Singers Who Name-Check Other Singers in Their Songs

Paul Heaton (Housemartins/Beautiful South) has an upcoming compilation with a new track that namechecks a whole bunch of folks: John & Yoko, Dolly Parton, Jerry Lee Lewis, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, 10cc, Pink Floyd, Elton, Neil Diamond, etc, as well as referencing other artists’ songs...

 

"Well there's Basie, Ella, Satchmo and the king of all Sir Duke"

Just covered it a couple weeks ago as guitarist and musical director for a 25 piece ensemble, and edited the video last night

 

The Who - The Seeker (1970)
"I asked Bobby Dylan, I asked The Beatles, I asked Timothy Leary but he couldn't help me either..."

 

My Morning Jacket- "Anytime"

"But what Madonna said really helped
She said 'boy, you'd better learn to express yourself!'"

 

The Isley Brothers: "Ohio/Machine Gun"
The incorporate Jimi's song and give him a name-check.

 

Joe Diffie
Bigger Than The Beatles

They gotta love bigger than the Beatles
Wild and free like a Rolling Stone
They gotta love takes 'em higher than the Eagles

 

"Lion In Winter" - Bee Gees 1971

You want to make me big man,
A star on a screen,
Some kind of James Brown,
Or something in between.

 

The Whispers - In the Mood (Marvin Gaye)

H-Town - Knockin' Da Boots (Marvin)

Jay-Z - Dirt Off Ya Shoulders (Marvin)

 

Also the Beatles (though not by name) in "Middle Man of Time".

 

Bobby Brown - Rock Wit’cha (Marvin Gaye)

Whispers - Song for Donny (Donny Hathaway)

Ed

 

...It's probably been said already, but, since I was reminded by another thread...
Stevie Wonder, Sir Duke
Waylon Jennings, Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way and Bob Wills Is Still The King - which were either side of the same single, which must count for something!!!!!!!!! * aaaand Ol' Waylin dropping HIMSELF, in " Lukenbach, Texas...".
Actually, the number if country obligatory ancestor worship references to Hank, Merle, Lefty, Jones et al could probably fill this whole thread!!!!!!!!!!! I think there's a modern subgenre of country namedroppibg where the singer mentions the above greats and others to COMPLAIN that " they don't play them no more "! I recently encountered the Bellamy Brothers " Old Hippie III (Saved) " (gospel) for an example. Conway
Twitty " Boogie Grass Band " and " Rednecking Lovemaking Night ". Of which, Jerry Lee Lewis " It Wouldn't Happen With Me ".
For contemporary rock references, Alan Jackson " Don't Rock The Jukebox " Hank Williams Jr ." Young Country ".
I suppose there's so many Elvis (even just during his life) and Beatles ones to out them iutsude if this. Michael Jackson, I recall Kim Fields recording at the height if They'll mania, " Dear Michael ", which MJJ had himself recorded before.
Smithereens, " Beyond The Walk If Sleep ". "_____ , " Temptation Walk ".

 

A lesser known one from Prince - he mentions Rick James in (There’ll Never B) Another Like Me.

 

Also a Pair of Brown Eyes - "while ray and philomena sang of my elusive dreams"

 

Don Felder mentions a few here.

 

Tonio K - H-a-t-r-e-d works for me.

"Yes I wish I was as mellow
As for instance Jackson Browne
But "Fountain of Sorrow" my ass mother*****
I hope you wind up in the ground"

House of Love song Beatles and the Stones.

"A bomb from the sky
Is the perfect crime
Shoulder on shoulder and heat
The Beatles and the Stones
Sucked the marrow out of bone
Put the V in Vietnam
The Beatles and the Stones
Made it good to be alone
To be alone"

 

Of course, the song also name checks Johnny Ace. As well as the Rolling Stones. Hm.

 

LeRois Brothers mention Elvis Presley in "Elvis In The Army"...

 

Pere Ubu — Fortunate Son

Yeah, I hear voices in my head
That’s me
My voice

Now the problem with crazy people is they don’t recognize that voice as their own
One person you don’t want to be alienated from is yourself
That’s gotta cause problems

My favorite voice speaks from under the lamplight of a roadside diner
in the urban sprawl of Los Angeles some time in the 40s
something like a Jim Thompson novel

I like to speak from other places that don’t exist

Waiting in line at a Dairy Freeze Whip stand
on a bayou outside Houston
Inside the ghost ruins of the cities of my Martian ancestors
At the end counter table of the Waffle House with the view of Walden Pond

I was just there –
A man about my age comes in for lunch with his granddaughter
He punches in ‘Fortunate Son’ and ‘Layla’ on the jukebox

I’m looking out the window and thinking about America and I start to cry
So I pay the waitress for his meal and tell her not to say who it was
but she does and he comes out to thank me

‘Thanks for playing the songs,’ I answer
‘You like Eric Clapton?’ he asks
I think about what to say, it takes a moment
‘It’s a good song,’ I say

Places that don’t exist have something in common
They’re real
Places that do exist aren’t so real after awhile.

 

The song 'Loner' off Queen Zee's self-titled 2019 album mentions Rob Halford, Depeche Mode, Steely Dan and Duran Duran.

 

post any song that the band or artist that you are listening to
(not necessarily at that precise moment in time) mentions another band or artist or song.

thread inspired by an other thread to help avoid posters having a hissy fit and getting their knickers in a twist

 

Spandau Ballet "True": Listen to Marvin...

 

Bob Marley, Punky Reggae Party

 

Genius of Love - Tom Tom Club

 

But are Steely Dan the only band that name-dropped themselves - “They got the Steely Dan T- shirts ....” ?