ONTD Original: Best Songs Written About Actors
Creative types often attract other creative types. It's no secret that musicians and actors go together like peanut butter and jelly, or spaghetti and meatballs. Sometimes, musicians and actors don't even have to be in a relationship to inspire the other. Whatever way it comes about, you get MUSIC GOLD. THAT'S WHAT.
I love drama and gossip, so this is a follow up to my previous post.
It Ain't Over Til it's Over - Lenny Kravitz
Subject: Lisa Bonet
Okay, so Lenny has never confirmed that this song is about his first wife Lisa Bonet. However, given the rocky relationship the pair shared towards the end of their marriage in 1993, it's not hard to assume that Lenny wrote this with her in mind. Their marriage ended among rumors that Lenny had cheated on Lisa with Madonna while he worked on the song, "Justify My Love."
All Too Well - Taylor Swift
Subject: Jake Gyllenhaal
It's no secret that Taylor takes inspiration from her real life relationships to pen her songs. So, naturally, the singer was going to write one about her 3 month long romance with Jake Gyllenhaal. There are many clues strewn through the lyrics that make it hard to dispute the subject.
Is #RedMuse better than #1989Muse? Hard to say, because "All Too Well" might be Taylor's best song ever. Well, until we get her EDM album inspired by Calvin.
Candle in the Wind - Elton John
Subject: Marilyn Monroe
This one is fairly obvious, but that doesn't make this song any less beautiful.
You're So Vain - Carly Simon
Subject: Warren Beatty (2nd Verse)
"I have confirmed that the second verse is Warren... Warren thinks the whole thing is about him," Simon said. "He certainly thought it was about him--he called me and said thanks for the song."
Carly and Warren had a short romance in 1971, and she reveals many details in her new memior "Boys in the Trees" available here.
Howard Stern revealed that Simon confided in him that the song was about 3 people. Would Carly ever reveal the other two names? ""Probably, if we were sitting over at dinner and I said: 'Remember that time you walked into the party and ...I don't know if I'll do it. I never thought I would admit that it was more than one person!"
You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette
Subject: Dave Coulier
No one likes being dragged through the mud in a song, but thanks to Dave Coulier, we got one of the best break-up songs of all time. However, he HATES that he's associated with the song, and likes to back track saying it's not about him. But Alanis knows, WE know.
Dave said this when the song first came out, ""There was a lot of familiar stuff because she was writing a lot of material when we were dating, so there were some familiarities all throughout Jagged Little Pill. The one that got me was, 'I hate to bug you in the middle of dinner.' That was because we had already broken up and she had called-she was living in Canada at the time-she called, and I said, 'Hey, I'm right in the middle of dinner, can I just call you right back?' I remember that line when I heard 'You Oughta Know,' and I just went...it was like, 'Uh-oh.'"
Am I Safe - Ryan Adams
Subject: Mandy Moore
Okay, so this one is more speculative than anything-- HOWEVER, the lyrics are undeniably about someone looking to leave a relationship. The fact that Mandy provides the backing vocals to this song (something she's only done for Ryan 3 times in their nearly 6 year relationship) adds more wood to my fire. The album was released in September of 2014, Moore and Adams announced their split the following January. Coincidence? Probably not, but I like to believe where there's smoke there's fire.
Everything - Michael Buble
Subject: Emily Blunt
Michael and Emily dated from 2005 to 2008. Buble had this to say about his hit, "I wrote the song about the great happiness of real love, but at the same time I was making a statement about the world. We’re living in really crazy times, and I wanted to say that no matter what’s happening, this person in my life is what really makes it worthwhile."
LOL.
Rumors came out (true rumors) that Buble cheated on Blunt, which ultimately lead to their break up. Buble says THAT'S NOT TRUE! WAH! "It didn't end because of cheating. It ended because we weren't right for each other, and we are now exactly where we're supposed to be in our lives."
When Emily was asked about the rumors she said, "I don’t know, it’s complicated,” Blunt, 32, admitted. “I never want to talk about it. I can’t do it."
Girl on TV - LFO
Subject: Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt dated LFO singer Rich Cronin met in 1999 and they dated for a year. In an interview with Howard Stern, Cronin said, "We had the same publicist, so I started to talk to her and I couldn’t believe it. She kept talking to me and talking to me. She was actually interested. Later on that night, she gave me her number. I was floored. I was so anxious about calling her."
However, according to Cronin's interview, things went south when Jennifer was photographed with other men in NYC. The pair broke it off immediately. Yikes.
Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight
Subject: Farrah Fawcett and Lee Majors
Jim Weatherly penned this classic song, so the subjects of this song might not seem so strange learning that. Weatherly was old college buddies with Lee Majors. He called up Majors' home one night and Majors' girlfriend, Farrah Fawcett, answered the phone.
"Farrah answered the phone. She said Lee wasn't home and that she was packing to take a midnight plane to Houston to visit her folks. What a great line for a song, I thought." Weatherly penned the song from Majors and Fawcett's point of view, making them characters of the song.
Weatherly then offered the song to ONTD Fave Cissy Houston who thought that it would sound better as "Midnight Train to Georgia." The change stuck, and when the song made it's way into Gladys Knights' hands, it became a hit.
Something Like Olivia - John Mayer
Subject: Olivia Wilde
John had a crush on the then married Olivia Wilde. Shortly after this song, she divorced her first husband, BUT NOT FOR MAYER. Just, because. Pretty cut and dry. lol.
Okay, ONTD, which of your faves did I miss?
SOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCE
I love drama and gossip, so this is a follow up to my previous post.
It Ain't Over Til it's Over - Lenny Kravitz
Click to viewSubject: Lisa Bonet
Okay, so Lenny has never confirmed that this song is about his first wife Lisa Bonet. However, given the rocky relationship the pair shared towards the end of their marriage in 1993, it's not hard to assume that Lenny wrote this with her in mind. Their marriage ended among rumors that Lenny had cheated on Lisa with Madonna while he worked on the song, "Justify My Love."
All Too Well - Taylor Swift
Subject: Jake Gyllenhaal
It's no secret that Taylor takes inspiration from her real life relationships to pen her songs. So, naturally, the singer was going to write one about her 3 month long romance with Jake Gyllenhaal. There are many clues strewn through the lyrics that make it hard to dispute the subject.
Is #RedMuse better than #1989Muse? Hard to say, because "All Too Well" might be Taylor's best song ever. Well, until we get her EDM album inspired by Calvin.
Candle in the Wind - Elton John
Subject: Marilyn Monroe
This one is fairly obvious, but that doesn't make this song any less beautiful.
You're So Vain - Carly Simon
Subject: Warren Beatty (2nd Verse)
"I have confirmed that the second verse is Warren... Warren thinks the whole thing is about him," Simon said. "He certainly thought it was about him--he called me and said thanks for the song."
Carly and Warren had a short romance in 1971, and she reveals many details in her new memior "Boys in the Trees" available here.
Howard Stern revealed that Simon confided in him that the song was about 3 people. Would Carly ever reveal the other two names? ""Probably, if we were sitting over at dinner and I said: 'Remember that time you walked into the party and ...I don't know if I'll do it. I never thought I would admit that it was more than one person!"
You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette
Subject: Dave Coulier
No one likes being dragged through the mud in a song, but thanks to Dave Coulier, we got one of the best break-up songs of all time. However, he HATES that he's associated with the song, and likes to back track saying it's not about him. But Alanis knows, WE know.
Dave said this when the song first came out, ""There was a lot of familiar stuff because she was writing a lot of material when we were dating, so there were some familiarities all throughout Jagged Little Pill. The one that got me was, 'I hate to bug you in the middle of dinner.' That was because we had already broken up and she had called-she was living in Canada at the time-she called, and I said, 'Hey, I'm right in the middle of dinner, can I just call you right back?' I remember that line when I heard 'You Oughta Know,' and I just went...it was like, 'Uh-oh.'"
Am I Safe - Ryan Adams
Subject: Mandy Moore
Okay, so this one is more speculative than anything-- HOWEVER, the lyrics are undeniably about someone looking to leave a relationship. The fact that Mandy provides the backing vocals to this song (something she's only done for Ryan 3 times in their nearly 6 year relationship) adds more wood to my fire. The album was released in September of 2014, Moore and Adams announced their split the following January. Coincidence? Probably not, but I like to believe where there's smoke there's fire.
Everything - Michael Buble
Subject: Emily Blunt
Michael and Emily dated from 2005 to 2008. Buble had this to say about his hit, "I wrote the song about the great happiness of real love, but at the same time I was making a statement about the world. We’re living in really crazy times, and I wanted to say that no matter what’s happening, this person in my life is what really makes it worthwhile."
LOL.
Rumors came out (true rumors) that Buble cheated on Blunt, which ultimately lead to their break up. Buble says THAT'S NOT TRUE! WAH! "It didn't end because of cheating. It ended because we weren't right for each other, and we are now exactly where we're supposed to be in our lives."
When Emily was asked about the rumors she said, "I don’t know, it’s complicated,” Blunt, 32, admitted. “I never want to talk about it. I can’t do it."
Girl on TV - LFO
Subject: Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt dated LFO singer Rich Cronin met in 1999 and they dated for a year. In an interview with Howard Stern, Cronin said, "We had the same publicist, so I started to talk to her and I couldn’t believe it. She kept talking to me and talking to me. She was actually interested. Later on that night, she gave me her number. I was floored. I was so anxious about calling her."
However, according to Cronin's interview, things went south when Jennifer was photographed with other men in NYC. The pair broke it off immediately. Yikes.
Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight
Subject: Farrah Fawcett and Lee Majors
Jim Weatherly penned this classic song, so the subjects of this song might not seem so strange learning that. Weatherly was old college buddies with Lee Majors. He called up Majors' home one night and Majors' girlfriend, Farrah Fawcett, answered the phone.
"Farrah answered the phone. She said Lee wasn't home and that she was packing to take a midnight plane to Houston to visit her folks. What a great line for a song, I thought." Weatherly penned the song from Majors and Fawcett's point of view, making them characters of the song.
Weatherly then offered the song to ONTD Fave Cissy Houston who thought that it would sound better as "Midnight Train to Georgia." The change stuck, and when the song made it's way into Gladys Knights' hands, it became a hit.
Something Like Olivia - John Mayer
Subject: Olivia Wilde
John had a crush on the then married Olivia Wilde. Shortly after this song, she divorced her first husband, BUT NOT FOR MAYER. Just, because. Pretty cut and dry. lol.
Okay, ONTD, which of your faves did I miss?
SOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCESOURCE