R&P: Which non-music figures (living or dead) fascinate/inspire you the most?

Question

Robert F. Kennedy would top my list. What a brilliant, inspiring, and unique man. I was born 21 years after he died, but still find his words incredibly powerful and topical. I greatly admire how he stood against Johnson and the nightmare which was the Vietnam War.

Others (for various reasons and to varying degrees):

Bob Woodward

Ron Suskind

Barack Obama

Edward R. Murrow

Bill Maher

Dennis Kucinich

Franz Kafka

Mohandas Gandhi

And though I know he's a very divisive figure, I must also admit a fascination and respect for Che Guevera. What a strange, fascinating, and bold life! Reading Jon Lee Anderson's biography of him was beyond engaging.

MQ: Name a song written in tribute to another person, be it a sociopolitical leader, a parent, a lover, etc. I'll start with the Beatles' "Julia" (John wrote it for his mother).

Answer 1

Inspire:

Mother Theresa- Giving and caring; helped the unfortunate

Mohnadas Gandhi- For his belief in non-violence

Fasinate: Rasputin, Alot of Philosphers, Poets and Serial Killers.

MQ: Life is Real (For John Lennon) -Queen  

Answer 2

I'll admit that I admire Che Guevara.  "If you tremble indignation at every injustice then you are a comrade of mine."  <--that's why.

I think Mark Twain is the one of the best things that ever happened to American Literature (I think the same of Kurt Vonnegut).  I can't tell you how much I love "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."  His view of the world was two steps ahead of its time.

Fredrich Nietzsche.  Again--a quote sums it all up:  "The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently"

W.E.B. Du Bois, Mohandas Gandhi, Christopher McCandless, Henry David Thoreau ("Civil Disobedience" contains a moral code that I think everyone should live by), Jon Stewart (watch "The Daily Show" that aired the day after 9/11).

As for a song--I'll say "Bye Bye, Miss American Pie," by Don McLean.  Dedicated to an entire generation (namely Buddy Holly (and his wife), the Big Bopper, Richie Valens, Elvis Presley--> Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, etc.)

EDIT:  I forgot to add fascinating people:  I'm going to go with Reuben "Hurricane" Carter (NOT Dylan's version of the story...) and Diane Arbus.

Answer 3

Abraham Lincoln. The Man abolished Slavery....

Candle in the Wind(remake)-Elton John

For Princess Diana

**edit**

Thanks for the completely un needed info mini whatever your name is... Did you not see the word "remake" at the end of it?? I am well aware of who it was done for first...

Answer 4

for me i know some or most will disagree, che guevara, hugo chavez, lenin, karl marx, simon bolivar, subcomandante marcos, pancho villa, and emiliano zapata

Answer 5

che guevara

charles bukowski- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmWZOsVtq...

aleister crowley

arthur rimbaud

frida kahlo

alan moore

alejandro jodorowsky- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alejandro_J...

david lynch

banksy- http://www.banksy.co.uk/

bill hicks

Answer 6

Its probably cliched but J.F.K.. I think of him his as a man with deep personal convictions and most likely a dark mind. He was somebody who had to deal with a lot... and it didn't turn out great either. But still he inspires me, his brother does too.

MA:

Answer 7

Humphrey Bogart

MQ: I Will Follow - U2, one of Bono's many songs in tribute to his mother who died when he was a Teenager.

And Walrus, Candle in the Wind was originally about Marilyn Monroe as signified in the opening line "Goodbye Norma Jean" (Monroe's real name) And was only changed by John for Diana's funeral.

Answer 8

Sequoyah- he came up with the Cherokee syllabary

"See off this mountain" by Edwin Mccain for his grandmother

Answer 9

maybe princess dianna or john f. kennedy and martin luther king jr.

because they were very well respected and admired and seemed to really have good hearts

MQ~umm,idk?

Answer 10

Idi Amin (Wasn't The Last King of Scotland a great movie although semi-fictional).

Nelson Mandela

Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu

MQ:Cast no Shadow by Oasis is a tribute to Richard Ashcroft from The Verve

Answer 11

Hmm, I think fasciante and inspire are two very different things, so I'll answer them seperately.

My biggest inspiration is Lance Armstrong. He truly is an inspiration, I mean "if Lance Armstrong can do it with one ball, you have no excuse". Haha, I've always loved that phrase!

I'm fascinated by a lot of people. My current fascination is with Harper Lee, the author of To Kill A Mockingbird. I've been studying the book in school, and the way she delivers her message [through the book] is really fascinating. (She could be considered an inspiration too)

MQ: Salute To Kareem - Red Hot Chili Peppers.

It's a tribute to the basketball player, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.