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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Chordie's Chat Corner → songs about famous people
James wrote a great wee song and shared it with us on the songwritting section about Uma.
Made me think how many other songs have been written about famous people?
Elton John ...... candle in the wind..... about Marylin Munroe
MAdness ....... my name is Michael Caine.... about Michael caine funnily enough
can anyone think of any others?
Ken
Hello Ken you got me thinking real hard and I came up with,
"Brian Wilson" by The Barenaked Ladies.
"The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" by Gene Pitney.[ Liberty
Valance may have been a cowboy, Not sure]
"Hey Porter" by Johnny Cash
"Weed With Willie" by Toby Keith.
Just a few but I'm Still Thinking....
.... Badeye.
Do you reckon 'Layla' by Eric Clapton counts, 'twas written about George Harrisons wife...
hmm...this one's got me thinking...
Buddy Holly by Weezer
Frank and Jesse James by Warren Zevon
Jackie Wilson says - Dexys Midnight Runners.
Craig.
"Me and Paul" by Willie Nelson
"Me and Bobby McGee" by Kris Kristofferson (Bobbie McGee was the receptionist at Sun Records when Kris Kristofferson was still their janitor)
"Be My Yoko Ono" by Barenaked Ladies
"Brandy" I have intentionally blotted from memory the artist who performs it
"The Ballad of Billie Somethingorother" You know, the one with the bridge.
Liberty Valence was a crooked sherriff. The "Man who shot Liberty Valence" is a washed up drunken former gunfighter who did it on the sly when a 'better man' took the fore in a duel with Liberty Valence. The 'better man' didn't stand a chance. The washed up drunk couldn't stand to see Liberty Valence kill another good man, so strapped on the iron one last time, stood well behind the 'better man' and killed Liberty Valence with an incredible shot. Only Liberty Valence saw him and knew who killed him because everyone else had their eyes on the 'better man.' The 'better man' knew he didn't get a shot off and figured it out on his own. The 'better man' became first the sherriff, then the mayor, and then a Senator. He was known far and wide as "the man who shot Liberty Valence", but he knew better. The story begins and ends with the 'better man', as a Senator, being one of only a handful of people who attend the funeral for the drunken, washed up gunfighter. When he was asked why he was there, he finally told the truth of "the man who shot Liberty Valence." It was a great short story, a passable movie (if memory serves Jimmy Stewart plays the Senator with great compassion, John Wayne plays the drunken gunfighter), and not a bad song. I think the song was the theme song of the movie.
Postman Pat by Bryan Daly.
Hey, he's pretty famous!
Thanks for that Zurf, I remember watching that movie years ago. The tune you mentioned "Brandy" was done by a group
from the 70's called Looking Glass.
I thought of a few more:
"He's Misstra Know It All" about Richard Nixon by Stevie Wonder.
"Tramp The Dirt Down" about Margrette Thacher by Elvis Costello.
"The Hurricane" about a boxer Rubin Carter by Bob Dylan.
Cool Thread and I'm sure their's lots more.
...Badeye.
"Sweet Caroline" about President John F. Kennedy's daughter, Caroline Kennedy by Neil Diamond
What about "MAn on the Moon" Its about Andy Kaufman
geez oh, quite a few and I bet there's more
Elvis is dead by living colour
dead man walking....stiff little fingers ( about shane mcgowan from the pogues)
wish you were here...pink floyd about syd barrett
Pride ( in the name of love) U2,,, was this not about Martiin Luther King? his face was on the sleeve of the single
Ken
+Boom Boom Mancini by Warren Zevon (Ray Mancini, former professional boxer)
+Waylon, Willie, and Me and David Allan Coe
+Dear Yoko by John Lennon
+Smoke on The Water by Deep Purple ('Frank Kappa and The Mothers')
+You're So Vain by Carly Simon (Warren Beatty)
+She Got The Gold Mine, I Got The Shaft by Jerry Reed (the former Mrs. Reed)
+Dear Mr President by Pink
+Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd ( Neil Young and George Wallace)
Its alright now- a song by charlie daniels about Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, and Ronnie Van Zant
Hank Williams Tribute- By his son hank williams jr.
Bob Wills is Still the King- Waylon Jennings
The Conversation- about hank williams and ms. audrey, sung by hank jr and waylon jennings
just a few i didn't see mentioned already.....
Chuck Berry.. "Roll over Bethoven"
"Garden Party," Ricky Nelson about Yoko, Lennon ,Dylan.
"Abraham, Martin,and John" by Marvin Gaye
"Bonzo goes to BitBurg" The Ramones about Ronald Reagan
Any More...Badeye.
and last rebel just reminded me of
Johnny cash's song " the day hank marvin came to town"
cracking song
Ken
+Please Don't Bury Me by John Prine ( Venus de Milo)
+R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. by John Mellencamp
Frankie Lyman, Bobby Fuller, Mitch Ryder, Jackie Wilson, Shangrilias, Young Rascals(they were rockin') Martha Reeves (had a spotlight on her) James Brown( don't forget about him)
+Rock Me Amadeus by Falco
+Famous People by Brad Paisley (Ashley Judd)
+Here Comes Santa Claus by Gene Autry and Oakley Haldeman
+Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes
+Frankenstein by Edgar Winter Group
Vincent by Don McLean (about Vincent Van Gogh)
American Pie also by Don McLean (about Buddy Holly)
Big Legs, Tight Skirt by John Lee Hooker
and last rebel just reminded me of
Johnny cash's song " the day hank marvin came to town"
cracking songKen
He does one called the 'day hank williams came to town' too... or was that waylon jennings? I don't know its still too early to think...
LR
thats it isnt it? it is not hank marvin at all it is williams, lol.
I dont know waylon jennings but I have Mr Cash singing it on his album LIFE
Ken
yeah I have it on a greatest hits I bought, I think he sang it WITH waylon jennings on this one which is why I kept thinking his name
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