Line #45 Main/CelebrityElegy


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5	[[quoteright:350:[[Music/EltonJohn https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/diana_1.png]]]]
6	[[caption-width-right:350:♫ ''Goodbye [[UsefulNotes/DianaPrincessOfWales England's rose]]\
7	May you ever grow in our hearts...'' ♫]]
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12	->''[[Music/JimiHendrix Jimi]] gave us rainbows''\
13	''And [[Music/JanisJoplin Janis]] took a piece of our hearts''\
14	''And [[Music/OtisRedding Otis]] brought us all to the dock of a bay''\
15	''Sing a song to light my fire''\
16	''Remember [[Music/TheDoors Jim]] that way''\
17	''They've all found another place, another place to play''
18	-->-- '''The Righteous Brothers''', "[[CelebritiesHangOutInHeaven Rock and Roll Heaven]]"
19
20	A song or poem mourning the death--and often celebrating the accomplishments--of a deceased celebrity. The person often died under tragic circumstances, including murder, drug overdose, car/plane accident, or an incurable disease. Often results from ShortLivedBigImpact. The elegy may portray the person as TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth and may be invoked by DeadArtistsAreBetter.
21
22	To qualify, the person must be well-known beyond their family and friends. They must be famous enough, either in-universe or in RealLife, that people knew of them ''before'' the elegy was written.
23
24	SubTrope of a GriefSong and InMemoriam. May overlap with CelebritySong. Compare to a Main/{{Biopic}}, which is a movie or play about a celebrity (though they could be either living and deceased when the movie was made), and an EpicPoem, which may celebrate deceased celebrities (like Achilles and Hector in ''Literature/TheIliad'') but is much longer than a typical poem or song. Compare also to {{Celebrity Breakup Song}}s, which are about the end of celebrity relationships rather than their lives.
25
26	----
27	!!Examples
28	[[foldercontrol]]
29
30	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
31	* "Shiny" from ''WesternAnimation/{{Moana}}'' is a {{Pastiche}} of Music/DavidBowie and was intended in part to honor the recently deceased singer.
32	* ''WesternAnimation/AllDogsGoToHeaven'': "Love Survives" by Creator/IreneCara and Freddie Jackson was dedicated to the memory of child actress Creator/JudithBarsi, who along with her mother Maria, was killed by her father Josef 18 months before the movie's release.
33	[[/folder]]
34
35	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
36	* "See You Again" by Music/CharliePuth was re-purposed as this for the ''Film/Furious7'' soundtrack and dedicated to Creator/PaulWalker following his death, with Music/WizKhalifa providing new lyrics.
37	[[/folder]]
38
39	[[folder:Literature]]
40	* In ''[[Literature/SnarkoutBoys The Snarkout Boys and the Baconburg Horror]]'', the poet Jonathan Quicksilver writes a poem mourning the untimely death of Creator/JamesDean.
41	[[/folder]]
42
43	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
44	* ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'': "5,000 Candles in the Wind (Bye Bye Li'l Sebastian)" is an AffectionateParody written by Andy Dwyer about Pawnee's greatest celebrity: [[CoolHorse a pony]].
45	-->'''Leslie Knope''': Andy, I need you to write a memorial song. Something like "[[Music/EltonJohn Candle in]] [[Music/GoodbyeYellowBrickRoad the Wind]]," only [[ExactWords 5,000 times better]].
46	* In Creator/AdamSandler's 2018 Netflix standup special ''100% Fresh'', he performed the song "Farley", a tribute to his friend and former ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' cast mate Creator/ChrisFarley, which he also sang when he hosted SNL in 2019. Following the death of their other friend and cast mate Creator/NormMacdonald in 2021, Sandler tweaked the song lyrics to include a tribute to him as well.
47	[[/folder]]
48
49	[[folder:Music]]
50	* Music/JohnLennon has inspired several songs following his assassination:
51	** "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" by Music/EltonJohn references Lennon's last concert sitting in with Elton in 1974; they made a semi-joking agreement that if Lennon's "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" (featuring Elton on background vocals and keyboards), and Elton's cover of Music/TheBeatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (featuring Lennon on background vocals and rhythm guitar) ''both'' went to Number 1, the reclusive Lennon would have to appear in concert with Elton, which he did. After the show, Lennon would reunite with his then-estranged wife Music/YokoOno, who unbeknownst to John was waiting in the wings watching him perform. Elton still finds it hard to perform the song due to it conjuring up memories of John, and rarely performs it outside of Madison Square Garden as a result.
52	** "All Those Years Ago" by Music/GeorgeHarrison is a standard rock song dedicated to John and everything he did, All those years ago...
53	** "The Late Great Johnny Ace" by Music/PaulSimon is dedicated at first to Rhythm and Blues Legend Johnny Ace, but slowly becomes about John Lennon over the course of the song.
54	** "Murder" by [[Music/PinkFloyd David Gilmour]].
55	** Music/PaulMcCartney's song, "Here Today", is similar to "Yesterday" and "Mother Nature's Son", with only one acoustic guitar and an orchestra, and it's him looking back at all the good times (and bad times) he had with Lennon, but that he would always cherish all of them.
56	** Music/DavidBowie, Music/EltonJohn, Music/RoxyMusic, and Music/{{Queen}} also covered Lennon's songs, or dedicated songs to him at live performances around the time of his death.
57	** Music/{{Queen}}'s "Life Is Real (Song for Lennon)" (from ''Music/HotSpace'') was in tribute to John.
58	** Music/StevieNicks' "Edge of Seventeen" was partially written about Lennon's death.
59	* There have also been several songs honoring Music/ElvisPresley:
60	** "The King is Gone" by Ronnie [=McDowell=].
61	** "King's Call" by Phil Lynott, the lead singer for Music/ThinLizzy.
62	** "Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles.
63	** "Advertising Space" by Music/RobbieWilliams, which he downright called "my 'Candle in the Wind'", and as the music video shows, borrows from ''Film/TrueRomance'', where a character spoke with Elvis's spirit.
64	** "American Roulette" by [[Music/TheBand Robbie Robertson]] is about Music/ElvisPresley, Creator/MarilynMonroe, and Creator/JamesDean, and an attack on American celebrity culture that voraciously chews people up and spits them out.
65	* And speaking of Creator/MarilynMonroe, there are multiple other songs that honor her as well:
66	** "[[Music/GoodbyeYellowBrickRoad Candle in the Wind]]" by Music/EltonJohn. Later re-written and re-recorded as "Candle in the Wind 1997" to be about [[UsefulNotes/DianaPrincessOfWales Lady Diana]] after her death.
67	** "She's In Parties" by Music/{{Bauhaus}}.
68	** "Who Killed Norma Jean?" by Pete Seeger.
69	* Music/KurtCobain had several:
70	** Music/NeilYoung wrote "Sleeps with Angels" after being affected by Cobain quoting Young in his suicide note.
71	** {{Music/REM}}'s "Let Me In", which was recorded with Cobain's guitar.
72	** "Tearjerker" by Music/RedHotChiliPeppers.
73	** "The Day Seattle Died" by {{Music/Cold}}, which was also about [[Music/AliceInChains Layne Staley]].
74	** "The Fall (Kurt's Blues)" by {{Music/Cher}}.
75	** "Mighty K.C." by For Squirrels
76	* Creator/VincentVanGogh had at least two:
77	** Music/DonMcLean's "Vincent", from his album ''Music/AmericanPie'' (yes, ''that'' American Pie).
78	** "Vince" by [[Music/TheEagles Don Henley]].
79	* Speaking of [=McLean=], "American Pie" (the song) is about "The Day the Music Died": the deaths of Music/BuddyHolly, Music/RitchieValens, and Music/TheBigBopper in a plane crash. The song also serves as a TakeThat to those whom [=McLean=] viewed as [[{{Sucksessor}} unworthy musical successors]]: Music/BobDylan, Music/TheBeatles, and especially Music/{{The Rolling Stones\|Band}}.
80	* "Abraham, Martin and John" by Dion is about UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln, UsefulNotes/MartinLutherKingJr, and UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy, written following King's assassination. Before the song was released, UsefulNotes/RobertFKennedy [[TraumaCongaLine was also assassinated]], so Dion added a final verse about him as well, in which he sees Bobby walking over the hill with [[TitleDrop Abraham, Martin, and John]].
81	* "Rock and Roll Heaven" by The Righteous Brothers is about several deceased musicians (including [[OneSteveLimit three named Jim]]): Music/JimiHendrix, Music/JanisJoplin, Music/OtisRedding, Music/JimMorrison, Music/JimCroce, and Music/BobbyDarin.
82	* "50,000" by Music/{{Sting}} is about all the beloved musicians who passed away in 2015 and 2016, particularly Music/DavidBowie, [[Music/{{Eagles}} Glenn Frey]], [[Music/{{Motorhead}} Lemmy]], and Music/{{Prince}}.
83	* "Bird Song" by Music/GratefulDead is also about Music/JanisJoplin.
84	* "Angel of Harlem" by Music/{{U2}} is about Music/BillieHoliday and the jazz scene in general.
85	* "Princess for the World" by NewWaveOfBritishHeavyMetal band Blitzkrieg is dedicated to Princess Diana.
86	* "Flying for Me" by Music/JohnDenver about the victims of the ''Challenger'' space shuttle explosion on January 28, 1986.
87	* "I'll Be Missing You" by [[Music/SeanCombs Puff Daddy]] and Faith Evans, with 112 as featured artists (sampling "Every Breath You Take" by Music/ThePolice), is about Music/TheNotoriousBIG.
88	* "Man on the Moon" by Music/{{REM}} is about Creator/AndyKaufman.
89	* "Night Shift" by the {{Music/Commodores}} is about Music/MarvinGaye and Jackie Wilson.
90	* "St. James" by Music/AvengedSevenfold is (subtly) about mourning their late drummer, Jimmy Sullivan.
91	* Music/DavidBowie's passing inspired a few songs:
92	** "From the Stars" by Music/RedVox is about lead singer [[WebVideo/{{Vinesauce}} Vinny's]] reaction to Bowie's death.
93	** Music/NineInchNails' "This Isn't The Place" is also about Bowie, [[WordOfGod as confirmed by Trent Reznor]] during the song's first live performance.
94	* "Tom's Song" by The Handsome Shadows is about Music/TomPetty, and the song's lyrics feature {{Title Drop}}s of some of Petty's songs.
95	* "Tears of a Clown", by Music/IronMaiden, is about the then-recent suicide of Creator/RobinWilliams.
96	* Mike Berry's "Tribute to Music/BuddyHolly".
97	* David [=McEnery=]'s "Amelia Earhart's Last Flight".
98	* Music/VinceGill began writing "Go Rest High on That Mountain" as a tribute to Music/KeithWhitley.
99	* Music/GarthBrooks' "Good Ride Cowboy", for Chris [=LeDoux=].
100	* Music/AesopRock and Homeboy Sandman's "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3WRs-86u8g Ask Anyone]]" is a tribute to Music/{{MFDOOM}}.
101	* Music/TobyKeith's "Cryin' for Me (Wayman's Song)", for former [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]] player and jazz bass guitarist Wayman Tisdale.
102	* Ron Hynes' "Godspeed" is one for his friend and fellow Canadian songwriter Gene [=MacLellan=].
103	* The Music/TearsForFears song "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85lQg1HhniU Swords and Knives]]" is a memorial to Music/SidVicious and Nancy Spungen; it was originally written for the biopic ''Film/SidAndNancy'', but it was added to ''Music/TheSeedsOfLove'' album after the filmmakers rejected it for not being "punk" enough.
104	* "princess leia" by Shura is about her discovering the passing of Creator/CarrieFisher after a long flight.
105	* The Dream Academy's 1985 hit "Life in a Northern Town" is a tribute to British folk singer Music/NickDrake.
106	* Music/BigRedMachine's "Hutch" is a tribute to Music/FrightenedRabbit frontman Scott Hutchison, who killed himself in 2018. The singer mourns him and the things he could have said to him before his passing.
107	* Music/PicturesAtAnExhibition by Music/ModestMussorgsky is a tribute to the paintings of artist Viktor Hartmann, a friend of the composer, who had passed away the previous year.
108	* Music/ManicStreetPreachers' "Kevin Carter" is explicitly inspired by the life of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Carter South African photojournalist]] of the same name, who killed himself partially due to trauma from the many gruesome events he had witnessed during wars, civil unrest and famines, and his moral self-hatred about making money out of them and not intervening in them to try to help.
109	* The verses of "In My Hour of Darkness" by Music/GramParsons refer to three friends of his who had recently died: actor and musician Brandon [=deWilde=], Music/TheByrds guitarist Clarence White, and LA scenester Sid Kaiser.
110	* Music/GreenDay's "Amy", about Music/AmyWinehouse.
111	* Music/TedNugent weighed in with "Fred Bear", about bow manufacturer and bowhunting promoter Fred Bear (also a personal friend).
112	[[/folder]]
113
114	[[folder:Poetry]]
115	* "Death of the Poet" was [[UsefulNotes/RussianReading Mikhail Lermontov's]] reaction to the death of his idol Creator/AlexanderPushkin in a duel. In it, Lermontov emotionally decried the Russian high society that he believed had manipulated Pushkin into reckless challenges and threatened them with divine retribution. Although the poem wasn't properly published until after Lermontov's own death ([[AesopAmnesia in a duel]]), it was enough to send him [[TheExile into exile]]. It also, coincidentally, put the young poet on the map as a rising star of Russian literature.
116	* Creator/WaltWhitman wrote "O Captain! My Captain!" and "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd" to mourn the assassination of UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln.
117	* Creator/WHAuden wrote "Elegy for J.F.K." after the assassination of UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy.
118	[[/folder]]
119
120	[[folder:Religion and Mythology]]
121	* In the ''Literature/BooksOfSamuel'' of ''Literature/TheBible'', David writes a song mourning the battle deaths of [[AlasPoorVillain King Saul]] and [[TragicBromance Jonathan, his best friend]].

Context Main / CelebrityElegy