# Songs that namecheck their own writer. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 13, 2005, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123 "2005-04-13T13:59:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [April 13, 2005, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/41 "2005-04-13T18:42:05Z")
“As you stood there, counting crows…” _A Murder of One_ by Counting Crows. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/42 "2005-04-13T19:00:48Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > “As you stood there, counting crows…” > > _A Murder of One_ by Counting Crows. Yeah, except the name of the band “Counting Crows” comes from an old saying about literally standing around, counting crows. Sort of a chicken-egg thing. Not quite on par with _The The_ using the word _the_ in a song, but a bit different than the words _Loudon Wainwright_ showing up in a song. ---
**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:** [April 13, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/43 "2005-04-13T19:05:54Z")
Maybe it’s my midwest, cornfed upbringin’, but I hadn’t heard the expression when I first heard the song. So, in my mind, it’s always been self-referential. ---
**Author:** ![Boldface\_Type](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@Boldface\_Type](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boldface_Type)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/44 "2005-04-13T19:47:45Z")
‘The day the fingerpickers took over the world’ by Chet Atkins & Tommy Emmanuel references Chet and Tommy (well, they reference each other) - kind of a joke song though. Same goes for ‘There’ll be some changes made’ by Chet Atkins & Mark Knopfler. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/45 "2005-04-13T19:48:30Z")
“I Got Him Back In My Arms Again” - the Supremes: “How can Mary tell me what to do, when she lost her guy so true? / And Flo, she don’t know, 'cause the boy she loves is a romeo…” the Supremes line-up that recorded that song was Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence “Flo” Ballard. ---
**Author:** ![TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoneyKingofNowhere)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/46 "2005-04-13T19:51:50Z")
“Lift” - Radiohead “You’ve been stuck, in a lift, we’ve been tryin’ to reach you, Thom” ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/47 "2005-04-13T19:53:06Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > Yeah, except the name of the band “Counting Crows” comes from an old saying about literally standing around, counting crows. I wasn’t aware of it as an expression, but rather as a reference to the nurery rhyme “Seven Blackbirds in a Tree”: _Seven blackbirds in a tree Count them and see what they be: One for sorrow, two for joy Three for girls and four for boys Five for silver, six for gold Seven for secrets never told._ > [@spoke-](#): > > “Strange” by R.E.M. : “Michael’s nervous and the lights are bright” That’s an interesting case, as it’s a cover of a Wire song. The original line is “Joey’s nervous and the lights are bright.” No one in Wire’s named Joey. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/48 "2005-04-13T19:55:29Z")
_My telephone rang and it wouldn’t stop, It was President Kennedy callin’ me up, He said, “My friend Bob, what do we need to make this country grow?” I said, “My friend John, Brigitte Bardot, Anita Eckburg, Sophia Loren, Country’ll grow.”_ – Bob Dylan, “I Shall Be Free” ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/49 "2005-04-13T20:13:17Z")
Madness by Madness ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/50 "2005-04-13T20:18:41Z")
_Bad Company_, by Bad Company. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/51 "2005-04-13T20:30:53Z")
Good thread. _Then in my dressing room I’d see An elephant as pink as me Drinking and singing gloomily About the time they called me, yeah the time they called me About the time they called me Nicky_ –“Nicky,” Momus (real name Nick Currie) This, of course, is a cover/parody of La Chanson de Jacky by Belgian songwriter Jacques Brel, which does the same thing. _So I sidled up beside her Settled down and shouted, Hi there My name’s Stuart Ransom Miller I’m a serial lady killer She said “I’m already dead” That’s exactly what she said_ –“Barrier Reef,” Old 97s (whose lead singer is Stuart Ransom “Rhett” Miller, Jr.) _He said, “Mary is the rarest gem And she’s the wildest flower. I’ll make my Mary merrier With every passing hour.” So I made a certain sacrifice As soon as we were through I said, “Your Mary loves ya, lad.” And he said, “Mary who?”_ –“The World is Full of Bastards,” Mary Prankster _Sometimes it’s hard to be a Gimme Giving all your love to just one band But if you love them Please don’t make fun of them 'Cause after all, we’re just a band_ –“Stand By Your Man,” Me First and the Gimme Gimmes ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/52 "2005-04-13T21:18:01Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > . > > Not quite on par with _The The_ using the word _the_ in a song, but a bit different than the words _Loudon Wainwright_ showing up in a song. Hee hee! NO MORE BANDS! IT’S MY GAME… ‘Are you ready Steve?’ **Ballroom Blitz by The Sweet** ‘But this is Phil talking, I wanna tell you what I found to be true’ **Love Action by The Human League** MiM ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/53 "2005-04-14T02:31:36Z")
1. **Bad Is Bad** by Huey Lewis & the News _“I love you, Huey,” was the note I read, but there’s a strange pair of shoes underneath the bed._ 1. **Taxi** by Harry Chapin _"Then she handed me twenty dollars for a two-fifty fare and said, “Harry, keep the change.”_ 1. **You Gotta Serve Somebody** by Bob Dylan “You can call me Bobby or you can call me Zimmy” ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/54 "2005-04-14T02:40:05Z")
Hank Williams Jr.'s done this a few times: _Family Tradition_ So don’t ask me, Hank why do you drink? Hank, why do you roll smoke? Why must you live out the songs that you wrote? _All My Rowdy Friends (Are Coming Over Tonight)_ Do you want a drink. Hey do you want to party. Hey honey this is ole Hank. Ready to get the thing started. _My Name Is Bocephus_ I just came in here to have some whiskey and beer and to say howdy to you all. Now you all know me, this is Hank Williams, Jr. you see. Hat and shade beard and all. And if nicknames count: _Born To Boogie_ Well my name is Bocephus I drink whiskey by the gallon and I never back down and I love a good challenge ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/55 "2005-04-14T02:59:46Z")
Soul Brother Number One must do it more than once, but in “There Was a Time” he exhorts us thusly: Uhh, lookie here, feeling good There was a time Sometime I danced Lookie here Sometimes I danced Sometimes I clown But you can bet you Haven`t seen nothing yet Until you`ve seen me do The James Brown, ow ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/56 "2005-04-14T03:50:52Z")
Warren Zevon doesn’t mention himself, but does refer to members of his band in _Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead_ _I called my buddy Leroy on the phone, I said “buddy, I’m afraid to be alone”… … I was workin’ on a steak the other day, when I saw Waddy in the Rattlesnake Cafe_ _Glass Onion_, The Beatles _Here’s another clue for you all, The walrus was Paul_ _Love Machine_, Morning Musume (to quote from [lyrics007.com](http://lyrics007.com)) _MO-NINGU musume mo (wow x 4) Anta mo atashi mo (yeah x 4)_ ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/57 "2005-04-14T06:47:20Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > 1. **Bad Is Bad** by Huey Lewis & the News > > _“I love you, Huey,” was the note I read, but there’s a strange pair of shoes underneath the bed._ I have the Dave Edmunds version on which H Lewis plays the harmonica - Edmunds sings ‘I love you baby’ - should have said Davey! MiM ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/58 "2005-04-14T12:30:37Z")
Simon & Garfunke’s A Simple Desultory Philippic (Or How I Was Robert McNamara’d into Submission) : I’ve been mothered, fathered, ant and uncled, Been Roy Haleed and Art Garfunkeled. The classic is Bill Bojangle Robinson’s “Mr. Bojangles.” Also one of the best. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/59 "2005-04-15T00:44:38Z")
**Big Country** by Big Country Also, if mentioning the band counts, Belinda Carlisle introduces the band (actually IIRC just the rhythm section) in the Go-go’s cover of **Cool Jerk**. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/60 "2005-04-15T03:53:31Z")
In _The South’s Gonna Do It Again_, Charlie Daniels names several performers/groups, including “the C.D.B.” (Charlie Daniels Band). Technically just his initials, but a self-reference nonetheless. In _Hey Paula_, by **Paul & Paula** , the singers refer to each other by name, albeit stage name (they were actually Ray Hildebrand and Jill Jackson). Michelle Shocked refers to herself as “Chel” in _Anchorage_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123.md?page=4)