Songs Where 'They' Is Used As A Non-Gender Specific Third Person Pronoun

[Dr Rock]

This is related to a discussion my brother was having with his wife regarding how one might use the word 'they' in relation to a trans person if you didn't know if they identified as a man or a woman. As with me, he was saying it's commonly done anyway eg 'this fella was talking to me and I said so and so and they turned round to me and said etc' Nope she wasn't having it, sounds wrong and she'd never say that and said nobody talks like that. Digging her heels in and denying reality, one might say, probably correctly according to my brother. Anyway he let it lie, but I said there's bound to be some famous songs that do it, slap her with a Beatles tune that does it and she's knackered. But I can't think of any examples. Can you?

[Golden E. Pump]

All I'd like to add to this thread is that they don't particularly care pertaining to ourselves.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Paintball's coming home.

[Dr Rock]

Paintball's coming home.

Good effort, it could almost be applying to a singular person couldn't it? If you ignore the obvious suggestion that it's not. Have half a point anyway, which means you're winning the thread so far.

[Golden E. Pump]

Can I have a third of a point? I am in second place.

[Dr Rock]

Can I have a third of a point? I am in second place.

Yes. Wow the race is really hotting up, this thread is on fire!

[Dr Rock]

I will also accept movie quotes even though this isn't the right forum for them.

[Sebastian Cobb]

^upset

[undeliberated]

"If you meet someone in love then wish them well"
- Personal Best

[phantom_power]

If you love someone, set them free. Them rather than they but the idea is the same

[doppelkorn]

It's known as 'singular they' and it's both common and widely accepted. Some people hate it though.

A good language blogger called Stan Carey writes about it quite a bit.

https://stancarey.wordpress.com/tag/singular-they/

[wosl]

Bit of a wobbly one, but the Doors - L.A. Woman:

I see your hair is burning
Hills are filled with fire
If they say I never loved you
You know they are a liar

[Captain Z]

Looking for those who are them
Who like them to be those
Who do those like they're them
Who do them like they're those
Always should be someone you really love