Songs where the singer mentions his own name

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

My Name Is Prince - Prince
Love Action - Human League

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:45 (twenty years ago)

Scritti Politti - "Overnite", except it's the backing vocalists going "Tell Us About It, Green" and it's one of the great pop moments ever.

― Ferlin Husky (noodle vague), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:48 (twenty years ago)

r.e.m - kohoutek "michael build a bridge..."

― Aaron A., Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:49 (twenty years ago)

OTM about Green ;)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:49 (twenty years ago)

There's at least one more SP song where he refers to himself but I'm buggered if I can remember what it is right now.

The Fall - "Shoulder Pads"

― Ferlin Husky (noodle vague), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:51 (twenty years ago)

shall we exclude the entire hip-hop genre to save time?

Black Box Recorder - Andrew Ridgeley
Leonard Cohen - Famous Blue Raincoat

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:52 (twenty years ago)

and the Liz Phair one where she sings "you don't even know who Liz Phair is".

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:53 (twenty years ago)

Eminem (in all his guises) to thread.
(whoops x-post)

Okay, in Ouija Board, Ouija Board Moz spells out S.T.E.V.E.N. Will that do?

― David Merryweather (DavidM), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:54 (twenty years ago)

The Auteurs - "Some Changes" ("Pleased to meet you, Mr. Haines")

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:54 (twenty years ago)

I seem to recall there is one ABC song where Martin Fry mentions his name, but I cannot figure out which one.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:55 (twenty years ago)

The following people performing "Sweet Soul Music":

James Brown
Sam and Dave

― Ferlin Husky (noodle vague), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:05 (twenty years ago)

Minor Threat - Cashing In

"How do you do? I don't think that we've met. My name is Ian and I'm in Minor Threat."

― Ben Dot (1977), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:14 (twenty years ago)

"my love is a flower just begining to bloom" - jonathan richman
("jonathan's gotta be patient")

― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:16 (twenty years ago)

there's any number of JSBX songs...

― Jimmy Mod Has Returned With Spices And Silks (ModJ), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:18 (twenty years ago)

OK Found it. ABC: The Look Of Love:
"And though my friends might ask me: They say, Maybe, Martin, one day you'll find true love"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:18 (twenty years ago)

Set The Controls For the Heart Of The Pelvis with Jarv...

― Jimmy Mod Has Returned With Spices And Silks (ModJ), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:21 (twenty years ago)

A bit more sublime: Jarvis Cocker: "I'm Not Jesus, but I have the same initials"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:22 (twenty years ago)

"Perdoneme, me llamo Neil" – Pet Shop Boys, "Bilingual"

"The crowd gasps at Cocker's masterful control of the bicycle" – Pulp, "I Spy"

"Hey Annie, well, look at you! Is that a new boy stuck on your shoe?"

xpost crikey, triple jarvis

― OleM (OleM), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:23 (twenty years ago)

unconfirmed: "Janky" by Jandek

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:24 (twenty years ago)

a shitload of Spearmint songs. probably more than without

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:25 (twenty years ago)

Supposed to be said by somebody else, but still belongs in this thread rather than the other one:
"Paddy Joe! Hey! Paddy Joe! Don't you remember me?"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:26 (twenty years ago)

About 80-90% of Jerry Lee Lewis' recorded output.

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:27 (twenty years ago)

"Heathcliff, it's me, Cathy!"

― OleM (OleM), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:28 (twenty years ago)

It's probably cheating to bring rap artists into this, right? Still: "My Name Is," Eminem.

― mike a, Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:30 (twenty years ago)

In fact, about any Eminem track if you consider "Slim Shady" and "Marshall Mathers" his own names too.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:31 (twenty years ago)

This whole category is a battle between MC Lyte and KMFDM.

― donut debonair (donut), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:32 (twenty years ago)

Ah, but we're only talking about MEN.. not women, nor bands.. so never mind.

― donut debonair (donut), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:33 (twenty years ago)

Typo on my side. Women may participate too.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:33 (twenty years ago)

Iggy Pop, China Girl - "Oh Jimmy, just you hush your mouth."

― nickn (nickn), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:39 (twenty years ago)

Nation of Ulysses - 50,000 Watts of Good Will
"she was breathing down my throat/saying, 'ian, baby, we could only lose.'"

― mat, Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:43 (twenty years ago)

"Ah...The Name Is Bootsy, Baby"

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:43 (twenty years ago)

The Doors, "Roadhouse Blues" (if you count anagrams).

Paul Westerberg, "Something is Me"

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:44 (twenty years ago)

More Jonathan Richman: "Affection"

(And I think there are still a few more)

― Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:47 (twenty years ago)

John Lennon "Hold On"
Ace Frehley "Rock Soldiers"
Alice Cooper "Be My Lover"
Alice Cooper "Hard Hearted Alice"
Queen "My Fairy King"

(isn't "LA Woman" the anagram one?)

― dave q (listerine), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:47 (twenty years ago)

live "Coney Island Baby": "Saying hey, hey Lou Reed / There's no way you'll ever be a human being now"

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:49 (twenty years ago)

not to be a killjoy, but isn't this a terribly common thing in Western/popular music, as well as anything in the underground?

― donut debonair (donut), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:51 (twenty years ago)

"terribly common" ? I think, relative to the totality of recorded pop music, that it's pretty rare.

― The Obligatory Killjoy Thwarter (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:53 (twenty years ago)

Happy Mondays - "Hallelujah"

― Ian Riese-Moraine jumps on it! (Eastern Mantra), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:54 (twenty years ago)

"Fire": "Move over, Rover, and let Jimi take over."

"Bo Diddley," "Who Do You Love?"

― Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:59 (twenty years ago)

"terribly common" ? I think, relative to the totality of recorded pop music, that it's pretty rare.

True, Oblig, but in the context of an ILM thread, it isn't.

Ah, I'll just fuck off, already. Sorry I said anything.

― donut debonair (donut), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:00 (twenty years ago)

no, Donut, don't fuck off!

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:01 (twenty years ago)

FUCK ON!

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:02 (twenty years ago)

"Have a Cigar", Pink Floyd

― Joe (Joe), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:02 (twenty years ago)

"I Don't Know What You Got"- Little Richard

― Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:06 (twenty years ago)

Does "I Feel for You" by Chaka Khan count?

― Joe (Joe), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:11 (twenty years ago)

She says, "Lou, it?'s the beginning of a great adventure.
Lou, Lou, Lou, beginning of a great adventure."

― weath'D, Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:14 (twenty years ago)

Fall 'Last Commands of Xyralothep Via M.E.S.'
The vocal testament of M.E.S

― Marcel Verhoeven (Marcel Verhoeven), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:20 (twenty years ago)

no, Donut, don't fuck off!
-- The Obligatory Sourpuss (expresso222...), March 10th, 2005.

FUCK ON!

"Come on, get your fuck on..."

― Ian Riese-Moraine (Eastern Mantra), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:33 (twenty years ago)

Harry Chapin, "There Only Was One Choice."

Also, two band self-drops:

"I wanted her to be a big PM Dawn fan."

"They got the Steely Dan t-shirts."

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:39 (twenty years ago)

Chante Moore, "Chante's Got a Man"

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:50 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 82 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

live "Coney Island Baby": "Saying hey, hey Lou Reed / There's no way you'll ever be a human being now"

Or studio "Coney Island Baby":

"This one goes out to Lou and Rachel
And all the kids at at PS 192"

And then there's "My Old Man":

"And can you believe what he said to me
He said, "Lou, act like a man""

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:09 (nineteen years ago)

Songs where the singer mentions his own fake name:
"I feel real phony when my name is Phil, Or was that Bill?"
Love - Forever changes - The red Telephone. it is Arthur of course.
-- emekars (francobomban...) (webmail), Today 12:41 PM. (later) (link)

Paul Simon and "You can call me Al" about some party leaver who said "Thanks for inviting me, Al, and give my love to Betty" about his then wife Peggy.

Why he was doing songs about his previous wife I don't know.

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:39 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe it's Bettye, the ex-wife of Lou Reed, as in Lou's "Wild Child":

"I was talking to Bettye about her auditions
How they made her ill..."

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

In Cactus by the Pixies someone spells out the pixies in a whisper

― marbles (marbles), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

sparks' 'wacky women' with one of the greatest opening lines ever:

HELLO EVERYBODY THIS IS RUSSELL
and right before I sing I'm gonna make a muscle...

― tiniestbee (tiniestbee), Friday, 16 June 2006 21:12 (nineteen years ago)

Heavenly, "Escort Crash on Marston Street" -- a rare instance of the singer referring to herself posthumously: "You've murdered Amelia / Pete can no longer play guitar..." (And the chorus mentions the whole band -- rhyming the title with "Mathew, Amy, Rob, and Pete".)

― Pessimist (Pessimist), Friday, 16 June 2006 21:23 (nineteen years ago)

>>>>sparks' 'wacky women' with one of the greatest opening lines ever:
HELLO EVERYBODY THIS IS RUSSELL
and right before I sing I'm gonna make a muscle...

― Candice DeLorenzo (divifold), Saturday, 17 June 2006 06:24 (nineteen years ago)

amen!

― Candice DeLorenzo (divifold), Saturday, 17 June 2006 06:25 (nineteen years ago)

Mostly anything by AFRIRAMPO!!!!!!!!!!

― xgurggleglgllg (xgurggleglgllg), Saturday, 17 June 2006 09:31 (nineteen years ago)

Loudon Wainwright III "They spelled my name wrong again"

― StanM (StanM), Saturday, 17 June 2006 10:14 (nineteen years ago)

You can get hip-hop in by using any song where the rapper mentions himself by his given name rather than his MC name, eg. Eminem referring to "Marshall" counts but not referring to Em or Slim.

"You're the kind of guy that girl ignored
I'm drivin Caddy, you fixin a Ford
My name is Joseph Simmons but my middle name's Lord
and when I'm rockin on the mic, you should all applaud"

"You know it's hell when I come through
The life and times of Shawn Carter nigga volume two"

― Marmot 4-Tay (marmotwolof), Saturday, 17 June 2006 10:27 (nineteen years ago)

Ah, here's a Loudon Wainwright III one, from "Movies Are A Mother To Me":

"There's nothing like the silver screen
To patch things up, to intervene
To bridge the gap that lies between
Loudon and himself"

― Marmot 4-Tay (marmotwolof), Saturday, 17 June 2006 10:31 (nineteen years ago)

The chameleons-Don't fall. Mark Burgess sings : " Mark, Mark above everything else ".

― xavier dechamps (isabelle), Saturday, 17 June 2006 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

Invisible Hate by Witchfinder General. Zeeb the singer, shouts "Zeeb!"

― Urnst Kouch (Urnst Kouch), Saturday, 17 June 2006 15:50 (nineteen years ago)

MIKE JONES!!!!

― Jena (JenaP), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:27 (nineteen years ago)

There's at least one Jason Anderson song that does this, but I'm not sure which it is. Might as well be all of them, though. Not that I don't like the guy.

― Steve Go1dberg (Steve Schneeberg), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

"Black Cab" - Jens Lekman

― Richard Baez (Johnny Logic), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:20 (nineteen years ago)

Slim Harpo, "Shake Your Hips"

(Jagger retains the namecheck on Exile)

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:31 (nineteen years ago)

The Pipettes - "We Are The Pipettes"

― daavid (daavid), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:51 (nineteen years ago)

The Fall - I Am Damo Suzuki

― Turangalila (Salvador), Saturday, 17 June 2006 21:46 (nineteen years ago)

Hey Johnny, hey Dee Dee
Little Tom and Joey
You know we're goin' over
Sweet sweet little Ramona

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Sunday, 18 June 2006 00:28 (nineteen years ago)

Somebody called me on the phone
they said hey, is Dee Dee home
do you wanna take a walk
do ya wanna go and cop
do ya wanna go get some chinese rocks?

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Sunday, 18 June 2006 00:35 (nineteen years ago)

four years pass...

1. beastie boys - fight for your right

― Zeno, Sunday, 29 August 2010 15:27 (fifteen years ago)

COME ON U CUNT LET'S 'AVE SOME APHEX ACID

― glutinous maximus (corey), Sunday, 29 August 2010 15:35 (fifteen years ago)

Megadeth - Lucretia

"My friends all say Dave your(sic) mental anyway"

― funky brewster (San Te), Sunday, 29 August 2010 15:40 (fifteen years ago)

Dexys Midnight Runners-Kevin Rowland's 13th Time

"My name is Kevin Rowland, I'm the leader of the band"

― Kitchen Person, Sunday, 29 August 2010 15:57 (fifteen years ago)

The Mountain Goats, "Going to Cleveland", on some next-level shit:

I hear the Cuyahoga calling, now I know
What I was born for
And you say, "Hey John, where are you going?"
But that's not my name anymore

― I.C.P. Freely (bernard snowy), Sunday, 29 August 2010 16:14 (fifteen years ago)

he goes by his ILX name now

― funky brewster (San Te), Sunday, 29 August 2010 16:50 (fifteen years ago)

Sweet -Ballroom blitz.
"ready steve? andy? mick? allright fellows! let's go!!!!"

― nakamura, Sunday, 29 August 2010 17:52 (fifteen years ago)

Julian Cope – Julian H. Cope

― Neggin' you crapative (NickB), Sunday, 29 August 2010 21:16 (fifteen years ago)

The Bonzo Dog Band - The Intro and the Outro ("Hi Vivian Stanshall, trumpet!")
Plus Viv names other band members in "The Bride Stripped Bare by 'Bachelors'" and "Look At Me I'm Wonderful")

The Roches - We ("We are Maggie and Terre and Suzzy / We spell our last name R-O-C-H-E")
The Death of Suzzy Roche ("Everyone in the laundromat is equal / Suzzy Roche")

Randy Newman - My Life Is Good (Purportedly quoting Springsteen: "Rand, I'm tired / How would you like to be the Boss for a while?")

David Bowie - Can't Help Thinking About Me ("My girl calls my name / Hi Dave")

Electric Light Orchestra - Shine a Little Love (the backing vox sing "E-L-O" near the end)

― Hideous Lump, Sunday, 29 August 2010 21:47 (fifteen years ago)

John Mayer, "Stop This Train"

― Mr. Murakami, Monday, 30 August 2010 03:31 (fifteen years ago)

Another Leonard Cohen one: "Because Of"

"Look at me, Leonard,
Look at me one last time."

― StanM, Monday, 30 August 2010 16:42 (fifteen years ago)

Freddie Mercury: "Mr. Bad Guy"

"Mr. Bad Guy
Yes, I'm everybody's Mr. Bad Guy
Can't you see, I'm Mr. Mercury
Oh, spread your wings and fly away with me."

― Tuomas, Monday, 30 August 2010 16:58 (fifteen years ago)

James Brown: "Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto"

"Santa Claus, go straight to the ghetto
Tell 'em James Brown sent you
And go straight to the ghetto."

― Tuomas, Monday, 30 August 2010 17:02 (fifteen years ago)

Hi boys and girls, I'm Jimmy Carl Black and I'm the indian of the group.

― rhythm fixated member (chap), Monday, 30 August 2010 17:03 (fifteen years ago)

dude, geir, you mention ABC upthread, bu you forgot the best one!

Ladies and gentlemen, it's my proud privilege to present:
A-B-C

My name is Martin Fry, F-R-Y
Who needs the moon, when we got the stars?

(A-B-C, A-B-C)

Mark White (That's right)
Mark White
Mark White (That's right)
Mark White (Right, right)

(A-B-C, A-B-C)

Hi, I'm Eden
I want you to kiss my snatch

(A-B-C, A-B-C)

Howdy disco citizens
I'm David Yarritu
I may be tiny (tiny), but I'm strong

(A-B-C, A-B-C)

(A-B-C)

(That's all)

― scott seward, Monday, 30 August 2010 17:17 (fifteen years ago)

TG - Something Came Over Me

"And that's the message, the message, the message from Gen"

― Deluxe Merseybeat Wig (Jack Battery-Pack), Monday, 30 August 2010 18:24 (fifteen years ago)

Al Stewart, "You Should Have Listened to Al":

"I guess I was doing all right up until now
I'm beginning to think you should have listened to Al"

― margana (anagram), Monday, 30 August 2010 19:32 (fifteen years ago)

Robert Cray:
"It's because of me
It's because of me
Because of me
Young Bob!"

Also self-refers in Bad Influence and I imagine some others.

― rat bat bruce, Monday, 30 August 2010 19:36 (fifteen years ago)

About 80-90% of Jerry Lee Lewis' recorded output.

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Thursday, March 10, 2005

listening to Lewis Country recently I decided that Jerry Lee mentioning his own name in damn near every song = Hitchcock appearing in his own movies

― parasitic mistletoe (m coleman), Monday, 30 August 2010 20:46 (fifteen years ago)

I hope that Bo Diddley is mentioned in this thread somewhere.

― Neggin' you crapative (NickB), Monday, 30 August 2010 20:51 (fifteen years ago)

Oh, dang! How could Bo Diddley have only arrived in this thread so late? Nice one, Nick.

Lennon, from "God": "I was the Walrus but now I'm John."
Also see "Ballad of John & Yoko".

― spazzercise (staggerlee), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 22:24 (fifteen years ago)

two months pass...

Radiohead - Lift

(We've been trying to reach you, Thom)

― Moka, Wednesday, 3 November 2010 22:55 (fourteen years ago)

Goddo's "Sweet Young Thing" (speaking to a groupie): "You like the fact I'm in the Goddo band..."

― clemenza, Wednesday, 3 November 2010 22:57 (fourteen years ago)

Waylon Jennings -Luckenbach, Texas

("Willie and Waylon and the boys...")

― sonofstan, Wednesday, 3 November 2010 22:59 (fourteen years ago)

Sufjan Stevens finds a slant-rhyme for "Vesuvius":

Vesuvius
Oh, be kind
It hasn't occurred
No it hasn't been said
Sufjan, follow the path
It leads to an article of imminent death
Sufjan, follow your heart
Follow the flame
Or fall on the floor
Sufjan, the panic inside
The murdering ghost
That you cannot ignore

― like a musical album. made by a band. (fucking in the streets), Wednesday, 3 November 2010 23:07 (fourteen years ago)

ten years pass...

Omah Lay in "Godly", simultaneously rejoicing in and lamenting the sound of his name now that he has become an overnight star in Nigeria and far beyond:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqUd72pK15Y

#thepriceoffame

― obsessed with quality over quantity or the need to produce tracks (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 30 December 2020 12:50 (four years ago)

Jeffrey Lee Pierce picking up on the Robert Johnson self reference in Preachin the Blues and singing come on ol' Jeffrey Lee know can't hardly turn it around

― Stevolende, Wednesday, 30 December 2020 13:39 (four years ago)

Happens many times on Jacques Brel's "Grand Jacques (c'est trop facile)"

― Dinsdale, Wednesday, 30 December 2020 22:04 (four years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.