Songs where the singer mentions his own name

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My Name Is Prince - Prince
Love Action - Human League

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Scritti Politti - "Overnite", except it's the backing vocalists going "Tell Us About It, Green" and it's one of the great pop moments ever.

― Ferlin Husky (noodle vague), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:48 (twenty-one years ago)

r.e.m - kohoutek "michael build a bridge..."

― Aaron A., Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:49 (twenty-one years ago)

OTM about Green ;)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:49 (twenty-one years ago)

There's at least one more SP song where he refers to himself but I'm buggered if I can remember what it is right now.

The Fall - "Shoulder Pads"

― Ferlin Husky (noodle vague), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:51 (twenty-one years ago)

shall we exclude the entire hip-hop genre to save time?

Black Box Recorder - Andrew Ridgeley
Leonard Cohen - Famous Blue Raincoat

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:52 (twenty-one years ago)

and the Liz Phair one where she sings "you don't even know who Liz Phair is".

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Eminem (in all his guises) to thread.
(whoops x-post)

Okay, in Ouija Board, Ouija Board Moz spells out S.T.E.V.E.N. Will that do?

― David Merryweather (DavidM), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:54 (twenty-one years ago)

The Auteurs - "Some Changes" ("Pleased to meet you, Mr. Haines")

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I seem to recall there is one ABC song where Martin Fry mentions his name, but I cannot figure out which one.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 00:55 (twenty-one years ago)

The following people performing "Sweet Soul Music":

James Brown
Sam and Dave

― Ferlin Husky (noodle vague), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Minor Threat - Cashing In

"How do you do? I don't think that we've met. My name is Ian and I'm in Minor Threat."

― Ben Dot (1977), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:14 (twenty-one years ago)

"my love is a flower just begining to bloom" - jonathan richman
("jonathan's gotta be patient")

― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:16 (twenty-one years ago)

there's any number of JSBX songs...

― Jimmy Mod Has Returned With Spices And Silks (ModJ), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:18 (twenty-one years ago)

OK Found it. ABC: The Look Of Love:
"And though my friends might ask me: They say, Maybe, Martin, one day you'll find true love"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Set The Controls For the Heart Of The Pelvis with Jarv...

― Jimmy Mod Has Returned With Spices And Silks (ModJ), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:21 (twenty-one years ago)

A bit more sublime: Jarvis Cocker: "I'm Not Jesus, but I have the same initials"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:22 (twenty-one years ago)

"Perdoneme, me llamo Neil" – Pet Shop Boys, "Bilingual"

"The crowd gasps at Cocker's masterful control of the bicycle" – Pulp, "I Spy"

"Hey Annie, well, look at you! Is that a new boy stuck on your shoe?"

xpost crikey, triple jarvis

― OleM (OleM), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:23 (twenty-one years ago)

unconfirmed: "Janky" by Jandek

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:24 (twenty-one years ago)

a shitload of Spearmint songs. probably more than without

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Supposed to be said by somebody else, but still belongs in this thread rather than the other one:
"Paddy Joe! Hey! Paddy Joe! Don't you remember me?"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:26 (twenty-one years ago)

About 80-90% of Jerry Lee Lewis' recorded output.

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:27 (twenty-one years ago)

"Heathcliff, it's me, Cathy!"

― OleM (OleM), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:28 (twenty-one years ago)

It's probably cheating to bring rap artists into this, right? Still: "My Name Is," Eminem.

― mike a, Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:30 (twenty-one years ago)

In fact, about any Eminem track if you consider "Slim Shady" and "Marshall Mathers" his own names too.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:31 (twenty-one years ago)

This whole category is a battle between MC Lyte and KMFDM.

― donut debonair (donut), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah, but we're only talking about MEN.. not women, nor bands.. so never mind.

― donut debonair (donut), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Typo on my side. Women may participate too.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Iggy Pop, China Girl - "Oh Jimmy, just you hush your mouth."

― nickn (nickn), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Nation of Ulysses - 50,000 Watts of Good Will
"she was breathing down my throat/saying, 'ian, baby, we could only lose.'"

― mat, Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:43 (twenty-one years ago)

"Ah...The Name Is Bootsy, Baby"

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:43 (twenty-one years ago)

The Doors, "Roadhouse Blues" (if you count anagrams).

Paul Westerberg, "Something is Me"

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:44 (twenty-one years ago)

More Jonathan Richman: "Affection"

(And I think there are still a few more)

― Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:47 (twenty-one years ago)

John Lennon "Hold On"
Ace Frehley "Rock Soldiers"
Alice Cooper "Be My Lover"
Alice Cooper "Hard Hearted Alice"
Queen "My Fairy King"

(isn't "LA Woman" the anagram one?)

― dave q (listerine), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:47 (twenty-one years ago)

live "Coney Island Baby": "Saying hey, hey Lou Reed / There's no way you'll ever be a human being now"

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:49 (twenty-one years ago)

not to be a killjoy, but isn't this a terribly common thing in Western/popular music, as well as anything in the underground?

― donut debonair (donut), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:51 (twenty-one years ago)

"terribly common" ? I think, relative to the totality of recorded pop music, that it's pretty rare.

― The Obligatory Killjoy Thwarter (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Happy Mondays - "Hallelujah"

― Ian Riese-Moraine jumps on it! (Eastern Mantra), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:54 (twenty-one years ago)

"Fire": "Move over, Rover, and let Jimi take over."

"Bo Diddley," "Who Do You Love?"

― Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 10 March 2005 01:59 (twenty-one years ago)

"terribly common" ? I think, relative to the totality of recorded pop music, that it's pretty rare.

True, Oblig, but in the context of an ILM thread, it isn't.

Ah, I'll just fuck off, already. Sorry I said anything.

― donut debonair (donut), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:00 (twenty-one years ago)

no, Donut, don't fuck off!

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:01 (twenty-one years ago)

FUCK ON!

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:02 (twenty-one years ago)

"Have a Cigar", Pink Floyd

― Joe (Joe), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:02 (twenty-one years ago)

"I Don't Know What You Got"- Little Richard

― Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Does "I Feel for You" by Chaka Khan count?

― Joe (Joe), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:11 (twenty-one years ago)

She says, "Lou, it?'s the beginning of a great adventure.
Lou, Lou, Lou, beginning of a great adventure."

― weath'D, Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Fall 'Last Commands of Xyralothep Via M.E.S.'
The vocal testament of M.E.S

― Marcel Verhoeven (Marcel Verhoeven), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:20 (twenty-one years ago)

no, Donut, don't fuck off!
-- The Obligatory Sourpuss (expresso222...), March 10th, 2005.

FUCK ON!

"Come on, get your fuck on..."

― Ian Riese-Moraine (Eastern Mantra), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Harry Chapin, "There Only Was One Choice."

Also, two band self-drops:

"I wanted her to be a big PM Dawn fan."

"They got the Steely Dan t-shirts."

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Chante Moore, "Chante's Got a Man"

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 10 March 2005 02:50 (twenty-one years ago)

"Hello, I'm Terry, and I'm going to enjoy myself first "

― Curt (cgould), Thursday, 10 March 2005 03:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Montana Pete's singer, in White Lightening

Listen for yourself: http://www.montanapete.co.uk/montanapete/MP3/Montana%20Pete%20-%20White%20Lightning.mp3

Seems to be a bit of a spoof though.

― Sasha (sgh), Thursday, 10 March 2005 03:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Haywood's Ted Pauly in "Alpenland."

― BlastsOfStatic (BlastsofStatic), Thursday, 10 March 2005 03:49 (twenty-one years ago)

White Stripes - "Lord, Send Me an Angel" (Blind Willie McTell):

"These Detroit women won't let Mr. Jack White rest"

White Stripes - "Boll Weevil":

"Tell 'em it was Jackie White / He done been here and gone"

― PB, Thursday, 10 March 2005 03:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Jeeze, nobody's mentioned my all-time fave (where the rhyme hampers every attempt at a cover version).

Ray Charles, "I Believe To My Soul."

― Dock Miles (Dock Miles), Thursday, 10 March 2005 04:54 (twenty-one years ago)

"Come on Everybody and listen to Chris,
there's a great new dance and it goes like this.."

Chris Bailey in the Saints' 'Do the Robot'

― Seuss, Thursday, 10 March 2005 05:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Jerry Lee Lewis. "Lewis Boogie" and 12, 347 others. Does anyone mention his own name MORE? Gotta love him.

― d. geffen, Thursday, 10 March 2005 05:08 (twenty-one years ago)

You can get hip-hop in by using any song where the rapper mentions himself by his given name rather than his MC name, eg. Eminem referring to "Marshall" counts but not referring to Em or Slim.

― carl w (carl w), Thursday, 10 March 2005 05:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Gregory Isaacs "Night Nurse"

A patient by the name of Gregory ...

― robert m (treble), Thursday, 10 March 2005 09:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Stars - 'What The Snowman Learned About Love' (well, it's really the *band* introducing themselves, but they have 2 singers and makes more sense here than on the other thread)

Kiley Dean - 'Busy' (backing Kileys: "Kiley, don't you be so mean")

"No, my first name ain't "Baby". It's *Janet*, "Miss Jackson" if you nasty."

"Don't fear me baby. It's just Justin."

"Hello, my name is Michelle. Hellooo, my name is Kevin. Helloo, my name is Tony. Hello, My name is Kelly. And my name's Jessica *giggle*" (Richard X vs. Liberty X - 'Being Nobody')

Does Ms. Furtado's first album have a title track?

― BARMS, Thursday, 10 March 2005 10:06 (twenty-one years ago)

"Jesus, this is Iggy."

"David, what shall I do, they wait for me in the hallway?"
And I'll say "Don't ask me, I don't know any hallways"

"KLF, uh uh uh, uh uh uh, KLF.... (etc)."

And I'm sure Paul Barman done did it too. Even me did done it:

"Nicholas, don't be so ridiculous, Nicholas" (The Animal That Desires)

― Momus (Momus), Thursday, 10 March 2005 10:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Paul's disqualified due to the Rap Self-Namecheck Rule.

― BARMS, Thursday, 10 March 2005 11:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Happy Mondays - "Hallelujah"

In case anyone doesn't know this glorious self-reference, it is:
"Hallelujah/Hallelujah/For Shaun William Ryder/Is gonna lie down beside yer/and fill you full of junk"

"KLF, uh uh uh, uh uh uh, KLF.... (etc)."

Probably don't ever count, as it's usually (probably always) backing or guest singers shouting out the band, rather than the singer saying his own name. (Drummond does say "King Boy D" in several JAMs tracks, but that's covered by the hip-hop clause.) (And the only time "Bill" and "Jimmy" per se ever get named on record, it's Gimpo shouting in the distance on Fuck The Millennium...)

You don't get, say, Glenn Hughes going "recovering junkie and dino-metal stand-in Glenn Hughes appreciates the session fee!", it's "the KAAY! EHLLL! EEGHHHHFFGHF! Good NIGHT America! We LAAAAAAAHVE you!"

Er, y'know.

― kit brash (kit brash), Thursday, 10 March 2005 11:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Ms Dynamitee-hee

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 10 March 2005 11:39 (twenty-one years ago)

"KLF, uh uh uh, uh uh uh, KLF.... (etc)."

And they usually made sure to mention their other name as well...

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 10 March 2005 14:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Ani DiFranco, "In Or Out"

Jimmy Ray, "Are You Jimmy Ray?"

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 10 March 2005 15:12 (twenty-one years ago)

OK, shall I be the one to mention "Let's Get Ready to Rumble" by PJ & Duncan then?

"I'm Ant/I'm Declan/a duo/a twosome..."

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 10 March 2005 15:17 (twenty-one years ago)

She says, "Lou, it?'s the beginning of a great adventure.
Lou, Lou, Lou, beginning of a great adventure."

-- weath'D (b...), March 10th, 2005 9:14 PM.

You forgot the best part, before the guitar solo .. "Take it Lou"

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 10 March 2005 15:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Xiu Xiu "Ian Curtis Wishlist"

― Glading the Wanderer, Thursday, 10 March 2005 15:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Another Iggy Pop song: 'Wild America'
She laughed and said "Iggy,
You have got a biggy!"

― Marcel Verhoeven (Marcel Verhoeven), Thursday, 10 March 2005 16:01 (twenty-one years ago)

"Cross the Road, Molina" by Jason Molina of Magnolia Electric Co.

― Jena (JenaP), Thursday, 10 March 2005 16:02 (twenty-one years ago)

OK, howbout ENTIRELY OUTSIDE THIRD PERSON ones? (Singer impersonates someone referring to said singer entirely in third person.)

Only two I can think of right now: The aforementioned Alice Cooper in "Be My Lover" ("...She asked me why the singer's name was Alice") and (assuming it's his own pitch-altered voice) Prince in "Bob George" ("Manages rock stars? Who? Prince!? That skinny motherfucker with the high voice? Please!")

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Thursday, 10 March 2005 16:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Kelis on Richard X - 'Finest Dreams Pt. 2'

Heh, 'Bob George' was just on my mind.

― BARMS, Thursday, 10 March 2005 16:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Also the Sweet, at the start of "Ballroom Blitz" "Ready Steve? Unh huh. Andy?..." (those may not be the names)

― nickn (nickn), Thursday, 10 March 2005 17:06 (twenty-one years ago)

L'Trimm, "Cars With the Boom"

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 10 March 2005 17:14 (twenty-one years ago)

The Fall - "Paintwork"

"Mark, you're spoiling all the paintwork"

― Jon Hope (jarge), Thursday, 10 March 2005 17:22 (twenty-one years ago)

"The Ballad of Billy the Kid" - Billy Joel

― Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 10 March 2005 17:27 (twenty-one years ago)

that Hole song where she sings, "Love hangs herself with the bedsheets in her cell"

― a banana (alanbanana), Thursday, 10 March 2005 17:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Peaches, "Fuck the Pain Away."

― Lyra Jane (Lyra Jane), Thursday, 10 March 2005 17:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Ian Dury & The Blockheads - "I wanna be straight". The whole band does this (in turn) in the intro.

― zebedee (zebedee), Thursday, 10 March 2005 17:42 (twenty-one years ago)

The B-52's - Songs For a Future Generation

― zeus, Thursday, 10 March 2005 17:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Thomas Dolby - "Weightless"

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Thursday, 10 March 2005 18:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Pere Ubu, "Lonesome Cowboy Dave" (which REM covered, with Stipe substituting "My name is Michael"...)

― Jon Hope (jarge), Thursday, 10 March 2005 18:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Kool & the Gang went to see a Kool & the Gang show in "Hollywood Swingin'."

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 10 March 2005 18:56 (twenty-one years ago)

"The Perfect Country and Western Song" as sung by David Allen Coe

― Adam Bruneau (oliver8bit), Thursday, 10 March 2005 18:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Saint Etienne featuring Tim Burgess, "I Was Born On Christmas Day":

"Like those crazy evenings on the yacht
Tim and Sarah went and tied the knot."

or similar.

― darren (darren), Thursday, 10 March 2005 19:33 (twenty-one years ago)

And there's "Ms Jackson if you're nasty !" of course hahaha !!

― darren (darren), Thursday, 10 March 2005 19:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Ok one more: "This Year's Girl #2" - Pizzicato Five

"Namae wa?"
"Nomiya Maki."

― darren (darren), Thursday, 10 March 2005 19:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Poison's cover of "Your Mama Don't Dance"

"...ooh, Bret, this is a breeze..."

― his face was burned off in a flaming crossbow accident (King Kobra), Thursday, 10 March 2005 19:50 (twenty-one years ago)

The Wrens Meadowlands album is filled with this. Ex-Girl Collection, This Boy Is Exhausted...all of Charles Bissel's songs mention the band and himself.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Thursday, 10 March 2005 19:53 (twenty-one years ago)

"This is radio clash on pirate satellite"

"They might be giants"

― white boi, Thursday, 10 March 2005 22:20 (twenty-one years ago)

The Floaters, by turns: Ralph ... Charles ... Larry ... and Paul.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 10 March 2005 22:29 (twenty-one years ago)

"I Was Made to Love Her": "you know Stevie ain't gonna leave her!"

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 10 March 2005 23:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Clarence Carter - Strokin'
Palace - Stable Will
Leonard Cohen - Field Commander Cohen

― Mike Dixn (Mike Dixon), Friday, 11 March 2005 04:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I know there's a T-Rex song - I think on Slider - where Marc Bolan says Bolan's gonna do something. Only heard it a few times..

― Johnny Badlees (crispssssss), Friday, 11 March 2005 15:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Black Flag - Damaged I

"My name is Henry, and you're with me now."

― Ben Dot (1977), Friday, 11 March 2005 19:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Daniel Bejar makes reference to 'Detroyer' on "The Sublimate Hour" and "New Ways of Living"

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Friday, 11 March 2005 20:34 (twenty-one years ago)

More Jojo: "(She's Gonna) Respect Me"

― Ken L (Ken L), Friday, 11 March 2005 20:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I know there's a T-Rex song - I think on Slider - where Marc Bolan says Bolan's gonna do something. Only heard it a few times..

-- Johnny Badlees (gorillanois...), March 11th, 2005.

From "Main Man" : 'Bolan likes to rock now/yes he does/yes he does'

I really thought there was more, he's quite the self-promoter you know?

― Adam Bruneau (oliver8bit), Friday, 11 March 2005 22:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Hank Williams Jr., "Family Tradition"

Jazz Butcher, "Jazz Butcher Meets the Prime Minister"

Captain Sensible, "Wot?"

― Jon Hope (jarge), Saturday, 12 March 2005 11:37 (twenty-one years ago)

In "Do The Bartman", Michael Jackson is namechecked. He also wrote the song...

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 12 March 2005 15:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Annie "Chewing Gum" ("oh hey Annie, you used to be the only girl to take it seriously", etc)

some versions of "Lift" by Radiohead ("we're trying to reach you, Thom")

"Artist's Lament" by Maxi Geil ("oh Guy, Guy, come with me, because you've got work to do all night long.") (His real name is Guy)

R.E.M.'s cover of "Strange" kinda - "Michael's nervous and the lights are bright")

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Saturday, 12 March 2005 18:01 (twenty-one years ago)

what is that one, "Hip Shake," by Slim Harpo, "what do you know/there goes Slim Harpo"...

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Sunday, 13 March 2005 02:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Radiohead, the end of "National Anthem".
"....Thom-om-om-m-m...."

― Zach S, Sunday, 13 March 2005 02:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Sugarplastic - Another Myself ("Benjamin, you are becoming a late riser")

Michael Penn - Selfish ("until then my name is Penn and I am selfish")

― caspar (caspar), Sunday, 13 March 2005 02:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Iggy, Annie, Jerry Lee, Cohen, Lou, the Blockheads, Ray -- all the best ones are doing it!

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Sunday, 13 March 2005 06:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Radiohead had a song called "Lift" they played live sometimes...I'm not sure it was ever recorded.

"You've been stuck
In a lift
We've been trying to reach you, Thom"

― Jessie the Monster (scarymonsterrr), Sunday, 13 March 2005 07:48 (twenty-one years ago)

what's the ray charles song that goes,

"you screamed, 'oh johnny!'/ when you know my name is ray!"

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Sunday, 13 March 2005 07:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Hmmm. Has anyone mentioned "Bruce" by Rick Springfield?

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 13 March 2005 09:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Hippopotamomus.

― darren (darren), Sunday, 13 March 2005 11:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Malkmus comes close in "Blue Hawaiiain" - "when the capital is S it is followed by a T and it's probably me."

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Sunday, 13 March 2005 17:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Rap music.

but first on the scene: "I'm Kurtis Blow and I want you to know..."

― Ian Christe (Ian Christe), Sunday, 13 March 2005 17:11 (twenty-one years ago)

kd lang, the mind of love - "where is your kead, kathryn?"

― lundy fastnet irish sea (cis), Sunday, 13 March 2005 19:00 (twenty-one years ago)

The Brokerdealer, "The Dead Ones Look Like Dolls"

― Paul Eater (eater), Sunday, 13 March 2005 19:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Dee Dee King/Ramone - "Mashed Potato Time" ("No one can beat me at my game / I'm badder than def, Dee Dee King is my name.")

best... rap... album... evah

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Monday, 14 March 2005 01:59 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

Marc Almond in Soft Cell's "Secret Life":

In your little black book,
You've got the names
And the favourite persuasions
Of people in the headlines.
I'm in there under A,
I'm rated under B...

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:36 (nineteen years ago)

um, every jay-z track ever.

― Seriously, Try Punching This Guy in the Face and See What Happens (Enrique), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:38 (nineteen years ago)

Jake Thackray, The Last Will and Testament of Jake Thackray

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:47 (nineteen years ago)

Birthday Party - Nick the Stripper

― bendy (bendy), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:51 (nineteen years ago)

New Order's cover of Sister Ray

Sister Ray said "I love you because your name begins with B"/I said "that's not a very good reason"

― JimD (JimD), Friday, 16 June 2006 10:56 (nineteen years ago)

Both Bobby Bland and Bonnie Prince Billy's versions of "Little Boy blue".

"Used to call me Bobby, little boy blu" / "Used to call me Bonny, little boy blue", followed by some spelling...

― danjel (danjel), Friday, 16 June 2006 11:07 (nineteen years ago)

Hi everybody
I'm Archie Bell of the Drells
From Houston, Texas

― danjel (danjel), Friday, 16 June 2006 11:11 (nineteen years ago)

Someone mentioned Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love"; we need to add the songs "Bo Diddley" and "Hey Bo Diddley" for sure, and I'm fairly certain there are other songs in which he mentions his own name.

― shorty (shorty), Friday, 16 June 2006 11:33 (nineteen years ago)

Songs where the singer mentions his own fake name:

"I feel real phony when my name is Phil, Or was that Bill?"

Love - Forever changes - The red Telephone. it is Arthur of course.

― emekars (emekars), Friday, 16 June 2006 11:41 (nineteen years ago)

New Orleans is Sinking by The Tragically Hip:

Sometimes I feel so good I gotta scream!
She said Gordie baby I know exactly what you mean

― shorty (shorty), Friday, 16 June 2006 11:44 (nineteen years ago)

Any number of Jonathan Richman's songs, but I especially like Affection for:

"And you all know that your pal Jonathan likes to eat food a lot, yes. And I like to do all the things, run around, jump, but for affection..."

― dog latin (dog latin), Friday, 16 June 2006 11:54 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, that is genius

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

Funkadelic, Promentalshitbackwashpsychosisenemasquad (The Doo-Doo Chasers)

"Backstage at a Funkadelic rehearsal
We bring you the doo doo chasers
(Which one is George Clinton?)"

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 11:59 (nineteen years ago)

Bootsy Collins - lots of 'em

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:04 (nineteen years ago)

Sly & the Family Stone, Life

"You might be scared of somethin',
Look at Mr Stewart,
He's the only person he has to fear"

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

John Cale - Autobiography (I think that's what it's called) - the one where he says he's not JJ Cale...

― DAVE, for #1 Hits of yesterday and today! (dave225.3), Friday, 16 June 2006 12:12 (nineteen years ago)

Gee, there's a lot of straightforward, non-hip-hop examples that I thought would have been mentioned in the last 15 months sometime. Some fairly clever ones I like:

Bob Dylan, "You Gotta Serve Somebody" ("You can call me Bobby / Or you can call me Zimmy")

Old 97s (Rhett Miller), "Great Barrier Reef" ("My name's Stewart Ransome Miller / I'm a serial lady killer")

Simon & Garfunkel, "A Simple Desultory Phillipic" ("I been Roy Haleed and Art Garfunkeled")

I don't really remember the lyrics, but it seems impossible to me that John Lennon and/or Yoko Ono don't namecheck themselves (as opposed to the other one) at some point.

It's almost as common in the blues as in hip-hop, so maybe blues shouldn't count either. From Robert Johnson, "Crossroad Blues" ("Save poor Bob if you please") to Junior Kimbrough, "All Night Long" ("I hear you call my name / Junior, I love you"), to a zillion "____ is gonna love you like a natch'ral man"s.

― Vornado (Vornado), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:00 (nineteen years ago)

live "Coney Island Baby": "Saying hey, hey Lou Reed / There's no way you'll ever be a human being now"

Or studio "Coney Island Baby":

"This one goes out to Lou and Rachel
And all the kids at at PS 192"

And then there's "My Old Man":

"And can you believe what he said to me
He said, "Lou, act like a man""

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:09 (nineteen years ago)

Songs where the singer mentions his own fake name:
"I feel real phony when my name is Phil, Or was that Bill?"
Love - Forever changes - The red Telephone. it is Arthur of course.
-- emekars (francobomban...) (webmail), Today 12:41 PM. (later) (link)

Paul Simon and "You can call me Al" about some party leaver who said "Thanks for inviting me, Al, and give my love to Betty" about his then wife Peggy.

Why he was doing songs about his previous wife I don't know.

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:39 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe it's Bettye, the ex-wife of Lou Reed, as in Lou's "Wild Child":

"I was talking to Bettye about her auditions
How they made her ill..."

― Il mio nome e' Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 16 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

In Cactus by the Pixies someone spells out the pixies in a whisper

― marbles (marbles), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

sparks' 'wacky women' with one of the greatest opening lines ever:

HELLO EVERYBODY THIS IS RUSSELL
and right before I sing I'm gonna make a muscle...

― tiniestbee (tiniestbee), Friday, 16 June 2006 21:12 (nineteen years ago)

Heavenly, "Escort Crash on Marston Street" -- a rare instance of the singer referring to herself posthumously: "You've murdered Amelia / Pete can no longer play guitar..." (And the chorus mentions the whole band -- rhyming the title with "Mathew, Amy, Rob, and Pete".)

― Pessimist (Pessimist), Friday, 16 June 2006 21:23 (nineteen years ago)

>>>>sparks' 'wacky women' with one of the greatest opening lines ever:
HELLO EVERYBODY THIS IS RUSSELL
and right before I sing I'm gonna make a muscle...

― Candice DeLorenzo (divifold), Saturday, 17 June 2006 06:24 (nineteen years ago)

amen!

― Candice DeLorenzo (divifold), Saturday, 17 June 2006 06:25 (nineteen years ago)

Mostly anything by AFRIRAMPO!!!!!!!!!!

― xgurggleglgllg (xgurggleglgllg), Saturday, 17 June 2006 09:31 (nineteen years ago)

Loudon Wainwright III "They spelled my name wrong again"

― StanM (StanM), Saturday, 17 June 2006 10:14 (nineteen years ago)

You can get hip-hop in by using any song where the rapper mentions himself by his given name rather than his MC name, eg. Eminem referring to "Marshall" counts but not referring to Em or Slim.

"You're the kind of guy that girl ignored
I'm drivin Caddy, you fixin a Ford
My name is Joseph Simmons but my middle name's Lord
and when I'm rockin on the mic, you should all applaud"

"You know it's hell when I come through
The life and times of Shawn Carter nigga volume two"

― Marmot 4-Tay (marmotwolof), Saturday, 17 June 2006 10:27 (nineteen years ago)

Ah, here's a Loudon Wainwright III one, from "Movies Are A Mother To Me":

"There's nothing like the silver screen
To patch things up, to intervene
To bridge the gap that lies between
Loudon and himself"

― Marmot 4-Tay (marmotwolof), Saturday, 17 June 2006 10:31 (nineteen years ago)

The chameleons-Don't fall. Mark Burgess sings : " Mark, Mark above everything else ".

― xavier dechamps (isabelle), Saturday, 17 June 2006 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

Invisible Hate by Witchfinder General. Zeeb the singer, shouts "Zeeb!"

― Urnst Kouch (Urnst Kouch), Saturday, 17 June 2006 15:50 (nineteen years ago)

MIKE JONES!!!!

― Jena (JenaP), Saturday, 17 June 2006 16:27 (nineteen years ago)

There's at least one Jason Anderson song that does this, but I'm not sure which it is. Might as well be all of them, though. Not that I don't like the guy.

― Steve Go1dberg (Steve Schneeberg), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

"Black Cab" - Jens Lekman

― Richard Baez (Johnny Logic), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:20 (nineteen years ago)

Slim Harpo, "Shake Your Hips"

(Jagger retains the namecheck on Exile)

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Saturday, 17 June 2006 19:31 (nineteen years ago)

The Pipettes - "We Are The Pipettes"

― daavid (daavid), Saturday, 17 June 2006 20:51 (nineteen years ago)

The Fall - I Am Damo Suzuki

― Turangalila (Salvador), Saturday, 17 June 2006 21:46 (nineteen years ago)

Hey Johnny, hey Dee Dee
Little Tom and Joey
You know we're goin' over
Sweet sweet little Ramona

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Sunday, 18 June 2006 00:28 (nineteen years ago)

Somebody called me on the phone
they said hey, is Dee Dee home
do you wanna take a walk
do ya wanna go and cop
do ya wanna go get some chinese rocks?

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Sunday, 18 June 2006 00:35 (nineteen years ago)

four years pass...

1. beastie boys - fight for your right

― Zeno, Sunday, 29 August 2010 15:27 (fifteen years ago)

COME ON U CUNT LET'S 'AVE SOME APHEX ACID

― glutinous maximus (corey), Sunday, 29 August 2010 15:35 (fifteen years ago)

Megadeth - Lucretia

"My friends all say Dave your(sic) mental anyway"

― funky brewster (San Te), Sunday, 29 August 2010 15:40 (fifteen years ago)

Dexys Midnight Runners-Kevin Rowland's 13th Time

"My name is Kevin Rowland, I'm the leader of the band"

― Kitchen Person, Sunday, 29 August 2010 15:57 (fifteen years ago)

The Mountain Goats, "Going to Cleveland", on some next-level shit:

I hear the Cuyahoga calling, now I know
What I was born for
And you say, "Hey John, where are you going?"
But that's not my name anymore

― I.C.P. Freely (bernard snowy), Sunday, 29 August 2010 16:14 (fifteen years ago)

he goes by his ILX name now

― funky brewster (San Te), Sunday, 29 August 2010 16:50 (fifteen years ago)

Sweet -Ballroom blitz.
"ready steve? andy? mick? allright fellows! let's go!!!!"

― nakamura, Sunday, 29 August 2010 17:52 (fifteen years ago)

Julian Cope – Julian H. Cope

― Neggin' you crapative (NickB), Sunday, 29 August 2010 21:16 (fifteen years ago)

The Bonzo Dog Band - The Intro and the Outro ("Hi Vivian Stanshall, trumpet!")
Plus Viv names other band members in "The Bride Stripped Bare by 'Bachelors'" and "Look At Me I'm Wonderful")

The Roches - We ("We are Maggie and Terre and Suzzy / We spell our last name R-O-C-H-E")
The Death of Suzzy Roche ("Everyone in the laundromat is equal / Suzzy Roche")

Randy Newman - My Life Is Good (Purportedly quoting Springsteen: "Rand, I'm tired / How would you like to be the Boss for a while?")

David Bowie - Can't Help Thinking About Me ("My girl calls my name / Hi Dave")

Electric Light Orchestra - Shine a Little Love (the backing vox sing "E-L-O" near the end)

― Hideous Lump, Sunday, 29 August 2010 21:47 (fifteen years ago)

John Mayer, "Stop This Train"

― Mr. Murakami, Monday, 30 August 2010 03:31 (fifteen years ago)

Another Leonard Cohen one: "Because Of"

"Look at me, Leonard,
Look at me one last time."

― StanM, Monday, 30 August 2010 16:42 (fifteen years ago)

Freddie Mercury: "Mr. Bad Guy"

"Mr. Bad Guy
Yes, I'm everybody's Mr. Bad Guy
Can't you see, I'm Mr. Mercury
Oh, spread your wings and fly away with me."

― Tuomas, Monday, 30 August 2010 16:58 (fifteen years ago)

James Brown: "Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto"

"Santa Claus, go straight to the ghetto
Tell 'em James Brown sent you
And go straight to the ghetto."

― Tuomas, Monday, 30 August 2010 17:02 (fifteen years ago)

Hi boys and girls, I'm Jimmy Carl Black and I'm the indian of the group.

― rhythm fixated member (chap), Monday, 30 August 2010 17:03 (fifteen years ago)

dude, geir, you mention ABC upthread, bu you forgot the best one!

Ladies and gentlemen, it's my proud privilege to present:
A-B-C

My name is Martin Fry, F-R-Y
Who needs the moon, when we got the stars?

(A-B-C, A-B-C)

Mark White (That's right)
Mark White
Mark White (That's right)
Mark White (Right, right)

(A-B-C, A-B-C)

Hi, I'm Eden
I want you to kiss my snatch

(A-B-C, A-B-C)

Howdy disco citizens
I'm David Yarritu
I may be tiny (tiny), but I'm strong

(A-B-C, A-B-C)

(A-B-C)

(That's all)

― scott seward, Monday, 30 August 2010 17:17 (fifteen years ago)

TG - Something Came Over Me

"And that's the message, the message, the message from Gen"

― Deluxe Merseybeat Wig (Jack Battery-Pack), Monday, 30 August 2010 18:24 (fifteen years ago)

Al Stewart, "You Should Have Listened to Al":

"I guess I was doing all right up until now
I'm beginning to think you should have listened to Al"

― margana (anagram), Monday, 30 August 2010 19:32 (fifteen years ago)

Robert Cray:
"It's because of me
It's because of me
Because of me
Young Bob!"

Also self-refers in Bad Influence and I imagine some others.

― rat bat bruce, Monday, 30 August 2010 19:36 (fifteen years ago)

About 80-90% of Jerry Lee Lewis' recorded output.

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Thursday, March 10, 2005

listening to Lewis Country recently I decided that Jerry Lee mentioning his own name in damn near every song = Hitchcock appearing in his own movies

― parasitic mistletoe (m coleman), Monday, 30 August 2010 20:46 (fifteen years ago)

I hope that Bo Diddley is mentioned in this thread somewhere.

― Neggin' you crapative (NickB), Monday, 30 August 2010 20:51 (fifteen years ago)

Oh, dang! How could Bo Diddley have only arrived in this thread so late? Nice one, Nick.

Lennon, from "God": "I was the Walrus but now I'm John."
Also see "Ballad of John & Yoko".

― spazzercise (staggerlee), Wednesday, 1 September 2010 22:24 (fifteen years ago)

two months pass...

Radiohead - Lift

(We've been trying to reach you, Thom)

― Moka, Wednesday, 3 November 2010 22:55 (fifteen years ago)

Goddo's "Sweet Young Thing" (speaking to a groupie): "You like the fact I'm in the Goddo band..."

― clemenza, Wednesday, 3 November 2010 22:57 (fifteen years ago)

Waylon Jennings -Luckenbach, Texas

("Willie and Waylon and the boys...")

― sonofstan, Wednesday, 3 November 2010 22:59 (fifteen years ago)

Sufjan Stevens finds a slant-rhyme for "Vesuvius":

Vesuvius
Oh, be kind
It hasn't occurred
No it hasn't been said
Sufjan, follow the path
It leads to an article of imminent death
Sufjan, follow your heart
Follow the flame
Or fall on the floor
Sufjan, the panic inside
The murdering ghost
That you cannot ignore

― like a musical album. made by a band. (fucking in the streets), Wednesday, 3 November 2010 23:07 (fifteen years ago)

ten years pass...

Omah Lay in "Godly", simultaneously rejoicing in and lamenting the sound of his name now that he has become an overnight star in Nigeria and far beyond:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqUd72pK15Y

#thepriceoffame

― obsessed with quality over quantity or the need to produce tracks (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 30 December 2020 12:50 (five years ago)

Jeffrey Lee Pierce picking up on the Robert Johnson self reference in Preachin the Blues and singing come on ol' Jeffrey Lee know can't hardly turn it around

― Stevolende, Wednesday, 30 December 2020 13:39 (five years ago)

Happens many times on Jacques Brel's "Grand Jacques (c'est trop facile)"

― Dinsdale, Wednesday, 30 December 2020 22:04 (five years ago)

five years pass...

Madder Rose - Goodbye June Fool

this is an odd one in that it presents a songwriter's-eye view of the singer, as it was sung by Mary Lorson and written by her bandmate Billy Coté, with whom she had a kid

First thing, I wake up, I think of Mary
We've got things to do
Gotta do things to ourselves
There is just one problem and we share it
Mary is the one
It's her and no one else

---

And Mary's out on the couch
She wakes up and tells me that she hates me
But when I look into her eyes
I know she sees herself

somehow this didn't register for me at all until I read Ned's AMG review

― flammarion ross (unregistered), Saturday, 2 May 2026 02:25 (one month ago)

I see “My Name Is” at the start of the thread but there’s also “you belong to Prince” in “Private Joy”

― assert (matttkkkk), Saturday, 2 May 2026 02:31 (one month ago)

oh and “Darling Nikki” as well

― assert (matttkkkk), Saturday, 2 May 2026 02:41 (one month ago)

and fwiw (xposts) Madder Rose also have a song called "Madder Rose" (retitled "Swim") that goes, "hey Rose / hey Madder / hey Rose / do I make you sadder?". this is conceptually identical to Darius Rucker singing "hey Hootie / hey Blowfish" on Hootie & the Blowfish's debut single "Hootie & the Blowfish"

― flammarion ross (unregistered), Saturday, 2 May 2026 02:42 (one month ago)

(correction, the exact Hootie analogue would be, "hey Blowfish / hey Hootie / hey Blowfish / do I make you moody?". there are lots of other eerie parallels btwn Madder Rose and Hootie & the Blowfish, but I'll save them for a more appropriate thread, as I'm just returning from an extended derailing-related tempban 😔)

― flammarion ross (unregistered), Saturday, 2 May 2026 02:59 (one month ago)

Shocked to find Jason Derulo missing from thread

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak-OUYwCbmo

― Hans Holbein (Chinchilla Volapük), Saturday, 2 May 2026 06:00 (one month ago)

Another Leonard Cohen one, "Ballad of the Absent Mare"

― bored by endless ecstasy (anagram), Saturday, 2 May 2026 06:08 (one month ago)

theres that one part in "i wanna hold your hand" where paul mccartney goes "im paul mccartney, im in the beatles and i wanna hold your hand baby" so good

― big boodith judith (m bison), Saturday, 2 May 2026 14:51 (one month ago)

"Drunk II" by Mannequin Pussy:

And everyone says to me
"Missy, you're so strong"
But what if I don't wanna be?
And everyone says to me
"Missy, how do you stand?"
There's so much you don't see

― jaymc, Saturday, 2 May 2026 16:23 (one month ago)

Scritti Politti - "Overnite", except it's the backing vocalists going "Tell Us About It, Green" and it's one of the great pop moments ever.
― Ferlin Husky (noodle vague), Thursday, March 10, 2005 12:48 AM (twenty-one years ago) bookmarkflaglink

wow, i've fallen hard for this song after reading this post. thank you, noodle vague of 2005

― Cattedrale metropolitana di Santa Maria de Episcopio, Saturday, 2 May 2026 20:38 (one month ago)

I would struggle to deal with how overwhelmingly lonely this song is nowadays

― in the darkest depths of Merthyr (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 2 May 2026 21:02 (one month ago)

Bowie - Teenage Wildlife

― Zelda Zonk, Sunday, 3 May 2026 00:40 (one month ago)

"Thankful n' Thoughtful" by Sly & the Family Stone:
"Something could have come and taken me away
But the main man felt Syl should be here another day"

"Surrender" by Cheap Trick:
"Robin's alright" (and other band members)

"What I Do" by Donald Fagen:
"He says, 'Don, don't despair, take some time
Just find your bad self, you're gonna do just fine'"

Happens many times on Jacques Brel's "Grand Jacques (c'est trop facile)"

Also "La Chanson de Jacky".

― Halfway there but for you, Sunday, 3 May 2026 01:20 (one month ago)

"Video" by India.Arie

I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be
India.Arie

― Lily Dale, Sunday, 3 May 2026 02:03 (one month ago)

"Alma Mater" by Alice Cooper:
"Hey, don't make a stranger of yourself, huh?
Remember the Coop, huh?"

― Halfway there but for you, Sunday, 3 May 2026 02:09 (one month ago)

The B-52s - 52 Girls "Kate! Kate and Cindy!"

― Hideous Lump, Sunday, 3 May 2026 05:02 (one month ago)

“Bitch Box” by Chris Butler:

Be glad you’re not me
I’m Chris Butler so you don’t have to be

― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Sunday, 3 May 2026 15:06 (one month ago)

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