The Girl in That Song : Fact or Fiction

by Amanda Flinner

Take it from Billy Joel: writing a song about a girl is not a good idea. "Every time I wrote a song for a person I was in a relationship with, it didn't last," Joel said. "It was kind of like the curse. Here's your song - we might as well say goodbye now."

So you might not have lasting love, but at least you'll have a lasting hit. Some artists skirted the issue by singing about fictional females, but plenty of songs are about real girls, too. Can you tell the fact from the fiction about "The Girl in That Song"?

List of song written for a girl

More Fact or Fiction

Comments: 7

Hsoj from Hellgot all the ones from music legends correct, and the Knack and Rick Springfield too ... then you throw me a one hit wonder like the Plain White T's for me to get wrong
Lisa from Denmarkfour right! :D
Linda from NjOne wrong. Who said this was harder than the music quiz?
Sasha from Murray St. this was even harder than the music quiz..
Niles from Belpre,ohnot too bad for a 67 yr. ol' man
Scotty from Cheyenne, WyNeat thing about Songfacts, once someone claims to have the "facts" about a song, go to the song location in the archives and look at all the speculation that's gone before...the recollections of a man's father and an encounter with Walter Becker for "Rikki Don't Lose that Number" is a trip!
Jim from North Billerica, MaI got one wrong. I have to admit I did guess at one or two.

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More Songfacts:

Jar of HeartsChristina Perri

Christina Perri's "Jar Of Hearts," written about her ex, became a big hit after it was used in a routine on So You Think You Can Dance.

Try AgainAaliyah

Until December 5, 1998, a song had to be issued as a single to make the Hot 100. Aaliyah's "Try Again" was the first tune to top the chart based on airplay alone, without any sales figures being included.

You Don't Know How It FeelsTom Petty

MTV reversed the word "joint" in Tom Petty's "You Don't Known How It Feels" so it was unintelligible, but gave the video a VMA anyway.

...Baby One More TimeBritney Spears

"Baby One More Time," the breakout song for Britney Spears, was originally offered to TLC but they passed on it. The R&B trio didn't feel comfortable singing the line, "hit me baby one more time."

WoodstockCrosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Joni Mitchell wrote "Woodstock" - the most popular song about the festival - but didn't attend the event because she was booked on The Dick Cavett Show.

In the MeantimeSpacehog

The Spacehog song "In The Meantime" samples an obscure recording of telephone noise, which is used at the beginning of the song.