Songs that reference other songs
- Thread starter Raising Heel
- Start date
In his solo career, Sting likes to reference his work with The Police in his songs. On "Love is the Seventh Wave" he references "Every Breath You Take" starting around the 3:20 mark.
ETA: If you keep listening, it devolves into nonsense. "Every breath you take. Every move you make. Every cake you bake. Every leg you break...."
ETA: If you keep listening, it devolves into nonsense. "Every breath you take. Every move you make. Every cake you bake. Every leg you break...."
This thread could be dominated by rap songs. "Shout outs" to other rappers and other great rap pieces is a constant theme of hip hop.
Yes - "Sweet Home Alabama" refers to Neil Young's "Southern Man" - not favorably BTW - and to complete the chain, Kid Rock's "All Summer Long" refers to "Sweet Home Alabama".
Hootie and the Blowfish (lead Darius Rucker) refers to two Bob Dylan songs - "Idiot Wind" and "Tangled Up in Blue" - in "Only Want to Be with You"
"Shooting Star" - Bad Company - refers to "Love Me Do" - Beatles
"God Part 2" (U2) refers to "Lovers in Dangerous Times" (gonna kick the darkness til it bleeds daylight) - Bruce Cockburn.
"Luckenbach Texas" (Waylon Jennings) refers to Blue Eyes Cryin in the Rain (Willie Nelson).
These are the ones I could think of off the top of my head for now, just from lyrics burned in my brain (useless, I know).
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I think it was in response to "Southern Man", and "Alabama" from Neil's album "Harvest". If you haven't heard the latter song, it's pretty harsh.
If any of u enjoy the punk/alt scrne watch the movie “cbgb” which is about a club in ny where an incredible number of famous bands got their start (ramones, blondie, iggy pop, talking heads, television). Great music.
Eminem - Stan (you know that song by Phil Collins In the Air Tonight where he...)
John Lennon - How do you Sleep (The only thing you did was Yesterday)
Bon Jovi - It's My life (for Tommy and Gina who never backed down)
John Lennon - How do you Sleep (The only thing you did was Yesterday)
Bon Jovi - It's My life (for Tommy and Gina who never backed down)
Supposedly Lennon wrote that in response to a McCartney song but I'm not sure which one.
You are obviously a big Beatles fan (as am I). I tip my cap to you sir.
Was listening to an old country playlist this weekend, prepping for my daughter's grad party. I had a song on it by Kenny Chesney: "I Go Back" that refers to several other pop / rock songs:
Jack and Diane - John Mellencamp
Only the Good Die Young - Billy Joel
American Pie - Don McLean
Keep on Rockin' Me Baby - Steve Miller Band
It's a song about how songs you hear get connected to people and/or events in your life, that when you hear them, they bring up memories of those people and events.
Jack and Diane - John Mellencamp
Only the Good Die Young - Billy Joel
American Pie - Don McLean
Keep on Rockin' Me Baby - Steve Miller Band
It's a song about how songs you hear get connected to people and/or events in your life, that when you hear them, they bring up memories of those people and events.
One Love by Whodini referenced the Beatles song "can't buy me love".
Run DMC mentions the Beatles in "Rock Box".
Public Enemy strongly dislikes Elvis Presley "Elvis was a hero to most but never meant sh1t to me..."
Run DMC mentions the Beatles in "Rock Box".
Public Enemy strongly dislikes Elvis Presley "Elvis was a hero to most but never meant sh1t to me..."
Yeah, as I said in an earlier poast, hip hop has made that their thing. All rap artists give props to those that came before them and then other acts that have been part of their cypher at some point.
Non-rap additions to this thread:
Weezer - In The Garage - Kiss - no song is mentioned specifically but he names Kiss band members of whom he had posters on his wall.
RHCP - Californication - David Bowie and Kurt Cobain - Kiedis says "Cobain can you hear the spheres singing songs off Station to Station" (a Bowie album).
Counting Crows - Mr. Jones - Bob Dylan. Duritz says in one line of the song, "I want to be Bob Dylan". What's interesting is that Mr. Jones is the subject of Bob Dylan's "Ballad of A Thin Man" so it would seem reasonable to think that might be the same "Mr. Jones". But it isn't. Duritz has stated in interviews that Mr. Jones was just a friend of his but he obviously knew of the connection to Dylan's song. More on Dylan below.
Golden Earring - Radar Love - mentions Brenda Lee and her song, "Coming On Strong".
Van Morrison's "Cleaning Windows" references several artists - Jimmie Rodgers, Muddy Waters, Lead Belly, etc.
Def Leppard - Rock Of Ages - Neil Young - Def Leppard opens the song with a Neil Young line - "It's better to burn out than to fade away" from Young's song - My, My, Hey, Hey. Related fact, Kurt Cobain's suicide note referenced these same lyrics.
Dylan has at least two songs with "Woody" in the title - references to Woody Guthrie. He mentions Alicia Keys in a song called "Thunder On The Mountain". There are at least 2 or 3 songs that Dylan wrote supposedly with his girlfriend Joan Baez in mind - "To Ramona" and "Visions of Johanna." He mentions songs written and recorded by the Beatles fairly often. In the song "Tangled Up In Blue", he mentions two - From Me To You and Revolution. Dylan has stated that he wrote the song "Shelter From The Storm" after just having listened to CCR's "Who'll Stop The Rain" where the line in the song is: "I went down Virginia, seeking shelter from the storm."
On the flipside, I think you could probably find thousands of song lyrics by other artists that reference something having to do with Dylan.
That's all I got right now but I find this topic interesting so I'm going to be listening extra carefully to music over the next few weeks and will report back.
Yes! This is part of the reason I started the thread. I was listening to my regular shuffle and noticed all the references to other songs.
Incidentally, I saw that the Netflix trailer for the Martin Scorsese-directed Dylan biopic ("Rolling Thunder Revue") was released today. I'll save you a click.
I really like this thread. I love most types of music, lyrics, and how songs, artists, bands can be interwoven.
Regarding Bob Dylan (Robert Zimmerman from Hibbing, MN) - it is amazing to me how much influence he has had on others: writing songs for others, inspiring others.
I referred above to American Pie by Don McLean. People had tried for many years to learn from Don - the meaning behind the lyrics of this all-time classic. It is obvious that the main theme of the song pertains to the plane crash in Iowa that took the lives of Buddy, Holly, Richie Valenz, and The Big Bopper.
I was going to reference other songs and artists referred to in American Pie, but there are far too many.
There is some quirky stylistic editorial / opinion in this page linked below, but it does a decent interpretation of the songs and artists referred to in American Pie... most prominent are Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan, the Beatles / John Lennon, the Rolling Stones (McLean much preferred Beatles to Stones FWIW).
Interesting item I realized after reading this article today:
American Pie repeats the refrain "This'll be the Day that I Die" which is a minor variation of Buddy Holly's "That'll be the Day (that I Die)" lyrics. I don't know why that didn't click for me before today.
I hope you enjoy this (admitted - just one guy's take) explanation of the American Pie lyrics. I think they are interesting.
http://whrc-wi.org/americanpie.htm
Regarding Bob Dylan (Robert Zimmerman from Hibbing, MN) - it is amazing to me how much influence he has had on others: writing songs for others, inspiring others.
I referred above to American Pie by Don McLean. People had tried for many years to learn from Don - the meaning behind the lyrics of this all-time classic. It is obvious that the main theme of the song pertains to the plane crash in Iowa that took the lives of Buddy, Holly, Richie Valenz, and The Big Bopper.
I was going to reference other songs and artists referred to in American Pie, but there are far too many.
There is some quirky stylistic editorial / opinion in this page linked below, but it does a decent interpretation of the songs and artists referred to in American Pie... most prominent are Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan, the Beatles / John Lennon, the Rolling Stones (McLean much preferred Beatles to Stones FWIW).
Interesting item I realized after reading this article today:
American Pie repeats the refrain "This'll be the Day that I Die" which is a minor variation of Buddy Holly's "That'll be the Day (that I Die)" lyrics. I don't know why that didn't click for me before today.
I hope you enjoy this (admitted - just one guy's take) explanation of the American Pie lyrics. I think they are interesting.
http://whrc-wi.org/americanpie.htm
Oh wow - I will be all over that! I am not a Netflix subscriber, but I think my college age son is. thanks for the tip. I think Scorsese directing something on Dylan - I would enjoy very much! Thanks again! Very cool.
Yes!!!
Won't you tell your dad, get off my back
Tell him what we said 'bout "Paint It Black"
https://northcarolina.forums.rivals.com/threads/favorite-songs-and-videos.28318/page-8#post-788381
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"I Cannot Believe It's True" by Phil Collins has a line around the 1:15 mark where he says, "They're being too cruel to be kind," an obvious reference to the song by Nick Lowe.
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Eddie Money "Take Me Home Tonight " references "Be My Baby", and even has the original singer (Ronnie Spector) singing that line in his song.
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