This is a series of posts that will talk about my favorite songs that mention celebrities either in the title or lyrics. See if you agree with any of these!
“Buddy Holly” is a 1994 song by Weezer, written by frontman Rivers Cuomo, and released as the second single from their debut album, Weezer (The Blue Album); the track blends power pop and alternative rock with playful lyrics that reference pop culture, most notably name-dropping 1950s rock and roll pioneer Buddy Holly and actress Mary Tyler Moore,
This is a series of posts that will talk about my favorite songs by Elton John. In Part one I picked “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding”, “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time)”, “Crocodile Rock”, “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters”, “Burn Down the Mission”, and “Border Song”. See if you agree with any of these!
“Grey Seal” is a song by Elton John, with lyrics by his longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, first recorded in 1970 as the B-side to the single “Rock and Roll Madonna,” and later re-recorded in 1973 for John’s seminal double album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, where it became the definitive version, featuring fuller production,
This “Stand Out Single” was the first for The Monkees!
“Last Train to Clarksville” / “Take a Giant Step” was the debut single by The Monkees, released on August 16, 1966, just weeks before their television show premiered on NBC. The single was issued by Colgems Records (catalog number 1001), with “Last Train to Clarksville” as the A-side and “Take a Giant Step” as the B-side.
Prince left behind a vast legacy that transcended genre, race, and convention.
Prince Rogers Nelson, known mononymously as Prince, was born on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His parents, John L. Nelson and Mattie Della Shaw, were both musically inclined—his father a jazz pianist and songwriter, his mother a jazz singer. This musical environment deeply influenced Prince from an early age.
These are songs that contain “Toenail(s)” in their lyrics.
“Sweet Virginia” is a country-flavored track by The Rolling Stones, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and featured on their 1972 double album Exile on Main St. Known for its laid-back acoustic feel, harmonica by Jagger, and sing-along chorus, the song evokes Southern Americana influences and reflects the band’s fascination
This “Stand Out Single” was number 1 on the U.S. Billboards Adult Contemporary and Hot 100 Charts, also in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Released in late 1971, “American Pie” is one of the most iconic songs in American music history, written and performed by Don McLean. The single was issued as two parts: “American Pie (Part 1)” as the A-side and “American Pie (Part 2)” as the B-side, both extracted from his second studio album American Pie (United Artists, 1971).
#1 Record, the debut album by the American rock band Big Star, was released in August 1972 by Ardent Records. At the time, Big Star was composed of Alex Chilton, Chris Bell, Andy Hummel, and Jody Stephens. The group formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in the early 1970s, with Bell and Chilton—two songwriters of distinct but complementary sensibilities—at its creative center.
These are songs that contain “U.F.O.” in their lyrics.
“Out the Blue” is a heartfelt ballad by John Lennon, written solely by him and released on his 1973 album Mind Games. The song is widely interpreted as a tribute to Yoko Ono, celebrating the unexpected and redemptive power of love after a period of emotional turmoil. Musically, it starts softly with acoustic guitar
“The maestro has passed.”
Brian Wilson was born on Sunday, June 20, 1942, in Inglewood, California, growing up in Hawthorne alongside his brothers Carl and Dennis. Brian was the first child of Audree Neva (née Korthof) and Murry Wilson, a machinist who later pursued songwriting part-time. From a young age, he displayed precocious musical talent—learning piano, crafting vocal harmonies, and teaching his siblings to sing.
This next “Stand Out Single” is another obvious choice, but when I played the “B” side, I was blown away!
The Beatles’ iconic single “Hey Jude” / “Revolution,” released on August 26, 1968, in the United States and August 30 in the United Kingdom, stands as one of the band’s most celebrated works. Written primarily by Paul McCartney, though credited to the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership,
