Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

Folks, I had an epiphany and a lesson learned this last week...

I contend, that when you write songs about other people, it may not be a good idea to actually refer to them in the song , by their real names...

Case In Point:

I wrote an Irish Tune recently and wrote in the line: "I'm so proud to know Jimmy... Ya know him as 'Mardi-Gras James'...If youre face down, he'll not let ya go without...a pint or another round..."

Now, I went and copy-righted the song.. Recorded a scratch track of it and scheduled some sessions to produce it...

Lo an behold... It turns out that my 'friend' jimmy' wasn't such a friend after all (Wont go into detail)... Needless to say, I have canceled my subscription to him and am moving on...

I'm stuck with a great little song now, that technically refers to a non-friend, in a glorifying way, While the line is actually a true depiction of one facet of his character, it bugs me that hes in my song... LOL!

Now My solution in this case, is I'm gonna leave it alone... BUT the lesson here... Think very carefully about the depiction of people in your lives... when it comes to your professional work efforts.

To illustrate... Was there really a girl named Layla? Was there really a great leader named Peter Pumpkin Head? Those characters will live in infamy, even if the real people behind them go south...(and thus the artist is also spared the agony of risking a shift of sentiments by the audience.)

Just thought I'd share...

Hence why Bush wrote "Glycerine"......

I see wear your coming from Dog, but some
names are beautiful and sound good in a song.
I once wrote a song about a gal named Marlena,
I thought it was a pretty name, and lent itself well
to the chorus, tho the song didn't flatter her.

Same holds true for tatoos!

PaperDog wrote:Folks, I had an epiphany and a lesson learned this last week...

I contend, that when you write songs about other people, it may not be a good idea to actually refer to them in the song , by their real names...

Case In Point:

I wrote an Irish Tune recently and wrote in the line: "I'm so proud to know Jimmy... Ya know him as 'Mardi-Gras James'...If youre face down, he'll not let ya go without...a pint or another round..."

Now, I went and copy-righted the song.. Recorded a scratch track of it and scheduled some sessions to produce it...

Lo an behold... It turns out that my 'friend' jimmy' wasn't such a friend after all (Wont go into detail)... Needless to say, I have canceled my subscription to him and am moving on...

I'm stuck with a great little song now, that technically refers to a non-friend, in a glorifying way, While the line is actually a true depiction of one facet of his character, it bugs me that hes in my song... LOL!

Now My solution in this case, is I'm gonna leave it alone... BUT the lesson here... Think very carefully about the depiction of people in your lives... when it comes to your professional work efforts.

To illustrate... Was there really a girl named Layla? Was there really a great leader named Peter Pumpkin Head? Those characters will live in infamy, even if the real people behind them go south...(and thus the artist is also spared the agony of risking a shift of sentiments by the audience.)

Just thought I'd share...

I think I know her Sir

Was there such a girl that as Tom Petty put it was "Standin' in her underwear?

Change the lyrics:" 'I'm so proud to know Timmy...You know him as Fat Tuesday Timothy"

PaperDog wrote:To illustrate... Was there really a girl named Layla? Was there really a great leader named Peter Pumpkin Head? Those characters will live in infamy, even if the real people behind them go south...(and thus the artist is also spared the agony of risking a shift of sentiments by the audience.)

Just thought I'd share...

Eric Clapton wrote, "Layla," about George Harrison's wife, Pattie-something, but apparently there was no question to whom the song was directed, regardless of the name change.

Peter Pumpkinhead was inspired by an actual rotting pumpkin that the singer stuck on a fence post and started to feel bad. Regarding who the song was about, many people thought Jesus, but the singer says it was not about any one person, just anyone of those personality traits.

Initially, 867-5309/Jenny, by Tommy Tutone it was claimed by singer Tommy Heath that the name was random in the number came, "Out of the ether." He later recanted the statement and claimed it was the number of a girl he knew, it's hard to say which version of the story of the song is true...

"Emily," by Bowling for Soup refers to a real person by name.

I guess my point is, in using a real first name, if it's something relatively common like, "Jimmy," I wouldn't really sweat it. Imagine if you make it huge, even if that song gets played for millions, how many people will know specifically to whom it refers? Twenty? Less?

Patti Boyd...
she's the blonde cutie on the train in A Hard Days Night.

Thanks, as you can tell, I like knowing as much of this kind of information as possible!

No problem with names - however...I did write Cosmopolitan Cool Fool and felt 6 inches high when the girl I wrote it about showed up while we were rehearsing it and told me after, "That was about me wasn't it?"

She was also the girl who caused me to give up naming my guitars - felt I had to give away one with her name and decided enough was enough!

Talbot

I have you beat on that front, Mr. Talbot. How about I wrote a break-up song about this cheerleader that I was dating and she actually showed up at the concert (I didn't think she was going to) before I had actually gotten around to breaking up with her yet! Here are the lyrics:

"It's Over (If You Couldn't Tell)"

You hug the porcelain and cough 'til you lose a pound,
Then tell all the healthy girls you don't want 'em around;
If you're untrue to yourself then everything's a lie,
"O-M-G Mark's dating Brenda that makes me want to die."

Judgments you pass on others would be better off reserved,
You fail at your goal to make other girls unnerved;
Everyone can tell that you're the one who's insecure,
Your projections make you think everyone else is unsure.




Why do you have to be such an awful person?
Shut your f***ing mouth 'til you've something good to say!
Why do you have to be such an awful person?
You argue that each of us is awful in our own way.



"Just look at Brittany with all of that eye shadow,
It's no wonder everyone thinks she's a trick @$$ ho;
Just look at Jennifer thinking that she's all that,
Everyone is laughing because her @$$ is so fat.

I can't believe she tries to squeeze into those jeans,
How the f**k did she make cheer captain over me?
She's got no moves, no voice, and she can't even dance,
I guess her mom is just down Mr. Anderson's pants."



Why do you have to be such an awful person?
Shut your f**k mouth 'til you've something good to say!
Why do you have to be such an awful person?
You argue that each of us is awful in our own way.



I'm a princess now look at me,
The girl everyone wants to be;
Cut myself to get through it all,
Then I'll put up another wall.

I'm a princess living in my head,
I never listened to a word you said;
I'm a princess and all is right,
Though my shadow blocks all the light!



I can't help but feel sorry,
There are times I feel sorry,
I want you to know I feel sorry,
I feel so sorry for you, but...



Why do you have to be such an awful person?
Shut your f**k mouth 'til you've something good to say!
Why do you have to be such an awful person?
Nobody's ever loved you any f***ing way!




I can't help but feel sorry,
There are times I feel sorry,
I want you to know I fell sorry,
I feel so sorry for you but...it's over.

I forgot about that one. lol