"can it be about a person?"

It can be about anything you like. I've just finished a song about my disreputable greatx5 grandfather, a seafaring man who drowned after being being blown by a gale into the Old Harbour in Hull whilst returning to his boat from the Old Black Boy Inn the worse for drink. The story emerged whan my cousin was researching the family history and came across a cutting, dated 1833, from a local newspaper. The secret is just to look around for something that really interests or amuses you - whilst you should try to get the fact right, it's perfectly acceptable to embellish them for dramatic impact (think newspaper articles). Try to get as much detail and local colour in as possible . Here's an example of a couple of verses from the above song:


I've sailed on every kind of ship from Billy Boy to Bark.
I've worked with lascars, packet-rats and many a chis'lling shark
And if I hadn't dodged the press gangs that were waiting in the dark
Those Frenchies would have been the death of me.

Chorus
Let the wind blow up and down
From the River Hull to the whaling ground
In the Black Boy I'll be found
For I do love strong beer.

As first mate on a whaler I was there at Baffin Fair
When we got drunk and Tommy Hunt got eaten by a bear
And I tell you, I'll be buggered if I ever go back there,
For the whaling lark will be the death of me.