Singers mentioning themselves in a song

Subject: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Leadbelly
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 03:11 PM

Lonnie Donegan did it in "Long John".
Any other ideas where singers mention their own name?

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: bobad
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 03:24 PM

Jesse Winchester in "Yankee Lady"

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Darowyn
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 03:25 PM

Bo Diddley-- now what was the song called......?

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 03:31 PM

Geordie Ridley in "The Blaydon Races"

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 03:32 PM

Christy Moore in Lisdoonvarna.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Rog Peek
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 03:44 PM

Phil Ochs did 'The ballad of John Train'

Rog

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Rog Peek
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 03:59 PM

Tom didn't actually write this verse to 'Last Thing On My mind', but I've seen him include it live a couple of times in recent years, and it's on his 'Live in the UK' CD.

Well I met this young girl at a folk club,
Like you do, like you do.
So I bought her a drink and we chatted,
Wouldn't you, wouldn't you,
And then after the show she invited me home,
And she said we were two of a kind,
Then she played me every record
That Tom Paxton ever made,
And you know that was the last thing on my mind.

Rog

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Adrian Owlett
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 04:02 PM

Jerry Lee Lewis - Lewis Boogie
Cliff Richard - Whole Lotta' Shakin'(live version)

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 04:20 PM

Erm... uhhhhh...

David Soul

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Rog Peek
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 05:04 PM

The Big Bopper in 'Chantilly Lace'.

Rog

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 05:15 PM

David Allan Coe singing Steve Goodman's "You Never Even Call Me by My Name", aka the perfect country and western song.

Well, I've seen my name a few times in your phone book,
And I've seen it on signs where I've played,
But the only time I know,
I'll hear David Allan Coe,
Is when Jesus has his final judgement day.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Bainbo
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 05:26 PM

Al Dexter, in his Pistol Packin' Mama, curiously, appears to narrate the story from beyond the grave:

Now there was old Al Dexter,
He always had his fun,
But with some lead she shot him dead -
His honkin' days are done.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Little Robyn
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 06:15 PM

Quite a few of Eric Bogle's songs are autobiographical eg Leaving Nancy - his Mum.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Rog Peek
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 06:35 PM

Can you give an example of his name being mentioned?

Rog

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Rog Peek
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 06:38 PM

Having said that, I'm wondering now whether I've read too much into it, perhaps Leadbelly could clear that up.

Rog

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Jack Campin
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 06:49 PM

In one of the genres of Turkish folksong it's standard for the poet to put their name in the last verse - almost all of the songs of the 16th century insurrectionary mystic Pir Sultan Abdal are "signed" like that. There are literally thousands of examples.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Beer
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 07:02 PM

Jesse Winchester in "Nothing But A Breeze".
Beer (adrien

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 10:26 PM

Iain MacKintosh in his version of The Folker and (first name only) in his own For the Special Friends and about a dozen others.

As to Eric Bogle: I actually found one song where he refers to himself by name, Them Old Song-Writin' Blues:

I try to write my songs deep and esoteric
But they just come out the same old Eric
Oh mama, got them old song-writin' blues

He's also written Eric and the Informers - autobiographical, but his name is only mentioned in the title.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: BobKnight
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 11:07 PM

Craig David

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: catspaw49
Date: 10 Apr 09 - 11:21 PM

Someone mentioned one particular Jerry Lee Lewis song.   Tell ya' what, if you listen to any Jerry Lee performance he mentions his own name or "Killer" in about every other song! That's Jerry Lee.......

Spaw

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,Golightly
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 08:01 AM

In her song 'The Mind of Love' from the album 'Ingenue', kd lang sings 'where is your head kathryn?'

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Bobert
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 08:09 AM

Robert Johnson in "Crossroads Blues"...

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Sttaw Legend
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 08:26 AM

harriWatts in "harriWatts is back in town"

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 08:49 AM

Me in 'Martin said to his Man'.

I heard yours truly (or inset name) sing in tune
Fie, an, fie
I heard yours truly sing in tune
Who's the fool now?
I heard yours truly sing in tune
with everyone in the folk club room
Thou hast well drunken, Man
Who's the fool now?

DeG

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,Cpt Colin
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 11:32 AM

John Prine in that song about him dying- "Please Don't Bury me" or some such title.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: curmudgeon
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 11:58 AM

Paddy Ryan in "The Moonshine Can."

"Now, here's to the man who wrote this song, I'm sure he was not lyin'
And if you wants to know his name, his name be Paddy Ryan."

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Leadbelly
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 02:36 PM

Correction: Lonnie's song is called "Lost John" instead of "Long John".


"If anybody asks you
Who sung this song
Tell 'em Lonnie Donegan
Been here and gone"

Rog: Ideally, a singer should mention his complete name in a song. Surname or first name only might be second best. But it's alright, too.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: john f weldon
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 02:52 PM

Billy Gashade (sp?)

in Jesse James

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Nicholas Waller
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 06:27 PM

Al Stewart is sometimes very autobiographical, and names himself (I assume it is him and not some other Al) in the chorus "And yes I was doing all right up until now/ I'm beginning to think you should have listened to Al" in You Should Have Listened To Al

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 07:14 PM

My name is old Art Thieme--I come from Charleston town,
I've traveled this wide world over--I traveled all around,
I got so hell-fired hungry I could hide behind a straw,
But I never knew what misery was -- 'til I hit ol' Arkansas.

That's sort of the way I did it for close to 40 years. But I had to paraphrase myself --- after doing it all that time. Just can't seem to dredge up the right words. Whew?

Art

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: mg
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 08:34 PM

MacPherson's lament? mg

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Howard Kaplan
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 10:12 PM

Spencer the Rover

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Apr 09 - 11:09 AM

Christy Moore in Welcome to the Cabaret

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 12 Apr 09 - 11:30 AM

Now, my name is Jock Stewart,
I'm a canny gaun man,
And a roving young fellow, I've been.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: fumblefingers
Date: 12 Apr 09 - 05:42 PM

Hank Williams Jr. and Jerry Lee Lewis do it in a lot of their songs.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Marion
Date: 12 Apr 09 - 05:49 PM

Stan Rogers, in "Song of the Candle", has the waitress say "Buy another coffee, Stan..."

full lyrics here

Marion

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Cool Beans
Date: 13 Apr 09 - 09:36 AM

Didn't the real Leadbelly (Huddie Ledbetter) do it somewhere?

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 13 Apr 09 - 11:41 AM

How about all the 'goodnight' ballads written by, or at least put into the mouths of, various villains on their way to the gallows? They usually end with a warning not to do what they have done (rather than to make sure you don't get caught).

Valmai (Lewes)

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: C. Ham
Date: 13 Apr 09 - 02:49 PM

Leonard Cohen's song, "Famous Blue Raincoat," is sung as a letter. He ends the song by singing, "Sincerely, L. Cohen."

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: PoppaGator
Date: 13 Apr 09 - 03:06 PM

Lightnin' Hopkins, in more of his songs than not. He usually refers to himself as "Po' Lightnin'."

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,Smokey
Date: 13 Apr 09 - 03:33 PM

JS Bach did it instrumentally with German notation. (BACH)

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Leadbelly
Date: 13 Apr 09 - 04:23 PM

Grayson and Whittler in Tom Dooley (1929).

"This world and one more then where do you reckon I'll be
If it hadn't been for Grayson I'd have been in Tennessee".

Cool Beans: Cannot remember a song of Lead Belly where he did it.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: Cool Beans
Date: 13 Apr 09 - 08:07 PM

Pearl Bailey singing "Solid Gold Cadillac" sang "All Pearl needs is a solid gold Cadillac."

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 14 Apr 09 - 11:05 AM

Frank Bolar, the old bachelor who narrates "Starving to Death on my Government Claim" or "The Lane County Bachelor."

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 15 Apr 09 - 12:18 AM

Kristina Olsen does a song, Love, Kristina.

In Gotta Serve Somebody, Dylan writes, "You may call me Bobby, you may call me Zimmy." Then again, he also wrote, "My name, it means nothing."

Frank MacNamara, aka Frank the Poet, wrote a poem, For The Company Under Ground, where every stanza ends, "MacNamara shall work that day/For the company under ground." I've heard it recited, don't know whether anyone's ever put a tune to it.

I don't suppose you'd count the Peter, Paul and Mary recording of A-soalin', with the line, "One for Peter/Two for Paul."

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: ClaireBear
Date: 15 Apr 09 - 02:42 AM

Not sure if this counts, because June Tabor didn't write it (Les Barker did) and Les Barker doesn't sing it (June Tabor does), but "The January June" is about the one who sings it and also mentions the one who wrote it:

The January June she walks abroad
in sombre mood and boots of leather,
The February June she sings a song
About a pigeon getting lost.
The June of March may briefly smile,
But only for a little while;
It's good to get it over.


In April, it's the Easter Tree;
This June's degree's in misery; a master's;
In May the June of May may say
The June of June is due this afternoon.
Too soon the June of June's come true
To do as June Junes used to do;
Les Barker, you're a bastard.

(There's more, elsewhere in the forum)

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: JedMarum
Date: 15 Apr 09 - 09:32 AM

I sing two (didn't write either) where the lyrics call for "Insert Your Name Here" sort of-thing.

Sporting Life Blues:

"My mother used to, say to me
You're so young and foolish, I can't see
Oh, Jed - hey there Jed why don't you change your ways"


The other one is Spancil Hill. I know singers often use "Johnny" instead of inserting their own name, but I like it this way:

"She threw her arms around me saying 'Jed, I love you still.'"

I am very careful to leave a suitable pause when singing this, between "Jed" and "I" - in order to avoid accidentally referencing a set of sci-fi warriors.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: SINSULL
Date: 15 Apr 09 - 10:08 AM

Dylan, again:
The President said "My boy Bob. What do we need to make this country grow?" I said "President Kennedy, Brigitte Bardo, Anita Ekberg, Sophia Loren. Country will grow."

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: John P
Date: 15 Apr 09 - 10:27 AM

Jimi Hendrix in Fire.

I do it all the time. Whenever I learn a song where the narrator uses his/her name, I change it to mine if at all possible.

Subject: RE: Singers mentioning themselves in a song
From: bobad
Date: 15 Apr 09 - 10:30 AM

James Taylor in "Sweet Baby James"?

Goodnight you moonlight ladies
Rockabye sweet baby james
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Wont you let me go down in my dreams
And rockabye sweet baby james

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