Songs about real people

[SailBunny]

“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

Especially interesting because I know many people who know him, and also who remember the actual incident. There are several versions of the story.

[Sonia_Montdore]

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.)

[dinahmoe]

“The Rascal King” by the Mighty, Mighty Bosstones is about Mayor James Michael Curley.

[Little_Nemo]

“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)

[The_Golden_Ass]

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

[Equipoise]

Kate Bush:

“Houdini” - the magician
“Delius” - the composer (mostly instrumental/vocalese)
“Bertie” - Ok, it’s her son, but he’s famous in certain circles
“Heads Were Dancing” - fantasy about dancing with Hitler, not knowing who he was
“Joanni” - Joan of Arc
“Ken” - Ken Livingstone, mayor of London
“King of the Mountain” - Elvis Presley
Happy Rhodes:

“Charlie” - Charles Crumb (Robert Crumb’s brother)
“Nevermore” - Freddie Mercury
“Omar” - Omar Sharif

[Morbo]

Weezer: Buddy Holly, Mary Tyler Moore

[Colibri]

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.

[woodstockbirdybird]

“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.

[bienville]

Alex Chilton by The Replacements about Alex Chilton

[Gatopescado]

@bienville

Alex Chilton by The Replacements about Alex Chilton

Me likey subtlenessizationism! Now, back to washing dishes!

“Miss William’s Guitar” by the Jayhawks is about Victoria Williams.

[blondebear]

“Picasso’s Last Words (Drink to Me)” by Wings…which also happens to be (sort of) about Dustin Hoffman.

[bob_loblaw]

50 mission cap by the tragically hip is about bill barilko.

[Marley23]

@The Golden Ass

Layla–Derick and the Dominoes about Patti Boyd, George Harrison’s first wife.

I think Wonderful Tonight is about her as well.

[kaylasdad99]

Gene Autry appears to have been the singer behind The Ballad of Daavy Crockett.

[Equipoise]

@Gatopescado

“Miss William’s Guitar” by the Jayhawks is about Victoria Williams.

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.

[Voyager]

@Krokodil

“Hirricane” by Bob Dylan (Rubin “Hurricane” Carter)

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).

[Jeff_Lichtman]

“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).

[Cunctator]

Ra-Ra-Rasputin, lover of the Russian Queen…

I can’t remember the singer’s name.

[Evil_Captor]

@Suburban Plankton

or possibly…

Mick Jagger (who sang backing vocals on the song),
Cat Stevens,
Kris Kristofferson, or
James Taylor (her ex-husband).

No, no! The song was about ME!!!