Song written by an artist criticizing another artist

"All the Young Dudes":

"My brother's back at home with his Beatles and his Stones
We never got it off on that Revolution stuff
What a drag
Too many snags"

 

Bowie: "Song for Bob Dylan"

 

Sweet Home Alabama

 

The classic "Don Henley Must Die" by Mojo Nixon:

 

Dead Kennedys - Terminal Preppie

"In my centerfold world
Filled with Springsteen and wine"

typical DK's playing to the gallery

 

"Don't let him get back together with Glen Frey, Don Henly must Die" ah the irony

don't forget Debbie Gibson is Pregnant With My 2 Headed Love Child

 

I would add "Flamboyant" to that list as well, although in none of these songs do they mention anyone in particular.

A particular song by them that IS about a real person, is "The Night I Fell In Love", which is a really hilarious satire about Eminem, told from the viewpoint of a young man meeting him and having an affair with him. Wayne Studer deconstructs the song quite well here

 

"You're So Vain," or hasn't that been confirmed yet?

 

Ice Cube's "No Vaseline" (about the other members of N.W.A.) is absolutely brutal. Same goes for Nas' Jay-Z diss, "Ether"

 

Johnny Winter "I Hate Everybody". Too broad? Not today!

 

New Radicals "You Get What You Give"

Fashion shoots with Beck and Hanson
Courtney Love, and Marilyn Manson
You're all fakes
Run to your mansions
Come around
We'll kick your ass in

 

"Diamonds and Rust" by Joan Baez. Subtly. Sort of...

 

And to place the shoe on the other foot, The Guess Who - Glamour Boy.

 

Beastie Boys - "Professor Booty"

MCA (Adam Yauch) absolutely destroys fellow rap band 3rd Bass (specifically MC Serch) with a wicked flow and some great putdowns (sample lyric: "I'm bad ass/ move your fat ass 'cause you're wack son/ Dancin' around like you think you're Janet Jackson").

 

Sarcofago - F.O.T.M.B.

Err, yeah, kinda speaks for itself: SARCÓFAGO LYRICS - "Crust" (2000) MCD »

 

"Amy Grant" by the Young Fresh Fellows is a favorite of mine.

And they also have "Beer Money", which mocks/parodies the Long Ryders for appearing in a beer commercial:

 

Sex Pistols on The New York Dolls - New York.
Johnny Thunders on The Sex Pistols - London Boys.

Oh, those were the days...

 

Is that directed specifically at Bowie?

 

I had read that yes, it was.

 

Cool. That song is on the Anthology CD and I wasn't sure who it was about. Thanks!

 

No prob. I don't know how specific the PR was at the time of release, I'm sure nobody wanted to get sued. I just happened to come across a pretty in depth article this year where it's right there. I forget the source but remember it was reliable.

 

Did Paul ever actually confess that 'Too Many People' was targeted at John? Compared to 'How Do You Sleep', it's pretty innocuous.

 

Stone Temple Pilots - Too Cool Quenie (Courtney Love)

 

Byrds - So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star was a shot at the Monkees

 

it was only 1 line in a song tho, not an entire song.