# Songs that eulogize other artists? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 10, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805 "2005-07-10T03:09:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/1 "2005-07-10T03:09:01Z")
Listening to the new Ben Folds CD, _Songs for Silverman_ (Off-topic: Does anyone understand the title? I don’t), he has a song called “Late,” that at least partially eulogizes Elliott Smith: > [@](#): > > Elliott, man you played a fine guitar > And some dirty basketball > The songs you wrote > Got me through a lot > Just wanna tell you that This got me to thinking…are there any other examples of this? I know that P Diddy (or whatever the hell it is he’s calling himself now) did this when he remade The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” to be about Notorious B.I.G. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/2 "2005-07-10T03:12:43Z")
The perhaps undisputed king of the genre, _American Pie_. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valenz and The Big Bopper. The original _Candle in the Wind_. Marilyn Monroe. Another Elton John song, _Empty Garden_ I think it’s called. John Lennon. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/3 "2005-07-10T03:13:30Z")
Well, there’s always “Rock 'N Roll Heaven”, cause you know they’ve got a hell of a band… “American Pie” was about “the day the music died”, which is a reference to the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper. If painters count, “Vincent” by Don McLean is one of the best eulogies ever. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/4 "2005-07-10T03:17:07Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Another Elton John song, Empty Garden I think it’s called. John Lennon. Yep. There have been several for Lennon, including McCartney’s “Here Today” and Harrison’s “All Those Years Ago.” The Commodores’ “Night Shift” eulogizes Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/5 "2005-07-10T03:18:42Z")
Oddly enough, the first song I thought of was _Garden Party_, which was Ricky Nelsons kiss off to his former teeny-bopper self. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/6 "2005-07-10T03:44:04Z")
Dave Pegg’s “Song for Sandy” [Denny]. Leonard Cohen’s “Chelsea Hotel” is a rather seedy reminiscence of Janis Joplin, while Frank Zappa went so far as to make fun of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Mama Cass, and Keith Moon in “We’re Turning Again.” ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/7 "2005-07-10T03:45:18Z")
I think there was a song on REM’s album Monster that eulogized Kurt Cobain. I dont’ remember which one though, I don’t like that album much. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/8 "2005-07-10T03:58:34Z")
The Who mentions “Old T-Rex” in “You Better You Bet” off the _Face Dances_ album, recorded (IIRC) in 1980. Since Marc Bolan had died in '77, this could be a eulogy, or a drunken longing. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/9 "2005-07-10T04:10:08Z")
Bruce Cockburn’s “Closer To The Light” (for singer/songwriter Mark Heard) Lindsey Buckingham’s “D. W. Suite” (for Beach Boy Dennis Wilson) ---
**Author:** ![pasunejen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58956e/32.png) [@pasunejen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pasunejen)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/10 "2005-07-10T05:05:45Z")
> [@Talon Karrde](#): > > I think there was a song on REM’s album Monster that eulogized Kurt Cobain. I dont’ remember which one though, I don’t like that album much. “Let Me In”. Not a great album overall, but there are more than a couple songs on it worth listening to, IMO (including this one). ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/11 "2005-07-10T05:09:09Z")
My personal favorite is Jim Carroll’s **People Who Died**. Awesome song. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/12 "2005-07-10T05:24:10Z")
“Rick James” by Jude has a repeated line throughout the song about “Rick James was the original Superfreak…” although that’s not what the song seems to be about. I think he was telling people not to be posers or something. Great funk song, apparantly the only hit the guy ever made, according to my room mate. ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/13 "2005-07-10T05:33:28Z")
> [@pasunejen](#): > > “Let Me In”. Not a great album overall, but there are more than a couple songs on it worth listening to, IMO (including this one). Agreed on that. I should give it a listen because it does have some decent songs. ---
**Author:** ![marymargaret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@marymargaret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marymargaret)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/14 "2005-07-10T05:52:47Z")
Neil Young’s **The Needle and the Damage Done** about bandmate Danny Whitten. ---
**Author:** ![marymargaret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@marymargaret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marymargaret)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/15 "2005-07-10T06:02:02Z")
Red Hot Chili Pepper’s **Knock Me Down** about the death of Hillel Slovak, who died of an overdose. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/16 "2005-07-10T06:08:06Z")
Not really a euology, but Our Lady Peace’s song “Innocent” mentions John Lennon and Kurt Cobain in a way that is sort of eulogy like. “Oh, Johnny wishes he was famous Spends his time alone in the basement With Lennon and Cobain A guitar and a stereo while he wishes he could escape this it all seems so contagious Not to be yourself and faceless In a song that has no soul” ---
**Author:** ![marymargaret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@marymargaret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marymargaret)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/17 "2005-07-10T06:08:57Z")
Neil Young’s \*\*Sleeps with Angels \*\* about Kurt Cobain. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/18 "2005-07-10T06:44:21Z")
How can one forget it Don McLean was who was “Killing Me Softly With His Song” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/19 "2005-07-10T06:49:47Z")
“Man on the Moon” is R.E.M’s eulogy to Andy Kaufman ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805/20 "2005-07-10T07:08:49Z")
Over on the country side, there are a bunch. Country tends to name check a lot, anyway. Who knows how many tributes there are to Hank Williams, Sr.? (A bunch of them by Hank, Jr. alone). My favorite is Alan Jackson’s Midnight in Montgomery. Chorus: > [@](#): > > ’cause it’s midnight in montgomery > Just hear that whippoorwill > See the stars light up the purple sky > Feel that lonesome chill > When the wind it’s right, you’ll hear his songs > Smell whiskey in the air > Midnight in montgomery > He’s always singing there [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-eulogize-other-artists/311805.md?page=2)