# Songs that take a swipe at other artists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 6, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810 "2015-11-06T15:26:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Karen\_X2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90db22/32.png) [@Karen\_X2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_X2)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/1 "2015-11-06T15:26:43Z")
As the title says. Widely publicized was John Lennon’s “How Do You Sleep” supposedly aimed at Paul, for a few alleged digs at John on his “Ram” album. Any other songs you can think of where the artist attempts to insult another artist or band? ---
**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:** [November 6, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/2 "2015-11-06T15:31:38Z")
“Sweet Home Alabama” is the obvious one. Here’s [Richard Thompson](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucgZQGPZOpk)’s humorous swipe at Kenny G. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2015, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/3 "2015-11-06T15:32:11Z")
_Well I heard Mister Young sing about her Well I heard ole Neil put her down Well, I hope Neil Young will remember A southern man don’t need him around anyhow_ -Lynyrd Skynyrd ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/4 "2015-11-06T15:38:43Z")
[It’s Still Billy Joel To Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6T2B3Vhtzk)-Weird Al (Home Demo) [Achy-Breaky Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJWWKj_wptY)-Weird Al ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/5 "2015-11-06T15:44:08Z")
Keeping with the John Lennon theme, his song “Serve Yourself” is poking fun at Dylan’s “Gotta Serve Somebody”. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/6 "2015-11-06T15:48:26Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Keeping with the John Lennon theme, his song “Serve Yourself” is poking fun at Dylan’s “Gotta Serve Somebody”. And Dylan’s “Fourth Time Around” was taken as a swipe at “Norwegian Wood”. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/7 "2015-11-06T15:52:19Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > And Dylan’s “Fourth Time Around” was taken as a swipe at “Norwegian Wood”. Can we change the thread title to “songs where Lennon makes fun of someone and then their rebuttal songs? Except when Dylan finally writes a song paying homage to Dylan?” Might be a bit wordy… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/8 "2015-11-06T15:59:38Z")
You’re So Vain by Carly Simon has allegedly been about Mick Jagger, Warren Beatty, David Bowie, David Cassidy and/or Cat Stevens. There is still lots of speculation over who it’s about. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/9 "2015-11-06T16:00:14Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > “Sweet Home Alabama” is the obvious one. Agreed. Although I seem to recall hearing / reading / learning through osmosis that the Skynyrd guys were friends with Neil Young and didn’t really have a problem with “Southern Man.” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/10 "2015-11-06T16:01:40Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > You’re So Vain by Carly Simon has allegedly been about Mick Jagger, Warren Beatty, David Bowie, David Cassidy and/or Cat Stevens. There is still lots of speculation over who it’s about. David Steinberg is in the running too. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/11 "2015-11-06T16:04:05Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > You’re So Vain by Carly Simon has allegedly been about Mick Jagger, Warren Beatty, David Bowie, David Cassidy and/or Cat Stevens. There is still lots of speculation over who it’s about. I’d heard it was about James Taylor. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/12 "2015-11-06T16:09:33Z")
The Paloma Faith & Josh Weller duet, “[It’s Christmas (And I Hate You)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD3p2z9nBGY)” contains the spoken line: _Diana Krall is not music._ ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/13 "2015-11-06T16:10:13Z")
Tupac’s [Hit 'Em Up](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41qC3w3UUkU) is the gold standard here. It’s more than a ‘swipe’ though. “My .44 make sure all yall kids don’t grow”. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/14 "2015-11-06T16:15:20Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > Tupac’s [Hit 'Em Up](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41qC3w3UUkU) is the gold standard here. It’s more than a ‘swipe’ though. “My .44 make sure all yall kids don’t grow”. Every gangster rap song ever written should be eligible for this list. “You Get What You Give” by New Radicals threatened to kick the collective asses of Beck, Hanson, Courtney Love and Marylin Manson. “Get in the Ring” by Guns N’ Roses was a direct challenge by Axl Rose to a bunch of music critics, especially Bob Guccione, Jr. Reportedly, Guccione did accept the challenge (with Billy Idol filling in as his champion) but no fight ever took place. > [@racer72](#): > > You’re So Vain by Carly Simon has allegedly been about Mick Jagger, Warren Beatty, David Bowie, David Cassidy and/or Cat Stevens. There is still lots of speculation over who it’s about. > [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > David Steinberg is in the running too. > [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > I’d heard it was about James Taylor. Have any of them have ever said they thought this song was about them? ---
**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:** [November 6, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/15 "2015-11-06T16:17:24Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > You’re So Vain by Carly Simon has allegedly been about Mick Jagger, Warren Beatty, David Bowie, David Cassidy and/or Cat Stevens. There is still lots of speculation over who it’s about. Didn’t she make the big reveal a few years back that it was about David Geffen? The 80s-era teenybopper heart-throb Rick Springfield had a song that was basically a rant about how so many people confused him and [Bruce Springsteen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW1Frr4OcRc). It has to be heard to be believed. Keep dreaming, Rick. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/16 "2015-11-06T16:17:51Z")
“[Don Henley Must Die](http://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858627835/)” by Mojo Nixon (who also did “Debbie Gibson is Pregnant with My Two-Headed Love Child”). Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street” was likely directed towards a fellow Village folkie (although perhaps a whole crowd of people). King Crimson’s “[Happy Family](http://www.metrolyrics.com/happy-family-lyrics-king-crimson.html)” is about the Beatles, and is not too complimentary, although I don’t know if it rises to the level of a “swipe”. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/17 "2015-11-06T16:21:37Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > … Have any of them have ever said they thought this song was about them? Some years back Carly Simon auctioned off the name of the person it was about for charity. Some guy paid thousands of dollars, and the deal included his pledge not to reveal the name. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/18 "2015-11-06T16:29:11Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > “Sweet Home Alabama” is the obvious one. And then “Play it All Night Long” was Warren Zevon’s rebuttal to “Sweet Home Alabama”. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/19 "2015-11-06T16:37:16Z")
Bo Diddley wrote [I’m a Man](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaC5ZKRjLUM). Muddy Waters didn’t agree (and thought he had copied “Hoochie Coochie Man” too closely), so he wrote [Mannish Boy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKEWviZKDyg). ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2015, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810/20 "2015-11-06T16:49:50Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > And Dylan’s “Fourth Time Around” was taken as a swipe at “Norwegian Wood”. I’ve never heard of this song. After a quick look at the lyrics I’m not sure where the dig is. Can you 'splain? [QUOTE=Boyo Jim] Some years back Carly Simon auctioned off the name of the person it was about for charity. Some guy paid thousands of dollars, and the deal included his pledge not to reveal the name. [/QUOTE] That would be Dick Ebersol, who among other things is the co-creator of SNL. I feel like I also heard it turns out to be about David Geffen but maybe we all heard the same rumor. Along those lines is Alanis Morrissette’s _You Oughtta Know_ which has always been rumored to be about Dave Coulier. I recently read an article in which she says it’s about a combination of people. He still believes it’s all about him though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-take-a-swipe-at-other-artists/736810.md?page=2)