Logged Out's Trivial New Dilemma! (Songs with Names in them)

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I don't actually know why I'm logging out for this, as everyone will know exactly who I am, but really I'm just too ashamed to put my real name, as this dilemma is so trivial.

About a year ago, I wrote a song as a birthday present for my (then) boyfriend, and the title was his name - it worked, as his name is also a word. At the time, he was a bit squeamish/precious about it, but I don't really know if it was a "aw, shucks, oh, you shouldn't have" reaction or "don't you dare take my name in vain like that!"

Blah blah, time passes, breakup, badness, reconcilliation, more badness and now we just don't speak. Whatever.

Except, now... someone actually wants to release said record.

Dilemma 1: should I change the name of the song as a matter of course? I actually really like the name of the song and would be loathe to change it.

Dilemma 2: should I *ask* ex what he prefers? It seems like it would be polite, but I don't want to risk the idea of him actually making me change it.

Personally, I'd be flattered to have my name used in a song (so long as it was a nice song, which this is) but then again, my nightmare situation would be that he would find out by getting a copy of said record and freak out and complain. Also, I just don't want to ask.

Songs with names in them are a staple of pop! But then again, it seems OK to leave the real name if it's a celeb ("Angie", "Hey Mickey" etc.) but I wonder if songs like "Jenny (867-5309)" and the like.

What should I do?

Also, songs with people's names (real or otherwise): classic or dud and provide examples. Lots of them.

And, since this is anonymous, feel free to talk about your sex lives. (no dirty pictures, though, please, I'm at work.)

― It's Fairly Obvious, Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:19 (twenty years ago)

Just release the damn thing, and don't worry about it.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:22 (twenty years ago)

And there's an end on it.

― suckling pig at a rave (alix), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:22 (twenty years ago)

"You're Still My Favourite Girlfriend, Alice Long"

― The Brocade Fire (kate), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:23 (twenty years ago)

I wrote a song as a birthday present for my (then) boyfriend, and the title was his name - it worked, as his name is also a word.

Is that word used in the lyrics, or is it just the name of the song? Is the choice of word intrinsic to the meaning of the song? If no to the first, or no to the second just change the name.

― Teh HoBB (the pirate king), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:24 (twenty years ago)

Art Burt - "Emily Kane"

(Is that a real person?)

― The Brocade Fire (kate), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:26 (twenty years ago)

Is his name only the title of the song? Or is it mentioned in the lyrics too?

If it's just the title, maybe change that. But if you have to re-write half the song to eliminate his name, I wouldn't bother. Just release it (you're not speaking to him now anyway, so what does it matter, really?)

(xpost)

I only know one song with my name in, and it's quite awful.

― C J (C J), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:27 (twenty years ago)

Speaking as someone with no professional legal experience whatsoever, I'd say that if the song was a present, as you say, then it belongs to the ex and he gets to decide what happens to it. He would also get royalties.

On the other hand, fuck that, it's your song and you can do what you like with it. If it's not defamatory, he shouldn't have a problem with it.

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:28 (twenty years ago)

I would ask him what he thinks you should do, seems like basic politeness to me.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:29 (twenty years ago)

Quick Joey Small - Kasenetz Katz Singing Orchestral Circus

(bubblegum is a goldmine for this kind of thing)

― The Brocade Fire (kate), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:29 (twenty years ago)

Robert Lowell to thread...

― alext (alext), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:30 (twenty years ago)

"Jennifer Tomkins" - Street People

― The Brocade Fire (kate), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:30 (twenty years ago)

"Mildred Pierce" - Sonic Youth (celebrity, but still.)

― The Brocade Fire (kate), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:31 (twenty years ago)

I am hoping his name is Stew. Or Norm. Or Bob.

― Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:32 (twenty years ago)

Paul Simon's 'You Can Call Me Al' was written about me, and I'm actually quite pissed off about this.

― suckling pig at a rave (alix), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:32 (twenty years ago)

Seriously, though. The main problem with "just ask him" is that would require actually getting back in touch with him. Which I just don't want to do for various reasons too tedious to go into. But anyway. Back to the funnies, please.

― It's Fairly Obvious, Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:36 (twenty years ago)

mildred pierce, the famous murderer.

― N_RQ (Enrique), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:38 (twenty years ago)

"Tracy Jacks" "Earnold Same" (I thought there was another but can't think offhand) - Blur

Beatles - "Eleanor Rigby"

― The Brocade Fire (kate), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:39 (twenty years ago)

Murderers can be celebrities! If you've had a film made about you, I think that makes you... well, notorious at least.

Do a whole album, like "Songs About Jane" by Maroon 5!

― The Brocade Fire (kate), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:40 (twenty years ago)

Part of the 'danger' of going out with/knowing a creative/artistic type is the knowledge that they might write you up one day or make some other kind of art based on something you said or did or were. See also: all is fair in love and war.

― suzy (suzy), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

i am named after neil sedaka's song 'Stephen'. does this mean *he owns *me?

― foxy boxer (stevie), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

also, you will have no idea how potentially humiliating this can be until it actually happens.

― foxy boxer (stevie), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:42 (twenty years ago)

"You're So Vain, I bet you think this song is about you, don't you?" etc.

― The Brocade Fire (kate), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:43 (twenty years ago)

yes. THAT WAS WRITTEN ABOUT MEEEEEEEEE! finally the truth can be told...

― foxy boxer (stevie), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:45 (twenty years ago)

"Andy Warhol" "Song For Robert Zimmerman" (is it called that?) - David Bowie.

"David Bowie I Love You Since I Was Six" - the Brian Jonestown Massacre

― The Brocade Fire (kate), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:46 (twenty years ago)

"You're Still My Favourite Girlfriend, Alice Long"

Hooray, what a great song!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:46 (twenty years ago)

Well, you keep beating around the bush, Stevie, but you don't tell us!

― The Brocade Fire (kate), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:46 (twenty years ago)

I'm sure that Belle and Sebastian have a couple, too, but I'm not going to look them up.

― The Brocade Fire (kate), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:47 (twenty years ago)

I have been on both sides of this equation many times. One of them wasn't very nice but at least proved at the time the songwriter was scared I could have his guts for garters without getting my hair or makeup messed up. Well, in a nutshell.

― suzy (suzy), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:50 (twenty years ago)

I am hoping his name is Stew. Or Norm. Or Bob.

My money's on Cliff.

"Tracy Jacks" "Earnold Same" (I thought there was another but can't think offhand) - Blur

Colin Zeal.

― Teh HoBB (the pirate king), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:51 (twenty years ago)

I should know that, as there was a mailing list called Zeal.

― The Brocade Fire (kate), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

hmmmm, i think mildred was fictional.

on 'bone machine', doesn't frank black announce 'this is a song for karen' at the start? i like that.

― N_RQ (Enrique), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:53 (twenty years ago)

I'm sure that Belle and Sebastian have a couple, too, but I'm not going to look them up.

I'm not an expert, but I'm fairly sure that all the B&S songs that are about real people (that I know of) don't have anyone's name in the title.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:55 (twenty years ago)

Fictional characters to thread, then!

"Hire out Sybil Vane for my bed" - Bauhaus

"You're the walking picture of Dorian Grey" - The Church

And since we're on the Pixies "This is a song about a superhero named Tony, it's called Tony's Theme!"

x-post

― The Brocade Fire (kate), Thursday, 29 September 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

on 'bone machine', doesn't frank black announce 'this is a song for karen' at the start? i like that.

i always thought he said "this is a song for the cannibal", which i prefer. then i thought it might be "this is a song for the connonball", like they had a friend called cannonball who the breeders also wrote a song for. and then i thought, fuck it, it's probably spanish for "i want to fuck my sister". Surfer Rosa's something of a concept album i guess.

― foxy boxer (stevie), Thursday, 29 September 2005 12:02 (twenty years ago)

Well, "Logged Out", I think you should leave it, and then never tell anyone (who doesn't already know) why it's called what it's called. It will add an air of mystery to the song - always a good thing.

And as for releasing it - by the sounds of it, he doesn't like you already, why worry about hurting his feelings? You don't mean any ill, you're not being inconsiderate, so why worry about other people interpreting your innocent actions as hurtful?

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 29 September 2005 12:21 (twenty years ago)

this doesn't fall under the header of physical property; it's not as if you're asking for something you gave him back. He has no say in what you do with it, etc as he doesn't actually have any sort of role in the creation process aside from having a name (which is a word, and could be construed as jjust usage of the word rather than the name itserlf).If his LAST name was in t, then you're more boned because you'd have to change the specific identifyer. As creator of the song, you pretty much have copyright as soon as it is made, and if you doubt it, send it in to your national regestry ASAP. As soon as they say it's yours, do what the fuck you want with it. Bigger question is if the song sucks or not.

Consider: WHAT IF EVERY SONG EVERY WRITTEN ABOUT SOMEONE EVER WAS NEVER RELEASED?

― Jimmy Mod Loves Alan Canseco (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Thursday, 29 September 2005 13:40 (twenty years ago)

I'm not an expert, but I'm fairly sure that all the B&S songs that are about real people (that I know of) don't have anyone's name in the title.

"Piazza, New York Catcher"
"Roy Walker"

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 1 October 2005 07:09 (twenty years ago)

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