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: 8

Cooper The Dog from Fly Over Country1 wrong. Knew about a third. Made an educated guess on third. Total guess on the other third.
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:

I'll Be Missing YouPuff Daddy

Puff Daddy didn't get permission to sample the Police song "Every Breath You Take" on his Notorious B.I.G. tribute "I'll Be Missing You," but he later reached an agreement and even performed the song with Sting.

Friends In Low PlacesGarth Brooks

"Friends In Low Places" by Garth Brooks was written by two Nashville songwriters after a meal in a local restaurant. One of them forgot his money, but said not to worry, "I have friends in low places. I know the cook."

The Continuing Story of Bungalow BillThe Beatles

John Lennon wrote "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" about Richard Cooke, a hunter he met at the Maharishi's camp in India. Cooke hasn't shot anything since the camp, except with his camera - he became a freelance photographer for National Geographic.

How Soon Is Now?The Smiths

The opening line in "How Soon Is Now?" by The Smiths is "I am the son and the heir," not "I am the sun and the air."

You Get What You GiveNew Radicals

"You Get What You Give" by The New Radicals was the first hit song to use the word "frenemies" in the lyrics.

Don't Bring Me DownElectric Light Orchestra

Jeff Lynne sang the word "groose" in the chorus of "Don't Bring Me Down" as a nonsense placeholder, but left it in when he found out it means "greetings" in German ("gruss").