Songs About Boys
I was struck by a song off Camera Obscura’s latest album My Maudlin Career . (I’ll take any excuse to talk about this record. It is my favorite so far of 2009 and worth picking up.) The song is simply entitled James. I didn’t realize at first why my ears pricked up, but then I noticed something about it. The lead singer is a woman singing directly to a man and calling him out by name. That sort of bold assertion from a female singer surprised me. Intrigued, I started polling my friends. My poor MNA cohort were the first to suffer through this High Fidelity-esque navel gazing. I asked them if they could think of any others. The only solid answer I got was Me and Bobby McGee. This turned out to be a repeating pattern. I had this conversation with others on-line and in person. That Janis Joplin song was always the first to come up. After that the pickings get pretty slim. Some people even start naming songs by men directed toward men.
Camera Obscura - James
Janis Joplin - Me and Bobby McGee
Now I do not claim by any stretch of the imagination to be an encyclopedia of pop music. I am a living example that a large record collection does not make one an expert. But I do think the difficulty I had with this quest says something. I’m sure these songs are out there. I did remember one excellent example in my stacks. PJ Harvey sings directly to her ex-lover in C’mon Billy. But that’s PJ Harvey, right? She’s an exceptional woman with a very unique, bold writing style. There’s also Goodbye Earl by the Dixie Chicks. But now we are verging on “winking” songs. It’s a great song, but more of a kiss-off song. Plus it is written in 3rd person which adds a certain distance between author and subject. Still, hats off to the DCs for bucking the trend. I’m not their number one fan but I love the fact they wrote this song.
PJ Harvey - C’mon Billy
The Dixie Chicks - Goodbye Earl
Now for comparison I give you exhibit A. In a recent episode of Family Guy, Brian delivers the inverse proposition better than I ever could so I’ll let him have at it:
Now women have been writing and performing songs all this time, right? And it’s not like they don’t sing love songs right? So this takes me to the other interesting trend I noticed. Women do write songs to men, but they almost always refer to them obliquely. The first example that jumps to mind is Leader of the Pack, written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and George Morton. The singer refers to the subject as him, he, and of course with the moniker Leader of the Pack. Barry and Greenwich collaborated on other girl group hits that seem to following this pattern; Be My Baby, Baby I Love You, Then He Kissed Me and Da Doo Ron Ron (at least Bill gets a shoutout in the last one). Fast forward about 16 years to Sheena Easton singing “My Baby takes the morning train…” in a song written by Susan Bridget Inskip. Lots of songs where the men are referred to as “Baby,” Hrmmm… interesting. And somewhere along the line we have Carley telling someone (we think it’s Mick Jagger, right) about their vanity. These are just examples, but it was much easier to find songs like this that it was to find songs with the fellahs name in the title.
The Shangri-Las - Leader of the Pack
Sheena Easton - Morning Train (AKA 9 to 5)
Carley Simon - You’re So Vain
Now what the heck is going on, right? I have a few theories, but of course I’d like to hear yours. There is of course something here about the way boys use pop songs to get girls. There’s a certain boldness in calling a woman directly in the expectation that she will come hither. Now why no reciprocal arrangement? I know, I know, some men do not like assertive women. It’s not very girly I guess. I’ve never understood this, being a sucker for strong women myself. I guess if a woman is writing for demographics they need to soften their approach. One interesting trend is women writing songs in which they are to speaking to other women about a guy. Even the women are writing to a female audience.
When you say something directly to someone using their name you are demanding their attention. The classic example is the use of full names by parents upset with their children. “Warren Gamaliel Harding I want you to come here right this instant!” At work when someone assigns an action to you by name you are compelled to respond. In a way when someone uses your name they are claiming some ownership over you. You are forced to accept or reject the control they have over you at that moment. Pop music is full of men hoping to posses women, seeing them as objects to achieve or conquests to win. Me Tarzan, you Jane. Maybe that’s why the softer approach is used by the women songwriters. Me Jane, you Tarzan would certainly put some men off.
Well, what do you think? And do you know any other songs that fit in this rare category? I’d be interested to hear your experience trolling through your records trying to find examples. For now I will just be happy that Camera Obscura exists and listen to My Maudlin Career one more time 
-e
Bonus Track! OK, this one is sort of cheating. The title is a reference to Lloyd Cole, but what the heck it’s an awesome song so listen to it anyway!
Camera Obscura - Hey Lloyd, I’m Ready to Be Heartbroken
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Hm, very intriguing observation. I think you’re definitely on to something there. Though I must list the first song that came to my mind: Wedding Bell Blues! (I’m sure you know it; originally by Laura Nyro, then 5th dimension: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkMhWQgkZ8c )
cindy lau - August 2nd, 2009 at 9:07 pm
I have a different theory. By *not* using the name of their object of desire/affection/disdain/hatred, women are being more emotionally intimate. They’re talking directly to that other person - saying what they’d say if/when they got the chance. If that’s the goal, she knows who she’s talking to - why does she need to use his name? When’s the last time you called someone by name when you were talking to them?
Kim K - August 2nd, 2009 at 10:08 pm
Almost forgot to add one to your list - Chuck E’s in Love by Rickie Lee Jones.
Kim K - August 2nd, 2009 at 10:41 pm
Only problem is that Me and Bobby McGee wasn’t written by Janis about a man. It was written by Kris Kristofferson - one assumes about a woman. Since I learned it from Janis’ recording, it was an early mind-f*k to learn that Bobby was a girl and that it worked just as well in that direction (and possibly better). But I did resist it at first. That was before so many exposures to alternate realities. I mean, now one could reasonably be unsure whether it was about a man or a woman, no matter whether it was being sung by a man or a woman.
My own personal Modegreen collection (where you think a song is saying something entirely different than the lyric actually is) starts with this song. “One day up near Salinas…” is not what I heard at 8 or 9 years old. I morphed it in my mind to something that seemed much more reasonable, given the source of the music (I don’t know if Janis had died yet, or not). I heard it as “One day on mescaline…” The image of being in a drug-induced haze and letting someone slip away seemed pretty reasonable, so I went with it for a long while until one of my brothers heard me singing it and corrected me - oh so gently. No picking fun or ridicule involved. Um. Or maybe there was just a little bit of that.
Seems like Rickie Lee Jones wrote a bunch of songs about men she named in particular, but I can’t really find much. Weasel and the White Boys Cool, Woody and Dutch, and then Skeletons talks about a particular friend (Bird) who got killed by the cops. Don’t know if it was a true story or not. And it’s not a love song from her to him, in any case.
Stephen - August 2nd, 2009 at 11:43 pm
Wedding Bell Blues, by The Fifth Dimension. Poor Bill gets harangued by name more than a dozen times. This will give me something to think about today all the way from Boston to SFO.
Avi Jacobson - August 3rd, 2009 at 2:16 am
Just off the top of my head, two tunes from the 50s/60s: “Don’t Mess with Bill” and “Goodbye, Jimmy, Goodbye”. (Wonder why I remember that one. It was a hit when I was 10 and leaving California for the first time on a long trip.)
Then there’s the series of tunes starting with “It’s My Party (and I’ll Cry if I Want To)” with lyrics “Judy left with Johnny at the party…” The follow-up was “It’s Judy’s Turn to Cry” (”‘…cause Johnny’s come back to me”.
And of course: “Johnny Angel” by Shelley Fabares.
I don’t know who wrote any of these - research to follow.
Jim Hale - August 3rd, 2009 at 7:07 am
All written by men! Here are the songwriters:
Johnny Angel - Lyn Duddy/Lee Pockriss
Goodbye Jimmy - Jack Vaughan
It’s My Party - Herb Wiener/Seymour Gottlieb/John Gluck, Jr./Wally Gold (produced by Quincy Jones)
Don’t Mess with Bill - Smokey Robinson (who also produced the hit single)
Also:
Billy, Don’t be a Hero - Mitch Murray/Peter Callander
None of these men used their own names in these songs.
Jim Hale - August 3rd, 2009 at 7:34 am
There’s more:
Michael From Mountains - Joni Mitchell
Jim Hale - August 3rd, 2009 at 7:58 am
Found a great listology site - songs with men’s names in the title. Check out http://www.listology.com/list/songs-mens-names-title. Most of the songs were written and/or sung by men, though.
My fav: “Mickey,” sung by Toni Basil. (”Oh Mickey, you’re so fine, you’re so fine you blow my mind. Hey Mickey!”) But I’m a child of the 80s…
Kim K - August 3rd, 2009 at 9:04 am
Cool suggestions all! I knew y’all would come up with some goodies. I’ll dig some of those up to post later.
@ Kim K: Mickey was written by two dudes: Donald Chapman and Barry Chinn. Nice list. I’ll have to check it out later and run the numbers.
Interesting theory about intimacy. Of course one could come to the opposite conclusion as well. If you had something important and intimate to say to someone and you used their name there would be a little charge in the air. Think about saying “I love you” with or without addressing the person by name.
erawk - August 3rd, 2009 at 9:45 am
More!
Hit the Road Jack - like most of the other tunes, it was written by a man, but the hook was all ladies — the Rayettes!
Johnny Mack - Martha and the Vandelas (Holland/Dozier/Holland)
Mickey’s Monkey - The Miracles (H/D/H)
The Last Time I SawRichard - Joni Mitchell
Jim Hale - August 3rd, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Well, well. This is tough!
I’ve gotta start out with the amazing Laura Nyro, who did a great cover of “Jimmy Mack” (written by men, though - Holland-Dozier-Holland) using LaBelle as her backup group.
She also wrote “Eli’s Coming”, covered by Three Dog Night.
D’oh - just realized Mr Hale beat me to the punch, but listed it as Johnny Mack, and also listed “Don’t Mess With Bill”, which I was gonna mention as well.
I was jazzed to think of “Denis” by Blondie, until I learned Debbie Harry did NOT write it, and it’s in fact a cover of a song named “Denise” - curse you Eric, I’m trying to come up w/stuff and NOT go to the link Kim K gave us!!!!
Good ‘ol Lita Ford wrote a song named “Johnny Guitar” while in the Runaways - not to be confused with the more famous song by the same name by Peggy Lee & Victor Young, covered by many others, including a ska version by the group Kippis - playing at Brainwash Cafe on Friday, Aug 7th (shameless plug!)
The title song to Heart’s “Bebe Le Strange” is actually about a guy (I think it’s about Roger Fisher, the guitarist who had just left the band), it was co-written by the Wilson sisters w/Sue Ennis - Roger is also credited as a writer on the song though…
I can’t believe Pat Benatar doesn’t have a song w/a guy’s name, NOR the Go-Go’s!!! Alright, I’m gonna stop now, and go to Kim’s link…
Hopefully I’ll have more answers before the Kippis gig this Friday Aug 7th at Brainwash Cafe, located at 1122 Folsom Street in SF. The band plays at 8pm. Shameless, I tell ya!!!!!!
Kurt Brown - August 3rd, 2009 at 2:34 pm
There’s Jackie by Sinead O’Connor from Lion and the Cobra. Pretty rockin’ song. And I love that PJ Harvey song.
Becca B
Becca B - August 3rd, 2009 at 11:52 pm
There’s a few from Opera and Light Opera , the hot rock of the day– O mio Babbio Caro; Mac the Knife, The Mickey Mouse Song; Mickey Mouse song is really wretchedly reaching.
Jimmy CrackCorn- not nec woman to man
Yankee Doodle put a feather in HIS hat… same here- not woman to man fer shure
Rodolfo m’ama- quartet Act three of La Boheme sung by Mimi
Piaf’s Milord -stretttccccchhhhhhhhhh, Mon Legionnaire, same stretch
Mary Magdalene- I don’t know how to love Him– ecclesiastical stretch
Any woman’s solo in Bach,Buxtehude, etc. that mentions Jesu! hehehehehehheh I win for naming the most. Ya know, if you can’t play fair cheat. hehehehehhehheehheheeee
Larry R - August 4th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Eric - What about “Always you” or whatever it’s called from West Side Story - “Tony, Tony”? Or does Bernstein not count?
Gretchen G. - August 5th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Of Jimmys, Johnnys and Bills…
I’m noticing a trend… lots of same and similar name references… here’s a few more to add to the list:
“James and the Cold Gun” by Kate Bush
“Grade B Movie” by Rough Trade (although the name’s not in the title, lead singer Carole Pope purrs in her smokey, black and white noir film voice, “hello Johnny, hello Johnny”… it’s a helluva sexy song- too bad I only have it on vinyl…)
“Johnny Are You Queer?” by Josie Cotton
“Bill” by Jerome Kern from Showboat (okay, written by a man, but almost always traditionally sung by women…)
“Bill” by The Tin Hat Trio (instrumental yes, but the founder and violinist of the group is a woman… it’s one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful songs I’ve ever heard…)
and a couple others:
“David” by Nellie McKay
“Mr. Baylis” by Kasey Chambers
That’s all for now in my late nite delerium…
Alexis Lane - August 6th, 2009 at 1:02 am
The Ricky Lee Jones song hinted at earlier is Chuck E.’s In Love. Another song is “Marry Me John” by St. Vincent.
In terms of why this happens, I really think it is because the songwriter would like the sentiment to be universal rather than specific. As soon as you insert a name it sounds like the song is about someone else. If you leave it at an endearment it could be about you or your lover.
When I was a kid I actually hated it when there were songs with “Michael” in it. At that time, though, the best known examples were “My Name Is Michael, I’ve Got A Nickel” or “Michael Row Your Boat Ashore”. They were both painfully dorky to me.
MP - August 6th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
After thinking about this a bit more, I think that guys are more likely to stalk the girls they have crushes on than girls in the same situation. The songs about these women are just part of the package. The number of women’s names in songs is a reflection of men’s obsessive determination to win their hearts.
That being said, the answer may really be found in the book that tells why there are so few female lead guitarists. The world may never know.
MP - August 6th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
R.I.P. Ellie Greenwich:
http://idolator.com/5268092/ellie-greenwich-rip
erawk - August 27th, 2009 at 1:57 pm