Songs about girls
Wings were enjoying the first of what would turn out to be a run of seven weeks at the top of the UK album chart at this time back in 1974 with Band On the Run, which didn’t include this song, although it was a hit single in the States and was included on the US version of the album (against Paul’s wishes): ‘Helen Wheels’.
About the McCartneys’ faithful Land Rover, the chorus goes thusly:
“Helen, hell on wheels
Ain’t nobody else gonna know the way she feels
Helen, hell on wheels
And they’re never gonna take her away”
But the topic today is not songs about motor vehicles, but songs about girls.
Here are ten nine for you to identify. Name that lady. One is the name of my car, as it happens.
I hope you can add a few of your own for others to ponder.
Songs about boys next time; there’s no sexual favouritism here, I’ll have you know.
The chatroom, by the way, will open tomorrow at 2pm (UK). See you there.
01. “Maybe just a good night’s sleep
Would have changed your troubled mind”
02. “She stood there laughing
I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more”
03. “Where did your long hair go?
Where is the girl I used to know?”
04. “I met her in a club down in old Soho
Where you drink champagne and it tastes just like cherry cola”
05. “She grew up in an Indiana town
Had a good-lookin’ mama who never was around”
06. “She is like a cat in the dark
And then she is the darkness”
07. “She listens for the ticking of my footsteps, patiently
She sifts the hairy air that’s warm and wood-swept, pleasantly”
08. “She came and stood right by me
Then the smell of sweet perfume”
09. “I used to carry her satchel
She used to walk by my side”
10. “One year ago underneath the summer sun
She was just a restless child”
Only two.
07. Martha (Jefferson Airplane)
08. Billie Jean (Michael Jackson)
Ain’t no fairy story
Ain’t no skin and bone
But you give it all you got
Weighing in at nineteen stone
Stevie Wonder – “Isn’t She Lovely” “Golden Lady,” “Maybe Your Baby”
Beatles – “Girl,” “Julia,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Something”
PF – “Julia Dream,” “See Emily Play”
Eagles – “Victim Of Love,” “New Girl In Town”
Billy Joel – “She’s Always A Woman”
Billy Idol – “If You’ve Ever Loved A Woman”
Neil Young – “Country Girl”
Rick Springfield – “Jesse’s Girl”
The Knack – “My Sharona,” “Good Girls Don’t (But I Do!)”
Stones – “Ruby Tuesday,” “Some Girls”
Rod Stewart – “You’re In My Soul,” “Maggie May”
Buddy Holly – “Peggy Sue,” “Peggy Sue Got Married”
Sinatra – “Angel Eyes”
Crosby Stills Nash – “Judy Blue Eyes”
Chicago – “As Time Goes On”
I almost forgot Simon & Garfunkel – “Mrs. Robinson”.
And Robert Johnson – “Love In Vain”.
I really liked the Lemonheads’ version, too.
And I just realised there is also “Vera”, from “The Wall”.
- PF “Vera Lynn”
- John Lennon “Dear Yoko,” “Just Like Starting Over”
- Stones “Honky Tonk Woman,” “Country Tonk” (Same song, but one has MUCH cleaner lyrics than the other)
- Lou Reed “Walk On the Wild Side” (about a female wannabe)
- Velvet Underground “Femme Fatale” (about a former girlfriend of mine)
- Led Zep, “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”
I love The Lemonheads version of “Mrs. Robinson,” too. Played it for someone once who thought it was the funniest thing. A folk song masquerading as rock and roll. I wonder if this person ever heard Led Zeppelin?
Didn’t see Alessandra’s comment until after I’d listed “Vera” above.
I have some songs.
The titles feature in most of these lyrics, so I have to hide some lines.
“_____, _____
When will those clouds all disappear?
_____, _____
Where will it lead us from here?”
“_____ takes you down
to her place near the river”
“_____ picks up the rice in the church
where a wedding has been”
“What will you do when you get lonely
No one is waiting by your side?”
Well, that would be Leonard Cohen’s ‘Suzanne’.
“…You can hear the boats go by
You can spend the night beside her
And you know that she’s half-crazy
That’s why you want to be there
And she feeds you tea and oranges
That come all the way from China”
What a song. One of my favourites.
“Angie. Angie when will all those clouds disappear.”
What a lovely song.
“Ain’t it good to be alive” – although not in the case of the third lady who was buried along with her name.
I was sure you knew that one, FEd.
“_____ picks up the rice in the church
where a wedding has been”
Think that this is Eleanor Rigby.
Has anyone mentioned ‘Wake Up Little Susie’ by the Everly Bros?
Jan
Guessed!
They’re Rolling Stones’ “Angie” and “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles.
And the last song is “Layla”, by Eric Clapton.
Hi, good afternoon!
Number 4 is “Lola” / The Kinks
The other ones? No idea for the moment. Just back from holidays in the Netherlands, my mind is still on the beach.
Have a nice day
Herbert
But Lola is a “boy”.
Sorry, just being cheeky.
And here are some interesting facts on ‘Lola’.
… without the help of Google:
04. Lola (is that your car, FEd? If so, great!)
05. Mary
Best regards
Taki
That would be a good name for a car, wouldn’t it? It’s not mine, though.
… I was thinking about those Lola Cars. But if that’s not yours, then it must be a Mercedes although the only song I know about it was sung by Janis Joplin.
Taki
Why, why, why Delilah?
I love this song by Tom Jones. I’ll be singing it all day now!
Best sung with Welsh rugby fans in those precious few moments before widespread drunkenness sets in and people start slurring their words.
Apart from this one by Tom Jones, both Queen and Cranberries wrote a song called “Delilah”.
And don’t forget ‘Beautiful Delilah’ by Chuck Berry, as covered by David during his Jokers Wild days.
Here’s the Kinks’ version.
“Beautiful Delilah, sweet as apple pie
Always gets a second look from fellas passing by
Every time you see her, she’s with a different guy”
You’re right, FEd. I forgot that one.
Thanks for the link.
I got Lola, Delilah, and Jennifer Eccles.
Here are a few to guess at.
“Hey (………..)
Girl, I’m holding you in my dreams every night.
Yeah, but you know good well baby,
You know we got this war to fight.”
“Well, I wake in the morning
Fold my hands and pray for rain
I got a head full of ideas
That are drivin’ me insane.”
“(……..) has messed my mind up
But I still love her
Oh, I still love her”
“Standing by a parking meter,
When I caught a glimpse of (….),
Filling in a ticket in her little white book.”
I was going to pick lyrics from Chuck Berry’s Little Marie but seeing as it was in the Independence day post I thought it was cheating really.
ash
“It’s a shame the way she makes me scrub the floor…”
I wouldn’t fancy working on her farm, either.
I didn’t realise how quick you would be on that Fed.
It’s an old song too. I’m impressed.
ash
Rita!
Hi Ash,
I guess the last one is “Lovely Rita”, by The Beatles.
And Lucille messed Frank Zappa’s mind up.
My girls were Izabella, Maggie, Lucille and Rita.
ash
Fed, I noticed you crossed out “ten” and said instead “nine” songs for us to identify.
I counted them, there are ten.
I counted them again. Then I realised it was because Lola was a man! 
Here’s another.
“Now, I don’t blame him cause he run and hid
But the meanest thing that he ever did
Was before he left, he went and named me (….)”
ash
“I made a vow to the moon and stars
That I’d search the honky-tonks and bars
And kill that man who gave me that awful name”
I didn’t realise that is why ten was crossed out. Duh! My brain hurts. Serves me right for working 7 evenings a week again.
Love it! Johnny Cash’s ‘Sue’.
Jan
Amazon Warrioress Linda McCartney, now I’m in tears! Thank you so very much for this!
How I miss Wings! My mother’s a HUGE Beatles fan, and I’ve never seen this before!
Good evening!
While unpacking our luggage from holidays, I had some music of a not unknown English rock band in my MD-player. This band had some songs about ladies in their repertoire, but as I discovered, not all of these women have real names in the songs:
When I was only seventeen
I fell in love with a **** ****
She told me to hold on
Her father was the leadin’ man
—————-
She came to me one morning, one lonely Sunday morning,
her long hair flowing in the mid-winter wind
—————-
I had a **** **** and she was so good
She chained me in her web to tight
I lost the freedom of release that night
So I stayed right by her
—————-
Would you like to take
This magic potion with me
On a trip to a cosmic
Playground far beyond
She understands
She’s been before
It’s in her hands
To find the door
—————-
Which rock band? Which songs?
CU
Herbert
That’s “Sweet Lorraine”, by Uriah Heep. I like that song.
I’ll have to pass. You’ve got me well and truly beaten, Herbert.
See how they run!
That’s Lady Madonna.
That’s the last song, Alessandra! Right!
So, FEd, no more ideas? Ok, it’s all Uriah Heep and from top to bottom the songs are
Gypsy / Lady in Black / Spider Woman / Sweet Lorraine
Bye for now,
Herbert
“lying on the bed, listen to the music playing in your head”
“look for the girl with the sun in her eyes and she’s gone”
ash
“Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds”, The Beatles.
And the other is also a Beatles song.
This will give it away:
“Tuesday afternoon is never-ending
Wednesday morning papers didn’t come…”
Here is a smashing bit of trivia to do with Lucy.
ash
Err, yes Dan, Lady Madonna, you somehow,
somewhere, got that one correct. 
You nailed it Fed.
ash
I got Delilah, Lola, Billie-Jean and Jennifer Eccles.
OK, here’s four:
“Well she’s got no time for dungarees
Already knows her ABCs”
“I’m writing a note beneath a tree,
The smell of the rain on the greenery”
“For all the time spent in that room
The doll’s house, darkness, old perfume”
“Well, anybody can be just like me, obviously
But then, now again, not too many can be like you, fortunately”
Matilda Mother!
What perfect examples. Bonus points for Lorraine, as all were written and originally recorded (or, in the case of the first, covered and bettered) by four of my very favourite artists: The Beatles, Donovan, Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan.
The third is particularly appropriate for today, sung mostly by Richard with a trippy organ solo, so may I suggest that we all play it at some point in recognition of his birthday?
Happy Birthday, Richard.
Happy Birthday, Richard Wright.
It’s me again.
On the German website of the “Spiegel” I found this report.
Maybe babelfish can help to translate. The reason behind this story is a book written by American journalist Micheal Heatley about women in rock-songs. And many of these songs had a story in real life.
FEd, indeed a very interesting theme, what you started today.
Good night.
Herbert
Hey FEd!
These are some of the lyrics from one of my favourite songs, by one of my favourite artist.
She was only a girl
I know that well, but still I could not see
That the hold that she had
Was much stronger than the love
She felt for me
But staying with her
And my little bit of wisdom
Broke down her desires
Like a light through a prism
Into yellows and blues
And the tune that I could not have sung
Though the essence is gone
I have no tears to cry for her
And my only thoughts of her
Are kind
Have a lovely week,
Penny
No takers? Hmmm.
It’s “Joanne”, by Mike Nesmith.
Penny
6) Has to be Rhiannon, Fleetwood Mac.
That’s the name of your car Fed, and it’s a Cadillac. Gas guzzler you.
I’d like to add, a fave to play, Mustang Sally.
My least favourite Bobby? Lovely Rita Meter Maid.
Cecilia by Simon and Garfunkel.
Dirty Diana, MJ. R.I.P.
Oh Carol, Neil Sadaka?
Mony, Mony. Billy Idol version.
Penny Lane, The Beatles.
Susie Q, CCR. Love that one.
Dear F.Ed.
just the first five ones, as follows:
01. Damn it, Rose by Don Henley
02. Delilah by Tom Jones
03. Caroline No by Beach Boys
04. Lola by The Kinks
05. Tom Petty – Mary Jane’s Last Dance
Is one of them your car’s name?
July 28th: a thought to Mr.Wright on his day of birth, wherever you are.
Have you all a nice day,
cheers/ciao Elisabetta
Thank you for remembering the day, Elisabetta.
(My car’s name is taken from one of the other five songs, sorry.)
“Boots were of leather, a breath of cologne
the mirror was a window she sat by alone.
All around the garden grew scarlet and purple
and crimson and blue”
“____, you don’t have to put on the red light”
Roxane by Police.
That’s right, Hydrea.
And the first one is “Rosemary”, by Grateful Dead.
I wonder what the ratio is between songs about girls, and songs about blokes. You don’t hear many songs about any Geoff, any Peter or any Benjamin, do you!
Anyway, hope everyone is happy days.
Much Love,
Simon J
I think it will be much more difficult to find boys’ names.
ash
Out of topic:
Tomorrow will be a special day…
Best wishes to Polly and David for their 16th Anniversary.
And I thought to give this little present to them.
Big Tenor Pavarotti and Deep Purple Duet in “Nessun Dorma” by Great Composer Giacomo Puccini.
I hope this song makes your hearts feel good.
Bye, Hydrea
Today a though to Richard Wright:
You are always in our hearts. So, Happy Birthday Richard.
Bye, Hydrea
I’ve taken a guess at the name of Fed’s car, these songs all feature the name
“Golden (……) the color of the dream I had
Not too long ago
A misty blue and the lilac too
A never to grow old.”
The car is maybe gold ?
“A red (……) up in Spanish Harlem
With eyes as black as coal that look down in my soul
And starts a fire there and then I lose control
I have to beg your pardon
I’m going to pick that (…..) and watch her as she grows in my garden”
Or Red or black ?
This is just so good I had to post a link to YouTube instead of lyrics.
Or really smooth.
ash
Good effort, Ash.
Inspired by this singer, specifically this song, did you think?
As Roy Walker used to say on Catchphrase: it’s good, but it’s not right.
Ah ha! You drive a Rolls!
Will you marry me?
ash
Me and Kev used to own a Rolls-Royce. A 1978 Silver Shadow II. We had it converted to run on LPG. When it went it was really, really good. But when it was bad, it was terrible. It ate HT leads and distributor caps. It used to bang and pop and jerk forward and it was embarrassing.
Me and Kev never argue, but that car’s naughtiness nearly split us up, so we sold it. However, we would own another Rolls-Royce again one day. If we can every afford it, that is.
Even baby Imogen was brought home from the hospital in that car. How many babies have had that treatment then?
However, I always smile at the memory of Kev and I going to a classic car show and getting out of the car in black leather motorcycle jackets. (We had not long been home after a ride out on our motorbikes – so we decided to go to the car show.) I mean, does a black leather motorcycle jacket go with a Rolls-Royce motorcar?!
Sorry for going off topic, but I was just delighting in the memories of the above.
Fed, I really was looking for Rockin’ Robin: Instead I found twittering IJustine – here!
She’s talented!
The car’s name is Martha…
Happy Birthday, Rick Wright. Hope you’re doing well in your Great Gig in the Sky.
Beatles and Rolling Stones: Girl and Angie is my choice.
Today a smile to Heaven for Rick: happy birthday in Paradise.
diana
Here’s an oldie.
“Hey_____, Oh_____, _____ if you will,
Please send a little girl for me to thrill.”
Was Paul really ever that young and wearing jewelry? What’s that all about. Just doesn’t look right.
Jan
Who can get these?? (I bet Michele will know.)
“Lipstick cherry all over the lens as she’s falling
And miles of sharp blue water coming in
Where she lies
The diving man’s coming up for air
’cause the crowd all love pulling dolly by the hair
By the hair
And she wonders how she ever got here
As she goes under again…”
And from the same band but a few years later….
“Her name is ____ and she dances on the sand
Just like that river twisting through a dusty land.”
Or this one not from that band…
“Well she’s walking through the clouds
With a circus mind that’s running wild.”
And then there is this which probably should be the name of FEd’s car….
“_______ ________
You make my heart sing
You make everything groovy.”
Thanks.
Andrew
I recognise ‘Rio’ and ‘Wild Thing’.
You know, ‘Swamp Thing’ could work, too. It smells of wet dog most of the time.
I recognise Little Wing which was about his mother.
I also got your Montana and dental floss Andrew, did you recognise my Lucille?
ash
Isn’t Little Wing just one of the best songs Jimi ever did?
Ash,
Yes, I did get your song.
There was also this song for one of your girls… do you remember??
You picked a fine time to leave me __________
Four hungry children and a crop in the field.
Thanks.
Andrew
Hello Andrew,
Little Wing really is a beautiful sweet song, full of tender love and I always thought it described the type of love a parent feels for their child and marvelled at Jimi having capture that. Then I discovered he’d written it about his Mum.
Kenny Rogers’ Lucille, yes I remember, I nearly sent in Little Richard’s really wild sounding Lucille too.
ash
O, one more that just came to mind….
“____ ______ ________
Lovely as a Summer Day
____ ______ ________
Distant as the Milky Way”
Interesting fact about this song is that the artist originally wrote it for his girlfriend at the time and used her name in the song title (Marcia) but was convinced to change it.
Thanks.
Andrew
A lovely lovely Stevie Wonder song.
Should also be for Michèle.
ash
Happy Birthday Rick Wright.
Happy Anniversary Ms. Samson & Mr. Gilmour.
“We’ll see how brave you are
We’ll see how fast you’ll be running
We’ll see how brave you are
Yes, _____”
“Well since she put me down I ‘ve been out doin’ in my head
I come in late at night and in the mornin’ I just lay in bed”
“Come over to the window, my little darling,
I’d like to try to read your palm”
“Hands, touchin’ hands, reachin’ out, touching you! ….. ……..
Sweet Caroline.
ash
Hi Fed
Totally off topic. I’m in Leeds on a course, I’m in my hotel room watching a documentary about British forces in Afghanistan. The base has just received its mail for the soldiers. In the background being played around the base is ON AN ISLAND. Just thought I would let you know.
Regards
Damian
When I think about songs about Girls, the first one that comes to mind doesn’t have the word girl in it, but it does get me thinking about them and the clip.
She’s a natural law
And she leaves me in awe
She deserves the applause
I surrender because
Another artist that passed away too young.
Cheers.
July 29th: The Gilmours’ anniversary
Many wishes to Mr.David Gilmour and Polly, of all the best for a very happy wedding anniversary.
This time, reading the Pablo Neruda’s sonnets, I’d like to leave this one as a little thought dedicated to you:
Sonnet XVII
I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.
I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way
than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.
Happy Anniversary, I wish you all the best.
Cheers
Elisabetta
Hi everybody.
These are my further five results:
06. Fleetwood Mac – Rhiannon
07. Jefferson Airplane – Martha
08. Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
09. Eels – Jennifer Eccles
10. The Mooney Suzuki – Oh Sweet Susanna (maybe the right one?)
So, if this is your car, is it really red? (Very nice indeed.)
Funny game, have a nice day, dear F.Ed.
Bye bye/ciao
Elisabetta
I did consider getting a Suzuki Swift, actually.
10/10, although I didn’t know that the Eels did a version of ‘Jennifer Eccles’; I was thinking only of the Hollies’ original. I’ll have to look for that, although I can’t say it’s one of my favourite Hollies songs.
These ones are much better, with more ladies to identify:
01. “I can’t make it if you leave me
I’m sorry _____, believe me
I was wrong
And I knew I was all along
Forgive me”
02. “When we were at school, our games were simple
I played the janitor, you played the monitor
Then you played with older boys and prefects
What’s the attraction in what they’re doing?”
03. “_____
Fireworks are hailing over Little Eden tonight
Forcing a light into all those stoney faces
Left stranded on this warm July”
04. “Dear _____, I am writing to say
A number of funny things I heard today
I heard that he’s left you and run off to sea
Could be the best thing that’s happened to me”
I got Suzanne and Carrie Ann.
If your car is called Jennifer Eccles, you can forget it, the engagement is OFF.
Are you going to tell us the name of the car Fed?
ash
It’s Billie Jean. I got it around the time that Michael Jackson died, so it just had to be.
Sad, naming your car, I know. Nobody needs to point that out to me.
I think I’ve repressed Jennifer Eccles since childhood when I owned a used 45 purchased from a local flea market in bulk with many gems and horrors:
No, no, no: I never want to hear Rhinestone Cowboy again!
Oh, Lord help me: what else is in there?
Then of course, there is ‘Annie’s Song’.
I just cannot forget my childhood hero, John Denver. Well, I used to go to Colorado every year for vacation so he was very appropriate listening for the time.
“Due to lack of interest tomorrow is cancelled
Let the clocks be reset and the pendulums held
‘Cos there’s nothing at all except the space in between
Finding out what you’re called and repeating your name
(…..)(…..)(…..)”
ash
This one is Ruby.
ash
I googled the word “Eccles” and this is what I found.
Is your car one of those, FEd?
I thought of another rockin’ song from the 80s done by an iteration of a band on the original FEd posting above.
________, you say it’s all over
for you and me, girl.
There’s a time for love
and a time for letting it be, baby.
Thanks.
Andrew
And here is one from the 70s…
Raised to be a lady by the golden rule
______ was the spawn of a public school
With a double barrel name in the back of her brain
And a simple case of Mummy-doesn’t-love-me blues.
Gosh did he kick it up on this song, both musically as well as regarding content.
Thanks.
andrew
Did anyone mention…
Angie – The Rolling Stones
Lovely Rita – The Beatles
The Kinks: Lola
“Girls will be boys and boys will be girls
It’s a mixed up muddled up, shook up world
Except for Lola, L-L-Lola”
Gender inclusive, nobody’s left out.
How about this one?
“_____, ma belle,
Sont des mots qui vont très bien ensemble,
Très bien ensemble.”
I think no one mentioned it.
Plus, could have been a perfect and lovely name for a French car…
Off topic, but oh!
Are you pleased or disgusted with this news?
Bonjour.
I feel a bit of both, really. I’m mostly pleased, mainly relieved and hopeful that things will now improve. You won’t be surprised to discover that what I’d really like is for the fans to own the club, as do the fans of Barcelona. I just want the two lying, obnoxious Americans out as soon as possible. I don’t care where the new owners come from, just as long as they behave with more class than these shamelessly greedy and unscrupulous muppets.
Besides, this “Chinese business tycoon” is called Kenny, as was arguably the club’s greatest ever player, so that bodes well for the future, right?
Michele, Michele! Don’t be disappointed no one remembered (Fed’s favourite
) – I remembered but wanted to leave you the opportunity of sending it. 
I hope you are enjoying your holiday.
ash
Michèle,
I guess you probably like that song better than the Guns N’ Roses use of your name. You have heard the song My Michelle?
Andrew
From the album ‘Appetite For Destruction’, I much prefer ‘Sweet Child o’ Mine’, especially the guitar.
I hope you’re enjoying your holiday.
Michele,
Yes, Appetite for Destruction is probably one of the top 10 all time best recordings. And I know you always preferred the Stones over the Beatles but can understand why that one song on AFD would not sit well with you.
Did you know that the song Sweet Child O Mine almost didn’t happen? Slash was apparently goofing off with his guitar in front of some friends and was playing that intro lick. At the same time, Axl was locked up in his room but heard that lick and thought it was something. It was not something that Slash intended to make a song out of but Axl thought otherwise. Good thing he did. By the way, Axl was a neat freak and even though the rest of the house they were living in at the time was in shambles, he kept his room locked and neat.
Holiday is wonderful, thanks for asking.
Andrew
Michele, you’re lucky. How many songs are there that even nod to the name Sharon?
My Sharona, Song for Sharon by Joni Mitchell, and Oh, Sharon by David Bromberg.
That’s a grand total of 3.
And 2 of those 3 I didn’t know existed until today.
Songwriters, look at the number of Sharons out there! Stone… Osborne… Jones… Woods…! There’s a demand and no supply!
Dear F.Ed.
so these further ladies in my opinion are
01 . Sorry Suzanne by Hollies
02. Carrie Ann by Hollies
03. 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) by B.Springsteen
04. Dear Elise by Hollies
Thank you again for this opportunity to have fun… in these last days I’m very busy and in hurry at work to have all in good order before the summer holidays. I’ll be back anyway soonest.
bye ciao
Elisabetta
P.S. Suzuki Switft 4×4 version?
Forgive my ignorance, Elisabetta, but I didn’t know that Bruce Springsteen wrote ’4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)’; I always thought it was a Hollies number.
I never paid much attention to Bruce Springsteen, in fact. All that macho posturing coupled with his “Boss” nickname really put me off. But I should and will.
I’ve come around to Bruce Springsteen since he did a truly groundbreaking and gorgeous fusion of folk songs and Cajun Music after Hurricane Katrina. I thought it captured the rugged individualism of our country and its history, and the defying-all-odds spirit of New Orleans masterfully. A lot of healing took place listening to those lyrics.
Bruce Springsteen’s album is called The Seeger Sessions.
In line with the topic Fed, his version of “Buffalo Gals” is just outstanding.
Also: Oh Mary, Don’t You Weep.
Thanks for that, Sharon. I’ll find it.
“______ come closer
Shut softly your watery eyes
The pangs of your sadness
Shall pass as your senses will rise
The flowers of the city
Though breathlike
Get deathlike sometimes
And there’s no use in tryin’
To deal with the dyin’
Though I cannot explain that in lines”
~~~~~~~~~~~
“The jacks and the queens
Have forsaked the courtyard
Fifty-two gypsies
Now file past the guards
In the space where the deuce
And the ace once ran wild
Farewell ________
The sky is folding
I’ll see you in a while”
~~~~~~~~~~~
“Although the masters make the rules
For the wise men and the fools
I got nothing, __, to live up to”
“Ain’t it just like the night to play tricks when you’re trying to be so quiet?
We sit here stranded, though we’re all doin’ our best to deny it
And ______ holds a handful of rain, temptin’ you to defy it
Lights flicker from the opposite loft
In this room the heat pipes just cough
The country music station plays soft
But there’s nothing, really nothing to turn off
Just ______ and her lover so entwined
And these visions of _______ that conquer my mind”
“Well, I got the fever down in my pockets
The Persian drunkard, he follows me
Yes, I can take him to your house but I can’t unlock it
You see, you forgot to leave me with the key
Oh, where are you tonight, sweet _____?”
“With your silhouette when the sunlight dims
Into your eyes where the moonlight swims
And your matchbook songs and your gypsy hymns
Who among them would try to impress you?
___-____ ____ __ ___ ________”
Now you’ve done it. That’s put me in Bob mode for the rest of the day.
Did nobody mention this one?
“Sweet _____
The peasants call her the goddess of gloom
She speaks good English
And she invites you up into her room”
“Sweet Melinda…”
There’s a website that mentions 52 girls’ names from Dylan songs.
Alicia
Angelina
Anita
Annie
Bertha
Bette
Brigitte
Camille
Carmela
Cinderella
Corrina
Crystal
Denise
Desdemona
Erica
Geraldine
Hattie
Hazel
Isis
Jacqueline
Jane
Johanna
Juliet
Lily
Lou
Louise
Lucy
Madonna
Maggie
Marie
Mary
Mary Jane
Mary Lou
Melinda
Nettie
Ophelia
Patty
Peggy
Ramona
Rita
Rita May
Rose Marie
Rosemary
Ruthie
Sadie
Sally
Samantha
Sara
Sophia
Suze
Valerie
Is it true? You, the Dylan expert, do you know all the songs that include these names?
Michele… and a deranged glint in his eye.
ash
That sounds like a delicious challenge.
Alicia (Keys), Anita (Ekberg), Brigitte (Bardot) and Sophia (Loren) are name-checked – in ‘Thunder on the Mountain’ and ‘I Shall Be Free’ respectively.
Angelina, Corrina, Hattie, Isis, Jane, Johanna, Lily, Maggie, Marie, Nettie, Peggy, Ramona, Rosemary, Sadie, Sara and Suze all feature in song titles.
They left out Bessie (Smith).
Wow! I’m very impressed.
…And Elizabeth (Taylor).
Well, ask me why I’m drunk all the time
It levels my head and eases my mind
I just walk along and stroll and sing
I see better days and I do better things
(I catch dinosaurs
I make love to Elizabeth Taylor
Catch hell from Richard Burton!)
Well I don’t think anyone mentioned this classic rock song either.
Sweet ____ was a dancer
But none of us would chance her
Because she was a Samurai
She made electric shadows
Beyond our fingertips
And none of us could reach that high
She came on like a teaser
I had to touch and please her
Enjoy a little paradise
The log was in my pocket
When ______ met the Rockett
And she never knew the reason why
Thanks.
Andrew
Here is a video of that song. This is not the studio music video which is just awful but a live performance. And this video includes some additional solo work by Blackmore.
Thanks.
Andrew
O, there is a girls song that has no lyrics. The Allman Brothers instrumental called Jessica. Of course they also did Sweet Melissa.
Thanks.
Andrew
Rosalita, come sit by my fire.