# Songs about real people **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 17, 2006, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712 "2006-10-17T00:34:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@SailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SailBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/21 "2006-10-17T02:05:09Z")
“The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” by Bob Dylan, From Wikipedia > [@](#): > > The actual incident took place February 9, 1963 at a [Southern Maryland Society] ball at the Emerson Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. Dylan’s song accurately implies, but never states, that Carroll was black and Zantzinger is white. The song implies that Zantzinger beat Carroll to death with his cane when in fact, he drunkenly assaulted Carroll and at least two others with the cane (a bellboy and a waitress both also reported being attacked by Zantzinger the same night). At about 1:30am on the morning of the 9th, he ordered a drink from barmaid Carroll and when she didn’t bring it immediately, he cursed at her to which Carroll replied: “I’m hurrying as fast as I can.” Zantzinger said: “I don’t have to take that kind of shit off a n\*\*\*\*\*,” and struck her on the shoulder with the cane. Carroll was heard to remark “I feel deathly ill, that man has upset me so” soon after, before collapsing and being taken to the hospital. After Carroll died the following morning, Zantzinger was charged with homicide. However, this was changed to manslaughter and assault after it was discovered that Carroll had hardened arteries, an enlarged heart, and high blood pressure, and that she had in fact probably died of a brain haemorrhage caused by the stress of Zantzinger’s verbal and physical abuse, rather than the physical assault itself (the cane left no mark on her). > On August 28, 1963 Zantzinger was convicted of assault and manslaughter and was sentenced to six months. Dylan’s song strongly implies that his upper-class status contributed to the relatively low length of the sentence. After the sentence was announced, the New York Herald Tribune conjectured that Zantzinger was not given a longer sentence to keep him out of the state prison, since the notoriety of his crime would make him a marked target among its largely African American inmates (Zantzinger instead served his time in the comparative safety of the Washington county jail). Zantzinger began serving his term on September 15, and also paid to the Carroll family the sum of twenty five thousand dollars. [The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hattie_Carroll) Especially interesting because I know many people who know him, and also who remember the actual incident. There are several versions of the story. ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/22 "2006-10-17T02:06:53Z")
Irving Berlin wrote two hit musical comedies about real women: _Annie Get Your Gun_, loosely based on Annie Oakley, and _Call Me Madam_, based on Pearl Mesta (although she was re-named Sally Adams.) ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/23 "2006-10-17T02:13:56Z")
“The Rascal King” by the Mighty, Mighty Bosstones is about [Mayor James Michael Curley](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Michael_Curley). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/24 "2006-10-17T03:17:31Z")
“All Those Years Ago” by George Harrison (John Lennon) “Luckenbach Texas” by Waylon Jennings (Willie Nelson) “Martin Scorsese” by King Missile “Spider Web” by Joan Osbourne (Ray Charles) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Golden\_Ass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@The\_Golden\_Ass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Golden_Ass)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/25 "2006-10-17T03:18:43Z")
**All Those Years Ago** –George Harrison **Here Today** –Paul McCartney **Secret Garden** –Elton John **Photograph** –Ringo Starr All about John Lennon. **Dear Prudence** –Prudence was Mia Farrow’s sister. **When We Were Fab** –George Harrison, about the Beatles… **Layla** –Derick and the Dominoes about Patti Boyd, George Harrison’s first wife. **Let it Be** –The Beatles, about Mary McCartney ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/26 "2006-10-17T03:31:29Z")
Kate Bush: [“Houdini”](http://gaffa.org/sensual/l_ho.html) - the magician [“Delius”](http://gaffa.org/sensual/l_delius.html) - the composer (mostly instrumental/vocalese) [“Bertie”](http://gaffa.org/sensual/l_bertie.html) - Ok, it’s her son, but he’s famous in certain circles [“Heads Were Dancing”](http://gaffa.org/sensual/l_hwd.html) - fantasy about dancing with Hitler, not knowing who he was [“Joanni”](http://gaffa.org/sensual/l_joanni.html) - Joan of Arc [“Ken”](http://gaffa.org/sensual/l_ken.html) - Ken Livingstone, mayor of London [“King of the Mountain”](http://gaffa.org/sensual/l_kotm.html) - Elvis Presley Happy Rhodes: [“Charlie”](http://www.ecto.org/lyrics/findme/charlie.html) - Charles Crumb (Robert Crumb’s brother) [“Nevermore”](http://www.ecto.org/lyrics/lhd/nevermore.html) - Freddie Mercury [“Omar”](http://www.ecto.org/lyrics/colossus/omar.html) - Omar Sharif ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/27 "2006-10-17T03:43:38Z")
Weezer: Buddy Holly, Mary Tyler Moore ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/28 "2006-10-17T03:51:43Z")
Railroad man **Casey Jones** , subject of a folk song and a songs by the Grateful Dead and Johnny Cash. Gunslinger **John Wesley Hardin** , subject of a song by Bob Dylan (as John Wesley Harding). Outlaw **Pretty Boy Floyd** , subject of a song by Woody Guthrie. Of course, there are tons of folk songs about people like **Billy the Kid** , **Jesse James** , **John Henry** , and so on. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/29 "2006-10-17T04:05:25Z")
“The Right Profile” by **The Clash** and “Monty Got A Raw Deal” by **R.E.M.** were about Montgomery Clift. “Somethin’ to Du” by **The Replacements** , “Grant Hart” by **The Posies** and “Bob Mould Hates Me” by **Mold** were about Husker Du and its members. “We’re The Replacements” by **They Might Be Giants** and (allegedly) “First of the Last Calls” by **Husker Du** were about The Replacements. “For The Singer of R.E.M.” by **Firehose** and “The Unseen Power of the Picket Fence” by **Pavement** were (obliquely) about R.E.M. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/30 "2006-10-17T04:11:03Z")
[Alex Chilton](http://uppercutmusic.com/artist_r/replacements_lyrics/alex_chilton_lyrics.html) by **The Replacements** about [Alex Chilton](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Chilton) ---
**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:** [October 17, 2006, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/31 "2006-10-17T04:20:36Z")
[QUOTE=bienville] [Alex Chilton](http://uppercutmusic.com/artist_r/replacements_lyrics/alex_chilton_lyrics.html) by **The Replacements** about [Alex Chilton](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Chilton) [/QUOTE] Me likey subtlenessizationism! Now, back to washing dishes! “Miss William’s Guitar” by the Jayhawks is about Victoria Williams. ---
**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:** [October 17, 2006, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/32 "2006-10-17T05:04:58Z")
_“Picasso’s Last Words (Drink to Me)”_ by **Wings** …which also happens to be (sort of) about Dustin Hoffman. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_loblaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@bob\_loblaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_loblaw)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/33 "2006-10-17T05:18:58Z")
**50 mission cap** by the tragically hip is about bill barilko. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/34 "2006-10-17T05:19:48Z")
[QUOTE=The Golden Ass] **Layla** –Derick and the Dominoes about Patti Boyd, George Harrison’s first wife. [/QUOTE] I think Wonderful Tonight is about her as well. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/35 "2006-10-17T05:20:57Z")
Gene Autry appears to have been the singer behind _The Ballad of Daavy Crockett_. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/36 "2006-10-17T05:51:35Z")
[QUOTE=Gatopescado] “Miss William’s Guitar” by the Jayhawks is about Victoria Williams. [/QUOTE] I didn’t know about that! I haven’t followed the Jayhawks, but I love Victoria! (I do know about Mark Olson being her husband, I’ve seen them live several times). Thanks for that Wikipedia entry for “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” SailBunny. Fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/37 "2006-10-17T06:38:27Z")
[QUOTE=Krokodil] “Hirricane” by Bob Dylan (Rubin “Hurricane” Carter) [/QUOTE] Other Dylan songs about people: “Joey” about Joey Gallo. “Catfish” about Catfish Hunter. “Ballad in Plain D” about Suze Rodolfo, I believe. In any case it matches the events of the breakup. “Blind Willie McTell” - maybe. “Song to Woody.” “Queen Jane Approximately” about Joan Baez (and Baez’s Time Rag, kind of about Dylan, or the stories about them.) “Only a Pawn in Their Game” about the asshole who shot Medger Evers. “Oxford Town” about James Meredith trying to get into the University of Mississippi. and probably a bunch of others I can’t think of off the top of my head. I’m not counting the many references to real people standing in as concepts in Highway 61 revisited (for instance Brother Bill as Robert McNamara in Tombstone Blues). ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/38 "2006-10-17T06:48:22Z")
“Stack O’Lee Blues” by many different artists. “Stag” Lee Sheldon was a real person who, in St. Louis in 1895, shot someone in an argument over a hat. “Der Fuerher’s Face” - introduced in a Disney cartoon and performed on record by Spike Jones (and others). ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/39 "2006-10-17T07:01:18Z")
Ra-Ra-Rasputin, lover of the Russian Queen… I can’t remember the singer’s name. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712/40 "2006-10-17T10:26:47Z")
[QUOTE=Suburban Plankton] or possibly… Mick Jagger (who sang backing vocals on the song), Cat Stevens, Kris Kristofferson, or James Taylor (her ex-husband). [/QUOTE] No, no! The song was about ME!!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-real-people/376712.md?page=3)