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

Are you ready to write your lyrics with someone’s name in them?