Best song with *your* name in it?

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Having quite a common name, I have many to choose from. The latest one I've heard is Colin Blunstone's "Mary Won't You Warm My Bed" from "One Year." Do you have a song with your name in it? If yes, do you feel this song is speaking to you personally? Is this a song writing device that is losing validity over the years? Are there many recent examples of this type of song writing? Would you write a song with another's name in it, or is it chessy? If you don't have a song with your name in it, do you have a favorite song that uses a proper name?

― Mary, Thursday, 8 August 2002 02:53 (twenty-three years ago)

unlikely i'd have thought

― gareth (gareth), Thursday, 8 August 2002 07:54 (twenty-three years ago)

By default, 'Susie and Jeffrey' by Blondie (B-side of "The Tide is High"). Never heard it but, y'know, it's Blondie. The other candidates identified through googling look pretty dire.

― Jeff W (Jeff W), Thursday, 8 August 2002 08:12 (twenty-three years ago)

"Tim Is On My Side" by Irma Thomas.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 8 August 2002 08:43 (twenty-three years ago)

I only know of one.

― dleone, Thursday, 8 August 2002 13:33 (twenty-three years ago)

\"These Are The Daves I Know\" - Kids In The Hall

― Dave M. (rotten03), Thursday, 8 August 2002 13:45 (twenty-three years ago)

Space (I Believe In)

― Jeff, Thursday, 8 August 2002 15:00 (twenty-three years ago)

At the risk of cheating (actually only like the second one) I can arrange them into a transgender tragedy:

Sister Ray: VU --> Mr Ray: Suicide --> It's A Shame About Ray: The Lemonheads

― Ray M (rdmanston), Thursday, 8 August 2002 15:14 (twenty-three years ago)

My name isn't in the title, but its in the lyrics: 'There, there my dear' by Dexy's, esp for the 'if you're so anti-fashion, then wear flares' line and the way Kevin goes 'RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrobin' at the begining

― Robin, Thursday, 8 August 2002 15:25 (twenty-three years ago)

Bbbbut, you're Jeffrey with TWO Fs!

― RickyT (RickyT), Thursday, 8 August 2002 19:56 (twenty-three years ago)

"Goodbye Arthur" by the Jupiter Affect. Close second: "Arthur in the Afternoon" by Liza Minnelli.

Jeff, "Susie and Jeffrey" is one of their very best songs! Pre-nuptial anxiety/car crash pop ballad with weird, sorta-meta non-sequitur lyrics-"an autograph from Orson Welles", "here's one we can't get programmed".

― Arthur, Thursday, 8 August 2002 20:16 (twenty-three years ago)

It most emphatically is NOT "Danny Boy".

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 8 August 2002 20:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Hey Arthur, what about "Arthur" by the Kinks? You have a whole "rock opera" dedicated to you, lucky boy.

― Mary, Friday, 9 August 2002 01:09 (twenty-three years ago)

"Frankie and Albert" a.k.a. "Frankie and Johnny." But I don't know if I like being perpetually done wrong. (I guess this is what it feels like to be the mix on Raw Power and to know that I've never been done right.)

― Frank Kogan (Frank Kogan), Friday, 9 August 2002 02:25 (twenty-three years ago)

That'd be "William, It Was Really Nothing", then. It would not be "All I Wanna Do" by Sheryl Crow.

― Mr Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 August 2002 06:41 (twenty-three years ago)

"Colin All Girls" -- I generally prefer Half Japanese's take on this, but Rick Springfield has that "Colin Colin Colin..." background vocal thing. We did this on the old board, but linky is impossible at the moment.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 9 August 2002 08:01 (twenty-three years ago)

"Do You Know The Way To San Jose?"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 9 August 2002 09:22 (twenty-three years ago)

Colin, surely "I, Meeder Man" by the Eurythmics?

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 9 August 2002 10:34 (twenty-three years ago)

And as for gareth, wouldn't Gary Gilmore's Eye do?

― Mr Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 August 2002 11:35 (twenty-three years ago)

Tim --

It took about 24.7 seconds, but I larfed.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 9 August 2002 11:58 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't think I have one! Though Supernova allegedly wanted to write a song called "My Name is Ned."

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 August 2002 12:30 (twenty-three years ago)

It's not "Michelangelo" by Emmylou Harris, and I don't know any of Mateo & Matos's songs by title. Maybe if they remix her then we'd have a winner....

― M Matos, Friday, 9 August 2002 12:39 (twenty-three years ago)

Ned -- you have a GREBT song: Falco's "Der Kommissar!"

Drah di Ned um
oh-oh-oh
Der Kommissar geht um
oh-oh-oh

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 9 August 2002 12:39 (twenty-three years ago)

Fred solinger's little ditty he posted on the "old" ILM, but only because that's the only one I can think of with my name in it. It is also the worst.

― Nicole, Friday, 9 August 2002 13:11 (twenty-three years ago)

But worrabout:

Hens love roosters
Geese love ganders
Everyone else loves Neeeeeeed Flanders!

― Mr Swygart (mrswygart), Friday, 9 August 2002 14:04 (twenty-three years ago)

Prince's "Sign O' The Times". ("...if it's a boy.")

― Nate Patrin, Friday, 9 August 2002 19:50 (twenty-three years ago)

Let's see what else is on the New Answers page, then.

― nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 9 August 2002 20:02 (twenty-three years ago)

Colin and Nate's efforts are appreciated but hereby banished from all thought and sight.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 9 August 2002 20:33 (twenty-three years ago)

"Whispering Ned" by Dando Shaft is a wonderfully silly song!

Alas, I can't think of a single decent "Brian" song, although there should be some olde ballad in which Lord Brian gets to be the one to murder the girl...

― briania, Saturday, 10 August 2002 14:54 (twenty-three years ago)

the only ones i can think of are 'da doo ron ron' (or whatever) and "ron's got the cocaine" by the supersuckers. i choose the latter, although it is not true.

― ron (ron), Saturday, 10 August 2002 15:30 (twenty-three years ago)

If you're down with me/well then you're down with Pete

― Pete Scholtes, Monday, 12 August 2002 20:53 (twenty-three years ago)

Kris Kross'll Make Ya...Jump! Jump!

― Kris (aqueduct), Tuesday, 13 August 2002 00:02 (twenty-three years ago)

The only one I can think of that even has my name is All The Boys In The World by Chicks On Speed..."Damian! Damian! Damian!"

― Damian (Damian), Tuesday, 13 August 2002 09:27 (twenty-three years ago)

"Brother Jacob cleans the gun/he'd never point at anyone"

From "Ain't licked yet" by some country and western type.

And, true, I've never pointed a gun at anyone.

― Jacob, Tuesday, 13 August 2002 12:12 (twenty-three years ago)

RZA - It Must Be Bobby

It's my theme song.

― Bobby D. Gray, Tuesday, 13 August 2002 15:11 (twenty-three years ago)

Some people call me Eli. in "You Know You Got Soul" there's a breakdown bit and somebody goes "yo Eli, turn the bass down for a minute" and the casual way it's spoken almost always catches me off-guard. I wheel around but there's nobody there, just a SPEAKER.

― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 13 August 2002 17:37 (twenty-three years ago)

if that's even the right song

― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 13 August 2002 21:06 (twenty-three years ago)

the Pale Saints' "A Deep Sleep For Ess Kay" is washy enough & expresses the right sentiments.

― Ess Kay (esskay), Wednesday, 14 August 2002 02:45 (twenty-three years ago)

there's a eve song on "scorpion" with the word "doorag" in it, that'll do.

― unknown or illegal user, Friday, 16 August 2002 10:28 (twenty-three years ago)

'We Are The Supermodels' by Denim. Never again will I be stuck for a rhyme for myself.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Saturday, 17 August 2002 12:04 (twenty-three years ago)

Actually, there is a poem that I believe is called "goodbye, maggie brown" that has my first and last name in it. I have no idea how this came to be.
http://www.schneertz.com/roar/maggie.htm

― brian huck, Saturday, 17 August 2002 19:37 (twenty-three years ago)

So, Brian, are you the Maggie Brown I work with at UCL? I'm quite surprised to find you here, if so.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 17 August 2002 20:40 (twenty-three years ago)

I've got three that i know of, all of which are pretty good songs:
the Beach Boys song "Wendy" which I was actually named after, then also "All the Young Dudes" and "Born to Run".
I'm eternally grateful to my parents for picking best possible choice if I had to be named for a Beach Boys song... it could have just as easily been Barbara Ann.

― lyra (lyra), Sunday, 18 August 2002 02:39 (twenty-three years ago)

"felicity Says" by the Velvet Underground.

― felicity (felicity), Monday, 19 August 2002 03:47 (twenty-three years ago)

Just for fun here is an earlier thread on this topic.

― Mark (MarkR), Monday, 19 August 2002 03:51 (twenty-three years ago)

Are there any songs that mention "Andrew"? It's quite a nice name really.

― Andrew Thames, Monday, 19 August 2002 05:08 (twenty-three years ago)

"Laura" by Barry Manilow

I deserve better...

― Miss Laura, Tuesday, 20 August 2002 12:35 (twenty-three years ago)

Unfortunately, the most common one is I Wanna Be Kate by Ben Folds Five.

I think she smokes pot...

― kate, Tuesday, 20 August 2002 17:49 (twenty-three years ago)

eleven years pass...

Julia by the Beatles and Julia Dream by Pink Floyd. Both songs are awesome.

― Moka, Thursday, 20 March 2014 07:05 (eleven years ago)

"jody" by jermaine stewart

― mary-kate and ashley's roachclip (get bent), Thursday, 20 March 2014 07:06 (eleven years ago)

"the jody grind" is probably empirically "better" but whatev

― mary-kate and ashley's roachclip (get bent), Thursday, 20 March 2014 07:07 (eleven years ago)

You can cheat and say the song's called Jody in Disguise (with glasses). It's practically the same root name.

― Moka, Thursday, 20 March 2014 07:13 (eleven years ago)

Brianticket (Part One Conclusion)

― brains hangin (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 20 March 2014 07:46 (eleven years ago)

Blixa singing 'Sindt Die wulkane noch tatig' in a track from Zeichnungen Der Patienten O.T. possibly the title one always sounded like he was singing Stevo back at the time I was listening to the lp heavily. I think its that phrase anyway, definitely was one of the tracks on that lp at a really atmospheric point.

― Stevolende, Thursday, 20 March 2014 08:15 (eleven years ago)

Something by the flying pickets prob

― treeship's assailing (darraghmac), Thursday, 20 March 2014 08:27 (eleven years ago)

I was trying to research songs with my name in on spotify and found this:

http://www.sayitmessages.com/

― soref, Thursday, 20 March 2014 08:43 (eleven years ago)

We don't have 'You're Hot darragh'
click here to see other messages for darragh

― soref, Thursday, 20 March 2014 08:44 (eleven years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp220fidS_M

― fhingerbhangra (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 20 March 2014 08:50 (eleven years ago)

There's a bit in the Secret Machines version of Immer Wieder where a snatch of mangled German with a Texan accent sounds a lot like my full name. The first few times, I had to rewind it to try to work out what they were actually singing (I don't think they even know, I think they're doing it phonetically) but it's got to the point where it doesn't freak me out any more, it's just "oh yeah hi boys."

― "Endemic. What does that mean, man?" (Branwell Bell), Thursday, 20 March 2014 08:55 (eleven years ago)

Boring first name but my surname gives me this minor classic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzmI3vAIhbE

― Yuri Bashment (ShariVari), Thursday, 20 March 2014 09:07 (eleven years ago)

"And some people say HEY MARK! You're messin' up the paint work.."

― Mark G, Thursday, 20 March 2014 11:13 (eleven years ago)

The Show

― how's life, Thursday, 20 March 2014 11:30 (eleven years ago)

Craigness by the Fall. Probably the only one in my case

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Thursday, 20 March 2014 12:20 (eleven years ago)

Love Action, of course!

― wow such doge of venice (King Boy Pato), Thursday, 20 March 2014 12:58 (eleven years ago)

I once had my answering machine use the following part of The Beastie Boys' "B-Boy Bouillabaisse," the last song on Paul's Boutique:

Well if your world was all black and if your world was all white
Then you wouldn't get much color out of life now right
I'm nicknamed shamrock but my name is not Shamus
Girlies on the tip cause my homie is famous
My name is not O'Houigheighi nor is it Brian

I cut it off there saying "Uh, actually, it is Brian" and then used a sample of the Beastie Boys saying "No way!" from "Fight For Your Right To Party" and closed it out saying, over the guitar riff from that song, "Yes, way, so leave me a message."

Because my name is Brian and I had way too much time with my answering machine outgoing messages at one point in my life.

(This post was a Cool Story, Bro Production)

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Thursday, 20 March 2014 12:58 (eleven years ago)

I sometimes get nostalgic for wacky outgoing answering machine messages.

― how's life, Thursday, 20 March 2014 13:00 (eleven years ago)

http://weusedtobefamily.bandcamp.com/track/jerkface-shipley

― The Greta Gerwig In The Sky (some dude), Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:00 (eleven years ago)

lol, you probably shouldn't have told us that.

― how's life, Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:03 (eleven years ago)

nah it's funny. the band was friends with friends of mine, song had nothing to do w/ me (Shipley is a super common surname in Maryland) but we got asked about it enough that i went to the record's release party and pretended to beef w/ them.

― The Greta Gerwig In The Sky (some dude), Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:12 (eleven years ago)

I do not know of a single song with the name "Phil" or "Philip."

― bi-polar uncle (its OK-he's dead) (Phil D.), Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:22 (eleven years ago)

not Cheer Up Charlie

― charlie h, Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:22 (eleven years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4IMtejYZgE

― Eats like Elvis, shits like De Niro (Tom D.), Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:23 (eleven years ago)

"brandy alexander" by feist is a sweet song.
I can't think of another song with my name, right now !

― AlXTC from Paris, Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:38 (eleven years ago)

AIXTC, "In Particular" by Blonde Redhead.

― how's life, Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:40 (eleven years ago)

"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover", in which I drop off the key and set myself free....

― Lee626, Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:41 (eleven years ago)

^ just narrowly placing above this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rJlxFgEDXw

― Lee626, Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:41 (eleven years ago)

how about "Charlie don't want another beer, tonight i'm gonna drink my tears"

― charlie h, Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:44 (eleven years ago)

Popdorian by Dubstar

― What is wrong with songs? Absolutely nothing. Songs are great. (DL), Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:49 (eleven years ago)

xxx posts.

Oh didn't that one, thanks how's life !
Somehow I was only thinking about songs with the name in the title.

― AlXTC from Paris, Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:50 (eleven years ago)

William, It Was Really Nothing

― If I had hands and you had a neck (WilliamC), Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:55 (eleven years ago)

I do not know of a single song with the name "Phil" or "Philip."
― bi-polar uncle (its OK-he's dead) (Phil D.), Thursday, 20 March 2014 14:22 (43 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

"Love Action" Human League, obv.

― Mark G, Thursday, 20 March 2014 15:06 (eleven years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MRdtXWcgIw

Uh I guess it's this or the Jackson Browne song. I was suicidal as a teen, so I guess this.

― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Thursday, 20 March 2014 15:17 (eleven years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap8QpbFr8TE

― chive on you crazy diamond (diamonddave85), Thursday, 20 March 2014 15:17 (eleven years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WTdTwcmxyo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJBVRrqgq4c‎

Jenny was such a slut.

― carl agatha, Thursday, 20 March 2014 15:27 (eleven years ago)

Any Joe songs better than Hey Joe? Hey Joe is a pretty good song.

― the joke should be over once the kid is eaten. (chap), Thursday, 20 March 2014 15:47 (eleven years ago)

Probably Fiona Apple's "Jonathan".

Technically the two runners-up I would choose are about specific Jonathans, but I like both Spoon's "Jonathan Fisk" and Nerfherder's "Jonathan" (about Jonathan Richman). Definitely not "Jonathan Livingston Seagull".

― an enormous bolus of flatulence (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 20 March 2014 16:04 (eleven years ago)

"Jambalaya" has Joe.

― Mark G, Thursday, 20 March 2014 16:26 (eleven years ago)

The only song I know of with my real name in it:
http://www.loc.gov/jukebox/recordings/detail/id/667/

― *tera, Thursday, 20 March 2014 17:49 (eleven years ago)

Just the other day I was thinking of how much fun a huge Pixies fan could have naming daughters.

― *tera, Thursday, 20 March 2014 17:55 (eleven years ago)

One reason my daughter's named Rosa is Surfer Rosa. Now I just need to teach her to surf.

― What is wrong with songs? Absolutely nothing. Songs are great. (DL), Thursday, 20 March 2014 18:40 (eleven years ago)

I do not know of a single song with the name "Phil" or "Philip."

Love, "The Red Telephone"

― Eats like Elvis, shits like De Niro (Tom D.), Friday, 21 March 2014 14:29 (eleven years ago)

dunno any

― Scooby Doom (۩), Friday, 21 March 2014 15:03 (eleven years ago)

Fun Lovin Criminals?

― Mark G, Friday, 21 March 2014 15:29 (eleven years ago)

michael hurley - werewolf

― braunld (Lowell N. Behold'n), Friday, 21 March 2014 15:57 (eleven years ago)

Bobby Goldsboro, "Watching Scotty Grow"

(Forgetting that "Myonga Von Bontee" is an actual song title)

― Sir Lord Baltimora (Myonga Vön Bontee), Friday, 21 March 2014 18:19 (eleven years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6siRVk67Epw

― Interior. Ibiza Bar (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 21 March 2014 18:26 (eleven years ago)

I used to think it was the The Knack 'My Sharona'

but I just found out about this song and loooooool yes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWo61vR_Mm0

― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 21 March 2014 18:41 (eleven years ago)

Rocky Racoon

― Prince Kajuku (Bill Magill), Friday, 21 March 2014 18:42 (eleven years ago)

grandchildren on your knee

Vera, Chuck, and DAVE

(got such a kick out of this as a kid)

― Dave Depper (Davey D), Saturday, 22 March 2014 00:22 (eleven years ago)

I was named after Alexis by the James Gang and can't think of another, so that EZ listening ditty'll have to do..

― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Saturday, 22 March 2014 00:32 (eleven years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD9MquMZNEg#aid=P8CG4X30cmg

― dlp9001, Saturday, 22 March 2014 02:06 (eleven years ago)

John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt

― JacobSanders, Saturday, 22 March 2014 02:09 (eleven years ago)

Robyn Hitchcock - "Clean Steve"

We had a party three years later
Clean Steve wore a robe
He brought a new Nick Lowe cassette
And played it in the road
Clean Steve
Clean Steve
They don't come any dirtier than me

(Bonus points for getting the Nick Lowe fandom right)

― Hideous Lump, Saturday, 22 March 2014 03:40 (eleven years ago)

this one

― drum machines have no asshole (electricsound), Saturday, 22 March 2014 04:53 (eleven years ago)

"Fuck Rodney King"

― The Reverend, Saturday, 22 March 2014 08:34 (eleven years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjeEPFbeFK4

― The Reverend, Saturday, 22 March 2014 08:39 (eleven years ago)

This is a sneaky way of learning everyone's real 1st name.

― Mark G, Saturday, 22 March 2014 08:45 (eleven years ago)

Rikki don't lose that number

― kornrulez6969, Sunday, 23 March 2014 01:39 (eleven years ago)

"Satan" by Orbital

― Quinoa Phoenix (latebloomer), Sunday, 23 March 2014 02:48 (eleven years ago)

"Owen the Saints (go marching in)"

― continually topping myself (flamboyant goon tie included), Sunday, 23 March 2014 03:00 (eleven years ago)

diane

― mattresslessness, Sunday, 23 March 2014 03:04 (eleven years ago)

"michael" - red house painters

― everyday sheeple (Michael B), Sunday, 23 March 2014 03:05 (eleven years ago)

So before Mambo #5 the only one I knew was a German song my dad used to sing to me as a kid about a soldier his girlfriend when he sees Erica flowers (the German name for what we call Heather is Erica). As a kid I was always like oh that's a nice song with my name in it. Then there was that time I went to see Schindler's List in the theater and within the first five minutes of the movie I realized the singing Nazi's marching around were all shouting my name. ;_;

― Airwrecka Bliptrap Blapmantis (ENBB), Sunday, 23 March 2014 03:16 (eleven years ago)

― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 23 March 2014 04:28 (eleven years ago)

basically watch the first 30 seconds of this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SviZhEw3LJc

― open-y, ob-la-da (Whiney G. Weingarten), Sunday, 23 March 2014 06:19 (eleven years ago)

^ lol

also NYCN's story is great

this question has never occurred to me

― Charles, hatless (sic), Sunday, 23 March 2014 11:38 (eleven years ago)

two weeks pass...

Francois de Roubaix - Ou Est Passe Tom?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sReif5ls8Lg

― Eats like Elvis, shits like De Niro (Tom D.), Monday, 7 April 2014 14:23 (eleven years ago)

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