The Girl in That Song

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.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"They're Playing My Song

Gramm co-wrote this gorgeous ballad and delivered an inspired vocal, but the song was the beginning of the end of his time with Foreigner.

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New York

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New YorkSong Writing

Can you be married in one country but not another? Only if you're part of a gay couple. One of the first famous singers to come out as a lesbian, Janis wrote a song about it.

Steely Dan

Steely DanFact or Fiction

Did they really trade their guitarist to The Doobie Brothers? Are they named after something naughty? And what's up with the band name?

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New Words

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New WordsSong Writing

Where words like "email," "thirsty," "Twitter" and "gangsta" first showed up in songs, and which songs popularized them.

Matthew Wilder - "Break My Stride"

Matthew Wilder - "Break My Stride"They're Playing My Song

Wilder's hit "Break My Stride" had an unlikely inspiration: a famous record mogul who rejected it.