(some people say 'Wuthering Heights' is about a really old book, but I don't think that's true...)
― schrute dwyte (unregistered), Thursday, 16 February 2017 14:11 (seven years ago) link
'Jesus? This is Iggy.'
― Likely? No. Possible? Absolutely. Iffy? Can't say. Doubtful? Maybe. (Old Lunch), Thursday, 16 February 2017 14:19 (seven years ago) link
(Sorry, from 'Turn Blue'.)
― Likely? No. Possible? Absolutely. Iffy? Can't say. Doubtful? Maybe. (Old Lunch), Thursday, 16 February 2017 14:20 (seven years ago) link
Cheap Trick, "Surrender"
towards the end: "Robin's alright, Tommy's alright, Bun E's alright, Rick's alright"
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 16 February 2017 16:33 (seven years ago) link
mandy moore "candy"
― dyl, Thursday, 16 February 2017 16:49 (seven years ago) link
There's that one of the fifty-billion versions of "Two Tribes" where they do a roll call before "Mine is the last voice that you will ever hear."
― Mr. Snrub, Thursday, 16 February 2017 17:46 (seven years ago) link
No my first name ain't babyIt's JanetMiss Jackson if you're nasty
― Ex Slacker, Monday, 20 February 2017 06:45 (seven years ago) link
Beatles - Glass Onion
"...the walrus was Paul..."
― LimbsKing, Monday, 20 February 2017 11:22 (seven years ago) link
White Stripes - It's True That We Love One Another
...I love Jack White like a little brother.
There must be more by them, I feel like Jack White talks about himself a lot
― LimbsKing, Monday, 20 February 2017 11:28 (seven years ago) link
Beatles - Glass Onion"...the walrus was Paul..."
that was John singing, though.
― AlXTC from Paris, Monday, 20 February 2017 12:19 (seven years ago) link
Jonathan Richman thirded. Also came to mention some additional Lou Reed, from "Coney Island Baby," but it was already mentioned on this similar thread: Songs where the singer mentions his own name
― Louder Than Borads (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 20 February 2017 13:28 (seven years ago) link
Said Captain, said WOT?
― Mark G, Monday, 20 February 2017 13:32 (seven years ago) link
although, that's rap, I guess...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_YYC2N_lxY
also: michael chapman - wrecked again... & i seem to recall lee hazlewood did this on occasion
― no lime tangier, Monday, 20 February 2017 13:36 (seven years ago) link
Stevie Wonder - Please Don't Go
so baby please don't leavedon't leave Steve
Pet Shop Boys - Single Bilingual
and after work explain how I feel"Perdóneme, me llamo Neil"
― soref, Thursday, 23 November 2017 13:03 (six years ago) link
Kevin Barnes from of Montreal does this a fair bit.
The voice said, "Don't worry, friendThe darkness is just a suggestionNo, don't worry, kidThe darkness is just suggestionNo, don't worry, Kevin"
― Fox Mulder, FYI (dog latin), Thursday, 23 November 2017 13:59 (six years ago) link
Serge Gainsbourg has done that a lot (even a whole album : "L'Homme A Tête De Chou" !)
― AlXTC from Paris, Thursday, 23 November 2017 14:04 (six years ago) link
So basically, as this thread proves, it's a common songwriting trick.
― AlXTC from Paris, Thursday, 23 November 2017 14:06 (six years ago) link
Burton to this Taylor
― AlanSmithee, Thursday, 23 November 2017 15:28 (six years ago) link
Tori references herself as "T" in the song Twinkle
― In a slipshod style (Ross), Thursday, 23 November 2017 16:59 (six years ago) link
Yeah, this sort of division is interesting... Based on these answers I might suggest that these lyrics can be divided into three categories:1) Lyrics where the vocalist is doing a narrative about his artist persona, so the name-calling refers to that. Typically they are using their artist name (Bootsy, Madonna, Nas, Flavor Flav, Mr. Mercury, etc) if they have one, and not their birth name. These are very common in rap, and also appear in soul, R&B, and funk, but seem to be pretty rare in other genres, and often the examples in other genres ("it's Britney, bitch") seem to be inluenced by rap.2) Lyrics where the vocalist is doing a first-person narrative, but it isn't about his artist persona rather than something that happened to him as a "regular" person (rather than as a famous musician). Often the name is only referred to when another person in the narrative mentions it (she started screaming, "Mike!"; but my darling says, "Leonard, just let it go by"; she said, "Gordie, baby, I know exactly what you mean"). Type 2 seems to by way more common in rock and pop than type 1.3) Lyrics that emulate call-and-response in live performances, where the name-calling is outside the context of the lyrical narrative. Can be found in any genres where call-and-response is common in actual live performances.Of course there's also overlap between these categories, but IMO it's interesting that type 1 is often associated with "black" popular music, and type 2 with "white" popular music. I'm sure there's plenty of studies on differences between the lyrical styles of, say, rap and rock, so I guess this would be a part of a larger difference in how narratives are constructed in these genres?
1) Lyrics where the vocalist is doing a narrative about his artist persona, so the name-calling refers to that. Typically they are using their artist name (Bootsy, Madonna, Nas, Flavor Flav, Mr. Mercury, etc) if they have one, and not their birth name. These are very common in rap, and also appear in soul, R&B, and funk, but seem to be pretty rare in other genres, and often the examples in other genres ("it's Britney, bitch") seem to be inluenced by rap.
2) Lyrics where the vocalist is doing a first-person narrative, but it isn't about his artist persona rather than something that happened to him as a "regular" person (rather than as a famous musician). Often the name is only referred to when another person in the narrative mentions it (she started screaming, "Mike!"; but my darling says, "Leonard, just let it go by"; she said, "Gordie, baby, I know exactly what you mean"). Type 2 seems to by way more common in rock and pop than type 1.
3) Lyrics that emulate call-and-response in live performances, where the name-calling is outside the context of the lyrical narrative. Can be found in any genres where call-and-response is common in actual live performances.
Of course there's also overlap between these categories, but IMO it's interesting that type 1 is often associated with "black" popular music, and type 2 with "white" popular music. I'm sure there's plenty of studies on differences between the lyrical styles of, say, rap and rock, so I guess this would be a part of a larger difference in how narratives are constructed in these genres?
I'd still be interested in discussing these differences.
― Tuomas, Tuesday, 5 February 2019 08:49 (five years ago) link
The table is rumblingThe glass is moving"No, I was not pushing that time"It spells : S.T.E.V.E.N
Morrissey, obv.
― fetter, Tuesday, 5 February 2019 12:05 (five years ago) link
Freddie Slack of the Will Bradley Trio “Down the Road Apiece”:
“The drummer-man’s a guy they call Eight-Beat MackYou remember Doc and old ‘Beat Me Daddy’ Slack”
And then later on the Stones updated it for Charlie Watts:
“The drummer's man's a cat they call Charlie McCoyYou know, remember that rubber-legged boy?”
― Mr. Snrub, Tuesday, 5 February 2019 12:32 (five years ago) link
Hideous Lump brought up the B-52s upthread - add "Wig" to their resume for this one, also in the "Ready, Steve? Andy?" genre which should also include the Ramones' "Little Ramona."Nilsson must have done this a bunch, though examples aren't popping into my mind.In "Piano Man" we learn of a bartender who addresses the singer as "Bill.""They Might Be Giants" and "Big Country" are borderline cases, I suppose, since they are just using these phrases in lyrics, not singing about the band.
― |Restore| |Restart| |Quit| (Doctor Casino), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 12:54 (five years ago) link
"We've been trying to reach you, Thom"
― days of being riled (zchyrs), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 14:50 (five years ago) link
Let's go to Luckenbach, TexasWith Waylon and Willie and the boysThis successful life we're livin' got us feudin'Like the Hatfield and McCoys
Willie Nelson does a duet w/ Kacey Musgraves called "A Willie Nice Christmas"
― We were never Breeting Borting (President Keyes), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 15:08 (five years ago) link
I cheated on you, you cheated on meAnd this is not the way that things supposed to beSo tell me girl, is this for real or just an illusion?I pinch myself to make sure that Wyclef ain't dreamin'
Wyclef - Cheated (Rock Remix)
― |Restore| |Restart| |Quit| (Doctor Casino), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 15:34 (five years ago) link
There was that one song on Liz Phair’s terrible s/t record where she sings “you don’t even know who Liz Phair is.”
― Timothée Charalambides (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 15:49 (five years ago) link
Are you State Phair?Are you Play Phair?Are you Trade Phair?Who wants to know? Who wants to know?
― |Restore| |Restart| |Quit| (Doctor Casino), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 16:20 (five years ago) link
My wife lies down in a chairAnd peels a pearI know she's thereI'm making coffee for twoJust me and youBut I come back in with coffee for threeCoffee for three?
My dead wife sits in a chairCombing her hairI know she's thereShe wanders off to the bedShaking her head"Robyn," she said"You know I don't take sugar!"
― valet doberman (Jon not Jon), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 16:30 (five years ago) link
didn't see my favourite mentioned, from Sly's 'Thankful & Thoughtful':
someone should've comeand taken me awaybut the main man thought Syl should be here another dayand that's why I've got to bethankful/thoughtful
― whitehallunity, Tuesday, 5 February 2019 18:24 (five years ago) link
Girlpool - "Dear Nora"
In SF we were driving over bridgesWe were singing to "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"Cleo was tiredHarmony was hyperWe switched drivingIn the middle of the highway
― flappy bird, Tuesday, 5 February 2019 19:27 (five years ago) link
Blind Willie McTell. So many blues artists did this...
― Sam Weller, Wednesday, 6 February 2019 08:12 (five years ago) link
Answer the phone"Harry, you're no good aloneWhy are you sitting at home on the floor?What kind of pills are you on?"Ringin' the bellAnd nobody's coming to helpYour daddy lives by himselfHe just wants to know that you're wellHarry Styles • As It Was
― middot • is • my • middle • name (breastcrawl), Thursday, 21 April 2022 07:05 (two years ago) link