Songs about genuine historical figures/real people.

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Andy Smith, Oct 19, 2016.

  1. Andy Smith

    Andy Smith .....Like a good pinch of snuff...... Thread Starter

    A short triptych of films had been commissioned by the Off The Shelf literary festival to celebrate the Brontes' 200th celebrations. They were shown against the front of the Upper Chapel in Sheffield city centre last Friday once the sun had gone down. 3 short imaginings were set to songs specially written & performed for the event by local goddess Natalie Johnson. It was cold but the rain stopped away. Even though we were freezing our nuts off, it was a glorious and emotional evening. Nat has written her songs in the context of giving each sister an elemental background; ‘Anne The Gardener’ (earth), ‘Emily The Diver’ (water) and Charlotte The Levitator (air).

    Anyone with more than a passing interest in rarities - of which there are...oooo....dozens on this forum - I must point out that she's brought out limited edition cds with 3 different covers, one per sister. I went for Anne, simply because my wife & I have recently visited Anne's grave in Scarborough. I got number 2 out of a 100! (I guess most people would probably gone for Charlotte.) The cd package is great. There's a tiny lyrics booklet that goes with it AND a little plastic magnifying glass. Clever marketing. 300 in total, guys. Get 'em while they're 'ot.

    Which leads me to thinking……………

    Songs about genuine historical figures.

    A few ground rules. While no great historian, I suppose I side with many that King Arthur was a mythical figure rather than an historical one, so sorry Rick Wakeman, your ‘Myths And Legends Of King Arthur’ album is a no-no. Nil points. Kate, sit down. Your song was about characters, not real people. Got to be real people. However, just so we have a level playing field and upset no one, can we agree to accept songs with religious connotations, like, say ‘The Man Who Called Himself Jesus’ (The Strawbs) ?

    Off you go………..

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  2. Sammy Waslow

    Sammy Waslow Just watching the show

    Location:
    Ireland
    The Bee Gees: Edison
    Queen: Jesus
    They Might Be Giants: James K. Polk
    They Might Be Giants: Meet James Ensor
     
    Last edited: Oct 19, 2016
  3. Brother Maynard

    Brother Maynard Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    Fool's Overture - Supertramp (I'm unable to view the OP's examples, so apologies if this is one) - references to Churchill
     
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  4. Musician95616

    Musician95616 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Woodland, Ca
    Bob Dylan: "The Ballad of Emmet Till"
     
  5. thematinggame

    thematinggame Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    Al Stewart has written quite a few songs about historical figures , "Warren Harding" (the U.S. president) comes to mind
     
    Folknik, TS582, sherrill50 and 6 others like this.
  6. LandHorses

    LandHorses I contain multitudes

    Location:
    New Joisey
    Bob Dylan had some...........
    "Hurricane"
    "Joey"
     
    Brettlowden, Folknik, MMan1 and 7 others like this.
  7. Otlset

    Otlset I think I am I think

    Location:
    Temecula, CA
    "Vincent" Don McLean
     
  8. idleracer

    idleracer Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
  9. thematinggame

    thematinggame Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    René And Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War
    Paul Simon
     
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  10. Otlset

    Otlset I think I am I think

    Location:
    Temecula, CA
    "I'm Henry VIII, I Am" Herman's Hermits
     
  11. bRETT

    bRETT Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    Thought it was about Jesus?
     
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  12. Otlset

    Otlset I think I am I think

    Location:
    Temecula, CA
    "John Wesley Harding" (Hardin) Nobel Bob Dylan
     
    Folknik, CDFanatic, Sean and 3 others like this.
  13. idleracer

    idleracer Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
  14. heepsterandrey

    heepsterandrey Forum Resident

    Iron Maiden - Alexander The Great
     
    altaeria, Sean, Frosst and 6 others like this.
  15. Brother Maynard

    Brother Maynard Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    It might be. I'm just thinking of the playing of Churchill's "We shall never surrender" speech, and the lyric "the island's sinking, let's take to the sky..."
     
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  16. Colin M

    Colin M Forum Resident

    Boney M - Rasputin
    Billy Joel -Ballad of Billy the Kid
    Ballad of John & Yoko, Hey Jude, Dear Prudence, Julia
     
    Last edited: Oct 19, 2016
  17. idleracer

    idleracer Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
  18. HfxBob

    HfxBob Forum Resident

    Simon and Garfunkel - So Long Frank Lloyd Wright
     
    Adagio, MrJerry1876, MMan1 and 4 others like this.
  19. HfxBob

    HfxBob Forum Resident

    Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes
     
  20. sloaches

    sloaches Forum Resident

    Blue Oyster Cult- Joan Crawford
     
  21. brother1002

    brother1002 I'm hungry....

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    Chicago - Harry Truman
    Madness - Michael Caine
    Paul McCartney - Uncle Albert/ Admiral Halsey (ok, this one may be a stretch)
     
  22. Ernest T

    Ernest T Forum Resident

    Location:
    Illinois
    Steve McQueen - Drive-By Truckers

     
  23. vivatones

    vivatones Forum Resident

    One of my favorites of this genre, "White House Blues," about the assassination of President William McKinley, by Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers:
     
  24. thematinggame

    thematinggame Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    James Dean- Eagles
     
    CDFanatic, Bill007, Sean and 2 others like this.
  25. uncarvedbloke

    uncarvedbloke Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK - SOT
    Gruff Rhys - American Interior
    A book, a film and an album covering the adventures of John Evans.
     
    dthomas850 and Andy Smith like this.

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