Obligatory music thread: Third person self-references to the band/artist in a song. Yea or nay?

[Tommy_Carcetti]

For example, in the Beastie Boys' "Fight For Your Right (To Party)":

Your mom busted in and said,
"What's that noise?"
Aw, mom you're just jealous
it's the Beastie Boys

I don't know. I always found it sort of cheesy. There has to be some sort of a wall between the artist and their lyrics for me.

So I'll say Nay.

Examples and discussion, please.

[flvegan]

1. I don't think there's a rapper/hip hop artist out there that doesn't do that.

Other musical genres, this might be a good point.

Well, except for "It's Janet, Miss Jackson if you're nasty." which was cool.

[Heidi]

2. Depends on the context. I think this is beautiful:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1165027213703829229&q=Leonard+Cohen+Because&ei=7f1gSKW8JIHu2AKJq8HTAg

Because Of
Leonard Cohen

Because of a few songs
Wherein I spoke of their mystery,
Women have been
Exceptionally kind
to my old age.
They make a secret place
In their busy lives
And they take me there.
They become naked
In their different ways
and they say,
"Look at me, Leonard
Look at me one last time."
Then they bend over the bed
And cover me up
Like a baby that is shivering.

[DarkTirade]

3. If it's for purposes of self-aggrandizement, then it's cheesy and tasteless.

:P

[qb]

4. I prefer a more subtle approach to self-reference...

Alice Cooper - Be My Lover

"...She asked me why
The singer's name was Alice
I said listen, baby
You really wouldn't understand...."

[mitchum]

5. "Jimmy, just you shut your mouth" in Iggy Pop's...

"China Girl"
The Jimmy refers to Jim Osterberg AKA Iggy Pop
It's beautiful

[skygazer]

6. For the most part, I agree with you

But when used subtly and to make a good point, as in "Oh, by the way, which one's Pink?" I rather like it. :P

[Richardo]

7. Well here's another clue for you all...

...the walrus was Paul.

George Harrison, Glass Onion

The Beatles, individually and collectively, had several self-referential lyrics.

[RaVeN_MeaD]

8. .......Bad Company till the day I die.....

[Tommy_Carcetti]

10. Who are you?

Who who who who

[RaVeN_MeaD]

12. A pledge pin...on your Twisted Sister uniform......

[RaVeN_MeaD]

9. ...Move over rover and let Jimmy come over

Hendrix

[bbernardini]

11. Depends on the artist. The Tubes, for example...

In the middle of their song "Sports Fans," they did a cheer that spelled out "TUBES".

[Orsino]

13. Charlie Daniels couldn't resist giving himself a caress...

...at the end of "The South's Gonna Do It Again."

Molly Hatchet's southern rock roll call "Gator Country" give a nod to Daniels without a self-reference, though I guess the entire song is a friendly diss of anyone not from Florida. Oddly enough, it seems to bust on fellow Floridians Lynyrd Skynyrd for recording "Sweet Home Alabama."

[jobycom]

14. Don't ask me, Hank, why do you drink?

(Hank) why do you roll smoke?
Why must you live out the songs you wrote?
Stop and think it over
Try and put yourself in my unique position
If I get stoned and sing all night long
It's a family tradition!

[CreekDog]

15. Luchenbach, Texas

"Willie and Waylon and the boys..." :applause:

[DS1]

16. Manowar, Manowar, livin on the road

When we're in town, speakers explode

Don't try to tell us, that we're too loud
Just true metal people, that's Manowar's crowd!

[Tommy_Carcetti]

17. Good God, that is terrible.

The lyrics and the photo.

I can't believe anyone ever took hair metal serious at any point in time.

[johnnie]

18. There's about 1,000 old blues records

Can't name them all though.

[meegbear]

19. LAME!!!

It's bad enough when the Queen or Bob Dole refers to themselves in the third person. "Artistes" are worse.

[Westegg]

20. Zep, "How Many More Times"...

..."Little Robert Anthony wants to come and play..."

[ghostsofgiants]

21. Turbonegro must be destroyyyyyyeeeedddddddd!

I don't really mind it.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

22. conversation through music by Lynryd Skynyrd and Neil Young

*Neil Young wrote Southern Man:
Southern man
better keep your head
Don't forget
what your good book said
Southern change
gonna come at last
Now your crosses
are burning fast
Southern man
I saw cotton
and I saw black
Tall white mansions
and little shacks.
Southern man
when will you
pay them back?
I heard screamin'
and bullwhips cracking
How long? How long?
Southern man
better keep your head
Don't forget
what your good book said
Southern change
gonna come at last
Now your crosses
are burning fast
Southern man
Lily Belle,
your hair is golden brown
I've seen your black man
comin' round
Swear by God
I'm gonna cut him down!
I heard screamin'
and bullwhips cracking
How long? How long?

*skynyrd told Neil that a Southern Man don't need you around any how:
Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the southland
I miss alabamy once again
And I think its a sin, yes

Well I heard mister young sing about her
Well, I heard ole neil put her down
Well, I hope "neil young" will remember
A "southern man" dont need him around anyhow

Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, Im coming home to you

In birmingham they love the governor
Now we all did what we could do
Now watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth

Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, Im coming home to you
Here I come alabama

Now muscle shoals has got the swampers
And theyve been known to pick a song or two
Lord they get me off so much
They pick me up when Im feeling blue
Now how about you?

Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, Im coming home to you

Sweet home alabama
Oh sweet home baby
Where the skies are so blue
And the governors true
Sweet home alabama
Lordy
Lord, Im coming home to you
Yea, yea montgomerys got the answer

*Neil Young wrote back and said-
people been talking about me ... Walk On

I hear some people
been talkin' me down,
Bring up my name,
pass it 'round.
They don't mention
happy times
They do their thing,
I'll do mine.

Ooh baby,
that's hard to change
I can't tell them
how to feel.
Some get stoned,
some get strange,
But sooner or later
it all gets real.

Walk on, walk on,
Walk on, walk on.

I remember
the good old days,
Stayed up all night
gettin' crazed.
Then the money
was not so good,
But we still did
the best we could.

Ooh baby,
that's hard to change
I can't tell them
how to feel.
Some get stoned,
some get strange,
But sooner or later
it all gets real.

Walk on, walk on,
Walk on, walk on.

[Doc_Technical]

23. "Hollywood Swingin'" by Cool and the Gang

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10Il77mbV0Y