# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/61 "2022-02-11T12:53:00Z")
Mojo Nixon also had a song called [“Debbie Gibson Is Pregnant (With My Two-Headed Love Child),” which features Winona Ryder in the video as the titular Gibson.](https://youtu.be/cXLuSHx1fR0) ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/62 "2022-02-11T12:54:07Z")
**REM** in **Man In The Moon** sing about comedian Andy Kaufman who is ‘_goofing on Elvis._’ [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dLxpNiF0YKs/hqdefault.jpg "R.E.M. - Man On The Moon (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLxpNiF0YKs) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/63 "2022-02-11T12:57:19Z")
**Wheatus** ‘listening to Iron Maiden, maybe’ in **Teenage Dirtbag** [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FC3y9llDXuM/maxresdefault.jpg "Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC3y9llDXuM) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/64 "2022-02-11T13:10:16Z")
Another Elvis song is “Black Velvet” by Alannah Myles [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZHHEmd5mECY/maxresdefault.jpg "Black Velvet") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHHEmd5mECY) There’s “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” about George Jones [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1bz9F2rN86E/hqdefault.jpg "Alan Jackson - "Don't Rock The Jukebox"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bz9F2rN86E) And “Johnny’s Cash and Charley’s Pride” which references many country singers [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_QIJ1tFMTmA/maxresdefault.jpg "Mac Wiseman - Johnny's Cash and Charley's Pride") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QIJ1tFMTmA) ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/65 "2022-02-11T13:10:41Z")
**Bowling For Soup** in **1985** mention in the lyrics: **Whitesnake** **Bruce Springsteen** **Madonna** **Nirvana** **U2** **Blondie** **Wham** **Limp Bizkit** **Duran Duran** **Van Halen** \*\* Duran\*\* (for some reason Discourse doesn’t like ‘Duran Duran’ in bold) **Ozzy** Plus the video includes some further visual references to **Robert Palmer** and **George Michael** [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/K38xNqZvBJI/maxresdefault.jpg "Bowling For Soup - 1985") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K38xNqZvBJI) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/66 "2022-02-11T13:22:22Z")
**Bowling For Soup** and **The Girl All The Bad Guys Want** mentions **Godsmack** and **Agent Orange** [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VGRxmYXi4Io/maxresdefault.jpg "Bowling For Soup - Girl All The Bad Guys Want") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGRxmYXi4Io) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/67 "2022-02-11T13:31:27Z")
**Joan Baez** wrote **Diamonds and Rust** about her relationship with **Bob Dylan**. I’ve always liked the **Judas Priest** (who took their name from a **Bob Dylan** song) version [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qs1KHT12DUc/maxresdefault.jpg "Diamonds and Rust (Live)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs1KHT12DUc) TCMF-2L ---
**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:** [February 11, 2022, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/68 "2022-02-11T13:37:20Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Songs about John Lennon, written and performed after he was murdered: You missed one: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FjwnWU6OsaI/hqdefault.jpg "Paul McCartney/John Lennon - Here Today") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjwnWU6OsaI) ---
**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:** [February 11, 2022, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/69 "2022-02-11T13:39:34Z")
While it’s arguably not actually about The Replacements, I get a kick out of: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WdaXTSseXHc/hqdefault.jpg "TMBG - We're the Replacements") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdaXTSseXHc) ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/70 "2022-02-11T13:50:07Z")
**Smoke on the Water** by **Deep Purple** references **Frank Zappa and the Mamas** ( **Mothers of Invention**.) Here is a charity version of the song featuring a vast array of well known rock musicians [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1tsw3nKDlBE/maxresdefault.jpg "Smoke on the Water with Queen, Pink Floyd, Rush, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, etc") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tsw3nKDlBE) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/71 "2022-02-11T13:52:05Z")
You’re So Vain, by Carly Simon 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/72 "2022-02-11T13:59:41Z")
Maroon 5 - _Moves Like Jagger_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/iEPTlhBmwRg/maxresdefault.jpg "Maroon 5 - Moves Like Jagger ft. Christina Aguilera (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEPTlhBmwRg) Crosby, Stills & Nash - _Suite: Judy Blue Eyes_ (about Judy Collins) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/OvGfQCsfzUo/maxresdefault.jpg "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (2005 Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvGfQCsfzUo) ---
**Author:** ![wjChia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wjChia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wjChia)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/73 "2022-02-11T14:03:56Z")
Lady Stardust is believed to be a song about Marc Bolan. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EcKZEOsgvdI/maxresdefault.jpg "Lady Stardust (2012 Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcKZEOsgvdI) ---
**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, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/74 "2022-02-11T15:47:15Z")
“Natürlich hat er mir erzählt wie scheußlich alles ist….” I listened to that album every morning on the train to work for a couple of months, and still love it. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/75 "2022-02-11T16:39:38Z")
The Dandy Warhols song “Not if You Were the Last Junkie on Earth”, famous for the line “I never thought you’d be a junkie because heroin is so passé”, was dedicated to the Brian Jonestown Massacre. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/APrpB-i4d_E/maxresdefault.jpg "The Dandy Warhols - Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APrpB-i4d_E) The Brian Jonestown Massacre responded with “Not if You Were the Last Dandy on Earth” [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ps5uYQ0xmLg/hqdefault.jpg "Brian Jonestown Massacre - Not If You Were The Last Dandy On Earth") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps5uYQ0xmLg) ---
**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, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/76 "2022-02-11T16:47:02Z")
Eric Burdon’s **Monterey** mentions Ravi Shankar, The Who, Hugh Masakela, the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, and Brian (“Prince”) Jones. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xExo67OLrdY/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGHIgTCg6MA8=&rs=AOn4CLCwpXbuj7qFWR9za8imAsR8ZKoxtA "MONTEREY - Eric Burdon & The Animals (With Lyrics)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xExo67OLrdY) ---
**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:** [February 11, 2022, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/77 "2022-02-11T16:48:41Z")
Songs about Brian Wilson: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ch84fmOa414/hqdefault.jpg "Barenaked Ladies - Brian Wilson (Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch84fmOa414) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/98jk2XDkIWM/maxresdefault.jpg "Jesus Loves You, Brian Wilson") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98jk2XDkIWM) ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/78 "2022-02-11T16:52:41Z")
**Rocket** by **Def Leppard** references various artists and famous songs with the lyrics **Jack Flash** **Rocket Man** **Sergeant Pepper and the Band** **Ziggy** **Benny and the Jets** **Jet Black** (from The Stranglers) **Johnny B** (Goode) **Jean Genie** **Killer Queen** **Dizzy, Lizzy** (presumably Thin Lizzy) **Major Tom** The video contains further artist references (including, unfortunately, Gary Glitter who is now a convicted child sex offender. Although that wasn’t widely known when the video was made.) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VWg_g7-sIn0/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AGEBYAC4AOKAgwIABABGHIgTCgpMA8=&rs=AOn4CLDb6cR8ynlvMaDK3S_MC7JYWFvCuw "DEF LEPPARD - "Rocket" (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWg_g7-sIn0) TCMF-2L ---
**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, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/79 "2022-02-11T16:56:21Z")
This is stretching the premise a little, but this jazzy Pete Townshend interlude was dedicated to Barney Kessel [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lGPxxDhwRcM/maxresdefault.jpg "To Barney Kessell") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGPxxDhwRcM) ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/80 "2022-02-11T16:58:43Z")
Ben Folds did a “dis track” about his former pals Fleming & John (a band) called [Brainwascht](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhW-BqrsxzI&ab_channel=samharriswenttoparis). There are tons of dis tracks in hip hop, with artists writing about other artists. It might be futile to try to mention them here. Missy Elliott did “[Can You Hear Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-y6114SjSs&ab_channel=MissyElliott-Topic)” about missing R&B star Aaliyah. And of course, Diddy did “I’ll Be Missing You” about Biggie Smalls. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255.md?page=5)