 | Sabrina Fairchild: No Father, the moon's reaching for me! ~ excerpt from the Billy Wilder film, "Sabrina" (1954) quotes and photo taken from IMDB
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What's in a name? When Billy Wilder filmed the movie "Sabrina" based on a play by Samuel Albert Taylor called "Sabrina Fair,"
the film's title was probably not regarded as something exciting, since Sabrina was a popular name of the 20th century. It's one of my
favourite films of all time, as it highlights the unpredictability of love, and how the one that's right for you
may be right under your nose. Also, to me, it also points out that differences in age and experience are surmountable
obstacles, since Audrey Hepburn's Sabrina was much, much younger than either William Holden's David or Humphrey Bogart's Linus, yet
despite her playfulness she also had a strong attitude about love and what it should all mean. It's a very sweet
story, with some comedy mixed in for good measure, and a nice romance to boot.
While there is no song by Stephen Duffy named "Sabrina" (that I know of!), this brings up an interesting point specific to Stephen's writing - the use of
girls' names in his songs. Usually they're named to illustrate relationship motifs in Stephen's songwriting. I wish I knew Stephen to ask him where he got the inspiration for "Natalie" (which
was the song that made me a fan) or Cindy in "The World at Large Alone." But until he comes out of the woodwork and tells me himself,
I'm completely shooting in the dark here.
I'm going to eventually link to Nic Blinston's finished connectography project, which will hopefully provide a listing of the people and places referenced in over 20 years of
Duffy songwriting. No doubt his sought after but yet unfinished memoir project "Memory and Desire" will help us immensely in tackling
down some more of the more interesting topics of Duffy discussion. Like...who inspired the single "Dreaming"?
But until there is an online definitive list or alternatively, I become wise in all things Duffy and Lilac, whichever happens first, I will maintain
a short list of songs related to "Stephen's women" - those that will forever be immortalised in song. I'm not even going to try
and catalogue all the girls that are referred to in Stephen's songs as "she" or "her" because that would like trying to catalogue
every single song Stephen has written about love! That's what his memoir project is supposed to be for.
I can't think of anyone who wouldn't want to be immortalised in a song! Of course there are instances in history where references weren't the
best. "Sexy Sadie" by the Beatles comes first to mind. For those of you unaware, John Lennon wrote it as a personal attack
on the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, whom he believed cheated him and his bandmates. But for all intensive purposes, I will be listing
the names of people (women specifically) that Stephen has chosen to write about over the years.
I realize that I have a reasonably common name, tho I don't know anyone personally my age who has the same first name, because
it's so archaic. I do not like being asked if I was named after the Virgin Mary, since I'm definitely not Catholic or religious. It weirds
me out that everyone automatically assumes I'm Catholic! Of course there are a bunch of songs with my name in it. I also doesn't help the issue
that I have the most popular last name in the entire world (Chang). At least I have a unique middle name! (I have considering taking this
middle name as my official first name but I haven't gotten around to actually doing it.) But I would
love to be immortalised - albeit lovingly - in a song - just once! - ala "Natalie" or "Hey Kat." One of my best Duranie
friends is named Kat and she's just shocked, and happily so, to know of a song called "Hey Kat."
So Stephen, I know you're out there...how about it? *grin*
Personally I think this list is all the more interesting for the sake of discussion! I'm bound to be missing songs on this list so send me an e-mail
if you know of someone who should be added.
the list
**immeasurable thanks to Matt Thurston for helping me put together this list!**
first posted 22.09.02
stuff added 03.10.02 and 15.08.03