James Preller's Blog

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AN INCOMPLETE LIST OF GOOD SONGS WITH GIRL’S NAMES AS THE TITLE

 

Guidelines: Here’s my exhaustive but by no means complete list. Hopefully it’s entertaining. Thanks to many of my Facebook friends who helped generate a lot of these titles — we crowdsourced the heck out of this one. As the final arbiter, I ruled out many great songs with girl’s names in the title, such as “Julie’s Been Working for the Drug Squad” by the Clash or “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker” by the Ramones. This helped narrow the results. I was seeking that tightly focused, one name title: Deborah, Angie, Ophelia, Pocahontas. I eliminated titles with first and last names, such as “Anna Eng” by They Might Be Giants. And, yes, I tossed titles where the name is repeated, “Mary, Mary” by the Monkees, “Corrina, Corrina” by Bob Dylan. After some internal debate, I decided to keep middle-name songs such as “Barbara Anne” by the Beach Boys and “Carrie Anne” by the Hollies. However, again, no last names or initials –- I’m awfully sorry, “Suzie Q.” 

If you’d like a suggest a song in the comments section, please do. Note that the comments are moderated; if it’s your first time commenting here, it won’t appear until after I get around to approving it. Otherwise, there’s just too much spam, too much nonsense.  

 

Adia, Sarah McLachlan

Alexandra, Hamilton Leithauser

Alice, Moby

Allie, Belle & Sebastian

Allison, Elvis Costello

Amelia, Joni Mitchell

Amie, Pure Prairie League

Amoreena, Elton John

Andalucia, John Cale

Angela, The Verlaines

Angela, Lumineers

Angelina, Marillon

Angi, Davey Graham

Angie, Rolling Stones

Ann, Stooges

Annie, Elastica

Barbara Ann, Beach Boys

Bernadette, Four Tops

Bertha, Grateful Dead

Beryl, Mark Knopfler

Beth, Kiss

Billie Jean, Michael Jackson

Brenda, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

Caldonia, Louis Jordan

Candy, Iggy Pop

Carol, Chuck Berry

Cath, The Bluebells

Cath, Death Cab for Cutie

Caroline, Silos

Carrie Anne, The Hollies

Cecilia, Simon & Garfunkel

Celeste, Donovan

Christine, Sioxsie & the Banshees

Christy, Natalie Prass

Cleopatra, Lumineers

Daisy Jane, America

Deanna, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

Deborah, Dave Edmunds

Deborah, T. Rex

Denise, Fountains of Wayne

Diane, Husker Du

Donna, Hair Soundtrack

Dora, Mekons

Doreen, Old 97’s

Elenore, The Turtles

Emmylou, First Aid Kit

Evangeline, Icicle Works

Evangeline, Matthew Sweet

Evangeline, Los Lobos

Florence, The Paragons

Francine, ZZ Top

Georgia, Boz Skaggs

Gina, Blues Traveler

Glendora, Downliners Sect

Gloria, Van Morrison

Gloria, Patti Smith

Grizelda, Yeasayer

Guinnevere, Crosby, Stills & Nash

Iris, Split Enz

Jane, Barenaked Ladies

Jane, Ben Folds Five

Jeanette, The English Beat

Jennifer, Faust

Jessica, Allman Brothers

Joanne, Michael Nesmith

Jolene, Dolly Parton

Johanna, Stooges

Josephine, Magnolia Electric Co.

Josie, Steely Dan

Julia, The Beatles

Karen, The Go-Betweens

Karen, The National

Kathleen, American Music Club

Kathleen, Josh Ritter

Kayleigh, Marillion

Kim, Ryan Adams

Layla, Derek and the Dominoes

Linda, The Go

Lola, Kinks

Lorelei, The Sneetches

Lucille, Little Richard

Lysistrata, Utopia

Marlene, Jackson C. Frank

Martha, Jefferson Airplane

Mary Anne, Marshall Crenshaw

Matilda, Alt-J

Maureen, Sade

Maybelline, Chuck Berry

Melissa, Allman Brothers Band

Michelle, Beatles

Mona, Bo Diddley

Nadine, Chuck Berry

Naima, John Coltrane

Nouel, Laura Marling

Ophelia, Lumineers

Ophelia, Natalie Merchant

Ophelia, The Band

Peg, Steely Dan

Peggy Sue, Buddy Holly

Philomena, Decemberists

Pocahontas, Neil Young

Polly, Kinks

Polly, Nirvana

Rhiannon, Fleetwood Mac

Rosalita, Bruce Springsteen

Rosalyn, The Pretty Things

Rosemarie, Superchunk

Rosie, Jackson Browne

Roxanne, Police

Sara, Bob Dylan

Sara, Fleetwood Mac

Sherry, Four Seasons

Sonja, Lyle Lovett

Stacy, Ween

Sunny, Bobby Hebb

Suzanne, Leonard Cohen

Tallulah, Company of Thieves

Valerie, Amy Winehouse

Valerie, Richard Thompson

Valerie, Steve Winwood

Valleri, Monkees

Veronica, Elvis Costello

Victoria, Kinks

Winona, Matthew Sweet

 

So, okay, what did I miss?