Songwriters get impressed by so many life experiences, there’s all the time loads of inspiration on the market. In fact a lot of that inspiration is from previous musicians and singers. So why not write songs based mostly on them. However songwriters identify drop loads of different well-known individuals in songs, actual or fictional. So what are the songs that point out well-known individuals.
I’ve collated them by inspiration, though many would seem in several lists the place they’re identify dropping heaven. Some cowl quite a few individuals, and are sometimes probably the most nicely remembered songs should you ask somebody which songs point out different names.


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Songs with well-known individuals
Literary figures and authors songs
- These Phrases by Natasha Bedingfield – Byron, Shelley, Keats
- I Am the Walrus by The Beatles – Edgar Allan Poe
- Don’t Stand So Near Me by The Police – Vladimir Nabokov
- Pray For Me by John Cougar Mellencamp – Shakespeare
Songs identify dropping actors
- Hollywood Boulevard by The Kinks – Bela Lugosi
- That Don’t Impress Me A lot by Shania Twain – Brad Pitt
- Message Of Love by The Pretenders – Brigitte Bardot
- If Hollywood don’t want you By Don Williams – Burt Reynolds
- You Made Me Love You by Judy Garland – Clark Gable
- Clint Eastwood by Gorillaz – Clint Eastwood
- Crispin Glover by Scarling – Crispin Glover
- Dwelling Useless by Rob Zombie – Donna Reed
- Grace Kelly by MIKA – Grace Kelly
- Simply Like Greta by Van Morrison – Greta Garbo
- She’s High quality by Hurricane Chris that includes Superstarr – Halle Berry
- Key Largo by Bertie Higgins – Humphrey Bogart
- James Dean by The Eagles – James Dean
- Jack & Diane by John Cougar Mellencamp – James Dean
- Model by Taylor Swift – James Dean
- Rock On by David Essex – James Dean
- Stressed by Gordon Lightfoot – John Wayne
- Wild Factor by Tone Loc – John Wayne
- Stressed by Gordon Lightfoot – John Wayne
- Bette Davis Eyes – Kim Carnes
- Hey Leonardo by Blessed Union of Souls – Leonardo DiCaprio
- Give Me All the things by Pitbull, Ne-Yo, Afrojack – Lindsay Lohan
- Werewolves in London – Warren Zevon – Lon Chaney
- Unbiased Ladies by Future’s Baby – Lucy Liu
- Greenlight by 5SOS – Megan Fox + Katy Perry
- Candle within the Wind by Elton John – Marilyn Monroe
- Marilyn Monroe by Pharrell Williams – Marilyn Monroe
- Pocahontas by Neil Younger – Marlon Brando
- Riptide by Vance Pleasure – Michelle Pfeiffer
- Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars – Michelle Pfeiffer
- The Reality by John Wesley Harding – Richard Gere
- Robert De Niro’s Ready by Bananarama – Robert De Niro
- Rosanna by Toto – Rosanna Arquette
- Come On and Dance by Motley Crue – Sandra Dee
- Steve McQueen by Sheryl Crow – Steve McQueen
- One Night time In Bangkok by Murray Head – Yul Brynner
Historic figures in songs
- I’m Henry VIII, I Am by Hermans Hermits – Henry VIII
- Waterloo by ABBA – Napoleon
Sports activities stars in songs
- Mrs Robinson by Simon and Garfunkel – Joe Dimaggio
- Hurricane by Bob Dylan – Ruben “Hurricane” Carter
- Centerfield by John Fogarty – Willie Mays
Songs mentioning individuals from politics
- Revolution by The Beatles – Chairman Mao
- Bullet by the Misfits – Jackie Onassis-Kennedy
- Bo$$ by Fifth Concord – Michelle Obama
- Ego Is Not a Soiled Phrase by Skyhooks – Richard Nixon
- Younger People – David Bowie – Richard Nixon


Musicians and singers talked about in songs
- Be Fortunate by The Who – AC/DC
- Amy by Inexperienced Day– Amy Winehouse
- Wooden Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) by Scritti Politti – Aretha Franklin
- Hey Nineteen by Steely Dan – Aretha Franklin
- King of Rock by Run D.M.C – The Beatles
- Alfred’s Theme by Eminem – Billie Eilish
- Mr. Jones by Counting Crows – Bob Dylan
- Solely Wanna Be With You by Hootie & The Blowfish – Bob Dylan
- Thunder on the Mountain by Alicia Keyes – Bob Dylan
- Brian Wilson – Barenaked Women – Brian Wilson
- Don’t Let Me Get Me by Pink – Britney Spears
- Lookin’ Out My Again Door by Creedence Clearwater Revival – Buck Owens
- Buddy Holly by Weezer – Buddy Holly, Mary Tyler Moore
- Tribute to Buddy Holly by Mike Berry – Buddy Holly
- With David Bowie – Veruca Salt – David Bowie
- Runnin’ Down a Dream – Tom Petty – Del Shannon
- I Forgot That You Existed by Taylor Swift – Drake
- For You Blue by The Beatles – Elmore James
- Free Fallin by Tom Petty – Elvis Presley
- Larger Than Elvis by Chicago – Elvis Presley
- Calling Elvis by Dire Straits – Elvis Presley
- Walkin’ In Memphis by Marc Cohn – Elvis Presley
- Wanna Be a Rock n Roll Star by Eddie Cash – Elvis Presley
- God by John Lennon – Elvis, Zimmerman (Bob Dylan), The Beatles
- It’s My Life – Bon Jovi – Frank Sinatra
- Fairytale of New York by the Pogues – Frank Sinatra
- Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple – Frank Zappa
- Lengthy Approach Dwelling by 5SOS – Inexperienced Day
- Sorry, Blame It on Me by Akon – Gwen Stefani
- That’s Simply the Approach We Roll by the Jonas Brothers – Hanson
- Jackie Wilson Stated by Van Morrison – Jackie Wilson
- Rock & Roll Heaven by the Righteous Brothers – Janis Joplin
- So What by Pink – Jessica Simpson
- Anybody Can Play Guitar by Radiohead – Jim Morrison
- Drowse by Queen – Jimi Hendrix
- I Hate Jimmy Web page by Senseless Self Indulgence – Jimmy Web page
- Rock Present by Wings – Jimmy Web page
- Angel of Harlem by U2 – John Coltrane
- Satan’s Sidewalk by Neil Younger – John Lennon
- Life Is Actual by Queen – John Lennon
- Lengthy Time Passed by the Dixie Chicks – Johnny Money
- The Ballad of Dorothy Parker by Prince – Joni Mitchell
- Up All Night time by One Path – Katy Perry
- Boys Boys Boys by Woman Gaga – The Killers
- Finish Up Right here by 5SOS – Kurt Cobain
- Ghost of You by 5SOS – Led Zeppelin
- Pennyroyal Tea by Nirvana – Leonard Cohen
- Mr Sandman by The Chordettes – Liberace
- Chocolate Cake by Crowded Home – Liberace
- Candy Dwelling Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd – Neil Younger
- Highlands by Bob Dylan – Neil Younger
- I’ll Be Lacking You by Puff Daddy – Infamous B.I.G.
- Chained to you by Savage Backyard – Madonna
- Hey Soul Sister by Practice – Madonna
- Sluggish Jamz by Kanye West – Michael Jackson
- Ashes to ashes by David Bowie – Mickey Mouse
- Strikes like Jagger by Maroon 5/Christina Aguilera – Mick Jagger
- Snug by John Mayer – Miles Davis
- Blinded by the Mild by Bruce Springsteen – Mozart
- Elegantly Wasted by INXS – Oasis
- Stan by Eminem – Phil Collins
- Good Occasions by Owl Metropolis – Prince
- Monterey by the Animals – Ravi Shankar
- I Go Loopy by Queen – Rolling Stones, Queen
- You’re The Cause I’m Leaving by Franz Ferdinand – R.E.M.
- Walks like Rihanna by The Wished – Rihanna
- Take Me Dwelling Tonight by Eddie Cash – Ronnie Spector
- Thunder Highway by Bruce Springsteen – Roy Orbison
- Twisted Highway by Neil Younger & Loopy Horse – Roy Orbison
- Juicy by Infamous B.I.G. – Salt N Pepa
- Aint Even Finished With the Night time by John Mellencamp – Sam Cooke
- When Smokey Sings by ABC – Smokey Robinson
- Tim McGraw by Taylor Swift – Tim McGraw
- I’ll By no means Smoke Weed With Willie (Nelson) Once more by Toby Keith – Willie Nelson
- Be My Yoko Ono – Barenaked Women – Yoko Ono


Different well-known individuals talked about in songs
- The Night time Chicago Died by Paper Lace – Al Capone
- Mister Crowley by Ozzy Osbourne – Aleister Crowley
- This Afternoon by Nickelback – Cheech & Chong
- California Women Katy Perry – Daisy Dukes
- God & the FBI by Janis Ian – J. Edgar Hoover
- Merely a Man by XTC – Jimmy Swaggart
- All the things’s Great by Lily Allen – Kate Moss
- 3 AM by Eminem – Kim Kardashian
- The place Do You Go To, My Pretty? by Peter Sarstedt – Pablo Picasso
- Fairly Boy Floyd by Woody Guthrie – Fairly Boy Floyd
- Timothy Leary’s Useless by The Moody Blues – Timothy Leary
- Clap For The Wolfman by The Guess Who – Wolfman Jack
Songs mentioning a number of well-known individuals
- Cadillac Ranch by Bruce Springsteen – James Dean, Burt Reynolds
- Traditional by MKTO – Michael Jackson, Prince, Marvin Gaye
- Cleansing Home windows by Van Morrison – Jimmie Rodgers, Leadbelly, Blind Lemon, Sonny Terry,
- Crush (1980 me) by Darren Hayes – Cyndi Lauper, Michael Jackson, Simon LeBon
- Brownie McGhee, Muddy Waters, Christmas Humphreys, Jack Kerouac
- Membership on the Finish of the Road by Elton John – Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye
- Dig It by The Beatles – B.B. King, Doris Day, Matt Busby
- Do You Bear in mind Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio? By The Ramones – Jerry Lee, John Lennon, T. Rex
- Downtown by Neil Younger – Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Web page
- From Hank to Hendrix by Neil Younger – Hank Marvin, Jimmy Hendrix
- Good day by The Beloved – Tommy Cannon, Bobby Ball, Little Richard, Willy Wonka, William Inform Salman Rushdie, Kym Mazelle, Brian Hayes, Barry Humphries, Paris Gray, Billy Corkhill, Vince Hilaire, Freddie Flintstone, Fred Astaire, Desmond Tutu, Charlie Parker, Charlie Brown Leslie Crowther, Mary Wilson, Jean Paul Sartre, Zippy, Bungle, Jeffrey Archer, Andre Previn
- The way to be a rustic star by Statler Brothers – Jerry Reed Jeannie Shepard, Tom T, Haggard, Johnny R, Invoice Anderson, Jerry Lee, Roy Acuff, Ralph Emery, Conway Twitty, Sonny James Minnie Pearl, Jimmy Dickens, Roy Clark, Barbara Mandrel, Eddy Arnold,Charley Delight, Dolly Parton, Crystal Gayle
- I Include Multitudes by Bob Dylan – Anne Frank, Indiana Jones, the Rolling Stones
- I really feel fortunate by Mary Chapin Carpenter – Lyle Lovette, Dwight Yoakum
- I Hear You Knocking by Dave Edmunds – Fat Domino, Smiley Lewis, Chuck Berry, Huey Smith
- It’s The Finish Of The World As We Know It (And I Really feel High quality) by R.E.M. – Lenny Bruce, Leonard Bernstein, Leonid Brezhnev, Lester Bangs
- Ode to a Black Man by Phil Lynott – Stevie Surprise, Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Bob Marley, Robert Johnson, Jimi Hendrix
- James Dean I Wanna Know by Daniel Bedingfield – James Dean, Brad Pitt, Versace
- Let ‘Em In by Wings – Martin Luther King, Phil and Don Everly
- Life in a Northern City by The Dream Academy – John F. Kennedy, The Beatles
- Nightshift by the Commodores – Jackie Wilson, Marvin Gaye
- Man on the Moon by REM – Mott the Hoople, Andy Kaufman, Fred Blassie, Elvis, Moses, Newton, Charles Darwin, Saint Peter
- Homicide Most Foul by Bob Dylan – Don Henley, Glenn Frey, the Beatles, Patsy Cline, Etta James, Carl Wilson, in addition to naming songs by Everly Brothers, the Who, Queen, the Animals, Johnny Money, Randy Newman and Billy Joel.
- Get together within the USA by Miley Cyrus – Jay-Z, Britney Spears
- Poster Baby by Crimson Sizzling Chili Peppers – Robert Plant, Billy Idol, Adam Ant, Led Zeppelin, Skinny Lizzy, Thompson Twins, the Ramones, Judas Priest, Yoko Ono, Steve Miller, Van Morrison, Duran Duran, Motorhead, Standing Quo, Queen, Chubby Checker, Prince, Sid Vicious
- R.O.C.Ok. in the united statesA. by John Mellencamp – Frankie Lyman, Bobby Fuller, Mitch Ryder,
- Rock ‘n Roll Heaven by the Righteous Brothers – Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Otis ReddingJackie Wilson, Shangra-Las, Martha Reeves, James Brown
- The Seeker by The Who – Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Timothy Leary
- She’s so Excessive by Tal Bachman mentions Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, and Aphrodite
- Sir Duke by Stevie Surprise – Depend Basie, Glen Miller, Satchmo (Louis Armstrong), Sir Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald
- The Final Showdown of Final Future by Lemon Demon – Abraham Lincoln, Batman, Optimus Prime, numerous different goodies and baddies from movies.
- Tik Tok by Ke$ha – P. Diddy, Miley Cyrus
- U.S. Blues by The Grateful Useless – P.T. Barnum, Charlie Chan, Uncle Sam
- Vogue by Madonna – Greta Garbo, Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrich, Joe DiMaggio, Marlon Brando, Jimmy Dean, Grace Kelly, Harlow Jean, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Rita Hayworth, Lauren Bacall, Katherine Hepburn, Lana Turner, Bette Davis
- We Didn’t Begin the Hearth by Billy Joel – Buddy Holly, Ben Hur, Castro, U2, Syngman Rhee, Kennedy, Chubby Checker, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Jonnie Ray
- Yr of the Cat by Al Stewart – Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre
- You Get What You Give by The New Radicals – Hanson, Marilyn Manson, Beck, Courtney Love
- You’re the High by Cole Porter – Mahatma Ghandi, Johann Strauss, Shakespeare, Mona Lisa, Greta Garbo, Calvin Coolidge, Fred Astaire, Eugene O’Neill, James MacNeil Whistler, Dante Alighieri, Jimmy Durante, John Jacob Aster
You will discover a few of these by means of Amazon Music*
Try the record for songs with one word titles
What different songs with well-known individuals in have you learnt?