Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

Have you ever thought about all the songs that you know with women’s names in the titles? The Association is another of the bands I listened to as a teenager. Remember “Along Came Mary”. Then there was “Stormy” sung by Dennis Yost and his group, the Classics IV, and we can’t miss the Beach Boys’ “Wendy” or “Help Me, Rhonda.”

Music that was based on women is not unusual. Kenny Rogers was good at it with “Lucille,” whom he met in a bar, and “Ruby,” who left him. And when he couldn’t remember their names, he just called them “This Woman” or “Lady.”

I’ve always liked “Donna, the Prima Donna” by Dion and The Belmonts, and he even had his “Ruby, Baby.” They had trouble with “Run Around, Sue,” “Sandy,” “Little Diane,” and “Little Miss Blue.”

Then there is the one about a dog we had, “Brandy, You’re a Fine Girl” by Looking Glass. Let’s talk about “Oh, Carol,” by Neil Sadaka, “Diana” by Paul Anka, “Walk Away Renee” by the Four Tops, and “Sunny” by Bobby Hebb, which I think were some of the greatest in my teen years.

I also must mention “Mrs. Brown, You’ve got a Lovely Daughter” by Herman’s Hermits, even though Peter Noon never mentions her daughter’s name. However, they did turn that one into a full-length movie, and her daughter’s name in the film is Judy Brown. If you want to see how this worked out for Herman, give it a view.

Moving on to my mother, Mary, I think of my favorite Christmas song, “Mary, Did You Know?” “Proud Mary” by CCR is not one of my favorite songs, but I feel it needs to be mentioned. Next, I think we need to hear some songs about Cindy, my wife. “Get Along Home, Cindy, Cindy,” “Cindy, Oh Cindy,” and Johnny Crawford’s “Cindy’s Birthday” are the three I recall.

We need to hear “Heather, Honey” and “Michelle, My Belle” for my two daughters. There is also a song called “Kayla” for our third daughter, but I’ve never heard it, so I don’t know if it is one I want to bring up. I guess we should move on to our granddaughters. The only one I think of is ABBA’s “Mamma Mia” for our second daughter’s first child.

If there is one artist that had more songs with a woman’s name in the title, it was Tommy Roe with “Dizzy,” “Sweet Pea,” “Hooray for Hazel,” and “Heather, Honey,” that I have already mentioned. I am sure that I have missed some of your favorites.

There is one more that I thought about mentioning, except it goes along with the Jim Stafford song “My Girl, Bill” because they are musical comedy skits more than musical tunes. “Hey there, Delilah” by Tim Hawkins is another of my favorites of this type. Oh, and for those of you who recognize that tune and the title, I realize that this is a parody of Plain White T’s song, and I apologize that I did not know that until today. I’m more of an oldies fan.

©Copyright 2026 by Charles Kensinger