It’s no secret that women for centuries have inspired some of the greatest artworks from Gustav Klimt, Pablo Picasso to John Lennon and Chris Martin. Although the focus has always been on how women historically inspired male artists, the opposite is also true. Male muses have also inspired female painters such as Eunice Golden and Frida Kahlo. But the female figure has more profoundly inspired male musicians as opposed to males inspiring female musicians. We all know that rock stars often get admired by throngs of women. These male rock stars then hook up with some of their female fans and end up writing songs about them. Here are some of the women who inspired famous musicians.
Christie Brinkley
Remember Christie Brinkley? She gained international fame posing as a model for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issues in the 1970s. Then she spent 25 years as the face of American cosmetics brand CoverGirl. She married famous piano man Billy Joel from 1985 to 1994. It was said the song 'Uptown Girl' was inspired by her and she did appear in the music video.
Yoko Ono
She is most famously known as the one who broke up the Beatles, including John Lennon’s marriage. The iconic rock group had a rule not to permit any wives or girlfriends into the recording studio. But Lennon broke the rule and brought Yoko Ono to the band’s recording sessions and disturbed the order of things. The rest is history. Lennon wrote the song 'Happiness is a Warm Gun' and 'Julia' in reference to Ono.
Kate Moss
The well-known waifish Kate Moss entered the 'supermodel' era in the mid 1990s. Her work with Calvin Klein made her a fashion icon and she was awarded the 2013 British Fashion Awards in 2013 for her contribution to fashion for 25 years. Guess which musician she inspired? She was briefly engaged to Pete Doherty of the British rock band The Libertines. The band achieved success and gained a cult following in the early 2000s. He recorded the song 'What Katie Did Next' in honor of Kate Moss though the two had a tumultuous relationship.
Patti Boyd
Another famous muse of the Beatles is Patti Boyd. Boyd was one of the leading international models during the 1960s and epitomized the British female look of the era. She was the muse of not one but two musicians. As the wife of Beatle George Harrison, she inspired the songs 'I Need You', 'Something' and 'Think for Yourself'. She divorced Harrison in 1977 and married his friend Eric Clapton in 1979. Clapton wrote the songs 'Layla' and 'Wonderful Tonight' for Boyd. Curiously, all three remained close friends. Boyd divorced Clapton in 1989.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Last but not least is Gwyenth Paltrow. She was the muse to Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin when he married Paltrow. Fans were worried Paltrow would wield influence over the group. However, the Hollywood A-list said she was not keen to be known as the girl who split up Coldplay and swore not to collaborate with Martin in a duet. Still, her influence is felt in the band’s album X&Y where Martin was lamenting in ‘The Message’ cooing “I’m nothing on my own, I love you, please come home”? The couple has two children and divorced in 2015 after ten years of marriage.
Want to Write A Song for Your Muse?
Valentine’s day is not far away. If you have a muse in your life and are looking to learn a song to write for him/her, why not start learning a quick song at Ritmo Music Studio? We offer various music programs with flexible schedules. You can start learning your favorite song in your first lesson in time to croon for your better half.