1 song in which a black American soul singer namechecks a white English pop star

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Anyone?

― Wooden (Wooden), Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:15 (twenty-one years ago)

if only liberace was british

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I bet there was some Lennon tribute somewhere.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:18 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah is early Lenny Kravitz "soul"?

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:19 (twenty-one years ago)

does brandy count?

― Symplistic (shmuel), Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Plenty of American soul singers covered British songs. Does that count as name-checking?

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Saturday, 18 September 2004 23:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't really think so.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 19 September 2004 00:00 (twenty-one years ago)

It's got to actually have the pop star's name in the lyrics (either first or last, but it has to unambiguously refer to the person in question).

I honestly can't think of any.

― Wooden (Wooden), Sunday, 19 September 2004 00:17 (twenty-one years ago)

so a coldplay reference isn't enough? i think that's unfair.

― Symplistic (shmuel), Sunday, 19 September 2004 00:42 (twenty-one years ago)

If it mentions Coldplay by name I suppose that's allowed.

― Wooden (Wooden), Sunday, 19 September 2004 00:49 (twenty-one years ago)

is there very much name-checking at all in soul songs?

― dave k, Sunday, 19 September 2004 00:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Billy Preston (it sorta makes sense) has covered Beatles and Stones songs and I'm pretty sure he did a tribute song for the Beatles, though I can't seem to find it. Maybe someone else with more googlingability...

― jim wentworth (wench), Sunday, 19 September 2004 01:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Wesley Willis has soul...and he sung about John Wesley Harding and Paul Young. Probably doesn't count though, eh?

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Sunday, 19 September 2004 01:50 (twenty-one years ago)

symplistic's right - brandy specifically namechecks coldplay on her most recent lp.

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Sunday, 19 September 2004 03:08 (twenty-one years ago)

is there very much name-checking at all in soul songs?

-- dave k (operad200...) (webmail), September 18th, 2004 8:50 PM. (later) (link)

"tribute to a king"
"aretha, play one for me"
"sweet soul music"
etc.

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Sunday, 19 September 2004 03:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Parliament - P. Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)
David Bowie (well,David Boo-ie)

― Black Arkestra (Black Arkestra), Sunday, 19 September 2004 03:21 (twenty-one years ago)

These come EXTREMELY close

Terence Trent D'Arby, "Penelope Please": "You will still be home in time / To watch "The Pops" featuring Chrissie Hynde"

And yeah, I KNOW she's American, but she got her start in the UK, and presumably appeared on "Top Of The Pops

Temptations, "Ball Of Confusion": "The Beatles' new record's a gas"

That's actually FOUR English pop stars

Gil-Scott-Heron, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised": [sung by]Glen Campbell, Tom Jones, Johnny Cash, Engelbert Humperdinck or The Rare Earth"

That's two (out of five) English pop stars, but Heron man not be a literal soul singer.

X-Ray Spex, "Let's Submerge": "Dagger glares from Richard Hell"

An unlikely reversal: A black English punkette name-checks a white American punk! No way this one should count - I just thought it was weird and worth noting.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Sunday, 19 September 2004 09:16 (twenty-one years ago)

there's a song on "get on the good foot" where james brown is just shouting out names for a couple of minutes. i think it might be "my part/make it funky." i know he says "the rolling stones" and i sort of think someone says "the honeycombs".

plus there are probably a few more.

― Matt B. (Matt B.), Sunday, 19 September 2004 11:52 (twenty-one years ago)

That's two (out of five) English pop stars, but Heron man not be a literal soul singer.

Tom Jones man not be an English neither.

― kit brash (kit brash), Monday, 20 September 2004 00:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Welshman, right! Gotcha.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 20 September 2004 00:59 (twenty-one years ago)

fuck what is that gap band tune where they big up elton john?

― gaz (gaz), Monday, 20 September 2004 01:08 (twenty-one years ago)

is it Bop-B-Da-B-Da-Da maybe?

― gaz (gaz), Monday, 20 September 2004 01:15 (twenty-one years ago)

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