B-52's: "Debbie" (Debbie Harry)
― Precious, Grace, Hill & Beard LTD. (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 12 October 2021 05:49 (two years ago) link
David Bowie: "Song for Bob Dylan"Tim Hardin: "Tribute to Hank Williams"Roberta Flack et al: "Killing Me Softly with His Song" (Don McLean)The Fall: "I Am Damo Suzuki"George Harrison: "Pure Smokey" (Robinson)
― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 01:06 (two years ago) link
^Loudon
― Spiral Scratchiti (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 13 October 2021 01:10 (two years ago) link
Ian Dury: "Sweet Gene Vincent"
― m0stly clean (Slowsquatch), Wednesday, 13 October 2021 01:11 (two years ago) link
Billy Bragg: "Levi Stubb's Tears"
I have no doubt it was autocorrect that was the culprit though/xp
― Spiral Scratchiti (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 13 October 2021 01:11 (two years ago) link
Heinz - “Just Like Eddie” (Eddie Cochran)
― Josefa, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 01:16 (two years ago) link
feel like there were some more notable aretha tributes in the 70s but i can't find them atm
George Jackson: Aretha, Sing One for Me
― bulb after bulb, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 01:23 (two years ago) link
that's what i was thinking of! spotify throws both of those songs at me every chance it gets
― ✖, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 01:28 (two years ago) link
Cornershop - “Brimful of Asha” (Asha Bhosle)
― Josefa, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 01:31 (two years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DczFkofRtuA
― xzanfar, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 01:40 (two years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp0JLqc8oTQ
― xzanfar, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 01:42 (two years ago) link
Waylon Jennings: "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way"
David Alan Coe: "Waylon, Willie & Me"
― m0stly clean (Slowsquatch), Wednesday, 13 October 2021 03:18 (two years ago) link
Daniel Johnson: "Ain't No Woman Gonna Make A George Jones Outta Me"
― m0stly clean (Slowsquatch), Wednesday, 13 October 2021 03:19 (two years ago) link
The Band: "Bessie Smith"
― Precious, Grace, Hill & Beard LTD. (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 13 October 2021 03:26 (two years ago) link
speaking of: katie's been gone is supposedly about karen dalton, as is the holy modal rounders sally in the alley (though can't remember where i read that)
― no lime tangier, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 03:37 (two years ago) link
Dave Alvin "Johnny Ace is Dead"
― earlnash, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 10:46 (two years ago) link
Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper "Elvis is Everywhere"
Classic.
Thelonius Monster "Sammy Hagar Weekend"
― earlnash, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 10:54 (two years ago) link
American Music Club - Johnny Mathis' Feet
― ledge, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 10:56 (two years ago) link
Led Zeppelin - Hats Off to (Roy) HarperAtom & His Package - Hats Off to Halford
― peace, man, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 11:30 (two years ago) link
the Who - “God Speaks of Marty Robbins,” “Real Good Looking Boy” (the latter about Elvis)
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 13 October 2021 11:56 (two years ago) link
Sparks "Lighten Up, Morrissey"Warlock Pinchers "Morrissey Rides a Cockhorse"
― fetter, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 12:21 (two years ago) link
songs that earnestly extol the greatness of another singer.
― Kim Kimberly, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 12:26 (two years ago) link
The Lion - "Bing Crosby" and "The Four Mills Brothers" (covered by Van Dyke Parks on Discover America)Makes me wonder whether songs earnestly praising other singers were a common trope in 30s/40s Calypso music, or whether it was a quirk unique to the Roaring Lion. Should probably look into this...
― J. Sam, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 12:41 (two years ago) link
Todd Rundgren - "Baby Let's Swing" (Laura Nyro)Cosmic Rough Riders - "Laura Nyro"
― henry s, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 12:50 (two years ago) link
Jimmy Webb - "P.F. Sloan"
― J. Sam, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 13:06 (two years ago) link
I was going to mention that one but that's really about him as a songwriter.
Madness, "Prince Buster"
― Starmer: "Let the children boogie, let all the children boogie." (Tom D.), Wednesday, 13 October 2021 13:13 (two years ago) link
Yeah I was on the fence about "P.F. Sloan" but he literally says "listen to him singing" so I'd count it. Prefab Sprout's "The Songs of Danny Galway" (about Webb) seems to be just about the songs tho
― J. Sam, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 13:23 (two years ago) link
Sparks "Lighten Up, Morrissey"Warlock Pinchers "Morrissey Rides a Cockhorse"also not extolling the greatness:Mr Floppy “100,000 Morrisseys”
― bobo honkin' slobo babe (sic), Wednesday, 13 October 2021 14:53 (two years ago) link
Sparks also have “Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me),” and “When Do I Get To Sing ‘My Way’?” in which the singer aspires to the heights of Frank Sinatra, or failing that, Sid Vicious.Makes me wonder whether songs earnestly praising other singers were a common trope in 30s/40s Calypso musicSinatra also praised in the Calypso record “Bobby Sox Idol” by Wilmoth Houdini, sampled by The Avalanches on “Frankie Sinatra,” with lightly Sinatra-referencing lyrics by Danny Brown.
― bobo honkin' slobo babe (sic), Wednesday, 13 October 2021 15:04 (two years ago) link
The Knife - You Take My Breath Away is mutual lovein by/about Karin + Jenny Wilson
"I'm in the first row on your show, in the first rowOn the First Floor Power showYour vibrato's like vulnerable leavesYou do it crazy, that's how you talk to me"
"I heard you for the first time on the radioWhen I was going somewhere in a carYou touched my heart, like a knife that's very sharp"
― kinder, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 15:13 (two years ago) link
The Mountain Goats have lots about artists in other nonmusical media but some fitting this thread include:"Song for Dennis Brown""Andrew Eldritch is Moving Back to Leeds""Abandoned Flesh" (Gene Loves Jezebel)"Waylon Jennings Live!"
It's not about a singer or by a singer but my favorite musical elegy song is "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" by Charles Mingus about Lester Young. I know I've heard versions with lyrics that someone wrote to it, can't remember who.
― Lavator Shemmelpennick, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 15:19 (two years ago) link
The band Helen Love has multiple songs about Joey Ramone, and the song “Debbie Loves Joey” adds Deborah Harry as a metaphor for glamour and excitement felt by teenage lovers.Another act used as a relationship metaphor: “We’re The Pet Shop Boys” by My Robot Friend.(also covered by the Pet Shop Boys live, as a B-side, and backing Robbie Williams.)
― bobo honkin' slobo babe (sic), Wednesday, 13 October 2021 15:37 (two years ago) link
(love Helen Love)
Dylan:
"Song to Woody Guthrie" (also "Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie")"Blind Willie McTell""High Water (For Charlie Patton)""Roll On John" (Lennon)"Mr. Tambourine Man" (Bruce Langhorne)
― bulb after bulb, Wednesday, 13 October 2021 15:58 (two years ago) link