One more, on the very obscure side. A group called United States of America put out a lone album in 1967, with a cut called Love Song for the Dead Ché that was hauntingly good.
Charles Mingus wrote “Goodbye Porkpie Hat” about departed saxophonist Lester Young. (Joni Mitchell did an interesting cover with lyrics that she wrote. The entire album it appears on, Mingus, was based on some collaborations she did with Mingus before he died, but it can probably be thought of as a eulogy, too.)
“Eulogy” by Tool might be about Jesus, or it might be about Kurt Cobain. My brother says it is about Andre the Giant, for the line “He stood above the crowd; he had a voice that was strong and loud.”
Whoever it’s about, it’s not a very kind eulogy.
I just looked it up and it seems to be about Bill Hicks. Damn people misleading me.
yep, there’s more than one song by Tool about Bill H.
the man was a freakin’ funny motherfucker… and his friends liked him a lot
If you haven’t ever heard one of his albums, check him out
wait, no… I thought Eulogy was the one about L. Ron Hubbard?
isn’t it Third Eye that’s about Bill?
Kate Bush’s “Blow Away” is about a jam in the sky with Marc Bolan, Minnie Ripperton, Keith Moon, Sid Vicious, Sid Vicious (hey, she names him twice), Buddy Holly, and Sandy Denny.
George Jones’s “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?”
Aussie Ben Lee’s Catch My Disease says in the last verse:
They play Good Charlotte on the radio
and that’s the way I like it
They play Sleepy Jackson on the radio
and that’s the way I like it
and that’s the way I like it
I hear Beyonce on the radio
and that’s the way I like it
cos that’s the way I like it
and they play me on the radio (whoo!)
and that’s the way I like it
One can only hope that the grief object in Bobby Goldsboro’s Honey had some talent of some kind, whether it was music is anybody’s guess.
On a more serious level, one that it took some straining to come up with is/was Gino Vannelli’s Poor Happy Jimmy (I hope that’s the title) eulogy for Jim Croce.
Paul Simon’s “The Late, Great Johnny Ace” is not only about singer Johnny Ace, who died in the 1950’s, but also John Lennon.
Although he still kills people with that song.
“Sweet Gene Vincent” by Ian Dury and the Blockheads.
“Pure Smokey” by George Harrison (about Smokey Robinson).
“Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd (the entire album about their former bandmate Syd Barrett).
If you’re gonna bring up Don McLean, don’t forget to mention Starry Starry Night, his tribute to Vincent van Gogh.
Er… that came out a little snarky. Sorry 'bout that!
“When Smokey [Robinson] Sings” by ABC
“Pops [Motown founder Berry Gordy, Sr.], We Love You” by Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Smokey Robinson
Young eulogized Whitten with the entire Tonight’s the Night album, but Whitten was still alive when “The Needle and the Damage Done” was released on Harvest.
Mentioning Marvin Gaye reminds me of the song “Marvin”, a eulogy to Marvin Gaye. A beautiful song, but I can’t remember the artist. Help me out here.
You might be thinking of “Night Shift,” mentioned above.
Here’s an obscure one: “Freddie” by Charlene, best known for her hit “I’ve Never Been to Me.” It’s about Freddie Prinze.
Duh, yep flat missed it. Thanks for the clarification of the name, great song.