DaveWadding

I thought they met before and then he put her in the video

Numanoid

True. They were dating at the time the video was shot.

He originally wrote the song as "Uptown Girls" because of all the hot model action he was getting right after his divorce from his first wife (Joel also dated Elle MacPherson). He then tailored the song to Brinkley when they started dating.

NoirFan

I remember a detailed article in Spin or some such about the girl who inspired Guns N' Roses "My Michelle", complete with high school photos!

DaveWadding

It's in Pattie Boyd's book...but there are conflicting stories. Whatev.

Corleone316

Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) - Bruce Springsteen (written about his girlfriend at the time)
The Wish - Bruce Springsteen (about his mother)

Pigs on the Wing - Pink Floyd (Roger Waters wrote this also for a girlfriend)

Xanager

"Jane Says" - Jane's Addiction
song and band name inspired by Jane Bainter

Mikael79

One would have to think that they published this list and then someone said "Dude...you forgot the chick who "Layla, Something and Wonderful Tonight was written about!!!" and the forehead slap that occurred afterwards.

Numanoid

So by inspiration they mean knowing a girl that gives you a tracksuit that has something to do with an organization that has a name that makes you think to write a song with those words in the title, even though the lyrics end up having absolutely nothing to do with the girl, the organization, or the tracksuit in question? And didn't Bernie Taupin write the lyrics, anyway?

NoirFan

The vocal sample is from Ultramagnetic MC's "Give the Drummer Some" off their seminal Critical Beatdown album.

dugan

These are some obvious ones:

"Kim" - Eminen
"I'm Afraid of Britney Spears" - LiveonRelease
"Cassie" - Flyleaf (about Cassie Bernall, one of the Columbine victims)

Mhepburn20

Who says only men can write songs about women. Several of Fleetwood Mac songs even written by the female songwriters are about women:

"Sara" is at least in part about Sara Fleetwood

"Think about It" (Stevie solo) is about Christine McVie and her constant desire to leave the band or at least stop touring (a theme in Christine's songs dating back to 1973 - she only stopped touring in 1997)

Back to the guy:
"Caroline" is about Lindsey's gf after Stevie, Carole Anne Harris.

"Come" is supposedly about Anne Heche who Lindsey briefly dated prior to the Dance tour and Anne's bout with lesbianism. When looked at with that in mind, the song is quite fun.

Jazzbutcher

Richie Valens - Donna
Buddy Holly & the Crickets- Peggy Sue

Turd Ferguson

I'm surprised no one has mentioned "Dear Prudence" by the Beatles. When the Beatles were spending time in India with the Maharishi, John wrote this song about Prudence Farrow, Mia Farrow's sister. Apparently, Prudence was so into meditation that she wouldn't come out her room when they were there.

Turd Ferguson

I think I read somewhere that "Sara" was based in part on Nicks' breakup with Don Henley and subsequent abortion.

Numanoid

Keeping with the Fleetwood Mac theme...Christine McVie's "You Make Lovin' Fun" was written about her boyfriend at the time of the recording of the Rumours album.

rw2516

I read that the name "Sara" was the name of her dog at the time.

Mhepburn20

Yeah, that's the common rumor, hence why I also said it is in in part about Sara Fleetwood. Here's what Stevie had to about the song:

I wrote Sara on the piano, by myself. The original Sara was 16 minutes long. Like about nine more verses than what you hear on the record. It got edited down to 14 minutes, down to 11 minutes, down to 9 minutes, down to 7 minutes, down to 4 minutes and 40 seconds. I was to the point where I went, 'Is the word Sara even going to be left in the song?'

I knew that Sara would be very popular because I loved writing that song. I've had more fun writing that...I remember the night I wrote it. 'I sat up with a very good friend of mine whose name is Sara, who was married to Mick Fleetwood. She likes to think it's completely about her, but it's really not completely about her. It's about me, about her, about Mick, about Fleetwood Mac. Its about all of us at that point. There's little bits about each one of us in that song and when it had all the other verses it really covered a vast bunch of people. Sara was the kind of song you could fall in love with, because I fell in love with it...
~Stevie Nicks, Tommy Vance show, May 1994

redhenry

God, there must be millions...

Rosanna - Toto
Ma Baker - Boney M
Annie's Song - John Denver
Joan of Arc - OMD

Pick any significant woman in history and someone is bound to have written about her...

Bonnie (Bonnie and Clyde)
Cleopatra
Helen of Troy
Condaliza Rice - oops, there goes my theory

cungar

Winona by Matthew Sweet is about Winona Ryder, pre-sholifting days.

chino77

such a great song...i never knew that about it.

Monica Clinton

Ode To Tipper Gore - Warrant

bacigalup

Suite:Judy Blue Eyes - Crosby,Stills,& Nash

Written by Stephen Stills about his ex-girl friend at the time, Judy Collins

rexinnih

Did not know that and pretty big Bowie fan. Learn something new everyday.

dugan

Ice T's "Freedom of Speech" was inspired by Tipper Gore
Scarface's "Hand of the Dead Body" was inspired by C Delores Tucker

Jack Straw

"Sit on my Face, Steve Nicks" - The Vapors

It's about...you get the picture.