Songs that quote or directly name other musicians
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Topic: Songs that quote or directly name other musicians
Posted By: JD
Subject: Songs that quote or directly name other musicians
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 12:42
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Pretty much everyone knows the saga of Don McLean's American Pie. While he refers several times to "The day the music died" he never directly mentions Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens or The Big Bopper. Only naming James Dean, Lenin, Marx and Satan none of which are musicians, nor does he quote (musically) any other musicians work. But, if you listen to either of the songs below both these conditions are met. Manfred Mann quotes Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi @1:10 and The Who's My Generation @2:50 while Nuclear Bird mentions members of Atomic Rooster (Crane, Palmer @2:16 of the song). So that's what this thread is all about. What songs do you know that meet one or both of these conditions? ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Replies:
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 12:54
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The Mamas & the Papas - Creeque Alley |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 12:56
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Lynard Skynard refers to Neil Young directly (for Southern Man) in Sweet Home Alabama. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: suitkees
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 13:12
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Laurent Voulzy - Rock Collection, many quotes: ------------- The razamataz is a pain in the bum |
Posted By: Hrychu
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 13:54
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Universe - Mr. Lennon (John Lennon) ------------- 
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Posted By: Gentle and Giant
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 14:41
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AC/DC - Let There Be Rock - "But Tchaikovsky had the news, he said.." ------------- Oh, for the wings of any bird, other than a battery hen |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 14:49
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Doesnt Deep Purple mention Zappa in "Smoke on the Water" Frank Zappa and the Mothers. -------------  
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Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 14:51
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Supertramp and Roger Hodgson quotes "Schools Out" by Alice Cooper in Child of Vision. -------------
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 15:40
And J.S Bach in Bach in Black.  ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Gentle and Giant wrote:Posted By: JD
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 15:48
April Wine - I Like to Rock(@ 4:00) ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 15:52
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Frank Zappa and the Mothers. |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 17:04
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Peter, Paul & Mary and their satire "I Dig Rock and Roll Music", wherein they spoof The Mamas & Papas, Donovan and the Beatles.... Mott the Hoople's "All the Young Dude's." Of course it was written by Bowie (who also sings background), and mentions T. Rex, the Beatles and the Stones. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 17:09
There are entire stanzas referencing the Beatles and the Byrds: Helter skelter in a summer swelter The birds flew off with a fallout shelter Eight miles high and falling fast It landed foul on the grass The players tried for a forward pass With the jester on the sidelines in a cast Now, the halftime air was sweet perfume While sergeants played a marching tune We all got up to dance Oh, but we never got the chance 'Cause the players tried to take the field The marching band refused to yield Do you recall what was revealed The day the music died? ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 17:59
| "Roll over Beethoven, tell Tchaikovsky the news" - Chuck Berry |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 18:03
| "Elvis was a hero to most, but never meant sh*t to me" - Public Enemy |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 18:26
------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 18:38
| "When your talkin about Dylan, he thinks your talkin about Dylan Thomas, ... whoever he was" - Simon and Garfunkel |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 18:38
Yes, I am aware. Just adding to the conversation. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 18:42
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"Marley's hot on the box" - Stevie Wonder "Nothing but blues and Elvis" - Steely Dan |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 18:44
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Pink Floyd does it a few times... In "Young Lust": Hello? Yes, a collect call for Mrs. Floyd from Mr. Floyd Will you accept the charges from United States? And in "Have a Cigar": The Band is just fantastic, That is really what I think -- Oh, by the way, Which one's Pink? ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 01:59
Sorry but I can't let this go. It's Lynyrd Skynyrd.
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 02:11
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No worries, thought I might have got it wrong but not a fan so didn't care. I at least only got Leonard's name wrong and not Neal Yung. ;) ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 02:33
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There is a track on The Quest which mentions The Beatles, Brian Epstein, Neil Aspinall and others. I think it's called Mystery Tour but my brain is trying to erase it.
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Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 02:33
| "Poor Otis dead and gone" - Jim Morrison |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 02:35
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"Jimi gave us rainbows and Janis took a piece of our heart and Otis brought us all a dock of a bay" - Righteous Brothers (If There's a Rock n Roll Heaven) |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 02:36
| "Singing Sweet Home Alabama all summer long" - Kid Rock |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 02:54
| "W C Handy won't you look down over me" - Marc Cohn (Walking in Memphis) |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 03:39
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King Missile - Rock 'n' Roll Will Never Die Drummer's got one f**king arm Look at the Rolling Stones They've been around for 45 f**king years Look at Guns N' Roses Need I say more |
Posted By: I prophesy disaster
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 03:57
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The Tubes - Tubes World Tour references themselves. The Residents - Bach Is Dead references Bach. ------------- No, I know how to behave in the restaurant now, I don't tear at the meat with my hands. If I've become a man of the world somehow, that's not necessarily to say I'm a worldly man. |
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 04:41
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The Temptations 'Ball Of Confusion', directly mentions the Beatles. |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 04:51
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Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire" is an endless list of names and events... Liberace, Toscanini, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Chubby Checker, Bob Dylan, British Beatlemania
------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 04:56
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Radiohead's "Anyone Can Play Guitar" mentions Jim Morrison. ------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: Lewian
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 04:56
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Nice Richard Sinclair song about the lifestyle/mindset of the Canterbury scene, mentioning a number of other musicians: |
Posted By: mathman0806
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 05:14
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Kind of cute at 1:07, when the singer sings the word "satisfaction," the guitarist plays the riff from the Stone's song. |
Posted By: Matti
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 06:07
No mention of Kate Bush's 'Blow Away' yet? The song names several pop musicians who had died too young, such as Minnie Riperton and Sandy Denny  ."Hello. Minnie
Moony, Vicious Vicious, Buddy Holly Sandy Denny" |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 07:06
| "Clinton's musicians such as Bootsy Collins" - Tom Tom Club (Genius of Love) |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 07:52
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Steven Wilson does it all the time. "Time Flies" lists several bands/albums from the year he was born (1967) music and "Perfect Life" lists "his" (character's) favorite artists in the early 2000s. It's one of the things I find so endearing about Steven's music: He's kind of like a pop/social historian with his little snippets of past and current trends and popular items. ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 08:04
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Dream Theater - Full Circle "sailing on the seven seize the day tripper diem's ready jack the ripper owens wilson phillips and my supper's ready lucy in the sky with diamond dave's not here I come to save the day for nightmare cinema show me the way to get back home again Running forward Falling back Spinning round and round Looking outward Reaching in Scream without a sound Leaning over Crawling up Stumbling all around Losing my place Only to find I've come full circle flying off the handle with careful with that axe eugene gene the dance machine messiah light my fire gabba gabba hey hey my my generation's home again" ... |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 09:02
Good call, I should have thought of that.
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Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 11:16
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“Does getting into Zappa / Mean getting out of Zen?” - Godley & Creme, “Art School Canteen” ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 13:39
| "You might like to hear my organ, I said Ride Sally Ride" - Sly Stone (Dance to the Music) |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 14:26
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'MY My Hey Hey(Out of the blue)-by Neil Young "Is this the story of Johnny Rotten...?"
------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 15:37
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@0:50 Grateful Dead @2:15 USA Anthem The Cowsills - Hair ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 15:41
Jon Bon Jovi mentions John Coltrane in this song  "Alive like a lonely note from John Coltrane"
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Posted By: JD
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 16:06
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A couple of Self Quoters Robert Plant - Tall Cool One All over the place and the last few seconds of the song. Queen - More Of That Jazz @3:13 ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 16:43
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This song mentions Nick Lowe and David Hemmings: And this is a song about Sid Vicious: -------------  BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 16:54
| "Writers treat me like Coltrane, insane" - Public Enemy (Don't Believe the Hype) |
Posted By: BaldFriede
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 17:04
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This song mentions Jimi H., Janis J., Jim M. and B. Jones, who of course are Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Brian Jones. All of them are members of the so-called 27 Club: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27_Club" rel="nofollow - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27_Club
------------- BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |
Posted By: Shadowyzard
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 17:21
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Arjen Anthony Lucassen's song titled Where Pigs Fly has such an ironic part: Elvis was a vegan Dylan never got stoned Alice was known as Vincent And bowie was just Jones Michael looked like Michael Keith drank only juice Madonna was a virgin And Jimi played the flute |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 19:04
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Creedence Clearwater Revival - Lookin' Out My Back Door @0:42 ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 19:11
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I guess I should just get this one out of the way since no one has picked it yet. There are just too many included to name. ELO - Roll Over Beethoven ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 20:02
| ^ I already mentioned that one on page one, the song is actually by Chuck Berry. |
Posted By: stegor
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 20:24
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Don't know why I've always liked this stupid song: "Do you like Alice Cooper? Do you like Ringo Starr? You like David Bowie and friends In the Royal Albert Hall" |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 20:52
| " ... Doobie Brothers, Blue Magic and David Bowie" - Parliament (P-Funk, I Want to Get Funked Up) |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 22:11
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Now me and my mate were back at the shack, we had Spike Jones on the box She said, "I can't take the way he sings, but I love to hear him talk" ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: Necrotica
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 23:27
Heh, I was searching the entire thread to see if this one hadn't been mentioned yet  ------------- Take me down, to the underground Won't you take me down, to the underground Why oh why, there is no light And if I can't sleep, can you hold my life https://www.youtube.com/@CocoonMasterBrendan-wh3sd |
Posted By: Shadowyzard
Date Posted: October 22 2021 at 02:33
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Great song! |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 22 2021 at 07:12
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"Punk rock the Clash, Boy Bands are trash I like Johnny Cash and Grandmaster Flash" - Kid Rock (American Bad Ass) |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 22 2021 at 07:23
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"Tell 'em to make sure they got their James Brown pass And don't be surprised if Ali is in the White House Reverend Ike, Secretary of the Treasure Richard Pryor, Minister of Education Stevie Wonder, Secretary of fine arts And Miss Aretha Franklin, the First Lady" - Parliament (Chocolate City) |
Posted By: yogev
Date Posted: October 22 2021 at 08:29
| In the 2nd Movement from Le Sacre Du Travail by The Tangent Andy Tillison mentions a guy with "a Rush T-shirt" and "2112 tattooed on his hands". |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: October 22 2021 at 14:45
 ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: October 22 2021 at 14:49
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The Who - You Better You Bet @0.55 ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: October 22 2021 at 14:52
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Chicago Transit Authority - South California Purples
@4:40 ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: October 22 2021 at 17:15
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------------- 
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Posted By: mathman0806
Date Posted: October 23 2021 at 03:57
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The Afghan Whigs - John the Baptist "I got a little wine, some Marvin Gaye..." @0:26 |
Posted By: suitkees
Date Posted: October 23 2021 at 06:43
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Since King Missile got mentioned, here is their homage (?) to Philip Glass: ------------- The razamataz is a pain in the bum |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: October 23 2021 at 07:19
Eddie Money - Take Me Home Tonight/Be My Baby@1:12 ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: October 23 2021 at 09:12
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Levon by Elton John is an homage to Levon Helm -------------
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Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: October 23 2021 at 09:23
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The Waterboys - Has Anybody Here Seen Hank? An ode to Hank Williams. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 23 2021 at 20:09
| "Ooh-wee-ooh, I look just like Buddy Holly" - Weezer (Buddy Holly) |
Posted By: tigerfeet
Date Posted: October 23 2021 at 20:24
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A song that always make me smile is Roger Waters from the album Amused to Death - "It's A Miracle" He accused Andrew Lloyd Webber of stealing the Pink Floyd song Echoes and somehow put it in Phantom of the Opera https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/pink-floyd-was-the-phantom-of-the-opera-stolen-from-them.html/" rel="nofollow - https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/pink-floyd-was-the-phantom-of-the-opera-stolen-from-them.html/ ------------- I'm sorry, if you were right, I'd agree with you. Robin Williams. |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: October 23 2021 at 21:21
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This one mentions Charlie Parker, Jack Kerouac, René Magritte, and The Shadows did "F.B.I." ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 23 2021 at 21:43
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"Sebastian and Zal formed the Spoonful; Michelle, John, and Denny gettin' very tuneful McGuinn and McGuire just a-catchin' fire in L.A." - The Mama and Papas (Creeque Alley) |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 24 2021 at 07:18
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"It doesn't matter what I've been through I'll still be diggin' on James Brown" - Tower of Power (Diggin James Brown) |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: October 24 2021 at 07:35
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Hank Williams again, this time mentioned by Leonard Cohen.... ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: October 24 2021 at 08:51
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"Spotlight on Lou Rawls y'all Ah don't he look tall y'all Singin' loves a hurtin' thing now Oh yeah, oh yeah Spotlight on Sam and Dave now Ah don't they look boss y'all Singin' hold on I'm comin' Oh yeah, oh yeah Spotlight on Wilson Pickett That wicked picket Pickett Singin Mustang Sally Oh yeah, oh yeah Spotlight on Otis Redding now Singing fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa Fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa Oh yeah, oh yeah Spotlight on James Brown now ..." - Arthur Conley (Sweet Soul Music) |