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luvthelighthouse
06-23-2009, 12:09 PM
I thought this would be fun and maybe we’ll learn something too. Name one song that was written for, or rumored to be about someone else… any tidbit about it that you would like to add could be fun too.

I’ll start:

Still the Same by Bob Seger – Rumored to be about Glenn Frey

I know some people think this song to be negative, but I don’t. To me, it’s like seeing an old friend and saying, ‘you haven’t changed, that’s why I like you’.

EagleLady
06-23-2009, 12:16 PM
Empty Garden- Elton John, Written for John Lennon

Ive always been a dreamer
06-23-2009, 12:30 PM
Cool topic, ltl. I love the song "Still the Same". For me it has a very mixed message. On one hand, it seems like Seger may be a bit jealous of his friend who I also think is Glenn. But then, there are times when he just appears to be in awe of him. It's an excellent song, and Seger does a masterful job of keeping the lyrics vague and open for interpretation. I think my favorite lines are:

"There you stood, everybody watched you play
I just turned and walked away, I had nothing left to say"

I'll have to give some thought to which song I want to post about when I have more time.

TimothyBFan
06-23-2009, 12:44 PM
FREAKY!!! Just as I pulled up this thread the song Still The Same was ending on my ipod. :fear:

Anyways--I've never heard that about that song before. Now I must go back and listen to it and pull up the lyrics and analyze it myself. Learn something new everyday!

Prettymaid
06-23-2009, 12:54 PM
I've never heard that either. This is going to be a very informative thread for me. I can't think of any right now!

TimothyBFan
06-23-2009, 01:01 PM
Ok--I'm not getting it but then again I'm not a Glenn expert like a lot of you. Does anyone know how this rumor was started and if any particular part of the song was ever pinpointed as an example?


You always won, every time you placed a bet
You're still damn good, no ones gotten to you yet
Every time they were sure they had you caught
You were quicker than they thought
You'd just turn your back and walk
You always said, the cards would never do you wrong
The trick you said was never play the game too long
A gamblers share, the only risk that you would take
The only loss you could forsake
The only bluff you couldn't fake

And you're still the same
I caught up with you yesterday
Moving game to game
No one standing in your way
Turning on the charm
Long enough to get you by
You're still the same
You still aim high

There you stood, everybody watched you play
I just turned and walked away
I had nothing left to say

cause you're still the same
You're still the same
Moving game to game
Some thlngs never change
You're still the same

luvthelighthouse
06-23-2009, 03:24 PM
I don't know how the rumor started, but that is the rumor. Glenn played a lot of cards in his youth. :hilarious:

However, I can see Glenn "turning on the charm" and "aiming high".

I know I can't be the only one who'd heard this... so maybe someone else knows more. It's just a rumor.

Just like it's rumored that:

You're So Vain by Carly Simon is about Warren Beatty

She never confirmed it, but it's rumored...

Brooke
06-23-2009, 04:48 PM
I know I can't be the only one who'd heard this... so maybe someone else knows more. It's just a rumor.

Just like it's rumored that:

You're So Vain by Carly Simon is about Warren Beatty

She never confirmed it, but it's rumored...


I've heard that about Glenn, too.

I always heard You're So Vain was about Mick Jagger! :shrug:

EagleLady
06-23-2009, 04:54 PM
Isn't Your So Vain about James Taylor?

eaglesvet
06-23-2009, 08:29 PM
OK, I Wikipedia'd You're So Vain, and there are initially about 10 people the song is rumored to be about, including Daffy Duck! Over the years, various hints have been given out, and that has narrowed the list to Beatty, Jagger, and James Taylor. I think the final consensus is that the song is about a composite of 3 men, but it doesn't officially say that those are the 3 men being composited! :hilarious:

sodascouts
06-24-2009, 01:39 AM
The "Still the Same" rumor was started by someone who knew both men. Apparently it was no secret who the inspiration was, at least at the time.

As for the topic of the thread, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham wrote tons of songs about each other. Where should I start? Silver Springs, perhaps, one of my favorites. Here's what I wrote about it on my Fleetwood Mac site (http://www.buckinghamnicks.net/bn/chain/silversprings.html):

I love this song, but it's so tragic! It starts off with what could have been: Stevie had all this love for Lindsey, like an "ocean crashing" (see Crystal (http://www.buckinghamnicks.net/bn/buckinghamnicks/crystal.html) for more water imagery). But Lindsey has found someone else. She doesn't want to hear about it, though - it still hurts (yes, I know Stevie left Lindsey, but it still must have been hard for her when he was seeing other women). The next question is an important one - "Was it worth it?" Was the love worth all the pain? But she's afraid to ask - what if the answer's no? If so, she'd rather not know.

Time may have made them drift apart, but she tells him he'll never forget what they had. She blames him for the break-up here: she tried to love him but he "would not let [her]." He wanted different things than her and, in her opinion, forced her to break up with him. She promises him that he won't be able to forget her - when he hears her voice, whether in person or on the radio, that memory will always "haunt" him and cause him to regret what happened, no matter how hard he tries to escape it (see Dreams (http://www.buckinghamnicks.net/bn/rumours/dreams.html) for a similar dire prediction for Lindsey)!

This was written around the time they were breaking up - it was meant to be on Rumours, and was the B-side to Go Your Own Way. It really reflects the fact that Stevie did not feel she had any choice, that she didn't want to leave but she had to. She's saddened by the way it turned out, too, even if she did officially initiate the break-up.

I just love the passionate way Stevie sings the song on The Dance (http://www.buckinghamnicks.net/bn/dance/index.html) - she really puts her heart into it.

Check out the video on MySpace (http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2436959).

The lyrics:

You could be my silver springs
Blue-green colors flashing
I would be your only dream
Your shining autumn ocean crashing

And don't say that she's pretty
And did you say that she loved you?
Baby, I don't wanna know

So I'll begin not to love you
Turn around, see me running
I'll say I loved you years ago
Tell myself you never loved me...no

And don't say that she's pretty
And did you say that she loved you?
Baby, I don't wanna know
Oh, no

And can you tell me, was it worth it?
Baby, I don't wanna know

Time cast a spell on you
But you won't forget me
I know I could have loved you
But you would not let me

Time cast a spell on you
But you won't forget me
I know I could have loved you
But you would not let me

I'll follow you down 'til the sound
Of my voice will haunt you
(Give me just a chance)
You'll never get away from the sound
Of the woman that loved you
(Was I just a fool?)

I'll follow you down 'til the sound
Of my voice will haunt you
(Give me just a chance)
You'll never get away from the sound
Of the woman that loved you

Time cast a spell on you
But you won't forget me...

Freypower
06-24-2009, 08:50 PM
I read once that Dire Straits' The Man's Too Strong is about Bob Dylan. Mark Knopfler had produced Dylan's Infidels album and found Dylan very hard to deal with. I don't know. The lyrics are very harsh.

Joni Mitchell's Help Me and Car On A Hill are about Glenn.

Rhymin' Man by Frank Zappa is about Jesse Jackson.

I have always thought that Neil Young's The Old Homestead and at least part of Thrasher refer to his former colleagues Crosby, Stills & Nash.

John Lennon's How Do You Sleep is aimed at his former partner Paul McCartney.

I can probably come up with tons of these given time.

luvthelighthouse
06-25-2009, 12:16 AM
I might be wrong on this one... but weren't

My Man by the Eagles and Crazy Eyes by Poco both about Gram Parsons?

Freypower
06-25-2009, 12:19 AM
Yes, My Man is about Gram Parsons. I don't know about Crazy Eyes.

Then there is James Dean! DUH!

Candle In The Wind is about Marilyn Monroe/Princess Diana.

Mrs Frey
06-25-2009, 06:36 AM
I've just found this thread today, and the co-incidence is unbelievable: two days ago, our local newspaper ran an article about well-known songs written about famous people!

Bob Seger's "Still The Same" was not mentioned, though.

I know of two songs that were written about John Lennon by two of his former Beatle bandmates:

"Here Today", one of Paul McCartney's most moving ballads in my opinion, was written about John after he passed away. I cried upon first hearing it, and proceeded to write my own song about John (and then also dedicating it to Elvis), admittedly nicking a little bit of Paul's tune.:blush:

George Harrison wrote "All Those Years Ago" as a tribute to John after his passing.

Mrs Frey
06-25-2009, 06:38 AM
Empty Garden- Elton John, Written for John Lennon

I've never heard this Elton John song. Being a huge fan of John Lennon, I'd love to hear it.

These two collaborated on the 1974 (or was it 1973?) no. 1 hit, "Whatever Gets You Through The Night".

Mrs Frey
06-25-2009, 06:41 AM
"Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles was written about Elvis Presley.

Another song about Elvis I can think of off-hand is "Calling Elvis" by Dire Straits (duh... :lol:)

"American Pie" by Don McLean was apparently written about Buddy Holly ("the day the music died" - a reference to Buddy passing away in the 1958 plane crash, along with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper).

Mrs Frey
06-25-2009, 06:43 AM
Oh, yes: a very interesting reference I found in the aforementioned newspaper article was that Joshua Kadison wrote his hit "Jessie" (or is it "Jesse"?) about Sarah Jessica Parker. The two apparently had a relationship.

Mrs Frey
06-25-2009, 06:50 AM
I
John Lennon's How Do You Sleep is aimed at his former partner Paul McCartney.



This was supposed to have been a response to Paul's song "Too Many People", which supposedly carried subtle digs at John and Yoko. I admit that I still haven't heard Paul's song.

"How Do You Sleep?" is a very harsh Lennon rant, and I cringe for Paul everytime I listen to it. Knowing John, though, I think he must have been very hurt by Paul to attack him that way.

It is said that "Crippled Inside", from the same album as "How Do You Sleep?" ("Imagine"), is also aimed at Paul. When one listens closely to the lyrics, it makes sense, but I would not have guessed it had it not been said. It's always been one of my favourite songs off the album, though.

John later expressed his regret at writing "How Do You Sleep?", saying that he was actually writing about himself, and that he and Paul were "okay".

luvthelighthouse
06-25-2009, 10:11 AM
Let us not forget:

Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You by Stevie Nicks to Joe Walsh.

Which of course makes me think of Joe's sweet baby girl and I have to hold back tears.

MikeA
06-25-2009, 10:49 AM
Let us not forget:

Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You by Stevie Nicks to Joe Walsh.

Which of course makes me think of Joe's sweet baby girl and I have to hold back tears.

TRUTH!

Freypower
06-25-2009, 07:17 PM
Here are a few multiples:

Stevie Wonder:

You Haven't Done Nothin' - Richard Nixon
Happy Birthday - Martin Luther King Jr.
Sir Duke - Duke Ellington & other jazz greats

Mark Knopfler:

Done With Bonaparte - Napoleon
Song For Sonny Liston
Boom, Like That - McDonalds tycoon Ray Kroc
Back To Tupelo - Elvis Presley (MF, it isn't very flattering but it's a good song. It's from the Sailing To Philadelphia album)
Sailing To Philadelphia - Jeremiah Dixon & Charles Mason
Donegan's Gone - British skiffle star Lonnie Donegan

Warren Zevon:

Boom Boom Mancini - Boxer Ray Mancini

Bob Dylan:

Hurricane - Boxer Rubin Carter
Joey - Gangster Joey Gallo

Dion:

Abraham, Martin & John - Lincoln, King & Kennedy

Byrds:

He Was A Friend Of Mine - JFK

Simon & Garfunkel:

So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright

Fan_For_Life
06-25-2009, 10:12 PM
Tesla's Song And Emotion was rumored to have been written for Steve Clark late guitarist for Def Leppard. If not written for released after his passing.

TimothyBFan
06-26-2009, 08:38 AM
Oh Oh --I just thought of one I don't think I've seen here yet. Shine On You Crazy Diamond was written for Syd Barrett.

sodascouts
06-26-2009, 12:08 PM
Here's one I bet nobody here but me has heard of!

The Stevie Nicks song "Jane" was written for Jane Goodall (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Goodall), the woman who studied chimpanzees and was an important animal activist.

Here are the lyrics:

Such a little girl...such a hard life
She could look a challenge straight between the eyes
Disappointment would become her middle name
Up against the wall, Jane

So her nights became nightmares
As she fought for their souls
And the days became worse
For the ones she loved
Children of the world
The forgotten chimpanzee
In the eyes of the world
You have done so much for me

There are angels here...angels
There are angels here on earth
Angels sent from God

Come away from the wall...stay with us
Well you can, Jane

So she watched as they put them all into cages
Well, they might as well have caged her very own baby
In fact they might as well have put us both into prison
Through a window all our sorrows
Would become our only visions
Nothing more

There are angels here...angels
There are angels here on earth
Angels sent from God

You will never feel that you have ever done enough
But you have, Jane

Such a little girl...such a hard life
She could look a challenge straight between the eyes
Disappointment would become her middle name
Up against the wall, Jane

Nothing more than the shadow of a man
Come away from the wall, Jane
Well, they might as well have put us both into prison
Come away...if you can, Jane

Through a window all our sorrows
Would become our only visions

Come away, Jane
Come away...come away if you can

In the eyes of the world, you have done so much

Mrs Frey
06-30-2009, 06:32 AM
Mark Knopfler:

Back To Tupelo - Elvis Presley (MF, it isn't very flattering but it's a good song. It's from the Sailing To Philadelphia album)


FP, could you post the lyrics for me, please? I've never heard the song.

Mrs Frey
06-30-2009, 06:33 AM
Soda, Stevie Nick's song "Jane" has heartfelt lyrics. Thanks for posting them.

Freypower
06-30-2009, 08:00 PM
FP, could you post the lyrics for me, please? I've never heard the song.


Gladly. It's actually from Shangri-La. I think people here know how much I love Mark Knopfler. This is a good example of his insight:

Back To Tupelo

around the time of ‘Clambake’
movie number twenty-five
you and the lying Dutchman
are still in overdrive
you’re as strong as when you started
Mississippi in your soul
you can still be Marlon Brando
and the king of rock and roll

it isn’t just the records
no, you must have Hollywood
the songs alone are not enough
that much is understood
you’ll soon be back in Memphis
maybe then you’ll know what to do
the storylines they’re giving you
are just not ringing true

oh, it’s a ways to go
back to Tupelo

when you’re young and beautiful
your dreams are all ideals
later on it’s not the same
lord, everything is real
sixteen hundred miles of highway
roll back to the truth
and a song to give your mother
in your first recording booth

around the time of ‘Clambake’
that old dream’s still rolling on
sometimes there’ll be the feeling
things are going wrong
the morning star is fading
lord, the Mississippi’s cold
you can still be Marlon Brando
and the king of rock and roll

but it’s a ways to go
back to tupelo