# The artist's name is mentioned in their song, by somebody else. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 25, 2020, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521 "2020-02-25T22:26:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/21 "2020-02-26T14:44:03Z")
Sorry, I misread the OP as artists calling out themselves.:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/22 "2020-02-26T15:21:30Z")
in “Back In My Arms Again”, Diana Ross namechecks both Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson of the original Supremes group: > [@](#): > > How can Mary tell me what to do > When she lost her love so true? > And Flo, she don’t know > 'Cause the boy she loves is a Romeo ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/23 "2020-02-26T15:22:42Z")
[ol] [/ol]The Paula Abdul & MC Skat Cat single of _Opposites Attract_ [in the intro](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5saZd3fsWbk): “I’m M.C. Kat on the rap so mic it/Here’s a little story and you’re sure to like it/Swift and sly and I’m playing it cool/With my home girl, Paula Abdul” Keeping with Paula Abdul, the album version of [Vibeology](https://youtu.be/lEFExaigKEE?t=241) has a “Go Paula Go Paula!” chant in it by the back up singers. A little less part of the song structure, the outro of the album version of “The Way That You Love Me” has a [Go Paula!](https://youtu.be/gW-QmAmq8G4?list=OLAK5uy_m6L_Bp5M8aFBI1eaFiPGUgFUG8KGSdK28&t=293) sung by a backup singer in it. And there’s probably more I’m forgetting. Yes, I listened to a lot of Paula Abdul growing up. What of it? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/24 "2020-02-26T15:34:19Z")
OK, can OP clarify? I’m getting the sense that half these answers aren’t what the OP is looking for. Or am I misunderstanding the question: > [@](#): > > I’m talking about a guest vocalist, or someone else who is not the main artist, name-checking an artist right in that artist’s song. I’m taking that to mean that the main performer of the song is being named checked in their own song by somebody else who is not them. Like in the Shakira song: she sings “Hips Don’t Lie.” In the song, her name is called out by a background vocalist. In the Chakha Khan song, the main song is sung by Chakha Khan, but she is referenced in the intro (and elsewhere) by a secondary, male singer. The Carlos Santana one is a bit more ambiguous, as Carlos Santana doesn’t really sing main vocals, so, in this case, it is the lead vocalist calling him out, but he’s the “main artist” in that the band is Santana, and he is the artist that defines the band. Many of the examples here seem to be the run-of-the-mill namechecks is OP is specifically not looking for: “There are also many, many examples of singers mentioning other singers. I’m not talking about those.” Am I the one confused? ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/25 "2020-02-26T15:46:27Z")
**Pulykamell** , you have it exactly right, and probably explained it better than I did. So, for example, “Play it, Steve!” From _Soul Man_ does not fit. But if Steve had yelled out “Sing it, Sam and Dave!” It would. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/26 "2020-02-26T15:55:58Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > **Pulykamell** , you have it exactly right, and probably explained it better than I did. > > So, for example, “Play it, Steve!” From _Soul Man_ does not fit. But if Steve had yelled out “Sing it, Sam and Dave!” It would. I assume you’ll find a number of examples in the hip-hop universe. The most obvious one would be “Who Am I (What’s My Name)” by Snoop Dogg, where the entire hook is background singers singing “Snoop Doggy Dog.” Does that count for your purposes? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/27 "2020-02-26T15:59:43Z")
Billy Joel in _Piano Man_ > [@](#): > > Now John at the bar is a friend of mine > He gets me my drinks for free > And he’s quick with a joke or to light up your smoke > But there’s someplace that he’d rather be > He says, “Bill, I believe this is killing me” > As the smile ran away from his face > “Well I’m sure that I could be a movie star > If I could get out of this place” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/28 "2020-02-26T16:13:22Z")
[Clap for the Wolfman](https://www.google.com/search?q=clap+for+the+wolfman&rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS866US866&oq=clap+for+the+wolfman&aqs=chrome..69i57.5582j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) by the Guess Who. Except the Wolfman is the guest artist and the band is singing about him. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2020, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/29 "2020-02-26T16:22:50Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Billy Joel in _Piano Man_ Billy (not someone else) is singing his own name. From John Lennon in Glass Onion I told you about the walrus and me, man You know we’re as close as can be, man Well here’s another clue for you all The walrus was Paul. (McCartney) ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/30 "2020-02-26T16:33:17Z")
Eminem name checks Kid Rock and Twisted Brown Trucker in Kid Rock’s “Fuck Off” ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/31 "2020-02-26T16:38:54Z")
Goldfinger - “Carlita” includes guest vocals and saxophone by Angelo Moore of Fishbone and just before the breakdown he calls out “Play it Goldfinger!” ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/32 "2020-02-26T17:09:10Z")
This may not satisfy a strict OP, but it’s satisfying none the less… Jeb Loy Nichols name-checks so many country/reggae/soul/dub artists in so many songs that back in 1990, a couple of us vowed to listen to them all. One verse of “[This Summer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNQmN-XCJPc)” goes: Spin the disk, Mr. DJ, spin the disk, Mr. DJ… We got Tony Joe White, we got Merle Haggard, Culture and The Mighty Heaters. We got Bobby Womack and Curtis Mayfield… …this summer. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/33 "2020-02-26T17:27:05Z")
_The Girl is Mine_ by Michael Jackson, featuring Paul McCartney has this exchange: “Michael, we’re not going to fight about this, okay Paul, I think I told you, I’m a lover not a fighter” ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/34 "2020-02-26T17:54:06Z")
The earworm-y folk-pop song “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros has a spoken dialogue bridge that begins with both vocalists addressing each other by name (“Jade?” “Alexander?”). The whole bridge is removed from the common radio version, though. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/35 "2020-02-26T18:06:26Z")
Simon and Garfunkel’s A Simple Desultory Philippic has these lines: > [@](#): > > I been mother, father, aunt and uncled > Been Roy Haleed and Art Garfunkeled ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/36 "2020-02-26T19:18:02Z")
The Beatles’ Honey Don’t: “Ah, rock on, George, for Ringo one time”. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/37 "2020-02-26T19:35:19Z")
Maroon 5s- “Moves like Jagger” Aerosmith covered "Come Together " the line “Ono sideboard” (I know, yes she’s an Artist) Hayes Carll mentions Dylan in “Another like You” And he also has a song where he says “I’m like James Brown, only white and taller” The song is “Stomp and Holler” ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/38 "2020-02-26T19:43:34Z")
Oops. I may have misunderstood the OP. Ignore my post above. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2020, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/39 "2020-02-26T20:12:56Z")
This doesn’t really match the OP’s requirements since it’s about the songwriter not the lead singer, but in the Captain and Tennille version of _Love Will Keep Us Together_ on the fadeout they sing “Sedaka is back”. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2020, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521/40 "2020-02-26T21:56:39Z")
I think this counts… The remake of Lady Marmalade from Moulin Rouge is sung by Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya and Pink. At the end of the song the producer, Missy Elliot, calls out the names of the four singers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-artists-name-is-mentioned-in-their-song-by-somebody-else/848521.md?page=3)