> I am assuming here that this fellow Costello can talk about things other than Michael Jackson, which makes him a non-"cipher"?
Well, how about his song "Tramp the Dirt Down" about Maggie Thatcher?
<http://www.lyricsfreak.com/e/elvis+costello/tramp+the+dirt+down_20047487.html>
Ranks up there pretty high for me...