Bob Dylan's birthday had me playing a few favourites, including this one...Positively 4th Street...which is just a brilliantly vitriolic song with lines like

"Yes, I wish that for just one time you could stand inside my shoes
You'd know what a drag it is to see you"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aehwEu8SBSo

I could just as easily have picked Idiot Wind as another Dylan corker but what are other songs full of caustic criticism of another individual ? Can think of one or two and I always enjoy them. (May say something worrying about me !)

Ballad of a thin man - many people thought was a commentary on Brian Jones
You’re so vain - Carly Simon’s opinion of Warren Beatty

Randy Newman didn't care much for Short People!

aclaretinstevenage wrote: ↑

Mon May 24, 2021 7:00 pm

Randy Newman didn't care much for Short People!

You're right. I seem to remember it got him into a bit of trouble for causing offence to the vertically challenged of the U.S.

Stalbansclaret wrote: ↑

Mon May 24, 2021 7:07 pm

You're right. I seem to remember it got him into a bit of trouble for causing offence to the vertically challenged of the U.S.

I was once told it was actually a disguised attack on Catholicism but have never found anything to be able to verify that!

Tramp the dirt down .... Elvis Costello’s love song for Margaret Thatcher

Stand down Margaret by The Beat

Herts Clarets wrote: ↑

Mon May 24, 2021 7:37 pm

Stand down Margaret by The Beat

Notsensibles held a different view

woman - anti-nowhere league.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCJQ06ztUWM

Butterfly Collector - The Jam

And you started looking much older
And your fashion sense is second-rate like your perfume
But to you in your little dream world
You're still the queen of the butterfly collectors
As you carry on 'cause it's all you know
You can't light a fire, you can't cook or sew
You get from day to day by filling your head
But surely you must know the appeal between your legs
Has worn off

Got to be this from the Stone Roses for me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57ajn-NXtdc

This one said it like it was.

https://youtu.be/r6cnryxwH6A.

John Lydon's acerbic swipe at the New York Dolls.

Sex Pistols - New York.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEihgShrcIo

A.Claret.Fan wrote: ↑

Mon May 24, 2021 10:40 pm

John Lydon's acerbic swipe at the New York Dolls.

Sex Pistols - New York.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEihgShrcIo

It's one of their best songs, but it always struck me as being a bit rich, given that nearly every riff on NMTB is lifted either from Sylvain or Thunders.