# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![ch51](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ch51/32/3111_2.png) [@ch51](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ch51)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2022, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/121 "2022-02-12T15:49:21Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/H_SKCkVKz88/maxresdefault.jpg "Ooh Baby (You Know That I Love You)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_SKCkVKz88) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0XdvDeI-neI/hqdefault.jpg "George Harrison - Pure Smokey") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XdvDeI-neI) Two more tributes to Smokey Robinson - both by George Harrison. ---
**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 12, 2022, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/122 "2022-02-12T16:06:26Z")
During the rap section of the **Blondie** song **Rapture** there are references to **Grandmaster Flash** [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/pHCdS7O248g/maxresdefault.jpg "Blondie - Rapture (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHCdS7O248g) 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 12, 2022, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/123 "2022-02-12T16:13:17Z")
**Donna Summer** and **Dinner With Gershwin** [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/u1P5lHH9fx8/hqdefault.jpg "Donna Summer - Dinner With Gershwin") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1P5lHH9fx8) 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 12, 2022, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/124 "2022-02-12T16:24:44Z")
**Peter Sarstedt** with **Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)** which mentions **The Rolling Stones** and (French singer) **Sacha Distel** [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/L8XQZYIiNgo/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLArPtaHDCKGiI8jeU_L4zcP8V_VhA "Peter Sarstedt - Where Do You Go To My Lovely (1969)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8XQZYIiNgo) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2022, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/125 "2022-02-12T17:48:03Z")
Johnny Cash and June Carter, Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. Plus, it’s sung to one of the subjects. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Y3TzP-o4vhs/hqdefault.jpg "First Aid Kit - Emmylou (Live på Polar Music Prize 2015)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3TzP-o4vhs) ---
**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 12, 2022, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/126 "2022-02-12T18:44:43Z")
> [@TCMF-2L](#): > > Did you misspoke? The song (literally) addresses itself to ‘ _Robin_ ’ who (singer and the song writer) **Kevin Rowland** considers a fake. The song surely infers Kevin himself considers **Sinatra** to be the epitome of singing but casts doubts on the sincerity of Robin’s claimed appreciation. See, I interpret that in almost the exact opposite way. Robin is a fake. Robin claims that Sinatra is good. Clearly Sinatra must therefore be bad. That’s art for you - always room to interpret it differently. Eh, in any case I was just funning over another musician in a Dexys song. j ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2022, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/127 "2022-02-12T19:24:23Z")
**The Drive-By Truckers** got a song called _Carl Perkin’s Cadillac_ which is mostly about Elvis. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2022, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/128 "2022-02-12T19:32:49Z")
Roger Daltrey’s “Under a Raging Moon” is a tribute to a former bandmate, drummer Keith Moon, who had passed away a few years earlier. [Roger Daltrey Under a raging moon live 1985 - Bing video](https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=under+a+raging+moon+daltrey&view=detail&mid=732029ECA26F75A7A384732029ECA26F75A7A384&FORM=VIRE) ---
**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 12, 2022, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/129 "2022-02-12T19:48:00Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > **The Drive-By Truckers** got a song called _Carl Perkin’s Cadillac_ which is mostly about Elvis. Their “Southern Rock Opera” is a whole album about the history of Lynyrd Skynyrd. The song “Ronnie And Neil” is of course about Ronnie Van Zant and Neil Young: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wrG5_2-OH8c/hqdefault.jpg "Drive-By Truckers - Ronnie & Neil by Jaytowerr") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrG5_2-OH8c) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2022, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/130 "2022-02-12T20:13:25Z")
I can’t confirm it, but their song _Assholes_ has just got to be about Jason. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2022, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/131 "2022-02-12T20:57:10Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Songs about John Lennon, written and performed after he was murdered: In 1971, in the wake of the Beatles’ bitter breakup, Lennon wrote [“How Do You Sleep”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Do_You_Sleep%3F_(John_Lennon_song))[, a bitchfest](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teD9t-lO_o0) about Paul McCartney. ---
**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 12, 2022, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/132 "2022-02-12T21:02:25Z")
**Deacon Blue** ’s **Real Gone Kid** is about **Lone Justice** singer **Maria McKee** ( **McKee** probably better known for her solo hit **Show Me Heaven** from the **Tom Cruise** film \*\*\*\*) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5SD4lI9GKUE/maxresdefault.jpg "Deacon Blue - Real Gone Kid (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SD4lI9GKUE) **Deacon Blue** ’s **Fergus Sings The Blues** references **Homesick James** and **James & Bobby Purify** [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/z2ZcfCpO6QE/maxresdefault.jpg "Deacon Blue - Fergus Sings The Blues") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2ZcfCpO6QE) 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 12, 2022, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/133 "2022-02-12T21:17:17Z")
**She Said** by **Plan B** references ‘_That song by The Zutons, Valerie’_ (which is the song which became better known with the version by **Mark Ronson** and featuring **Amy Winehouse** on vocals) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/rQjh9H-ymK4/maxresdefault.jpg "Plan B - She Said") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQjh9H-ymK4) TCMF-2L ---
**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 12, 2022, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/134 "2022-02-12T21:41:44Z")
A hilarious song by Shel Silverstein about trying to get A Front Row Seat to Hear Ole Johnny Sing. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KvVHMwdyGXg/maxresdefault.jpg "A Front Row Seat to Hear Ole Johnny Sing") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvVHMwdyGXg) ---
**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 12, 2022, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/135 "2022-02-12T21:55:02Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mHTyUHOYxSQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Jonathan Richman - Velvet Underground") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHTyUHOYxSQ) ---
**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 12, 2022, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/136 "2022-02-12T21:57:38Z")
My favourite **Clash** song (and video) **London Calling** mentions ‘_Phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust_.’ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EfK-WX2pa8c/maxresdefault.jpg "The Clash - London Calling (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfK-WX2pa8c) 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 12, 2022, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/137 "2022-02-12T22:33:37Z")
Several interpretations have been put forward to explain the meaning of **Crowded House** ’s **Black and White Boy**. The most prosaic is it’s a tribute to **Neil Finn** ’s (Finn the singer and song writer) pet Dalmatian dog Lester. Quite possible, especially since there is another Crowded House song, **Lester** , which is pretty definitely about the dog. However many feel **Black And White Boy** is clearly referencing **Crowded House** ’s drummer **Paul Hester** who was bipolar and suffered wild mood swings which could explain the title. Sadly Hester committed suicide. A less likely, but still possible, theory has the song describing **Phil Judd**. He’s the guitarist in **Split Enz** , the band **Neil Finn** was in before he formed **Crowded House**. He has also been diagnosed bipolar. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lkYTfrX8D4o/maxresdefault.jpg "Black And White Boy") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkYTfrX8D4o) Bonus video of **Weather With You**. The Dalmatian seen in this video is Lester. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ag8XcMG1EX4/maxresdefault.jpg "Crowded House - Weather With You") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag8XcMG1EX4) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2022, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/138 "2022-02-12T22:34:06Z")
Peter, Paul and Mary give a nod here to the Beatles, Donovan, and especially the Mamas and the Papas. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iqY35SYsyfQ/hqdefault.jpg "Peter,Paul & Mary I Dig Rock & Roll Music (1968)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqY35SYsyfQ) Has Diana Ross’s elegy to Marvin Gaye been mentioned? Always liked that chorus - maybe her finest moment, IMO. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WXTeqpcF-As/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHSBoAC4AOKAgwIABABGDggQCh_MA8=&rs=AOn4CLBDbVqTdh1A306m4ZRoWz0RF91wnA "Diana Ross - Missing You [Official Video]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXTeqpcF-As) > [@Superdude](#): > > In Gwar’s excellent [cover](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9HtpvUjeWE&ab_channel=ChuckHaber) of _People Who Died_ (originally by The Jim Carroll Band)… I prefer the response to that number, which mentions a bunch of rockers who died early: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/J4I2rRrrdPg/maxresdefault.jpg "DETENTION - "Dead Rock 'n Rollers"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4I2rRrrdPg&t=7s) For fans of Black Sabbath guitarist Tommy Iommi, you can swoon about him in the Dayglo Abortion’s “Black Sabbath” (they got the title wrong, there!) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ceXekwQlfx8/hqdefault.jpg "Dayglo Abortions - Acting Like Black Sabbath is Lots of Fun!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceXekwQlfx8) Mark E. Smith gets briefly self-referential _(this is, Mr, and Mrs, Smith, to whom, you are speaking)_ in “Slang King”. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2022, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/139 "2022-02-12T23:07:18Z")
“Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?” by George Jones. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who%27s\_Gonna\_Fill\_Their\_Shoes\_(song)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who%27s_Gonna_Fill_Their_Shoes_(song)) Jones sings of the irreplacibility of country music legends including [Waylon Jennings](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waylon_Jennings), [Willie Nelson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Nelson), [Johnny Cash](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Cash), [Merle Haggard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merle_Haggard), [Conway Twitty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway_Twitty), [Roy Acuff](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Acuff), [Elvis Presley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Presley), [Jerry Lee Lewis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Lee_Lewis), [Carl Perkins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Perkins), [Charlie Rich](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Rich), [Hank Williams](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Williams), [Marty Robbins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marty_Robbins), and [Lefty Frizzell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lefty_Frizzell). After remarking about these singers’ impacts on country music, he wonders who will replace them when they’re gone - hence, the title line - and thus become legends in their own right. ---
**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 12, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255/140 "2022-02-12T23:17:29Z")
Diss track, 1930-style: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TtZzKdnStYI/hqdefault.jpg "I'd Like To Find The Guy Who Wrote The Stein Song.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtZzKdnStYI) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-other-musicians/959255.md?page=8)