Hit Singles That Mention Famous People

[DrGreggles]

Guess who's had an idea for a pop quiz round...

OK, what I'm looking for is:
- UK hit single
- 80s or later
- mentions a famous person in the lyrics, but not in the title
- not multiple famous people, just one

Example
Carter USM
After the Watershed
David Icke

I think this might prove to be a bit niche, unfortunately, but 10+ would be nice.

[massive bereavement]

First one that springs to mind is REM "Man on the Moon" - Andy Kaufman.

[Huxleys Babkins]

Mansun
I Can Only Disappoint U
Greta Garbo

[DrGreggles]

First one that springs to mind is REM "Man on the Moon" - Andy Kaufman.

Good one, but I think Charles Darwin gets a mention too.
I suppose there could be more than one answer to the famous person bit and the round would still work.

[the midnight watch baboon]

John Grant
GMF
Richard Burton

Although it wasn't a hit single. So grrrr.

[the midnight watch baboon]

Nirvana
Pennyroyal Tea
Leonard Cohen

got to #4 in the UK Physical Single sales chart, apparently.
But #121 in the UK Singles chart. Confused! Think it's something to do with KC's death happening around the time and lots of editions being pulled. That or every other song was being relentlessly streamed by some proto Napster thang.

[Gulftastic]

'Hello' by the Beloved. got to the heady heights of #19 in 1990.

A cornucopia of famous folk here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So60B8Kgw0A

[the midnight watch baboon]

'Hello' by the Beloved. got to the heady heights of #19 in 1990.

A cornucopia of famous folk here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So60B8Kgw0A

Regard rule #4, my fine feathered friend.

[massive bereavement]

Would "Doctoring the Tardis" count?
Dr Who is famous and not mentioned in the title, but not a real person as such.

[Jockice]

Do just surnames count? If so Fairytale Of New York, with its 'Sinatra was swinging' line.

Five Get Over Excited by The Housemartins. 'James Dean posters on their wall.' It also mentions Abba later on.

[Purple Toupee]

You're in a Bad Way by Saint Etienne - mentions CAB favourite Bruce Forsyth and got to #12.

[Fr.Bigley]

James
Getting away with it all
John travolta

Also
James
Just like Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire

[DrGreggles]

You're in a Bad Way by Saint Etienne - mentions CAB favourite Bruce Forsyth and got to #12.

Nice one - great song too.

EDIT: Mentions Bruce, but not Forsyth

[Jerzy Bondov]

Matinee by Franz Ferdinand mentions Terry Wogan, got to number 8

[dr beat]

Edit: Ah just seen the rules again

[dr beat]

Deacon Blue 'Dignity' mentions 'Maynard Keynes' which might just count - generally he's known by his full name 'John Maynard Keynes' but 'Maynard' appears to be a middle name rather than part of the surname.

[Norton Canes]

Can the person be fictional?

X Y & Zee (reached no.15 on the UK chart)
Pop Will Eat Itself
George Jetson

[Prison Biscuits]

Cornershop

Brimful Of Asha (got to no 1)

mentions Asha Bhosle a couple of times.

[Brundle-Fly]

The Undertones
My Perfect Cousin
The Human League

Robbie Williams
Strong
Kiss

Blur
Country House
Honoré de Balzac

[the midnight watch baboon]

Finley Quaye
Sunday Shining
Robert De Niro
(no 16, 1997)

[dr beat]

U2 Angel of Harlem - mentions John Coltrane by full name, although 'Miles' (but not Davis) also features, as does 'JFK' but thats clearly referenced as the airport not the person.

Also, Robbie 'Not BA' Robertson - Somewhere Down The Crazy River - Little Willie John

[Jockice]

Probably stretching the definition of a hit (it got to number 43) but TV by The Flying Lizards mentions Elton John. It does fit into the 80s bit though, having reached its dizzy heights in the first month of that decade.

[Norton Canes]

World In Motion mentions Bobby Charlton in the commentary sample. Possibly there are a few other footie ones that fit the conditions?

[stranger]

Bros
When Will I Be Famous?
Karl Marx

[Norton Canes]

Walk The Dinosaur by Was (Not) Was mentions 'Elvis'

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Goodbye Lucille #1 by Prefab Sprout
" You're still in love with Hayley Mills"

'True' by Spandau Ballet has the line " Listening to Marvin all night long", but doesnae make clear whether they mean Lee Marvin, or that Android off " The Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy" or what, so fuck 'em.

[Jockice]

I was going to suggest Inbetweener by Sleeper due to its Keith Prowse mention. But it seems that there has never been a real person (or at least a famous one) with that name. It also mentions Harry Conway, who is apparently an Australian cricketer who shares my birthday. But was two years old when the single came out.

[buzby]

Was going to say
Heaven 17
We Don't Need This Fascist Groove Thang
Ronald Reagan
but it only got to #45 due to being banned by the BBC.

Blondie's Rapture doesn't count as it mentions Fab Five Freddy, Grandmaster Flash and Francois Kervorkian Same with Nightshift by The Commodores - mentions Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson

The Bangles
Manic Monday
Rudolph Valentino

The Police
Don't Stand So Close To Me
Vladimir Nabokov (author of Lolita)

Amy Winehouse
You Know I'm No Good
Roger Moore

Wham!
Wake Me Up Before You Go Go
Doris Day

Eurythmics -
There Must Be An Angel
Elvis Presley

Does referring to yourself in the third person count?
The KLF Featuring Tammy Wynette
Justified And Ancient (Stand By The JAMs)
Tammy Wynette

Beatmasters Featuring Betty Boo
Hey DJ (I Can't Dance To That)
Betty Boo

I was going to suggest Inbetweener by Sleeper due to its Keith Prowse mention. But it seems that there has never been a real person (or at least a famous one) with that name.

Keith Prowse is a very famous music publisher, library music house and concert/events promotion company (hence getting tickets from there to see The Dream Boys). Not a person, though, as it's a conjunction of two names - Robert Keith and William Prowse. It does mention the author Harold Robbins though.

[The Culture Bunker]

The Teardrop Explodes' 'Reward' namechecks Howard Hughes.

[Delete Delete Delete]

Kevin Cater by the Manic Street Preachers mentions..... wait for it...... Kevin Carter.

Kevin Carter (13 September 1960 – 27 July 1994)[1] was a South African photojournalist and member of the Bang-Bang Club. He was the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize for his photograph depicting the 1993 famine in Sudan. He died by suicide at the age of 33. His story is depicted in the 2010 feature film The Bang-Bang Club, in which he was played by Taylor Kitsch.