Singers mentioning themselves in a song

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 15 Apr 09 - 01:58 PM

I said oh my God what's your name
My name's Lyle
from Give back my heart written by Lyle Lovett

And by the way, did she mention my name?
from Did she mention my name written by Gordon Lightfoot

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Nicholas Waller
Date: 15 Apr 09 - 03:54 PM

@bobad re James Taylor - the James in Sweet Baby James is Taylor's nephew, though he was indeed named after the singing chappie. So it is his name but once removed.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Gene
Date: 16 Apr 09 - 12:23 PM

Any singer who ever sang 'HILLBILLY HEAVEN'

[Singer's name] BONG!
And that's when I woke up
and I'm sorry that I did, 'cause
I dreamed I was there in Hillbilly Heaven
Oh, what a beautiful dream.

GG

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: C. Ham
Date: 16 Apr 09 - 01:17 PM

Rosalie Sorrels has one called "Rosalie, You Can't Go Home Again" in which the title line is repeated often.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 16 Apr 09 - 01:46 PM

One of my old time favorites: "Sam (Samuel) Hall."

"Oh, my name it is Sam Hall, Sam Hall.
Oh, my name it is Sam Hall, Sam Hall.
Oh, my name it is Sam Hall,
And I hate you, one and all,
You're a bunch of muckers all,
Damn your eyes, damn your eyes!
You're a bunch of muckers all,
Damn your eyes."

This is one of the "tamer" versions. Some are a lot
nastier - with blasphemy, even!

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,Ken Brock
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 01:18 PM

John Phillips, The Mamas and the Papas in "Creeque Alley"

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: terrier
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 02:13 PM

Sweet Baby James isn't the omly song that James Taylor slips in the name 'James', although I can't think of any that he uses his full name.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 02:48 PM

Robert Earl this friend of mine
You know he's always looking after my best interest
He tod me Lyle P you need to get some action
Get your head back in line

from Record Lady by Lyle Pearce Lovett

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 03:13 PM

Jesse Winchester appears to be a serial offender;

And a voice came down just like thunder
And light all around me shown
The voice said "Jesse get up And grab hold of my hand
Cause you can't stand up all alone"

from You can't stand up all alone

"Look, I have just discovered that I am
Fresh out of that herb that's so dear to me
You know what I mean man?"
He said, Look, Jesse, I'd like to help you, man"
Said, "I'm in business to supply you with the weed, you know
But the man just busted a whole huge shipment of mine
And now everyone in town's smokin' twigs and seeds"

from Twigs and Seeds

Creeque Alley was written by John and Michelle Phillips and mentions them both;

John and Mitchie were gettin' kind of itchy,
Just to leave the folk music behind.

Sebastian and Zal formed the Spoonful.
Michelle, John, and Denny, gettin' very tuneful.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,Ken Brock
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 03:34 PM

If the emphasis is writers as opposed to performers:

George and Ira Gershwin "pounding on tin" in "By Strauss".

Cole Porter compares himself unfavorably to J.S. Bach in "At Long Last Love".

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 03:50 PM

Then in from the rain a heavy metal couple came,
the frozen moment passed
Our order arrived I pushed him aside
and we were outside looking in the glass
With our food in our laps staring at the maps
searching for the way out town
Then round the bend came our new friend,
Phil said "Let's run the bastard down"

Yeovil Town performed by Show of Hands, written by Phil Knightley,

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,Ken Brock
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 04:04 PM

Suzzy, Maggie and Terry Roche in "We".

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Flash Company
Date: 18 Apr 09 - 08:07 AM

Ramblin Jack Elliott in 'Boll Weevil'

If anybody asks you,
Who was it sung this song,
Tell 'em t'was ole Jack Elliott
And I done been here and gone.
I'm looking for a home, just looking for a home

FC

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,gjohnson
Date: 03 Nov 13 - 07:42 PM

Turtle Blues by Janis Joplin
Bad is Bad by Huey Lewis & The News
Hard Headed Woman by Elvis

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Elmore
Date: 03 Nov 13 - 08:32 PM

Going Home by Leonard Cohen.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: raredance
Date: 03 Nov 13 - 10:21 PM

Harry Chapin in "Taxi" and "Sequel" first name only

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Nov 13 - 10:32 PM

Surely it doesn't count if it's the name of the imagined character being portrayed, nor the name of the songwriter, if that's not the singer?

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Elmore
Date: 03 Nov 13 - 11:13 PM

McGrath: Not sure what your posting references.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,ketchdana
Date: 04 Nov 13 - 12:00 AM

Does it count if it is a group name? I don't mean an introductory song ("Hi, we're ... and are here to entertain you..."). I'm thinking of the Corries singing their parody to Scotland The Brave, where they refer to themselves in the third person: "land of the arctic lorries, Andy Stewart and 'ra Corries', land where... ".
(If it doesn't count, forget I said anything.)

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 04 Nov 13 - 01:00 AM

Instead of repeating the name of the Devil in the last verse of Butter & Cheese & All, I sing it as

And some, they said 'Now that is the Devil
For him we well do know'.
But others said no, 'twas but Mike, meself,
Tho I was as black as a crow".

~M~

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: PHJim
Date: 04 Nov 13 - 01:42 AM

McGrath... said,"Surely it doesn't count if it's the name of the imagined character being portrayed, nor the name of the songwriter, if that's not the singer?"
to which Elmore replied, "McGrath: Not sure what your posting references."

I thought that he meant some of the examples given like, "My name it is Sam Hall..." where Sam Hall is just a character and not te actual name of the singer. I seem to recall Johnny Cash singing this one.

Or perhaps since MacPherson's Lament is being sung from the Gallows, I doubt we ever hear MacPherson actually singing the song. He's a character in the song.

I believe Leadbelly was looking for a song where the actual singer used his own name.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Jim McLean
Date: 04 Nov 13 - 03:57 AM

Robert Burns, and he gave his date of birth: Rantin Rovin Robin

Oor monarch's hinmaist year but ane,
Was five and twenty years begun
'Twas then a Blast o Janwar wind
Blew hansel in on Robin.

25/1/1759

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: G-Force
Date: 04 Nov 13 - 04:50 AM

Paul Simon, in 'Run That Body Down'.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Elmore
Date: 04 Nov 13 - 10:45 AM

Thanks, PHJim, I was a little slow on the uptake last night. Happens when you get old.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 04 Nov 13 - 10:57 AM

Naming ones self used to be a common practice among blues singers.

EG., Blind Willie McTell mentioned himself in 'Mr McTell's Got The Blues'. Muddy Waters did in 'Still a Fool', and in one of Robert Johnson's songs he calls himself 'Bob'.

I can't recall too many specific examples to mind right now, but Howlin' Wolf referred to himself as 'The Wolf' in several songs; Brownie McGhee did on at least one song, and I'm fairly certain that Charley Patton used his name in at least one Paramount recording.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 04 Nov 13 - 02:25 PM

It is my understanding that McPherson. Actually wrote at least some of the song

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 05 Nov 13 - 01:21 AM

Blues ~~ indeed, as Fred points out above. A 'floater' last verse is surely "If anybody asks you who you heard sing this song [bis], Tell them it was ——— ———, and he's been here & gone".

~M~

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Leadfingers
Date: 05 Nov 13 - 04:55 AM

I 'stole' Fred Wedlock's 'The Folker' - His first line - "I'm Leadfingers Wedlock" , in nineteen sixt nine , hence my Cat Handle