Great Songs About Real Life Celebrities

Not too long ago Mr. Neil Diamond finally revealed the shocking secret behind his big hit "Sweet Caroline": it was about Caroline Kennedy, the young daughter of JFK. Many hit songs are, or thought to be, about famous people and celebrities. The most infamous, probably, is Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" which is supposed to be directed toward Warren Beatty. Hard to believe for most moviegoers today, but Warren Beatty in the late 60s and early 70s was, for millions of women, the hottest guy in the movies and, according to Simon's lyrics, he knew it. Not all songs are quite so vague, choosing instead to wear their subject proudly in the title, or at least the lyrics.

One of the biggest hits about a celebrity was REM's "Man on the Moon" which was later used as the title of a Hollywood biopic about its subject: the incomparable Andy Kaufman. While most movie fans today are only familiar with Andy Kaufman through Jim Carrey's admittedly impressive, surprisingly impressive, channeling of stand-up comedy's most inventive alumnus, REM's song managed to be a fine tribute. This is all the more surprising considering that "Man on the Moon" came a good five years after REM had made their last totally listenable album. The country/western ambience of the song seems at first to have little to do with Andy Kaufman until one remembers that Andy was an absolute fanatic about his hero Elvis Presley, who, it must also be remember, is enshrined not only in the Rock and Roll Hall of the Fame, but also the Country Music Hall of Fame. (It is my understanding that only Johnny Cash is enshrined in as many different music Halls of Fame as the King, though I can't commit fully to saying that is 100% factual.) The highlight of "Man on the Moon" is itself a tribute to Andy Kaufman's signature tribute to Elvis Presley: "Andy, are you goofing on Elvis (Hey, baby!)".