# Songs about/to celebrities **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 6, 2006, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254 "2006-02-06T17:05:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/41 "2006-02-06T22:03:23Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Hell, if we’re talking Mojo Nixon, how about “Debbie Gibson Is Pregnant with My Two-Headed Love Child.” Damn, I can’t believe I didn’t remember that one! Of course, there is always the _king_ of all Nixon tunes **Elvis is Everywhere**. ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/42 "2006-02-06T22:04:25Z")
In fact, isn’t **Black Velvet** by Alannah Myles also about Elvis? ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/43 "2006-02-06T22:08:09Z")
_David Bowie_ by Phish _Elvis is Dead_ by Living Colour ---
**Author:** ![JerH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@JerH](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerH)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/44 "2006-02-06T22:16:57Z")
The Saw Doctors have a song called “I Want To Kiss the Bangles.” Mojo Nixon had a bunch of others that haven’t been mentioned - he seems to thrive on celebrity references. Just off the top of my head: “Don Henley Must Die”, “We Must Dig Up Howling Wolf”, “Drunk Divorced Floozie (The Ballad Of Diana Spencer)”, and “The Ballad of Country Dick.” ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/45 "2006-02-06T22:54:09Z")
_Wayne Gretzky_ by Goldfinger ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/46 "2006-02-06T23:07:09Z")
**Buddy Holly** - Weezer. A song about Mary Tyler Moore (or less). **Margaret on the Guillotine** - Morrissey. About Margaret Thatcher **Magic Johnson** - Red Hot Chili Peppers. **The Last of the Famous International Playboys** - Morrissey. About The Krays, criminal twins in England, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/47 "2006-02-06T23:12:56Z")
“Song for Myla Goldberg” - The Decemberists “Mark Rothko Song” - Dar Williams Would “I Won’t Be Your Yoko Ono” by Dar Williams and “Be My Yoko Ono” by the Barenaked Ladies count? “Here’s Johnny” - “Weird Al” Yankovic (about Ed McMahon) “My Baby’s In Love with Eddie Vedder” - Weird Al “Jerry Springer” - Weird Al (well, it’s about the TV show) There are probably other Weird Al ones, but I’m blanking. The 80s Spanish synthpop band Mecano had songs about Salvador Dalí and the Dalai Lama. ---
**Author:** ![Catfood\_Purrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Catfood\_Purrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catfood_Purrito)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2006, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/48 "2006-02-06T23:30:30Z")
**Sigfried and Roy** and **Courtney Love** , both by Nerf Herder. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_A_Tame_Lion)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/49 "2006-02-07T00:01:39Z")
> [@Jackknifed Juggernaut](#): > > **Buddy Holly** - Weezer. A song about Mary Tyler Moore (or less). I don’t think so. They’re mentioned in the lyrics–and in Holly’s case, the title–but the song is not “about” them in any legitimate sense (they only serve as similies/metaphors in the lyrics). ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/50 "2006-02-07T00:07:08Z")
All of the following are by U2: “Until The End Of The World” is Judas singing to Jesus. “Salome” is about, you guessed it, Salome. “Elvis Ate America” “Elvis Presley & America” “Pride” and “MLK” are both about MLK Albert Goldman is mentioned in “God Part 2” “Jesus Christ” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/51 "2006-02-07T00:19:25Z")
> [@ErinPuff](#): > > Would “I Won’t Be Your Yoko Ono” by Dar Williams and “Be My Yoko Ono” by the Barenaked Ladies count? If they do, then “Be My Yoko” by The Bobs has to count, too. (And that can’t be a coincidence, can it?) Also, “Elwood Decker” by The Bobs ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/52 "2006-02-07T00:34:04Z")
If Peter Gabriel’s “Biko” was mentioned, I missed it. Also, Elton John’s “Empty Garden” is about John Lennon. ---
**Author:** ![Mayo\_Speaks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mayo\_Speaks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mayo_Speaks)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/53 "2006-02-07T00:47:47Z")
I’ll nominate my favorite: **Dio** by The D (aka Tenacious D) ---
**Author:** ![from\_a\_to\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5fc32e/32.png) [@from\_a\_to\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/from_a_to_z)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/54 "2006-02-07T00:55:43Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > _I’m Stuck In A Closet With Vanna White_ - Weird Al Yankovic What is it with Vanna and people who want to buy her vowels? [Vanna, Pick Me A Letter](http://www.themadmusicarchive.com/song_details.aspx?SongID=998) by Dr. Dave. A shorter topic could be about celebrities who have never had a song written about them. And the topic could become even shorter as the list of unsung celebrities becomes known. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/55 "2006-02-07T01:00:33Z")
> [@Troy McClure SF](#): > > After aimlessly wandering Wikipedia last night and finding out there exists “The Ballad of Jill Hennessy” by Mollycuddle, I was wondering what other songs are about or to celebrities, as they amuse me greatly. I also know of Bree Sharp’s “David Duchovny” and the All Girl Summer Fun Band’s “Jason Lee.” What else is out there? Practically every song in Stephen Sondheim’s _Assassins_ qualifies if you include historical figures as celebrities; and even if you don’t, there’s “I Am Unworthy of Your Love,” the ballad to Jodie Foster and Charlie Manson. ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/56 "2006-02-07T01:13:34Z")
There’s a folk song called “Joe Hill” about a union organizer who was charged with murder (possibly framed), convicted, and killed by firing squad in Utah in 1915. He became quite a celebrity during his trial and even Woodrow Wilson tried to intercede on his behalf. I don’t know who wrote the song though. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/57 "2006-02-07T01:25:19Z")
There’s always Kinky Freidman and the Texas Jewboy’s “Ballad of Charles Whitman” > **[Kinky Friedman, Texas Funnyman](https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1949555)** > > Kinky Friedman used to perform offbeat country songs with his band, the Texas Jewboys. He later turned to writing mysteries. Now he wants to be governor of Texas. His slogan for the 2006 campaign: "How Hard Can It Be?" NPR's Ketzel Levine has a... (Yep, the link has the song). For those who may not know, Charles Whitman was the person who in 1966 went to the top of the University of Texas Tower (with a huge amount of guns and ammunition) and proceeded to shoot people. Trivia Note: (Whitman -but not the song- is also referenced by R Lee Ermey in “Full Metal Jacket”) Neil Young’s “Keep On Rockin’ In the Free World” is an unflattering “tribute” to George Bush Senior. “We’ve got a thousand points of light … for a homeless man. We’ve got a kinder, gentler machine gun hand.” He should have saved that animosity for “Dubya”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/58 "2006-02-07T01:55:43Z")
> [@batsto](#): > > Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer” is about Hernando Cortes. > > It’s been too long since I heard “Marie Leveau” by Dr. Hook to remember if it’s actually about her…anyone else remember? > > I guess “Vlad the Impaler” by Gwar counts too. I don’t think people who’ve been dead since before the songwriter was born can count as celebrities. > [@The Big Cheese](#): > > Fool on the Hill - Beatles - about LBJ, I believe That would be a novel approach to Lyndon Johnson for the time, as the one who saw things as they were (the world spins round; the sun doesn’t really go down). > [@Superdude](#): > > “Walt Whitman’s Niece” by Billy Bragg and Wilco > > “Ingrid Bergman” by Billy Bragg and Wilco I would have credited those to Woody Guthrie. He’s the one who put the celebrities in them, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/59 "2006-02-07T02:12:36Z")
From the New Radicals: _Fashion shoots with Beck and Hanson Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson You’re all fakes run to your mansions Come round here we’ll kick your asses._ “How Do You Sleep,” a poison valentine from John to Paul “You Made Me Love You” was originally called “Dear Mr. Gable” and sung by Shirley Temple to Clark Gable. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254/60 "2006-02-07T03:01:25Z")
Warren Zevon’s [_Bill Lee_](http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/warren_zevon/bill_lee.html) is about a former major-league baseball pitcher famous for such statements as his admission that he used marijuana “as a spice in cooking”. Zevon also wrote [_Boom Boom Mancini_](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Boom-Boom-Mancini-lyrics-Warren-Zevon/1A62166B14973ADA48256C95000C2FC3) about the boxer of that name. The subject of Randy Newman’s [_Kingfish_](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Kingfish-lyrics-Randy-Newman/05752304E0B4DFE048256A37004817EF) was former Louisiana governor Huey Long. In 1941, the Les Brown Orchestra (featuring vocalist Betty Bonney) recorded [_Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio_](http://www.baseball-almanac.com/poetry/joltinjoedimaggio.shtml) as the “Yankee Clipper” compiled his record 56-game hitting streak. Eventually, the last verse was added after the Cleveland Indians stopped the streak. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-to-celebrities/343254.md?page=4)