Songs that were written in response to, or about, other songs

If taken at face value it is just a dick song; I guess the best way to rescue it is to assume irony, or to assume the speaker is a put-on character who is being satirized for the shallowness of his dismissal of millions of people's lives.

For some reason I vaguely thought Byrne was from Columbia (MD) but upon looking it up he actually lived in Arbutus, which is grittier. Not urban or rural but not dreamily suburban either; my feeling is that it had a somewhat blue-collary vibe in the 70s.

I think it’s way more entertaining when taken at face value! It’s a funny rant, and it’s funnier with no ambivalence.

^ otm

Kind of an odd album-closer, IMO.

maybe it's ironic. or maybe he's just not bringing up the small-mindedness and ignorance endemic to those places because he doesn't have to. (not everyone out there is small-minded and ignorant, of course... just the people who run things.)

and hey, a self-aware asshole is still an asshole.

ok.

In my mind the "answer song" category widens to include things like "Okie from Muskogee" and "Perfectly Good Guitar," which are answers to broader stimuli than just one song.

"The Takeover" and "Ether" obviously

Dean Friedman - A Baker's Tale in response to Half Man Half Biscuit - The Bastard Son of Dean Friedman

The Beatles - "Taxman"
Cheap Trick - "Taxman, Mr. Thief"

Bing Crosby - "Pennies From Heaven", "Love Thy Neighbor", "The Last Roundup"
Van Dyke Parks - "Bing Crosby"

Bing has a way of singing with his very heart and soul
Which captivates the world
His millions of listeners never fail to rejoice
At his golden voice
They love to hear his la di da di da
So sweetly with such harmony
Thrilling the world with his melody

I wonder if you heard him singing the song
"May I Be the One to Say I"
I wonder if you heard again
Everytime It Rains It Rains Pennies from Heaven
But Love Thy Neighbor was a most thrilling song
And Get Along Little Dogie Get Along
Unanimously three cheers for
Mr Bing Crosby

T-Rex - "Children of the Revolution", "Born to Boogie"
David Bowie - "Lady Stardust" (originally titled "Song for Marc"), "Star Man"

"Children of the Revolution" was a song they were working on at the time so it seems like this is Bowie giving a shout out to his friend's new single. "Starman" I always felt was about "Get It On" and T-Rex blowing up. "Born to boogie" was the movie/live show they were making with Ringo at the time, for sure he knew about it. thus "Let all the children boogie"

Robyn Hitchcock - Listening to the Higsons

About mishearing the lyrics of “gotta let this heat out”