# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/61 "2005-04-15T04:46:37Z")
They Might Be Giants recorded a song called “They Might Be Giants.” ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/62 "2005-04-15T04:56:57Z")
“Jenny on the Block” by Jennifer Lopez ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/63 "2005-04-15T13:48:12Z")
Oh, and if we want songs that mention the WRITER (not just the performer), there’s David Allen Coe’s country classic “You Never Even Called Me By By Name,” in which the lyrics mention that Steve Goodman wrote the song. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/64 "2005-04-15T14:14:08Z")
“Sweet Baby James” by James Taylor “Creeque Alley” mentions each of the Mamas and the Papas and many of their friends ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/65 "2005-04-15T14:14:58Z")
Billy Joel in “Piano Man” > [@](#): > > _He said "Bill, I believe this is killing me > As the smile ran away from his face_ Bob Dylan in “Serve Somebody” > [@](#): > > _You may call me Terry > Or you may call me Timmy > You may call me Bobby > Or you may call me Zimmy > You may call me R.J. > Or you may call me Ray > You may call me anything > But no matter what you say > You’re gonna have to serve somebody_ ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/66 "2005-04-15T14:16:14Z")
And “Do the Freddie” by Freddie and the Dreamers ---
**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 15, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/67 "2005-04-15T15:01:22Z")
Let’s not forget _Love Is Strange_ by Mickey & Sylvia. "Sylvia? " “Yes, Mickey?” “How do you call your loverboy?” ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/68 "2005-04-15T15:22:07Z")
> [@Kat](#): > > Hank Williams Jr.'s done this a few times So did his daddy: **Dear John** by **Hank Williams, SR.** : _Now I went down to the bank this morning, The cashier said with a grin, I feel so sorry for you **Hank** , But your wife has done been in_ ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/69 "2005-04-15T15:26:12Z")
**"Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On"** by **Jerry Lee Lewis** : _Well I said come over baby, we got chicken in the barn oooh… huh… Come over baby **Jerry** got the bull by the horns We ain’t faken it Whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on_ ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/70 "2005-04-15T15:33:11Z")
“You don’t even know who Liz Phair is” – Liz Phair, Rock Me Baby ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/71 "2005-04-15T16:05:10Z")
Going back to the OP, I’m surprised I’m the first to note \*\*Loudon Wainwright’s \*\* “ **They Spelled My Name Wrong Again** ”. > [@](#): > > They spelled my name wrong again, > with an ‘e’ between the ‘d’ and the ‘n’ > Some dope didn’t know, it should be an ‘o’. > They spelled my name wrong again > > Why in God’s name can’t they check? > It’s a pain in the ass and the neck, > Not a capital crime, but it’s the umpteenth time. > Why in God’s name can’t they check? ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/72 "2005-04-15T17:01:27Z")
The Go-Go’s tune “Daisy Chain” calls out each Go-Go by name (though not the song’s co-writer, Jill Sobule). ---
**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 15, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/73 "2005-04-15T17:39:17Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > “Sweet Baby James” by James Taylor Nitpick: James wrote this song for his nephew and namesake James. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/74 "2005-04-15T17:43:17Z")
In “Love will Keep us Together” record by the Captain and Tennile there is the line “Sedaka is Back”, but I doubt he actually wrote the line. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/75 "2005-04-15T18:47:33Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > Almost every song Bo Diddley ever did mentions him by name. I think the same can be said about Ray Charles. That is, mentioning himself by name, not Bo Diddley. Buster Poindexter’s cover of “Hit the Road, Jack” - an excellent cover, IMO - has the backup singers referring to Buster by name. ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/76 "2005-04-15T19:08:17Z")
**Show-Biz** Kids by Steely Dan: _They got the house on the corner With the rug inside They got the booze they need All that money can buy They got the shapely bods They got the Steely Dan T-shirt And for the coup-de-gras They’re outrageous_ Also **In the Court of the Crimson King** by Barry Gibb. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/77 "2005-04-15T19:21:32Z")
Jimmy Buffett does this on any number of songs. Quick example: **The Weather Is Here, I Wish You Were Beautiful** _Jimmy, can I have an advance on my per diem?_ ---
**Author:** ![Crimmsy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Crimmsy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crimmsy)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/78 "2005-04-15T22:39:42Z")
in “As Wicked” by Rancid, the song finishes with _My best friend Marty said, “Tim you’re a lucky man”_ in “Mattersville” by NOFX, there is: _We got a blackboard with some rules and laws Hefe’s got an 18 car garage Most the cars are smashed but so is spike Twice a week on karaoke night Eric Melvin lives next door to me Limo and the locknecks head security At the end of my cul de sac Davey havok’s house is painted black_ Hefe and Eric Melvin being members of the band. On preview, I note that the thread title is “Songs that namecheck their own writer.” Neither Hefe nor Melvin wrote the song, but it’s close enough, I think. Oh yeah, Green Day have a song called “Green Day” but I think they wrote that song before they adopted the name for the band. ---
**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 15, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/79 "2005-04-15T23:46:57Z")
> [@Kilvert's Pagan](#): > > Also **In the Court of the Crimson King** by Barry Gibb. I’m surprised Stephen King didn’t work this into the _Dark Tower_ series somehow. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123/80 "2005-04-15T23:54:59Z")
> [@PookahMacPhellimey](#): > > And I don’t suppose that The Chipmunks wrote there own songs, either. Actually, “they” did – the songs and voices were done by Ross Bagdasarian. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-namecheck-their-own-writer/299123.md?page=5)