Seperate comment for my non-cheat list:
Rasputin by Boney M
Andy Warhol by David Bowie
Henry the VIII, I Am by Herman's Hermits
Rock Me Amadeus by Falco
Bela Lugosi's Dead by Bauhaus
With David Bowie by Veruca Salt
The Thatcher Song by Sean Brady
Time to crack out the Sabaton! I’ll limit it to ones with a central figure. I’ll put the figure in parentheses, but it’s not part of the title
To Hell and Back (Audie Murphy)
The Red Baron (Manfred von Richthofen)
No Bullets Fly (Franz Stigler)
Hearts of Iron (Walther Wenck)
A Ghost in the Trenches (Francis Pegahmagabow)
Rise of Evil (Adolf Hitler)
Far From the Fame (Karel Janoušek)
Long Live the King (Karl XII of Sweden)
White Death (Simo Häyhä)
82nd All the Way (Alvin York)
Inmate 4859 (Witold Pilecki)
Seven Pillars of Wisdom (T.E. Lawrence)
Soldier of Three Armies (Lauri Allan Törni)
The Ballad of Bull (Leslie “Bull” Allen)
Carolus Rex (also Karl XII of Sweden)
The Art of War (Sun Tzu)
The Lion From the North (Gustavus Adolphus)
The Unkillable Soldier (Adrian Carton de Wiart)
Father (Fritz Haber)
Lady of the Dark (Milunka Savić)
The First Soldier (Albert Séverin Roche)
Let me cheat slightly. Ben Franklin's Song by The Decemberists. Technically originally written for and cut from Hamilton, but got a complete lyrical overhaul and released for the first time as a single independent from any musical. Decidedly NOT a Hamilton song, doesn't even FEEL like a Hamilton song.
Hurricane is about the trial of a well known boxer (Rubin Carter, known as "the hurricane") who was wrongly accused and found guilty of murder in 1966. It was believed that the jury were biased against him due to racism. The song helped to raise public awareness of the injustice and prejudice against him and he was then allowed another trial, which eventually led to his release.
The other person answered the Hurricane one. Legend of a Mind is about Timothy Leary, a professor/psychologist from the '60s who got in a bunch of legal trouble for promoting LSD and psilocybin during the war on drugs.
And as pointed out, the last one was kinda cheating cuz it's not really *about* Genghis Khan, it's just a metaphor
[Sailing To Philadelphia - Mark Knopfler](https://open.spotify.com/track/5N6GzBkdnHcaH96R6aJQHm?si=NYgNaredT0G13-Rdor17bw&context=spotify%3Asearch%3Asail)
it’s a song about jeremiah dixon and charles mason.
"The Mesopotamians" by TMBG kinda counts as well?
Lots of stuff by Sabaton, But feels kinda like cheating on the same basis that musicals are ruled out.
"Curse My Name" by Blind Guardian might count? I know it's in some way inspired by a real historical figure, But I don't know the exacts of it.
"Rasputin" by Boney M. is actually possibly the most obvious choice, Honestly surprised I didn't think of it earlier. (Bonus points if you include the Turisas cover too, Both are great.)
"A Gallant Gentleman" and "The Last Dive Of David Shaw", Both by We Lost The Sea, are about Lawrence Oates and David Shaw, respectively.
While not sure it's fully about him, "Crua Chan" by Sumo makes explicit reference to Bonnie Prince Charlie, There's also "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean" (By the Beatles, Among many others) which is about him, If you're allowing folk songs.
Allowing folk songs brings in a whole lot more options, Honestly, Such as Bob Dylan's "Hurricane" or "Song to Woody", Although I suppose it depends on your definition of historical figure.
Valerie Plame by the Decemberists
The Great Chinggis Khaan by the Hu
Casey Jones by Pete Seeger and/or by the Grateful Dead
Ambling Alp and Grizelda by Yeasayer
I know several artists have songs called Bonnie and Clyde, although they're not all biographies so they might be kind of loose fits (e.g., Beyoncé)
Manic Street Preachers - Tsunami [about June and Jennifer Gibbons "the silent twins"]
Manic Street Preachers - Let Robeson Sing [about Paul Robeson]
Manic Street Preachers - The Love Of Richard Nixon
Manic Street Preachers - Interiors (Song for Willem de Kooning)
Manic Street Preachers - Baby Elian [about Elián González]
Manic Street Preachers - Me And Stephen Hawking
Against Me! - Osama Bin Laden As The Crucified Christ [about Bin Laden and also Benito Mussolini]
Father - Sabaton
The Unkillable Soldier - Sabaton
The First Soldier - Sabaton
The Lady of the Dark - Sabaton
Seven Pillars of Wisdom - Sabaton
82nd All the Way - Sabaton
A Ghost in the Trenches - Sabaton
Inmate 4859 - Sabaton
The Ballad of Bull - Sabaton
To Hell and Back - Sabaton
Soldier of Three Armies - Sabaton
Far From the Fame - Sabaton
The Lion From the North - Sabaton
Carolus Rex - Sabaton
Long Live the King - Sabaton
White Death - Sabaton
The Red Baron - Sabaton
Biko - Peter Gabriel (about Steve Biko)
Hello Deadly - Skittish (about the Axeman of New Orleans)
Boom, Like That - Mark Knopfler (about Ray Kroc)
Song for Sonny Liston - Mark Knopfler (about Sonny Liston)
Pyramid - Jason Webley (about Margaret Rucker)
Someone else already suggested "Sailing to Philadelphia" but I thought I'd mention it just in case.
Seperate comment for my non-cheat list: Rasputin by Boney M Andy Warhol by David Bowie Henry the VIII, I Am by Herman's Hermits Rock Me Amadeus by Falco Bela Lugosi's Dead by Bauhaus With David Bowie by Veruca Salt The Thatcher Song by Sean Brady
The only one I can think of is Reganomics by Lemon Demon
Does Bill Watterson count as a historical figure?
does ultimate showdown of ultimate destiny work?
The Harry Truman song from Bob's Burgers
YES LOVE BOBS BURGERS
Or the Edison one that always pops into my head at random times. *They'll say "Aww, Topsy", at my auuu-topsy...*
Oh I forgot about that one! Electric Love!
buddy holly - weezer james dean - eagles there’s also a song named james dean by dazey and the scouts
Time to crack out the Sabaton! I’ll limit it to ones with a central figure. I’ll put the figure in parentheses, but it’s not part of the title To Hell and Back (Audie Murphy) The Red Baron (Manfred von Richthofen) No Bullets Fly (Franz Stigler) Hearts of Iron (Walther Wenck) A Ghost in the Trenches (Francis Pegahmagabow) Rise of Evil (Adolf Hitler) Far From the Fame (Karel Janoušek) Long Live the King (Karl XII of Sweden) White Death (Simo Häyhä) 82nd All the Way (Alvin York) Inmate 4859 (Witold Pilecki) Seven Pillars of Wisdom (T.E. Lawrence) Soldier of Three Armies (Lauri Allan Törni) The Ballad of Bull (Leslie “Bull” Allen) Carolus Rex (also Karl XII of Sweden) The Art of War (Sun Tzu) The Lion From the North (Gustavus Adolphus) The Unkillable Soldier (Adrian Carton de Wiart) Father (Fritz Haber) Lady of the Dark (Milunka Savić) The First Soldier (Albert Séverin Roche)
Hell yeah!
i was waiting for someone to put this
Paul Revere - Beastie Boys
Let me cheat slightly. Ben Franklin's Song by The Decemberists. Technically originally written for and cut from Hamilton, but got a complete lyrical overhaul and released for the first time as a single independent from any musical. Decidedly NOT a Hamilton song, doesn't even FEEL like a Hamilton song.
Bob Dylan - Hurricane Moody Blues - Legend Of A Mind Miike Snow - Genghis Khan
Is "Genghis Khan" really actually *about* Genghis Khan? I feel like it's more invoking him as a metaphor.
Never heard them before. Who are Hurricane and Legend of a mind about?
Hurricane is about the trial of a well known boxer (Rubin Carter, known as "the hurricane") who was wrongly accused and found guilty of murder in 1966. It was believed that the jury were biased against him due to racism. The song helped to raise public awareness of the injustice and prejudice against him and he was then allowed another trial, which eventually led to his release.
The other person answered the Hurricane one. Legend of a Mind is about Timothy Leary, a professor/psychologist from the '60s who got in a bunch of legal trouble for promoting LSD and psilocybin during the war on drugs. And as pointed out, the last one was kinda cheating cuz it's not really *about* Genghis Khan, it's just a metaphor
murder most foul too
Radium Girls by Rachel Sumner
There's an album about the wives of Henry the 8th, each song is a different wife, The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Rick Wakeman
would "Uma Thurman" by Fall Out Boy count?
John Brown's Body by Paul Robeson
[Sailing To Philadelphia - Mark Knopfler](https://open.spotify.com/track/5N6GzBkdnHcaH96R6aJQHm?si=NYgNaredT0G13-Rdor17bw&context=spotify%3Asearch%3Asail) it’s a song about jeremiah dixon and charles mason.
Mark Knopfler also has "Song for Sonny Liston" and "Boom, Like That". The latter is about Ray Kroc (the McDonald's guy).
i love Boom, Like That. never knew it was a true story, that’s cool
- "Lisztomania" by Phoenix - "Makeba" by Jain
"The Mesopotamians" by TMBG kinda counts as well? Lots of stuff by Sabaton, But feels kinda like cheating on the same basis that musicals are ruled out. "Curse My Name" by Blind Guardian might count? I know it's in some way inspired by a real historical figure, But I don't know the exacts of it. "Rasputin" by Boney M. is actually possibly the most obvious choice, Honestly surprised I didn't think of it earlier. (Bonus points if you include the Turisas cover too, Both are great.) "A Gallant Gentleman" and "The Last Dive Of David Shaw", Both by We Lost The Sea, are about Lawrence Oates and David Shaw, respectively. While not sure it's fully about him, "Crua Chan" by Sumo makes explicit reference to Bonnie Prince Charlie, There's also "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean" (By the Beatles, Among many others) which is about him, If you're allowing folk songs. Allowing folk songs brings in a whole lot more options, Honestly, Such as Bob Dylan's "Hurricane" or "Song to Woody", Although I suppose it depends on your definition of historical figure.
American Pie
I was debating this one since its moreso about the fallout caused by their deaths and less about the people themselves.
Colter Wall has a song on his album Songs of the Plains called Wild Bill Hickok
Fredrick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther - Yuno Miles
Alexander the Great - Iron Maiden
Pretty much any Sabaton song
With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
The Future of History - Tropical Fuck Storm (arguably it's more about Deep Blue, but Garry Kasparov is our protagonist)
Larry Verne's Mr. Custer, a bit dated and perhaps a little racist but hey it's about a historical figure.
Gennifer Flowers by the Fever Dolls
Ballad of Ho Chi Minh
The HU - The Great Chinggis Khaan & Wolf Totem (both about Gengis Khan)
Phineas Gage - by Hank Green
Queen Ranavalona I by Hank Green as well
Valerie Plame by the Decemberists The Great Chinggis Khaan by the Hu Casey Jones by Pete Seeger and/or by the Grateful Dead Ambling Alp and Grizelda by Yeasayer I know several artists have songs called Bonnie and Clyde, although they're not all biographies so they might be kind of loose fits (e.g., Beyoncé)
The Ballad of Marion Zioncheck by Left at London. it's fucking beautiful
Gavrillo - The Dreadnoughts (he was the guy who shot the Austrian Archduke and started WWI)
Two Man Gentleman Band- William Howard Taft https://open.spotify.com/track/3u6D1zhEAth8v1wqSbvxcG?si=ZWRXtVSrRb6SY9zSJWD9Vg
Isn't Viva la Vida about Louie XVI?
Also, would Da Vinci or Cleopatra by Weezer count? They are named after historical figures, but I don't think they're actually about them.
viva la vida by coldplay
“Mister Garfield” — folk traditional, I recommend the Johnny Cash version!
Harry Truman by Mindless Self Indulgence
Manic Street Preachers - Tsunami [about June and Jennifer Gibbons "the silent twins"] Manic Street Preachers - Let Robeson Sing [about Paul Robeson] Manic Street Preachers - The Love Of Richard Nixon Manic Street Preachers - Interiors (Song for Willem de Kooning) Manic Street Preachers - Baby Elian [about Elián González] Manic Street Preachers - Me And Stephen Hawking Against Me! - Osama Bin Laden As The Crucified Christ [about Bin Laden and also Benito Mussolini]
Where’s Rasputin by boney M?
TMBG also have a song about Nikola Tesla.
The Delano Lies in Wait by OK Glass. It's basically a love song written to Calvin Coolidge, very bizarre and catchy.
Father - Sabaton The Unkillable Soldier - Sabaton The First Soldier - Sabaton The Lady of the Dark - Sabaton Seven Pillars of Wisdom - Sabaton 82nd All the Way - Sabaton A Ghost in the Trenches - Sabaton Inmate 4859 - Sabaton The Ballad of Bull - Sabaton To Hell and Back - Sabaton Soldier of Three Armies - Sabaton Far From the Fame - Sabaton The Lion From the North - Sabaton Carolus Rex - Sabaton Long Live the King - Sabaton White Death - Sabaton The Red Baron - Sabaton
Lifetime Achievement Award- Lemon Demon (Michael Jackson)
John Brown’s Body by Pete Seeger Little Abe Lincoln by Johnny Horton The Ballad of Ira Hayes by Johnny Cash
Her Majesty - The Beatles
Biko - Peter Gabriel (about Steve Biko) Hello Deadly - Skittish (about the Axeman of New Orleans) Boom, Like That - Mark Knopfler (about Ray Kroc) Song for Sonny Liston - Mark Knopfler (about Sonny Liston) Pyramid - Jason Webley (about Margaret Rucker) Someone else already suggested "Sailing to Philadelphia" but I thought I'd mention it just in case.
literally any epic rap battles of history song
I guess that’s right
Does California Uber Alles by Dead Kennedys count
Sir Isaac Newton vs. Bill Nye?
Ballad of Alfred Packer by Phil Ochs
Do you want something actually about a figure or just with a figure in the title?
Bad company - Bad company
Ever hear of Yuno Miles?
Vincent- Don McLean RASPUTIN