Sunday, August 23, 2020

Real people mentioned in the songs of The Fall



Abel T. Muzorewa (Methodist bishop, Prime Minister, Zimbabwe) - Muzoweri's Daughter
Adolf Hitler - Gramme Friday, Kurious Oranj, Early Days of Channel Fuhrer  
Alan A' Court (English footballer) - Assume
Alan Brazil (British footballer and sports broadcaster) - Hot Runes
Alan Minter (British boxer) - Fit and Working Again
Albert Einstein - Gut of the Quantifier
Alfred Denning (British barrister) - OFYC Showcase 
Alistair Cooke (British-born journalist, TV host) - Neighbourhood of Infinity (possible)
Amon Duul (German band) - Insult Song
Sir Anthony Beaumont-Dark (British MP, 1932-2006) - Solicitor in Studio 
Aristotle Onassis - Blindness
Badly Drawn Boy - Susan vs. Youthclub 
The Beach Boys - Mike's Love Xexagon 
The Beat - Slates, Slags, Etc.
The Beatles - Shoulder Pads #1 and #2
Ben Marshall (Journalist, interviewed MES) - Bury Pts. 1 + 3
Bill (MES' father's friend) - Bill Is Dead 
Blimp (band formed by Spencer Birtwistle after he was in The Fall) - Reformation! 
Bo Derek - Bo Demmick
Bono - Pledge
Boris Yeltsin - Chilinism
British Electric Foundation - Tempo House
Brix Smith - Slang King
Buster Keaton - Cary Grant's Wedding
Captain Beefheart (Don van Vliet) (American musician, 1941-2010) - Deer Park, Insult Song
Carl Lewis (US Olympic athlete) - A Lot of Wind
Cary Grant - Cary Grant's Wedding 
Caroline (Mark's sister) - Powder Keg
Chris Carter (US television producer - Millennium) - The Quartet of Doc Shanley
Colin Wilson (English author, 1931-2013) - Deer Park 
Craig Scanlon (guitarist, The Fall) - Guest Informant, Craigness 
Damo Suzuki (lead singer, Can) - I Am Damo Suzuki 
Danny Saber (US musician) - The Quartet of Doc Shanley
Dave Bush (keyboardist, The Fall) - Crew Filth 
Dave Spurr (bassist, The Fall) - Insult Song, Latchkey Kid, Noise 
David Bowie - Mere Pseud Mag. Ed., Hard Life in Country, He Pep!, Get a Summer Song Goin'  
David Hume (Scottish philosopher) - Assume
Derek Hatton (British sports commentator) - Hot Runes
Dolly Parton - Mountain Energei
Doug Yule (American musician, The Velvet Underground, b. 1947) - Shoulder Pads #1 and #2
Elton John - Just Step S'Ways, Stout Man
Elvis Costello - Copped It
Fedde le Grand (Dutch DJ and producer) - Chino
Frank B. Kellogg (US Secretary of State, Kellogg-Briand Pact) - Hexen Definitive/Strife Knot
Frank Zappa (American musician, 1940-1993) - I'm Frank
Frankie Lymon - No Xmas for John Quays
Freddie and the Dreamers - Idiot Joy Showland 
Fritz Lieber (US fantasy author, coined term "sword and sorcery") - I Am Damo Suzuki 
Gary Bushell (British journalist/musician) - C'nC-S Mithering 
Gene Kelly (US dancer/actor) - Couples vs Jobless Mid 30s
Genesis (band) - Guest Informant 
Geoff Travis (founder, Rough Trade Records) - What You Need
George Best (Northern Irish footballer) - O! ZZTRRK Man 
George Orwell - Who Makes the Nazis?
George Wimpey (British founder of a construction company) - Prole Art Threat, Ladybird 
Grant Cunliffe (The Fall collaborator and engineer) - Noise
Gretchen Franklin (Actress, Eastenders) - Telephone Thing
Harold Shipman (British doctor, convicted of murder) - What About Us?
Henry Purcell (English composer, 17th century) - Pine Leaves
Henry V (Good King Harry) - Fortress 
Herb Alpert - C'nC-S Mithering 
Hilary Lorraine Moss (wife of Factory Records founder Tony Wilson) - Hilary
Homer (poet) - Fol de Rol 
Horatio Nelson (British admiral, 1758-1805) - Two Librans
Horst Wessel (Nazi activist, wrote words to Horst Wessel Song) - Slang King
The Idle Race (British rock group, 1960s) - No Xmas for John Quays
Iggy Pop - What You Need
Ian McShane (Actor, Lovejoy, Swearengen on Deadwood) - A Past Gone Mad
Irene and Jack Smith (MES's parents) - Latchkey Kid
Jake Burns (Guitarist, Stiff Little Fingers) - Cary Grant's Wedding
James Brown (British journalist) - Alton Towers 
James Fennings (Tour DJ, The Fall) - Blindness, Brillo de Facto
James Murphy (US musician, LCD Soundsystem) - Irish 
Jane Seymour (Third wife of Henry VIII, 1508-1537; English actress, b.1951) - Blindness
Jeffrey Archer (British politician and novelist) - Is This New
Jeremy Kyle (British radio and TV personality) - Is This New
Jesus Christ - No Xmas for John Quays, Tempo House
Jim Davidson (British comedian) - Neighbourhood of Infinity
Jim Watts (Bassist, The Fall) - Jim's "The Fall", Contraflow
Jimmy Carter (39th US President, b.1924) - Repetition
Jimmy Savile (TV personality, child abuser) - Fortress 
Joe Strummer - Cary Grant's Wedding
Johann Sebastian Bach - It's a Curse
John F. Kennedy (35th US President, 1917-1963) - Brillo de Facto
John McCarthy (British journalist, held hostage in Lebanon for 5 years)- Dr. Bucks' Letter
Johnny Rotten - C'nC-S Mithering 
Joseph McCarthy (US Senator, Red hunter, 1908-1957) - In My Area 
Judy Finnegan (British TV host) - Surmount All Obstacles, North West Fashion Show, Is This New
Julian Cope (English musician) - Two Steps Back
The Kane Gang (English music group) - Gut of the Quantifier
Karlheinz Stockhausen (German composer, 1928-2007) - I Am Damo Suzuki 
Keiron Melling (Drummer, The Fall) - Systematic Abuse, Get a Summer Song Goin' 
Keith Richards (guitarist, The Rolling Stones) - Laptop Dog  
Kevin Ayers (British musician, Soft Machine) - Eat Y'Self Fitter
Kiki Dee - A Past Gone Mad
King Wenceslas - No Xmas for John Quays
Kraftwerk - Mere Pseud Mag. Ed.
L. Ron Hubbard - Proteinprotection 
Lauren Laverne (British DJ) - Alton Towers 
Lee Harvey Oswald (Accused assassin of J.F. Kennedy, 1939-1963) - Oswald Defence Lawyer 
Leo Tolstoy - Two Librans
Link Wray (American musician, 1929-2005) - Neighbourhood of Infinity
Lord Byron - Mountain Energei 
Lou Reed - Shoulder Pads #1 and #2
Louis Armstrong - Hexen Definitive/Strife Knot
M.R. James (English author of ghost stories, 1862-1936) - Spectre vs Rector 
Magnus Pyke (British nutritional scientist and TV personality) - Solicitor in Studio 
Mao Zedong - Repetition
Marc Riley (bassist/guitarist - The Fall) - Bonkers in Phoenix, Hey! Marc Riley
Margaret Thatcher - Mexico Wax Solvent
Marillion (British rock band) - Guest Informant 
Mark Twain - Oswald Defence Lawyer 
Megas Jonsson (Icelandic rocker/songwriter b.1945) - Iceland 
Manfred von Richtofen (The Red Baron - German fighter pilot) - Glam-Racket
Michael Clark (Scottish choreographer, collaborator on I am Kurious Oranj) - Yes O Yes, Cab It Up, Wrong Place Right Time
Mike Love (Musician, The Beach Boys) - Mike's Love Xexagon 
Miles Copeland (Manager, The Police), Ian Copeland (agent, 1949-2006), Stewart Copeland (drummer, The Police) - What You Need
The Moody Blues - Room to Live
Napoleon - Kurious Oranj 
Nebuchadnezzar (King, Babylon) - W.B.
Nero - Smile
Neville Wilding (Guitarist, The Fall) - (Jung Nev's) Antidotes
Oprah Winfrey - Two Librans
Patrick Moore (British astronomer) - Solicitor in Studio 
Paula Yates (British TV host and author) - Paintwork 
Pearl Jam - Hey! Student
Peter Cook (English actor and comedian, 1937-1995) - English Scheme
Peter Gabriel (English musician, Genesis and solo) - A Past Gone Mad
Peter Greenway (Guitarist, The Fall) - Greenway, Noise 
Peter Van Greenway (English author, 1929-1988) - Spectre vs Rector 
Pierce Brosnan (Irish actor) - Dedication Not Medication 
Pink Floyd - Chilinism
Plato - Dog is Life/Jerusalem 
Pope John Paul I (Alberto Luciani) - Hey! Luciani
Pope John Paul II - Papal Visit
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1900-2002) - The N.W.R.A.
Queen Victoria - Pacifying Joint
The Ramones - Mere Pseud Mag. Ed.
Ray Milland (Welsh-born US actor, 1907-1986) - Spectre vs Rector 
Reg Varney (English actor, 1916-2008) - Garden
Richard Burton (Welsh actor, 1925-1984) - Tempo House
Sir Richard Burton (English explorer/writer, 1821-1890) - Get a Hotel
Richard Madeley (British TV host) - Surmount All Obstacles, North West Fashion Show  
Richard Wagner (German composer, 1813-1883) - It's a Curse
Rob Barbato (Bassist, The Fall) - Insult Song
Roger Corman (US film director, b.1926) - Spectre vs Rector 
The Rolling Stones - Chilinism 
Sam Chippendale (British real estate developer) - The N.W.R.A.
Sean Connery (Scottish actor) - Spencer Must Die 
Shaun Ryder (English musician, Happy Mondays) - Hey! Student
Shirley Temple (Child actress, 1928-2014) - The Littlest Rebel
Simon Spencer (British music producer) - Spencer Must Die
Simple Minds - Shake-Off
Spencer Birtwistle (drummer, The Fall) - (Birtwistle's) Girl in Shop
Stephen King (American author) - Glam-Racket
Steve Albini (US music producer) - 50 Year Old Man
Steve Hanley (Bassist, The Fall) - Guest Informant, North West Fashion Show, The Quartet of Doc Shanley, Stephen Song
Steve Trafford (Bassist, The Fall) - Clasp Hands
Talking Heads Shoulder Pads #1 and #2
Ted Rogers (British comedian and game show host, 1935-2001) - Joker Hysterical Face 
Terry Waite (English humanitarian, b.1939, hostage for 4 years in Lebanon) - Terry Waite Sez 
Dr. Theodor Morrell (Hitler's personal physician) - Gramme Friday
Tim Presley (Guitarist, The Fall) - Insult Song
Tony Blair (UK prime minister from 1997-2007) - On My Own
Trevor Long (Manager, The Fall) - The Birmingham School of Business School
Tycoons Follies (band started by Steve Trafford, one-time Fall bassist) - Reformation! 
U2 - A Past Gone Mad
Wah! Heat (Liverpool band of 1980's) - Slates, Slags, Etc.
Walt Disney (American businessman / filmmaker, 1901-1966) - Disney's Dream Debased 
Walt Whitman - Oswald Defence Lawyer 
Warren Mitchell (English actor, 1926-2015) - Pay Your Rates 
Wild Bill Hickok (Old West gunslinger, 1837-1876)  - Garden
William Blake (English poet, 1757-1827) - W.B.
William of Orange (AKA William III of England - Dutch prince, King of England, 1650-1702) - Guide Me Soft, Win Fall CD 2088 AD, Wrong Place Right Time
Winston Churchill (UK prime minister, 1874-1965) - Tempo House

Source for lyrics and annotations: The Annotated Fall, with thanks

Summary statistics:
Musicians (not associated with The Fall):52
Writers, authors, journalists: 20
Politicians, kings, queens: 20
Members of The Fall: 19
Actors: 14
TV and radio personalities: 10
Family and friends: 5
Composers: 5
Other: 32

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