3 Self-Referential Classic Rock Songs From the 1960s We Still Love

It’s always funny when someone tries to talk in the third person. If a person ever references themselves by their first or last name, you know they likely feel pretty high about themselves. Well, that phenomenon doesn’t just happen in day-to-day conversation. No, it also happens in rock songs.

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That’s just what we wanted to highlight here below. We wanted to showcase three classic rock songs from back in the day when classic rock was just rounding into shape. Indeed, these are three self-referential classic rock songs from the 1960s we stan.

“Back In My Arms Again” by The Supremes from ‘More Hits By The Supremes’ (1965)

Where would the world be without love songs? The heartfelt and often heartbroken tunes have helped to make the globe spin ever since music was invented millions of years ago. And in 1965, Diana Ross and her group The Supremes kept that tradition alive with this weeping track from their LP, More Hits By The Supremes. On it, Ross sings about a breakup, noting that her friends and bandmates Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard can’t offer any advice. Ross laments, citing her fellow singers: “How can Mary tell me what to do / When she lost her love so true? / And Flo, she don’t know / ‘Cause the boy she loves is a Romeo.”

“Glass Onion” by The Beatles from ‘The Beatles’ (1968)

The Beatles were a successful band for a plethora of reasons. At the top of the list is their catalog of great songs. But somewhere else near the top is the sense of mystery that somehow circulated the group. At the height of the band, there were rumors that Paul McCartney had died and he’d been replaced by an alien or robot (or something). Part of the mystery was also in their lyrics—just what were John Lennon and McCartney saying? Take this song for, example. On “Glass Onion”, Lennon sings, “I told you about the walrus and me, man / You know that we’re as close as can be, man / Well, here’s another clue for you all / The walrus was Paul.”

“Fire” by Jimi Hendrix from ‘Are You Experienced’ (1967)

We go from the mysterious to the humorous. Indeed, on this song from the great guitar player and songwriter Jimi Hendrix, the artist gets self-referential in the third person. Hendrix was staying over at his bass player Noel Redding’s house after a show. Hendrix allegedly wanted to warm up by the fire but there was a dog already curled there. So, the six-string master said the line to himself: “Aw, move over, Rover, and let Jimi take over.” And it stuck!

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