“Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel (1983)
As it turns out, “Uptown Girl” was at the outset written for the then 19-year-old Elle MacPherson, an Australian supermodel who also happened to be Joel’s girlfriend. Not long after penning the track, the two broke up. However, shortly after, Joel and another supermodel, Christie Brinkley, fell in love. Only two years prior to the song becoming a hit in the airwaves, Joel and Brinkley exchanged vows. His song was later changed to “Uptown Girls”, owing to the many factors that contributed to the lyrics, which Joel admitted. Naturally Brinkley and MacPherson, but also Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and Whitney Houston.
“Layla” by Derek and the Dominos (1970)
When talking about messy situations, falling for your closest friend’s girl is definitely an example. Eric Clapton is no stranger to this. He fell madly in love with his best friend’s (George Harrison) wife, Pattie Boyd. Ergo he wrote “Layla”, a blues-rock song which clearly expresses his unhealthy fascination in Boyd. The song didn’t impress Pattie…at first. However, in 1974, Clapton and Boyd started living together. By 1979, the two had exchanged vows! The song doesn’t seem the least bit ineffective at all.