpg "Robbie Fulks Fountains of Wayne Hotline") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vVJ2Om-QVg) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/14 "2022-02-11T01:00:24Z")
Would Nerf Herder’s song _Van Halen_ count? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mvAGBz4ZJm4/hqdefault.jpg "Nerf Herder - "Van Halen"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvAGBz4ZJm4) ---
**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:** [February 11, 2022, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/15 "2022-02-11T01:00:59Z")
Van Morrison - Jackie Wilson Said (side fact: this recording is a miracle, it’s a first take, no overdubs, and it’s perfect) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/w1R8MP3GGGs/hqdefault.jpg "Van Morrison - Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1R8MP3GGGs) Joni Mitchell - Furry Sings The Blues (about an encounter with blues singer Furry Lewis) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ionRca6THE8/hqdefault.jpg "Joni Mitchell - Furry sings the blues") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ionRca6THE8) Richard and Linda Thompson - Did She Jump Or Was She Pushed (about the mysterious death of Richard’s former bandmate Sandy Denny) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5WWVBnBMnqc/maxresdefault.jpg "Richard and Linda Thompson - Did She Jump Or Was She Pushed") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WWVBnBMnqc) Emmylou Harris - Boulder To Birmingham (about the death of her former duet partner Gram Parsons) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Klh7sAv9hu4/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHeA4ACugOKAgwIABABGGUgXihVMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAUlEkNO3lnj4sjJ9rOsQYEKkNWYw "Emmylou Harris - Boulder to Birmingham") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klh7sAv9hu4) ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/16 "2022-02-11T01:01:59Z")
American Pie by Don McLean [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/iX_TFkut1PM/maxresdefault.jpg "American Pie") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX_TFkut1PM) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/17 "2022-02-11T01:10:55Z")
**Creeque Alley** drops the names of two Spoonfuls, a Byrd and a New Christy Minstrel, as well as being totally self-referential. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/USibFMyk3Rw/maxresdefault.jpg "The Mamas & The Papas "Creeque Alley" on The Ed Sullivan Show") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USibFMyk3Rw) Of course, you have to have Lynyrd Skynyrd for _Sweet Home Alabama_. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ye5BuYf8q4o/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGH8gWigdMA8=&rs=AOn4CLDtnWzGkUzYhi1YkdUXfB99GGQDqQ "Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye5BuYf8q4o) Dave Brubeck Quartet - _The Duke_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/yFO56Wnr3gw/hqdefault.jpg "Dave BRUBECK Quartet " The Duke " !!!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFO56Wnr3gw) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/18 "2022-02-11T01:16:15Z")
Keith Don’t Go / Nils Lofgren [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0QQtHWBfQaQ/hqdefault.jpg "Nils Lofgren "Keith don`t go"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QQtHWBfQaQ) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/19 "2022-02-11T01:20:27Z")
Another one about Mozart: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Qk2HD8-UtO4/maxresdefault.jpg "Leck Mich Im Arsch") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk2HD8-UtO4) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/20 "2022-02-11T01:21:21Z")
Dandy Warhols “Cool as Kim Deal” [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/56W16EMxi54/hqdefault.jpg "Dandy Warhols - Cool as Kim Deal") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56W16EMxi54) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255.md?page=2)