Songs That Pay Tribute To Someone

[MaVolta]

What songs come to mind that pay tribute to someone? There must be a lot of them out there.

I’ll start with this one . . ,

Under A Raging Moon - Roger Daltrey 

for Keith Moon

[EricC28201]

Amelia - Joni Mitchell

Tribute to Amelia Earhart

[Vexed]

This may be really more of a cover tribute album to an artist instead of a song about, but thought I would put this here.

"Brother Johnny" (2022 This is the name of the album) - Edgar Winter - There are many collaborations with other artists to do tribute covers to the songs of Johnny Winter on this album. Edgar has been working for several years on this.

I haven't been through all of them, but I wanted to list this one because the vocalist on this one is Taylor Hawkins.

"Guess I'll Go Away"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEwnnNRtsP8 

[Vexed]

Hope this counts as a tribute. It is about the band Poco and Richie's remembrance of their start.

"We Were The Dreamers" - Richie Furay - 2015

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jpXti74wTM 

In 1968 Richie Furay ( in Poco from 68-74 and 89-90 ) and Jim Messina ( in Poco from 68-71 and 89-92 ) formed Poco after Buffalo Springfield broke up. They wanted to bridge the gap like The Flying Burrito Brothers, the Byrds and others between country and rock. Richie wrote this song about Poco and the times they had.

--- Richie Furay and Stephen Stills were together in the Au Go Go Singers before Buffalo Springfield. Stephen Stills and Neil Young were to join Crosby Stills Nash and Young sometime after Buffalo Springfield.

--- Poco continued with other members. Rusty Young was the only one of the original startup members to continue with the band all the way through the years. He passed away in 2021.

[RossM846371]

Wish You Were by Pink Floyd is about the original Pink Floys guitarist and song writer Syd Barret.  The album has Shine On YOu Crazy Diamond, referring to Syd.    Syd actually came to the studio to work on the album but by then he was too far gone and none of the stuff he recorded was useful.   

[MaVolta]

Iris (Hold Me Close) - U2

Bono wrote this one about his mother.

Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own - U2

Bono wrote this one about his father.

[RossM846371]

Two more that come to mind are by Tim Hardin.

Lenny's Tune about Lenny Bruce who was a good friend of Tim's.   The singer Nico also had a famous recording of this song.

A tribute to Hank Hank Williams,  whose tragic life mirrored Tim's.  "Good by Hank Williams my friend, I didnt know you but I've been the places you've been"

Hank Williams was the seminal singer in country music.   There are many songs about him.   A favorite is "The Night Hank Williams Came to Town" by Johnny Cash.   

[RossM846371]

The great country singer Keith Whitley is the subject of Go Rest High on That Mountain by Vince Gill.   Hence the lyric :You weren't afraid to face the devil. You were no stranger to the rain referring to Keith's signature song "I'm No Stranger to the Rain"   Shortly after Whitley's passing Vince Gills brother sadly passed and so he slightly reworked the song to be a tribute to him.  

Another song in tribute to Keith Whitley is "Keith, How Many?" by ernie Thacker.  Making this song even better is that its sung in Keith Whitley's style.  

A Song For Keith (also called A Voice Still Rings True) by Larry Cordle is also a tribute to Keith Whitley.

[RossM846371]

Several songs are about Gram Parsons:

Boulder To Birmingham sung by  Emmy Lou Harris

My Man by Bernie Leadon

Legend in His Time by Kate Wolf

The Road by Emmylou Harris

[RossM846371]

Gram himself expressed his own despair over the deaths of close friends actor Brandon De Wilde and Byrds' guitarist Clarence White in In MY Hour of Darkness.   Who the third person mentioned in the song isnt clear, but it was a real person of importance to Gram.  

[MaVolta]

No One Like You - Scorpions

🦂

Klaus wrote this song for his wife, Gabi.

🦂

[Vexed]

"Diamond Dave" - The Bird and The Bee - Tribute to David Lee Roth -

The song is about a school girl crush on David.

The video has auditions to be a David Lee Roth "look-alike" with Simon Helberg, Ken Jeong and Eric Wareheim trying out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wxuQ9szJ3A

[Vexed]

"Stuck In a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" - U2

Tribute for Michael Hutchence (INXS) 2000 -  Bono was good friends with him.  He wrote this as a tribute to Michael. (Michael committed suicide in 1997 ) Written like a discussion/argument he wished he could have had with him.

U2 video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-BT2yzXP8w 

Live concert video duet with Mich Jagger - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml4DFsnxNkE  2009

[MaVolta]

Something To Believe In - Poison

Bret Michaels wrote this song upon learning that his good friend and bodyguard, Kimo, had been found dead in his Palm Springs hotel room on Christmas Eve 1989. The song was dedicated to him, and is considered one of Poison’s best songs. There is also a verse about his cousin, Bob, who was a Viet Nam veteran.

[MaVolta]

Pink Beatles In A Purple Zeppelin - Ayreon 

There is an interesting story behind the song written by Dutch composer, Arjen Lucassen. The four bands referenced in the title were his heroes.

https://norselandsrock.com/pink-beatles-purple-zeppelin-arjen-anthony-lucassen/

[BeatleloverKT]

Here today, Sir Paul

Tribute to John, written after his death

[1968Hoya46]

(Not R&R and a probable repeat, but it's all I've got)

Hillbilly Heaven:  Tex Ritter  

Tex mentions Hank Williams, Johnny Horton, Jimmie Rodgers and a host of others, up there in hillbilly heaven.

[MaVolta]

@1968Hoya46  - I remember that song from school mornings playing on the local radio. I thought it was really sad. Nice pick, not a repeat.

[Vexed]

"Tears of a Clown" - Iron Maiden (2015) About Robin Williams

[MaVolta]

Glenn Song  &

I Knew You When 

Written and recorded by Bob Seger for his long time friend, Glenn Frey.

[EricC28201]

No One But You (Only the Good Die Young) - Queen

Written and performed as a tribute to Freddie Mercury by the three remaining members of the band.

[Vexed]

Here is another tribute to Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark. Tesla and Def Leppard toured together.

"Song and Emotion" - Tesla

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR9bHkx7afk 

[EricC28201]

Rock Me Amadeus - Falco    (The Link is to the American Mix)

Wolgang Amadeus Mozart

Rock Me Amadeus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdSLGhII1zE 

[BeatleloverKT]

Sally, Grand Funk Railroad

Written by guitarist/vocalist Mark Farner

about his then love interest, actress

Sally Kellerman

[BeatleloverKT]

Rosalinda’s Eyes, Billy Joel

Written for his Mother, Rosalind

[EricC28201]

Back In Black - AC/DC

A declaration of their return, but also written as a tribute to Bonn Scott.

[1968Hoya46]

Probably both a stretch and a repeat:

Oh! Carol:  Neil Sedaka (An ode to his former girlfriend Carole King).   He seems to have left off the “e” in Carole in the title.

[Raynyky]

Song for Sam Cooke(Here in America)-Dion

[EricC28201]

Knock Me Down - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Tribute to Hillel Slovak, one of the band's original members.

[BeatleloverKT]

Oh Sherrie, Steve Perry

Written for his then girlfriend, who also

appeared in the music video