# 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:** 5
**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, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/81 "2022-02-11T16:59:22Z")
I won’t even bother listing all the musicians mentioned in this one: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/16kh-AP4OCU/hqdefault.jpg "Reunion - Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16kh-AP4OCU) ---
**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, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/82 "2022-02-11T17:18:38Z")
**Dexys Midnight Runners** did **Geno** about **Geno Washington**. Here is a curtailed and poor resolution quality version of a song I like a lot [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dbBZ5m2BrUg/hqdefault.jpg "Dexy's Midnight Runners - Geno (Official Video HD 1980)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbBZ5m2BrUg) **Dexys** also did a version of **Jackie Wilson Said.** [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sagkHJ_zxDE/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGHIgOihEMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBnaulnqCOWnRSZ94XeZEtzgnkPNw "Dexy's Midnight Runners - Jackie Wilson Said - Top Of The Pops - Thursday 30th September 1982") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sagkHJ_zxDE) The song has been mentioned previously in this thread but the **Dexys** version was the biggest hit in the UK (to me, anyway) plus some famous UK trivia. In the poor quality video I have posted here from famous UK music show **Top of the Pops** the screens behind the band are showing **John ‘JOCKY’ Wilson** , a famous at the time professional darts player. For years it was claimed this was a dreadful embarrassing error but it was later confirmed as a deliberate joke. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/83 "2022-02-11T17:29:59Z")
Ian Dury - Sweet Gene Vincent. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JCOym2yutD0/hqdefault.jpg "Ian Dury - Sweet Gene Vincent") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCOym2yutD0) ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/84 "2022-02-11T17:32:11Z")
Sweet Gene Vincent… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JCOym2yutD0/hqdefault.jpg "Ian Dury - Sweet Gene Vincent") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCOym2yutD0) …and the most famous singer that you’ve never heard of, [Asha Bhosle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asha_Bhosle) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/E4SMH-gxri4/maxresdefault.jpg "Cornershop - Brimful Of Asha") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4SMH-gxri4) j ETA: Goddam - not only did @pjd ninja me, he chose the same Youtube video! ---
**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, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/85 "2022-02-11T17:39:54Z")
Don’t think **All The Young Dudes** written by **David Bowie** , made famous by **Mott the Hoople** and referencing **T Rex** (but also the **Beatles** and the **Stones** ) has been mentioned but I’ll post a version by **Bruce Dickinson** of **Iron Maiden** fame to make it more original. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu4uzJsqIxE) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/86 "2022-02-11T17:46:30Z")
😮 Spooky !! ---
**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, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/87 "2022-02-11T17:50:00Z")
The pretty awful **I’d Rather Jack** by **The Reynolds Girls** has a chorus of “_I’d rather Jack. Than Fleetwood Mac_” and also references **The Rolling Stones, Yazz** (a female singer of the era) **Pink Floyd** and **Dire Straits**. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8Hg7M8qI5m8/hqdefault.jpg "The Reynold Girls - I'd Rather Jack") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hg7M8qI5m8) 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, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/88 "2022-02-11T17:56:25Z")
**Now I’m Here** by **Queen** inspired by **Queen** touring with **Mott the Hoople** and containing the line “_Down in the city, just Hoople and me_” [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3OSd17ko3O4/hqdefault.jpg "Queen - Now I'm Here (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OSd17ko3O4) 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, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/89 "2022-02-11T18:05:24Z")
British Ska heroes **Madness** with their first hit **Prince** , a tribute to **Prince Buster** [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/USb-56G5wwI/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgXyhOMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCOfpAyyrJEAZFy4ooDRuBkzPNEDQ "Madness - The Prince - Top Of The Pops - Thursday 6th September 1979") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USb-56G5wwI) 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, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/90 "2022-02-11T18:17:47Z")
**Life In A Northern Town** by **Dream Academy** references **Sinatra** and the **Beatles** in the lyrics [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5UXnulANF8g/maxresdefault.jpg "Dream Academy - "Life In A Northern Town" (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UXnulANF8g) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/91 "2022-02-11T18:38:33Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Songs about Brian Wilson: And there’s this, by John Cale: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NMPSIE49c5U/maxresdefault.jpg "Mr. Wilson") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMPSIE49c5U) j ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/92 "2022-02-11T18:45:17Z")
> [@TCMF-2L](#): > > **Dexys Midnight Runners** did **Geno** about **Geno Washington**. But Kevin Rowland was seemingly less keen on Frank Sinatra. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3ZwWnXuB_eg/hqdefault.jpg "Dexy's Midnight Runners - There, There My Dear") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZwWnXuB_eg) _Keep quoting Cabaret, Berlin, Burroughs, J.G. Ballard, Duchamp, Beauvoir,_ _Kerouac, Kierkegaard, Michael Rennie, and I don’t believe you really like Frank Sinatra._ j ---
**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, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/93 "2022-02-11T19:56:53Z")
Briish pop star **Alvin Stardust** singing **I Feel Like Buddy Holly** which obviously references **Buddy Holly** and also references **Paul McCartney, Paul Simon** and there is an **Elvis** reference with the mention of _Heartbreak Hotel._ [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rfvniO-DWZ8/hqdefault.jpg "Alvin Stardust - I Feel Like Buddy Holly 1984") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfvniO-DWZ8) The unrelated **Weezer** song **Buddy Holly** [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/kemivUKb4f4/maxresdefault.jpg "Weezer - Buddy Holly (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kemivUKb4f4) TCMF-2L ---
**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, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/94 "2022-02-11T20:11:36Z")
> [@TCMF-2L](#): > > Briish pop star **Alvin Stardust** singing **I Feel Like Buddy Holly** which obviously references **Buddy Holly** Speaking of Buddy Holly, there’s “Buddy Holly’s Brille” (Buddy Holly’s glasses) by die Ärzte: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zwvklINQevg/maxresdefault.jpg "Buddy Holly's Brille") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwvklINQevg) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/95 "2022-02-11T20:25:36Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > I won’t even bother listing all the musicians mentioned in this one: > > [https://youtu.be/16kh-AP4OCU](https://youtu.be/16kh-AP4OCU) - And this. Righteous Brothers - [Rock And Roll Heaven (1974)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bddSJbj3VGA) ---
**Author:** ![Temporary\_Name](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Temporary\_Name](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temporary_Name)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2022, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/96 "2022-02-11T20:27:14Z")
Speaking of Buddy Holly, didn’t the group behind **Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress** name themselves after him? But I came back in to mention a song that references no other artists lyrically. The 1985 video by David Lee Roth covering the Louis Prima number **Just A Gigolo** does have celebrity impersonators representing quite a few artists of the time. The tribute seems to be visual rather than lyrical. ---
**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, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/97 "2022-02-11T20:27:15Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > > [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > > > I won’t even bother listing all the musicians mentioned in this one: > > > > [https://youtu.be/16kh-AP4OCU](https://youtu.be/16kh-AP4OCU) - > > And this. > Righteous Brothers - [Rock And Roll Heaven (1974)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bddSJbj3VGA) And one about soul music, celebrating all the stars of that genre of the time: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sp3JOzcpBds/hqdefault.jpg "Arthur Conley-Sweet Soul Music") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp3JOzcpBds) ---
**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, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/98 "2022-02-11T20:45:10Z")
I think Scouting For Girls are under rated so let’s mention **Elvis Ain’t Dead** [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/3jpLo1A4x_g/maxresdefault.jpg "Scouting For Girls - Elvis Ain't Dead (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jpLo1A4x_g) And I’ll throw in **Kirsty McCall** ’s **There’s A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He’s Elvis** as a bonus [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/txsvlkAKm4k/maxresdefault.jpg "Kirsty MacColl CHIP SHOP ORIGINAL VERSION") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txsvlkAKm4k) 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, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/99 "2022-02-11T20:59:19Z")
**The Who** and **You Better, You Bet** referencing **T Rex** [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wqPlb5PLBvg/maxresdefault.jpg "The Who - You Better You Bet (Promo Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqPlb5PLBvg) TCMF-2L ---
**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 11, 2022, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/100 "2022-02-11T21:35:33Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/PhmCKkRae7o/hqdefault.jpg "Billy Bragg - Levi Stubbs Tears (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhmCKkRae7o) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255.md?page=6)