it is the background singers, but since Green Gartside (we assume) wrote the lyric, he's effectively calling back to himself - it's Scritti Politti's "Overnite"
Nick Drake used the same trick - backing choir talking back to him about himself - on "Poor Boy"
― woke cop, boo! (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 11:31 (seven years ago) link
The Tragically Hip - "New Orleans Is Sinking":"Sometimes I feel so good I got to screamShe said 'Gordie, baby, I know exactly what you mean'"
― Spiritual Hat Minimalism (Sund4r), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 11:47 (seven years ago) link
Too Much Joy - the Otter Song
I wanna be Tim Otter Quirk
― how's life, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 11:52 (seven years ago) link
Numerous Bo Diddley tracks. Almost as many Bootsy Collins tracks.
― The Doug Walters of Crime (Tom D.), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 11:54 (seven years ago) link
"I'm just a dead boyYou know that I'm just a dead boyI wanna be a dead boyI'll die for you, if you want me to"
― earlnash, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 11:55 (seven years ago) link
One of Kevin Rowland's regular moves in Dexy's, eg Kevin Rowland's 13th time ("My name is Kevin Rowland and I'm the leader of this band"), plus a few others where he berates/encourages himself, like Keep It pt.2.
― woof, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 11:56 (seven years ago) link
Sly & the Family Stone, "Life"
"You might be scared of somethingLook at Mr. StewartHe's the only person he has to fear"
― The Doug Walters of Crime (Tom D.), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 11:58 (seven years ago) link
Another Cohen one, from "Ballad of the Absent Mare":
But my darling says"Leonard, just let it go byThat old silhouetteon the great western sky"So I pick out a tuneand they move right alongand they're gone like the smokeand they're gone like this song
― heaven parker (anagram), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 12:07 (seven years ago) link
Al Stewart, "You Should Have Listened To Al"
― heaven parker (anagram), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 12:10 (seven years ago) link
Jens Lekman's "A Postcard to Nina" where he sings "yours truly, Jens Lekman"
― Iain Mew (if), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 12:12 (seven years ago) link
"Which Martin is that?"
Martin Fry from ABC, The Look of Love.
― jon123, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 12:58 (seven years ago) link
Conceptually it's still way different, your example clearly is meant to emulate the sort of call-and-response routine that's common on live gigs, the name isn't part of the narrative within the lyrics rather than the context of the live performance (even if the recording isn't really live). This sort of name-calling is common in non-rap music too, but I was more interested in cases where the artist name is part of the lyrical narrative.
― Tuomas, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 13:23 (seven years ago) link
"And then my mom came in and I didn't even know she was there she called my name / And I didn't even hear it, and then she started screaming: MIKE! MIKE!"(Suicidal Tendencies - Institutionalized)
Not sure you were looking for this either, but it's an example of a subcategory identified in this thread where it's not so much the singers talking about themselves (as in "It's Britney, bitch" or "This is Phil/Sarah Nixey talking") but a second or third person being evoked talking to the singer/writer (as in "they say, Martin..." or "She said, 'Gordie, baby'...") - still both are different from the call-and-response.
― dorsalstop, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 13:26 (seven years ago) link
That's correct. Here's another:
"Then he showed me his houseIt was as big as a starHe said to me, "Patrick What d'you think so far?""
("The Devil Came A-Calling", Prefab Sprout)
― Tim, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 13:39 (seven years ago) link
My Life Is Good by Randy Newman:
He said, "Rand, I'm tiredHow would *you* like to be the Boss for awhile?"
― soref, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 13:44 (seven years ago) link
There has to be a lot of these
"You may call me Bobby, you may call me Zimmy"
(... that's Dylan, for Tuomas' information)
― The Doug Walters of Crime (Tom D.), Wednesday, December 7, 2016 6:17 AM (two hours ago)
disqualified because didn't someone once say that Dylan is a rapper
― memories of a cruller (unregistered), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 13:46 (seven years ago) link
"She walks up to me, makes the sign of the cross and says, Julian H. Cope, you're a real dead loss"
― doug watson, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 13:49 (seven years ago) link
David Wiffen - Mr. Wiffen (Is Incommunicado Today)
Harry Belafonte's cover of this song is confusing because keeps the original title but changes the lyric to "Mr. Harry".
― memories of a cruller (unregistered), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 13:50 (seven years ago) link
there's a few Jake Thackray songs where he does this, I guess french chanson style stuff is another genre where it's fairly common?
Your rosebuds are numberedGather them now for rosebuds' sakeAnd if your hands aren't too encumberedGather a bud or two for Jake
So let this be understoodThat our family name is mudOur sheep are black, our cheques are dudBut we survive, we're alive so it's up with the Thackrays
― soref, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 13:51 (seven years ago) link
Yeah, this sort of division is interesting... Based on these answers I might suggest that these lyrics can be divided into three categories:
1) Lyrics where the vocalist is doing a narrative about his artist persona, so the name-calling refers to that. Typically they are using their artist name (Bootsy, Madonna, Nas, Flavor Flav, Mr. Mercury, etc) if they have one, and not their birth name. These are very common in rap, and also appear in soul, R&B, and funk, but seem to be pretty rare in other genres, and often the examples in other genres ("it's Britney, bitch") seem to be inluenced by rap.
2) Lyrics where the vocalist is doing a first-person narrative, but it isn't about his artist persona rather than something that happened to him as a "regular" person (rather than as a famous musician). Often the name is only referred to when another person in the narrative mentions it (she started screaming, "Mike!"; but my darling says, "Leonard, just let it go by"; she said, "Gordie, baby, I know exactly what you mean"). Type 2 seems to by way more common in rock and pop than type 1.
3) Lyrics that emulate call-and-response in live performances, where the name-calling is outside the context of the lyrical narrative. Can be found in any genres where call-and-response is common in actual live performances.
Of course there's also overlap between these categories, but IMO it's interesting that type 1 is often associated with "black" popular music, and type 2 with "white" popular music. I'm sure there's plenty of studies on differences between the lyrical styles of, say, rap and rock, so I guess this would be a part of a larger difference in how narratives are constructed in these genres?
(xxxxpost)
― Tuomas, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 13:57 (seven years ago) link
Go Kart Mozart - Lawrence Takes Over
― soref, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 14:02 (seven years ago) link
tMG - Going to Cleveland
I hear the cuyahoga calling, now I knowwhat was I was born forand you say 'hey John where are you going?'but that's not my name anymore
― arron banksy (cajunsunday), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 14:06 (seven years ago) link
guess french chanson style stuff is another genre where it's fairly common?
Jacques Brel, "Jackie"
― The Doug Walters of Crime (Tom D.), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 14:19 (seven years ago) link
Funkadelic - P.E. Squad/Doodoo Chasers
"Which one's George Clinton?"
― The Doug Walters of Crime (Tom D.), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 14:20 (seven years ago) link
Habitual with The Fall too, under a variety of names - Mark, Mr Mark Smith, M.E.S., Mr and Mrs Smith
(Prefab Sprout might have more examples too, eg "Paddy Joe… Don't you remember me?" in We Let the Stars Go)
― woof, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 14:22 (seven years ago) link
Hey, hey: we're the Monkees.
― i need microsoft installed on my desktop, can you help (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 14:26 (seven years ago) link
Now when I start making love to my woman I don´t stop until I know she´s sas-ified And I can always tell when she gets sas-ified ´Cause when she gets sas-fied she start calling my name She´d say: ´Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter Clarence Carter, ooooh shit, Clarence Carter´ The other night I was strokin´ my woman And it got so good to her, you know what she told me Let me tell you what she told me, she said: ´Stroke it Clarence Carter, but don´t stroke so fast If my stuff ain´t tight enough, you can stick it up my´ woo!
― i need microsoft installed on my desktop, can you help (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 14:27 (seven years ago) link
(Haha I knew there were other Sprout things, Woof, but I wanted to get in quick because I was cross that you beat me to the Dexys one.)
― Tim, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 14:30 (seven years ago) link
haha that ´Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter´ part is the only thing that prevents that from being the perfect karaoke song
also still laughing @ the fact that he had to self-censor "ass" but not "shit"
― frogbs, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 14:54 (seven years ago) link
Presumably he censored it because of buttsex taboo, not because ass itself is so strong.
― Tuomas, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 14:56 (seven years ago) link
"Sincerely, L. Cohen"
― blonde redheads have more fun (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 14:57 (seven years ago) link
I know, its still funny to me
even worse is "I stroke it to the north, I stroke it to the south, I stroke it everywhere, I even stroke it with my.........ahhhhh!!!"
― frogbs, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 14:57 (seven years ago) link
The Auteurs - "Some Changes"
This kid comes up to meSays "You've got to raise your game"This kid is half my age"Pleased to meet you, Mr Haines"
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 15:14 (seven years ago) link
oh yeah, Ween has a ton of these, especially in their early days
― frogbs, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 15:17 (seven years ago) link
"the letter" and "killing two birds" by kristin hersh
― a self-reinforcing downward spiral of male-centric indie (katherine), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 15:17 (seven years ago) link
Are you ready Steve? uh-huhAndy? YeahMick? OkayWell all right fellas, let's go!
― Horizontal Superman is invulnerable (aldo), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 15:17 (seven years ago) link
xxpost "What Deener Was Talkin' About" is a good one and their best song imo
― blonde redheads have more fun (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 15:18 (seven years ago) link
Super Furry Animals - Arnofio/Glo in the Dark
I said: "Why do you do what you do?""Oh why do you do what you do?"(Guto glows in the dark)(Bunfy glows in the dark)"Why do you do what you do?"(Dafydd glows in the dark)(Cian glows in the dark)"Why do you do what you do?"(Gruffy glows in the dark)(Gorwel glows in the dark)
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 15:30 (seven years ago) link
already mentioned
― heaven parker (anagram), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 15:37 (seven years ago) link
Jerry Lee Lewis is the master of this
― Brad C., Wednesday, 7 December 2016 15:40 (seven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b92tpwTCC2I
(We are) The Orange Alabaster Mushroom
― doug watson, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 15:55 (seven years ago) link
"How do you do? I don’t think that we’ve met.My name is Ian and I’m from Minor Threat."
― Mr. Snrub, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 15:59 (seven years ago) link
When I was seventeen (tell us about it Green)There was a world to know about (check it out)Everyday she'd call me (what'd she say?)Is it over yet? Do you love me?
― woke cop, boo! (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, December 7, 2016 4:21 AM (four hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
oh good i was just about to post this one
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 16:02 (seven years ago) link
Doesn't exactly fit the thread, but Dan Bejar has managed to fit the word "Destroyer" into a bunch of songs:
I was a desert in love with extremesYou married well, a gentlewoman of means whoKept the word "Destroyer" embroidered on her jeans, too
and
I guess the streets will suffice 'til everybody makes niceBut there's a rumor going 'round even Destroyers have a price
+ several other songs
― silverfish, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 16:27 (seven years ago) link
Mandy Moore in "Candy"
― duped and used by my worst Miss U (President Keyes), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 16:31 (seven years ago) link
old 97's, 'barrier reef'
The Empty Bottle was half empty, tide was low, and I was thirstySaw her sitting at the bar, you know how some girls areAlways making eyes, well she wasn't making eyesSo I sidled up beside her, settled down and shouted, "Hi there.""My name's Stewart Ransom Miller, I'm a serial lady-killer."
― nomar, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 16:36 (seven years ago) link
John Lennon's "Hold On, John"
Hold on JohnJohn hold on, it's gonna be alrightYou're gonna win the fight
― and this section is called boner (Phil D.), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 16:55 (seven years ago) link
Some of those Mark E. Smith examples:
This is Mr. and Mrs. SmithTo whom you are speaking
And sometimes they say"Hey Mark, you're spoiling all the paintwork"
Watch out makers of fadsIt's MES in shoulder pads
― new noise, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 17:06 (seven years ago) link
― how's life, Wednesday, December 7, 2016 6:52 AM (five hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Yes! Also, "Theme Song"
"To create, you must destroy / Smash a glass and cry, Too Much Joy"
― rhymes with "blondie blast" (cryptosicko), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 17:13 (seven years ago) link
Move over, Rover,And let Jimi take over
― dinnerboat, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 17:16 (seven years ago) link
(Sorry, from 'Turn Blue'.)
― Likely? No. Possible? Absolutely. Iffy? Can't say. Doubtful? Maybe. (Old Lunch), Thursday, 16 February 2017 14:20 (seven years ago) link
Cheap Trick, "Surrender"
towards the end: "Robin's alright, Tommy's alright, Bun E's alright, Rick's alright"
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 16 February 2017 16:33 (seven years ago) link
mandy moore "candy"
― dyl, Thursday, 16 February 2017 16:49 (seven years ago) link
There's that one of the fifty-billion versions of "Two Tribes" where they do a roll call before "Mine is the last voice that you will ever hear."
― Mr. Snrub, Thursday, 16 February 2017 17:46 (seven years ago) link
No my first name ain't babyIt's JanetMiss Jackson if you're nasty
― Ex Slacker, Monday, 20 February 2017 06:45 (seven years ago) link
Beatles - Glass Onion
"...the walrus was Paul..."
― LimbsKing, Monday, 20 February 2017 11:22 (seven years ago) link
White Stripes - It's True That We Love One Another
...I love Jack White like a little brother.
There must be more by them, I feel like Jack White talks about himself a lot
― LimbsKing, Monday, 20 February 2017 11:28 (seven years ago) link
Beatles - Glass Onion"...the walrus was Paul..."
that was John singing, though.
― AlXTC from Paris, Monday, 20 February 2017 12:19 (seven years ago) link
Jonathan Richman thirded. Also came to mention some additional Lou Reed, from "Coney Island Baby," but it was already mentioned on this similar thread: Songs where the singer mentions his own name
― Louder Than Borads (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 20 February 2017 13:28 (seven years ago) link
Said Captain, said WOT?
― Mark G, Monday, 20 February 2017 13:32 (seven years ago) link
although, that's rap, I guess...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_YYC2N_lxY
also: michael chapman - wrecked again... & i seem to recall lee hazlewood did this on occasion
― no lime tangier, Monday, 20 February 2017 13:36 (seven years ago) link
Stevie Wonder - Please Don't Go
so baby please don't leavedon't leave Steve
Pet Shop Boys - Single Bilingual
and after work explain how I feel"Perdóneme, me llamo Neil"
― soref, Thursday, 23 November 2017 13:03 (six years ago) link
Kevin Barnes from of Montreal does this a fair bit.
The voice said, "Don't worry, friendThe darkness is just a suggestionNo, don't worry, kidThe darkness is just suggestionNo, don't worry, Kevin"
― Fox Mulder, FYI (dog latin), Thursday, 23 November 2017 13:59 (six years ago) link
Serge Gainsbourg has done that a lot (even a whole album : "L'Homme A Tête De Chou" !)
― AlXTC from Paris, Thursday, 23 November 2017 14:04 (six years ago) link
So basically, as this thread proves, it's a common songwriting trick.
― AlXTC from Paris, Thursday, 23 November 2017 14:06 (six years ago) link
Burton to this Taylor
― AlanSmithee, Thursday, 23 November 2017 15:28 (six years ago) link
Tori references herself as "T" in the song Twinkle
― In a slipshod style (Ross), Thursday, 23 November 2017 16:59 (six years ago) link
Yeah, this sort of division is interesting... Based on these answers I might suggest that these lyrics can be divided into three categories:1) Lyrics where the vocalist is doing a narrative about his artist persona, so the name-calling refers to that. Typically they are using their artist name (Bootsy, Madonna, Nas, Flavor Flav, Mr. Mercury, etc) if they have one, and not their birth name. These are very common in rap, and also appear in soul, R&B, and funk, but seem to be pretty rare in other genres, and often the examples in other genres ("it's Britney, bitch") seem to be inluenced by rap.2) Lyrics where the vocalist is doing a first-person narrative, but it isn't about his artist persona rather than something that happened to him as a "regular" person (rather than as a famous musician). Often the name is only referred to when another person in the narrative mentions it (she started screaming, "Mike!"; but my darling says, "Leonard, just let it go by"; she said, "Gordie, baby, I know exactly what you mean"). Type 2 seems to by way more common in rock and pop than type 1.3) Lyrics that emulate call-and-response in live performances, where the name-calling is outside the context of the lyrical narrative. Can be found in any genres where call-and-response is common in actual live performances.Of course there's also overlap between these categories, but IMO it's interesting that type 1 is often associated with "black" popular music, and type 2 with "white" popular music. I'm sure there's plenty of studies on differences between the lyrical styles of, say, rap and rock, so I guess this would be a part of a larger difference in how narratives are constructed in these genres?
I'd still be interested in discussing these differences.
― Tuomas, Tuesday, 5 February 2019 08:49 (five years ago) link
The table is rumblingThe glass is moving"No, I was not pushing that time"It spells : S.T.E.V.E.N
Morrissey, obv.
― fetter, Tuesday, 5 February 2019 12:05 (five years ago) link
Freddie Slack of the Will Bradley Trio “Down the Road Apiece”:
“The drummer-man’s a guy they call Eight-Beat MackYou remember Doc and old ‘Beat Me Daddy’ Slack”
And then later on the Stones updated it for Charlie Watts:
“The drummer's man's a cat they call Charlie McCoyYou know, remember that rubber-legged boy?”
― Mr. Snrub, Tuesday, 5 February 2019 12:32 (five years ago) link
Hideous Lump brought up the B-52s upthread - add "Wig" to their resume for this one, also in the "Ready, Steve? Andy?" genre which should also include the Ramones' "Little Ramona."Nilsson must have done this a bunch, though examples aren't popping into my mind.In "Piano Man" we learn of a bartender who addresses the singer as "Bill.""They Might Be Giants" and "Big Country" are borderline cases, I suppose, since they are just using these phrases in lyrics, not singing about the band.
― |Restore| |Restart| |Quit| (Doctor Casino), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 12:54 (five years ago) link
"We've been trying to reach you, Thom"
― days of being riled (zchyrs), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 14:50 (five years ago) link
Let's go to Luckenbach, TexasWith Waylon and Willie and the boysThis successful life we're livin' got us feudin'Like the Hatfield and McCoys
Willie Nelson does a duet w/ Kacey Musgraves called "A Willie Nice Christmas"
― We were never Breeting Borting (President Keyes), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 15:08 (five years ago) link
I cheated on you, you cheated on meAnd this is not the way that things supposed to beSo tell me girl, is this for real or just an illusion?I pinch myself to make sure that Wyclef ain't dreamin'
Wyclef - Cheated (Rock Remix)
― |Restore| |Restart| |Quit| (Doctor Casino), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 15:34 (five years ago) link
There was that one song on Liz Phair’s terrible s/t record where she sings “you don’t even know who Liz Phair is.”
― Timothée Charalambides (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 15:49 (five years ago) link
Are you State Phair?Are you Play Phair?Are you Trade Phair?Who wants to know? Who wants to know?
― |Restore| |Restart| |Quit| (Doctor Casino), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 16:20 (five years ago) link
My wife lies down in a chairAnd peels a pearI know she's thereI'm making coffee for twoJust me and youBut I come back in with coffee for threeCoffee for three?
My dead wife sits in a chairCombing her hairI know she's thereShe wanders off to the bedShaking her head"Robyn," she said"You know I don't take sugar!"
― valet doberman (Jon not Jon), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 16:30 (five years ago) link
didn't see my favourite mentioned, from Sly's 'Thankful & Thoughtful':
someone should've comeand taken me awaybut the main man thought Syl should be here another dayand that's why I've got to bethankful/thoughtful
― whitehallunity, Tuesday, 5 February 2019 18:24 (five years ago) link
Girlpool - "Dear Nora"
In SF we were driving over bridgesWe were singing to "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"Cleo was tiredHarmony was hyperWe switched drivingIn the middle of the highway
― flappy bird, Tuesday, 5 February 2019 19:27 (five years ago) link
Blind Willie McTell. So many blues artists did this...
― Sam Weller, Wednesday, 6 February 2019 08:12 (five years ago) link
Answer the phone"Harry, you're no good aloneWhy are you sitting at home on the floor?What kind of pills are you on?"Ringin' the bellAnd nobody's coming to helpYour daddy lives by himselfHe just wants to know that you're wellHarry Styles • As It Was
― middot • is • my • middle • name (breastcrawl), Thursday, 21 April 2022 07:05 (two years ago) link