Using Names in Song Lyrics
Using someone’s name in lyrics you write can be powerful. And I probably don’t need to tell you that there approximate 8 million names of females who men have written about. There are female artists who write about names as well, but ironically, they are mostly woman as well. Joline by Dolly Parton, for example is about her begging another romantic rival to leave her relationship alone with her “man”. There are quite a few songs with male names in them, but by far more famous songs with female names.
This can be tricky. Because lyrics with names can get cheesy. The cheese factor is big. It needs to be written correctly and musically composed correctly. Here are some things to think about when writing lyrics with names in them.
When using a name in song lyrics sometimes it takes relatability out of the song for the listener. Except of course whose name is the same name in the lyrics. Think about it, I bet you can think of a song, a famous song, that sings your name. Because you think it could relate to you…even if it doesn’t at all. If it does it makes an even greater impact.
Using name in lyrics can be very loving and romantic. It shows the person you care enough about them and thinking enough about them to put their name in to a piece of artwork. That’s pretty cool.
Names in lyrics are fun and can have a great impact for the person you are writing it for. If the lyrics and song are good enough, they can have a very wide appeal – as you can see from this ridiculously long list of names from the website flashback.com:
1. Eleanor Rigby – The Beatles
2. Cecilia – Simon & Garfunkel
3. Suite Judy Blue Eyes – Crosby, Stills and Nash
4. Martha My Dear – The Beatles
5. Along Comes Mary – The Association
6. Lola – The Kinks
7. Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) – Looking Glass
8. Mandy – Barry Manilow
9. My Sharona – The Knack
10. For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her – Simon & Garfunkel
11. Aimee – Pure Prairie League
12. Michelle – The Beatles
13. Beth – KISS
14. Gloria – Them
15. A Rose for Emily – The Zombies
16. Ruby (Don’t Take Your Love to Town) – Kenny Rogers
17. Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
18. Lovely Rita – The Beatles
19. Layla – Derek and the Dominos
20. Sarah Smile – Hall and Oates
21. Sheena is a Punk Rocker – The Ramones
22. Rhiannon – Fleetwood Mac
23. Josie – Steely Dan
24. Help Me, Rhonda – The Beach Boys
25. Cara-Lin – The Strangeloves
26. Sally G -Paul McCartney
27. Melissa – The Allman Brothers
28. Lucille – Kenny Rogers
29. Peg- Steely Dan
30. Aubrey – Bread
31. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds – The Beatles
32. Come on Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
33. The Wind Cries Mary – Jimi Hendrix and the Experience
34. Rosanna – Toto
A tribute to Rosanna Arquette – sadly, she wasn’t impressed.
35. See Emily Play – Pink Floyd
36. Lucille – Little Richard
37. Fanny (Be Tender with My Love) – Bee Gees
38. Roxanne- The Police
39. Matilda Mother – Pink Floyd
40. Sweet Jane – Velvet Underground
41. Victoria – The Kinks
42. Wendy – Beach Boys
43. Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
44. My Cherie Amour – Stevie Wonder
45. Jennifer Juniper – Donovan
46. (Love Song) For Annie – Kaleidoscope
47. Maggie Mae – Rod Stewart
48. My Maria – BW Stephenson
49. Angie – The Rolling Stones
50. Valerie – The Monkees
51. Angie Baby – Helen Reddy
52. Peggy Sue – Buddy Holly
53. Candida – Tony Orlando and Dawn
54. Bernadette – The Four Tops
55. Annie’s Song – John Denver
56. Charlena – Ruben and the Jets
57. Fannie Mae – Buster Brown
58. Jennie Lee – Shuggie Otis
59. Jessica – Allman Brothers
60. Linda Lu – Ray Sharpe
61. Sheila – Tommy Roe
62. Darling Nikki – Prince and the Revolution
63. Sheila Take a Bow – The Smiths
64. Mary Ann – Link Wray
65. Rosalie – The Searchers
66. Barbara Ann – The Beach Boys
67. Sylvia’s Mother – Dr. Hook
68. Ophelia – The Band
69. Mary Lou – Buddy Knox
70. Suzie Q – Dale Hawkins
71. She Sheila – The Producers
72. Rio – Duran Duran
73. Candy-O – The Cars
74. Emily – Frank Sinatra
75. Jolene – Dolly Parton
76. Sara – Fleetwood Mac
77. Windy – The Association
78. Wake Up Little Susie – The Everly Brothers
79. Barbara Ann – The Beach Boys
80. Elvira – The Oak Ridge Boys
81. Amanda – Waylon Jennings
82. Carrie Ann – The Hollies
83. Think of Laura – Christopher Cross
84. Christine 16- KISS
85. Delilah – Tom Jones
86. Sherry – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
87. Eleanor – The Turtles
88. Nadine – Chuck Berry.
89. Sad Lisa – Cat Stevens
90. Mustang Sally – Wilson Pickett
91. Jamie’s Cryin’ – Van Halen
92. Caroline – Status Quo
93. Oh! Ma Jolie Sarah – Johnny Halliday
94. Denise – Randy & The Rainbows
95. Rosie – Joan Armatrading
96. Alice Long – Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
97. Pamela – Toto
98. Sorry Suzanne – The Hollies
99. Jeanette – The English Beat (UK The Beat)
100. Eloise – Barry Ryan
101. Runaround Sue – Dion & The Belmonts
102. Alice’s Restaurant – Arlo Guthrie
103. Lady Samantha – Orange Bicycle
104. Sweet Lorraine – Uriah Heep
105. Charlotte the Harlot – Iron Maiden
106. Jenny Artichoke – Kaleidoscope
107. Suzy Creamcheese – Frank Zappa
108. Izabella – Jimi Hendrix
109. Oh, Candy – Cheap Trick
110. Anna (El Negro Zumbon) – Esquivel
111. Ballade de Melody Nelson – Serge Gainsbourg
112. Roberta – Billy Joel
113. Cinderella – Sonics
114. Tracy- Cuff Links
115. Hello Mabel – The Bonzo Dog Band
116. Sweet Rosie Jones – Buck Owens
117. 867-5309/Jenny – Tommy Tutone
118. Daisy Mae – The Seeds
119. Jennifer Tomkins – Street People
120. Jennifer Eccles – The Hollies
121. Margorine – Tinkerbells Fairydust
122. Hallo Susie – Amen Corner
123. Fade Away Maureen – Cherry Smash
124. Sara Wells – Stone Circus
125. Caroline Goodbye – Colin Blunstone
This is the list, from the website and here are some others in the comments section… it’s literally almost never ending!
Walk Away Renee - The Left Banke
Carmelita - Warren Zevon
Marie - Randy Newman
Polk Salad Annie - Tony Joe White
Middle to lower:
Thoughts of Mary Jane - Nick Drake
Alison - Elvis Costello
Corinna - Taj Majal
Visions of Johanna - Bob Dylan
Maggie's Farm - Bob Dylan
Queen Jane Approximately - Bob Dylan
Angelina/Zooma Zooma - Louis Prima
Mona Lisa - Nat King Cole
Hadie Brown (My Little Lady) - Roy Rogers & the Sons of the Pioneers
Angie - Rolling Stones
Blue Jean - David Bowie
Venus - Shocking Blue
Molina - CCR
Sandy - Bruce Springsteen
Candy-O - The Cars
Candy's Room - Bruce Springsteen