What Are Some Songs About Other Songs?
February 28, 2024 1:45 PM Subscribe
What are some songs whose lyrics specifically reference other songs as a motif? So, not quoting a lyric from another song, but literally songs about other songs?
There are two songs that come to mind for me, "You Were Right" by Built to Spill and "Plus Ones" by Okkervil River.
You Were Right
You were right when you said
"You can't always get what you want"
You were right when you said
"It's a hard rain's gonna fall"
You were right when you said
"We're still running against the wind"
Life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone
You were right when you said
"This is the end"
Plus Ones
You would probably die before you shot up nine miles high
Your eyes dilated as light plays upon the sight
Of TVC16 as it sings you goodnight
Relaxed as hell and locked up in cell 45
I hope you're feeling better
The 51st way to leave your lover
Admittedly, doesn't seem to be
As gentle or as clean as all the others
Leaving its scars
I ask because, on paper, these songs seem incredibly corny, but for whatever reason in actuality they are really satisfying to listen to, for me.
I'm not looking for covers, I'm really just looking for references to other songs as the sort of lyrical spine of a song. (There must be country songs that do this, it sounds like the kind of thing Merle Haggard or Tom T. Hall would do. And I'm sure there are rap songs I'm not thinking of here--Casual's very fun song "Styles" does something similar but not quite the same, and I'm sure something like this is out there on a 2006 Lil Wayne mixtape I'm not thinking of.)
Would also be interested in songs that use musical motifs in a similar way.
There are two songs that come to mind for me, "You Were Right" by Built to Spill and "Plus Ones" by Okkervil River.
You Were Right
You were right when you said
"You can't always get what you want"
You were right when you said
"It's a hard rain's gonna fall"
You were right when you said
"We're still running against the wind"
Life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone
You were right when you said
"This is the end"
Plus Ones
You would probably die before you shot up nine miles high
Your eyes dilated as light plays upon the sight
Of TVC16 as it sings you goodnight
Relaxed as hell and locked up in cell 45
I hope you're feeling better
The 51st way to leave your lover
Admittedly, doesn't seem to be
As gentle or as clean as all the others
Leaving its scars
I ask because, on paper, these songs seem incredibly corny, but for whatever reason in actuality they are really satisfying to listen to, for me.
I'm not looking for covers, I'm really just looking for references to other songs as the sort of lyrical spine of a song. (There must be country songs that do this, it sounds like the kind of thing Merle Haggard or Tom T. Hall would do. And I'm sure there are rap songs I'm not thinking of here--Casual's very fun song "Styles" does something similar but not quite the same, and I'm sure something like this is out there on a 2006 Lil Wayne mixtape I'm not thinking of.)
Would also be interested in songs that use musical motifs in a similar way.
All Men Are Liars by Nick Lowe.
You have to listen to it to find out which song it references ;-)
posted by essexjan at 1:55 PM on February 28 [4 favorites]
You have to listen to it to find out which song it references ;-)
posted by essexjan at 1:55 PM on February 28 [4 favorites]
Walter Martin, Too Cold to Waterski
red cherries on her white dress
on my best friend’s wedding night
as the band played “take it easy”
the only eagles song i ever liked
posted by niicholas at 1:56 PM on February 28
red cherries on her white dress
on my best friend’s wedding night
as the band played “take it easy”
the only eagles song i ever liked
posted by niicholas at 1:56 PM on February 28
"Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd not only references but argues with Neil Young's "Southern Man."
(Then "Sweet Home Alabama" itself is referenced in Kid Rock's song "All Summer Long.")
posted by rainy day girl at 2:03 PM on February 28 [8 favorites]
(Then "Sweet Home Alabama" itself is referenced in Kid Rock's song "All Summer Long.")
posted by rainy day girl at 2:03 PM on February 28 [8 favorites]
Leonard Cohen, Memories.
"Frankie Laine, he was singing "Jezebel"
I pinned an Iron Cross to my lapel
I walked up to the tallest and the blondest girl..."
[...]
"So we're dancing close, the band is playing "Stardust"
Balloons and paper streamers, they're floating down on us
She says, "You've got a minute left to fall in love"
posted by Capt. Renault at 2:05 PM on February 28
"Frankie Laine, he was singing "Jezebel"
I pinned an Iron Cross to my lapel
I walked up to the tallest and the blondest girl..."
[...]
"So we're dancing close, the band is playing "Stardust"
Balloons and paper streamers, they're floating down on us
She says, "You've got a minute left to fall in love"
posted by Capt. Renault at 2:05 PM on February 28
Nerf Herder’s “Van Halen” is silly as heck but I think close to what you’re looking for.
posted by General Malaise at 2:07 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
posted by General Malaise at 2:07 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
It's not clear if you want the reference to be to a _specific_ song, but if not:
Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song
posted by amtho at 2:08 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song
posted by amtho at 2:08 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
Kurt Vile's Another good year for the roses
posted by johngoren at 2:09 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
posted by johngoren at 2:09 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
Also Pavement's Unseen Power of the Picket Fence.
posted by johngoren at 2:10 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
posted by johngoren at 2:10 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
"High Lonesome" by the Gaslight Anthem:
"There was 'Southern Accents' on the radio as I drove home.
'And at night I wake up with the sheet soaking wet'
It's a pretty good song, baby, you know the rest."
(The chorus also quotes from "Round Here" by the Counting Crows, but I don't think that quite fits what you're looking for.)
posted by darchildre at 2:14 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
"There was 'Southern Accents' on the radio as I drove home.
'And at night I wake up with the sheet soaking wet'
It's a pretty good song, baby, you know the rest."
(The chorus also quotes from "Round Here" by the Counting Crows, but I don't think that quite fits what you're looking for.)
posted by darchildre at 2:14 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Jimmy Eat World, A Praise Chorus
Crimson and clover
Over and over
Crimson and clover
Over and over
Our house in the middle of the street (crimson and clover)
Why did we ever meet? (Over)
Started my rock n roll fantasy (and over)
Don't, don't, don't let's start (crimson and clover)
Why did we ever part? (Over)
Kick start my rock n rollen heart (and over)
posted by Aznable at 2:14 PM on February 28 [3 favorites]
Crimson and clover
Over and over
Crimson and clover
Over and over
Our house in the middle of the street (crimson and clover)
Why did we ever meet? (Over)
Started my rock n roll fantasy (and over)
Don't, don't, don't let's start (crimson and clover)
Why did we ever part? (Over)
Kick start my rock n rollen heart (and over)
posted by Aznable at 2:14 PM on February 28 [3 favorites]
Best answer: In country and blues, these are called answer songs. Big list of them in the Wikipedia entry.
posted by dr. boludo at 2:24 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
posted by dr. boludo at 2:24 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
And whistle all the antics from that infernal nonsense Pinafore!
posted by Melismata at 2:30 PM on February 28 [4 favorites]
posted by Melismata at 2:30 PM on February 28 [4 favorites]
The first thing that comes to mind is the incredibly difficult to Google "Sad songs" by Popular Music.
posted by kickingtheground at 2:33 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
posted by kickingtheground at 2:33 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Hozier does this in Almost (Sweet Music) with a bunch of jazz classics. First verse for a sampler:
'I came in from the outside, burned out from a joy ride
She likes to roll here in my ashes anyway
Played from the bedside is "Stella by Starlight"
That was my heart, the drums that start off "Night and Day"'
It continues on - Genius seems to have a good run-down of all the songs referenced throughout.
posted by sigmagalator at 2:38 PM on February 28
'I came in from the outside, burned out from a joy ride
She likes to roll here in my ashes anyway
Played from the bedside is "Stella by Starlight"
That was my heart, the drums that start off "Night and Day"'
It continues on - Genius seems to have a good run-down of all the songs referenced throughout.
posted by sigmagalator at 2:38 PM on February 28
Best answer: Not quite sure if this is what you mean but what came to mind is Hootie and the Blowfish's "Only Wanna Be With You" (and in fact there was a lawsuit over the quoted lyrics, from Dylan's "Idiot Wind")
Put on a little Dylan, sitting on a fence
I say that line is great, you ask me what it meant by
"Said, I shot a man named Gray, took his wife to Italy
She inherited a million bucks and when she died it came to me
I can't help it if I'm lucky"
I only wanna be with you
Ain't Bobby so cool?
I only wanna be with you
Yeah, I'm tangled up and blue
I only wanna be with you
posted by matcha action at 2:42 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
Put on a little Dylan, sitting on a fence
I say that line is great, you ask me what it meant by
"Said, I shot a man named Gray, took his wife to Italy
She inherited a million bucks and when she died it came to me
I can't help it if I'm lucky"
I only wanna be with you
Ain't Bobby so cool?
I only wanna be with you
Yeah, I'm tangled up and blue
I only wanna be with you
posted by matcha action at 2:42 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
"On the radio, we heard 'November Rain'
That solo's real long, but it's a pretty song
We listened to it twice, 'cause the DJ was asleep...
On the radio, you'll hear 'November Rain'
That solo's awful long, but it's a good refrain
You'll listen to it twice, 'cause the DJ is asleep
On the radio, on the radio..."
(Regina Spektor, "On the Radio")
There are a lot of interlocking dis tracks in rap, but not sure that's what you're looking for.
posted by praemunire at 2:44 PM on February 28 [6 favorites]
That solo's real long, but it's a pretty song
We listened to it twice, 'cause the DJ was asleep...
On the radio, you'll hear 'November Rain'
That solo's awful long, but it's a good refrain
You'll listen to it twice, 'cause the DJ is asleep
On the radio, on the radio..."
(Regina Spektor, "On the Radio")
There are a lot of interlocking dis tracks in rap, but not sure that's what you're looking for.
posted by praemunire at 2:44 PM on February 28 [6 favorites]
Not sure if this fits the billl, but as far as I can tell "Tennessee Waltz" is about a song called "Tennessee Waltz"... that doesn't exist in real life.
"Tribute" by Tenacious D is a similar concept.
posted by queensissy at 2:51 PM on February 28 [4 favorites]
"Tribute" by Tenacious D is a similar concept.
posted by queensissy at 2:51 PM on February 28 [4 favorites]
Best answer: "Glass Onion" references at least five other Beatles songs.
David Bowie called back to Major Tom in "Ashes to Ashes" and later songs.
You Never Even Called Me by My Name was supposedly written as the platonic ideal of a country song, and when David Allen Cole did it he gave us another verse that turned it up to 11.
I've got a playlist somewhere with some others...
posted by credulous at 2:53 PM on February 28 [3 favorites]
David Bowie called back to Major Tom in "Ashes to Ashes" and later songs.
You Never Even Called Me by My Name was supposedly written as the platonic ideal of a country song, and when David Allen Cole did it he gave us another verse that turned it up to 11.
I've got a playlist somewhere with some others...
posted by credulous at 2:53 PM on February 28 [3 favorites]
Travis did this on their "The Man Who" album.
The first song, Writing to Reach You, took the chords from Oasis' Wonderwall and even has this line in it:
"and what's a wonderwall anyway?"
The final song* Slide Show has a part that goes:
Cause there's no design for life (the name of a Manic Street Preacher's song)
There's no devil's haircut in my mind (the name of a Beck song)
There is not a wonder wall (it's Wonderwall again) to climb or step around
* yes there is a secret song after that.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:54 PM on February 28
The first song, Writing to Reach You, took the chords from Oasis' Wonderwall and even has this line in it:
"and what's a wonderwall anyway?"
The final song* Slide Show has a part that goes:
Cause there's no design for life (the name of a Manic Street Preacher's song)
There's no devil's haircut in my mind (the name of a Beck song)
There is not a wonder wall (it's Wonderwall again) to climb or step around
* yes there is a secret song after that.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:54 PM on February 28
The verse from the Gershwins' "They Can't Take That Away From Me", references the title of Irving Berlin's The Song Is Ended (But The Melody Lingers On):
Our romance won't end on a sorrowful note
Though by tomorrow you're gone
The song is ended, but as the songwriter wrote:
"The melody lingers on."
They may take you from me
I'll miss your fond caress
But though they take you from me
I'll still possess
posted by snowymorninblues at 2:54 PM on February 28
Our romance won't end on a sorrowful note
Though by tomorrow you're gone
The song is ended, but as the songwriter wrote:
"The melody lingers on."
They may take you from me
I'll miss your fond caress
But though they take you from me
I'll still possess
posted by snowymorninblues at 2:54 PM on February 28
Best answer: How about "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda?"
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:59 PM on February 28 [8 favorites]
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:59 PM on February 28 [8 favorites]
Best answer: Nerf Herder’s “Van Halen” is silly as heck but I think close to what you’re looking for.
Nerf Herder’s song “We Opened for Weezer” refers to at least one or two Weezer songs and also to the aforementioned “Van Halen.”
Gillian Welch’s song “My First Lover” refers to/quotes the Steve Miller Band’s “Quicksilver Girl.”
posted by mskyle at 3:04 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
Nerf Herder’s song “We Opened for Weezer” refers to at least one or two Weezer songs and also to the aforementioned “Van Halen.”
Gillian Welch’s song “My First Lover” refers to/quotes the Steve Miller Band’s “Quicksilver Girl.”
posted by mskyle at 3:04 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
Best answer: In the first half of Yo La Tengo's "Paul is Dead", the narrator observes a man with headphones listening to "Sympathy for the Devil". The whole song uses the "woo woo" a a motif.
posted by hydrophonic at 3:10 PM on February 28
posted by hydrophonic at 3:10 PM on February 28
Not sure if this is what you’re looking for, but I can think of three songs that are all about paying homage to songs by other artists.
In “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey references Bobby Womack’s “If You Think You're Lonely Now” and Babyface’s “Two Occasions.”
In “Nightshift,” the Commodores reference Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” and Jackie Wilson’s “Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher and Higher.”
In “Old School,” Tupac name checks a ton of artists, but specifically references “Push It” by Salt N Pepa and “Potholes in My Lawn” by De La Soul.
posted by kittydelsol at 3:13 PM on February 28
In “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey references Bobby Womack’s “If You Think You're Lonely Now” and Babyface’s “Two Occasions.”
In “Nightshift,” the Commodores reference Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” and Jackie Wilson’s “Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher and Higher.”
In “Old School,” Tupac name checks a ton of artists, but specifically references “Push It” by Salt N Pepa and “Potholes in My Lawn” by De La Soul.
posted by kittydelsol at 3:13 PM on February 28
Old 97s The One:
References Go On Take the Money and Run by Steve Miller
Ryan Bingham: Mr Dylan's Hard Rain was fair warning. -- references Bob Dylan's A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall.
Rick Nelson: Garden Party: references himself playing his own song Hello Mary Lou.
Camera Obscura: Lloyd I'm Ready to be Hearbroken. references' Lloyd Cole's Are you Ready to be Heartbroken?
The Chats: AC/DC CD: references AC DC of course.
Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma
"First the window then it's too the walls. Little John, he always tells the truth". References Lil John's Get Low.
Loud Family- Crypto-Sicko: "There's the cover of Fair Warning where there's punching out of lights. And I'm not sure I've done more than call the kids to see the fights". References Van Halen's Fair Warning album cover.
Mustang Burn by Jack Ingram: references a sadsack story Robert Earl Keen told on an album called Number 2 Live Dinner about his car burning up and his date leaving with another guy. Supposedly Keen didn't like Ingram too much at the time, so he wrote a song about being the guy taking his date and watching his car burn.
Brian Burns - Nothing to Say
They've got sexy tractors and peal snap shirts
8th grade level is where it all works..
references: She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy by Kenny Chesney and Perl Snap Shirts by Jason Boland.
Nerf Herder also threw shade at Pantera, in Pantera Fans in Love, so hard they changed the lyrics later to be nicer to Pantera and throw shade at the Offspring instead.
posted by The_Vegetables at 3:16 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
References Go On Take the Money and Run by Steve Miller
Ryan Bingham: Mr Dylan's Hard Rain was fair warning. -- references Bob Dylan's A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall.
Rick Nelson: Garden Party: references himself playing his own song Hello Mary Lou.
Camera Obscura: Lloyd I'm Ready to be Hearbroken. references' Lloyd Cole's Are you Ready to be Heartbroken?
The Chats: AC/DC CD: references AC DC of course.
Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma
"First the window then it's too the walls. Little John, he always tells the truth". References Lil John's Get Low.
Loud Family- Crypto-Sicko: "There's the cover of Fair Warning where there's punching out of lights. And I'm not sure I've done more than call the kids to see the fights". References Van Halen's Fair Warning album cover.
Mustang Burn by Jack Ingram: references a sadsack story Robert Earl Keen told on an album called Number 2 Live Dinner about his car burning up and his date leaving with another guy. Supposedly Keen didn't like Ingram too much at the time, so he wrote a song about being the guy taking his date and watching his car burn.
Brian Burns - Nothing to Say
They've got sexy tractors and peal snap shirts
8th grade level is where it all works..
references: She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy by Kenny Chesney and Perl Snap Shirts by Jason Boland.
Nerf Herder also threw shade at Pantera, in Pantera Fans in Love, so hard they changed the lyrics later to be nicer to Pantera and throw shade at the Offspring instead.
posted by The_Vegetables at 3:16 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
First Aid Kit's Wild Horses II, in the chorus:
We played Wild Horses on the car stereo
You prefer the Rolling Stones' and I like Gram's
posted by egregious theorem at 3:25 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
We played Wild Horses on the car stereo
You prefer the Rolling Stones' and I like Gram's
posted by egregious theorem at 3:25 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
KRS-One - Hip-Hop Vs. Rap (the video part gets interesting about halfway through, I'm just linking it for the DJ Spinbad remix playing in the background)
posted by box at 3:30 PM on February 28
posted by box at 3:30 PM on February 28
Blame It On Me by the Barenaked Ladies is so good.
Milli Vanilli told you to blame it on the rain but if you blame it on the rain tell me what can be gained so if all else fails you can blame it on me
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 3:45 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
Milli Vanilli told you to blame it on the rain but if you blame it on the rain tell me what can be gained so if all else fails you can blame it on me
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 3:45 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
1) Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen makes reference to Only the Lonely by Roy Orbison: "Roy Orbison singing for the lonely / Hey that’s me and I want you only"
2) Runnin' Down a Dream by Tom Petty makes reference to Runaway by Del Shannon: "It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down I had the radio on, I was drivin' / Trees went by, me and Del were singin' Little runaway"
3) Adam's Song by Blink 182 makes reference to Come As You Are by Nirvana: "I took my time, I hurried up / The choice was mine, I didn't think enough"
4) Stronger by Brittney Spears makes reference to her earlier song Baby One More Time: "But now I'm stronger than yesterday / Now it's nothing but my way / My loneliness ain't killing me no more"
5) And then there's American Pie by Don McLean, which refers to The Book of Love by The Monotones, Eight Miles High by the Byrds, Jumpin' Jack Flash by the Rolling Stones, and probably other songs too that I'm forgetting. And, of course, the chorus line about good old boys drinking whiskey and rye singing about the day they'll die is a reference to That'll Be The Day by Buddy Holly
posted by obscure simpsons reference at 3:58 PM on February 28 [7 favorites]
2) Runnin' Down a Dream by Tom Petty makes reference to Runaway by Del Shannon: "It was a beautiful day, the sun beat down I had the radio on, I was drivin' / Trees went by, me and Del were singin' Little runaway"
3) Adam's Song by Blink 182 makes reference to Come As You Are by Nirvana: "I took my time, I hurried up / The choice was mine, I didn't think enough"
4) Stronger by Brittney Spears makes reference to her earlier song Baby One More Time: "But now I'm stronger than yesterday / Now it's nothing but my way / My loneliness ain't killing me no more"
5) And then there's American Pie by Don McLean, which refers to The Book of Love by The Monotones, Eight Miles High by the Byrds, Jumpin' Jack Flash by the Rolling Stones, and probably other songs too that I'm forgetting. And, of course, the chorus line about good old boys drinking whiskey and rye singing about the day they'll die is a reference to That'll Be The Day by Buddy Holly
posted by obscure simpsons reference at 3:58 PM on February 28 [7 favorites]
On The Radio by Regina Spektor
“On the radio / We heard November Rain / That solo’s really long / But it’s a pretty song”
The Tennessee Waltz.-
"I remember the night And the Tennessee Waltz 'Cause I know just how much I have lost Yes, I lost my little darling The night they were playing That beautiful Tennessee Waltz."
All Men Are Liars—Nick Lowe
Rick Astley "Never Gonna Give You Up"
Well do you remember Rick Astley?
He had a big fat hit it was ghastly
He said I’m never gonna give you up or let you down
Well I’m here to tell you that dick’s a clown
posted by Ideefixe at 4:01 PM on February 28 [3 favorites]
“On the radio / We heard November Rain / That solo’s really long / But it’s a pretty song”
The Tennessee Waltz.-
"I remember the night And the Tennessee Waltz 'Cause I know just how much I have lost Yes, I lost my little darling The night they were playing That beautiful Tennessee Waltz."
All Men Are Liars—Nick Lowe
Rick Astley "Never Gonna Give You Up"
Well do you remember Rick Astley?
He had a big fat hit it was ghastly
He said I’m never gonna give you up or let you down
Well I’m here to tell you that dick’s a clown
posted by Ideefixe at 4:01 PM on February 28 [3 favorites]
"Killing Me Softly with His Song" has long been understood to be about Don McLean's song "Empty Chairs" after the original singer Lori Lieberman saw him play it live. Lieberman's songwriting team Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel verified this story many times, but later downplayed Lieberman's writing role. Possibly related to the fact that Lieberman broke off the long affair she had with Gimbel, starting when she was just 19 and 24 years his junior, because he was an abusive asshole.
And of course McLean's American Pie is full of references to rock & roll of the 50s and 60s, as mentioned above!
posted by rabbitbookworm at 4:03 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
And of course McLean's American Pie is full of references to rock & roll of the 50s and 60s, as mentioned above!
posted by rabbitbookworm at 4:03 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Oh, I'm a huge sucker for this, and love both of the songs you mentioned.
The Hold Steady's "Joke About Jamaica" is about the Led Zeppelin song "D’yer Mak’er."
Todd Snyder's "Ballad of the Kingsmen" is about "Louie, Louie" and the extremely odd controversy it provoked.
Peter Schilling's "Major Tom (Coming Home)" is a sequel to David Bowie's "Space Oddity," so not quite the same thing.
Also not quite the same thing, in Nine Inch Nails' "Starfuckers, Inc." Trent Reznor suddenly starts singing "You're so Vain"
posted by Ragged Richard at 4:20 PM on February 28
The Hold Steady's "Joke About Jamaica" is about the Led Zeppelin song "D’yer Mak’er."
Todd Snyder's "Ballad of the Kingsmen" is about "Louie, Louie" and the extremely odd controversy it provoked.
Peter Schilling's "Major Tom (Coming Home)" is a sequel to David Bowie's "Space Oddity," so not quite the same thing.
Also not quite the same thing, in Nine Inch Nails' "Starfuckers, Inc." Trent Reznor suddenly starts singing "You're so Vain"
posted by Ragged Richard at 4:20 PM on February 28
"Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd not only references but argues with Neil Young's "Southern Man."
Warren Zevon's heartbreaking "Play It All Night Long" contains these lyrics:
Sweet Home Alabama
Play that dead band's song
Turn those speakers up full blast
Play it all night long
which forms a rare three-song chain.
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:21 PM on February 28 [4 favorites]
Warren Zevon's heartbreaking "Play It All Night Long" contains these lyrics:
Sweet Home Alabama
Play that dead band's song
Turn those speakers up full blast
Play it all night long
which forms a rare three-song chain.
posted by Faint of Butt at 4:21 PM on February 28 [4 favorites]
You might find more answers in the responses to this question I asked in 2013.
Dear lord that was over a decade ago
posted by hanov3r at 4:29 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
Dear lord that was over a decade ago
posted by hanov3r at 4:29 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
Metric, Gimme Sympathy - "play me something like Here Comes the Sun"
posted by LobsterMitten at 4:38 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
posted by LobsterMitten at 4:38 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
Boygenuis has a song called Leonard Cohen that uses a line from his song Anthem.
posted by Xalf at 5:21 PM on February 28
posted by Xalf at 5:21 PM on February 28
I was thinking about these the other day, inspired by "On The Radio." One that hadn't come up yet is "The Drinking Song" by Moxy Früvous, which refers to "Goodnight Irene."
posted by knile at 5:28 PM on February 28
posted by knile at 5:28 PM on February 28
The Pogues -- Fairytale of New York
"And then he sang a song: The Rare Old Mountain Dew."
"The boys of the NYPD Choir were singing Galway Bay."
posted by bryon at 5:57 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
"And then he sang a song: The Rare Old Mountain Dew."
"The boys of the NYPD Choir were singing Galway Bay."
posted by bryon at 5:57 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
Maybe an edge case but "Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits is about a Dixieland jazz band playing in a pub where Mark Knopfler was inspired to write the song.
posted by perhapses at 6:02 PM on February 28 [3 favorites]
posted by perhapses at 6:02 PM on February 28 [3 favorites]
Stardust.
Sometimes I wonder, how I spend
The lonely nights
Dreaming of a song
The melody
Haunts my reverie
And I am once again with you
When our love was new
And each kiss an inspiration
But that was long ago
And now my consolation is in the stardust of a song
posted by sardonyx at 6:10 PM on February 28
Sometimes I wonder, how I spend
The lonely nights
Dreaming of a song
The melody
Haunts my reverie
And I am once again with you
When our love was new
And each kiss an inspiration
But that was long ago
And now my consolation is in the stardust of a song
posted by sardonyx at 6:10 PM on February 28
Roseville Fair by Bill Staines:
All the people gathered ’round
And the band was a-tunin’
I can hear them now
Playin’ “Comin’ Thro’ The Rye.”
(Though on second thought this doesn’t really use the reference as a "backbone"...)
posted by mbrubeck at 6:55 PM on February 28
All the people gathered ’round
And the band was a-tunin’
I can hear them now
Playin’ “Comin’ Thro’ The Rye.”
(Though on second thought this doesn’t really use the reference as a "backbone"...)
posted by mbrubeck at 6:55 PM on February 28
Best answer: "Sweetness and Tenderness" by The Rentals:
"It's just like Gary Numan said, 'You're just a viewer, cold and distant, you are just business, you're worthless.'"
"It's just like Judas said, 'I've been your right-hand man all along. My admiration for you hasn't died.'"
posted by unknowncommand at 7:03 PM on February 28
"It's just like Gary Numan said, 'You're just a viewer, cold and distant, you are just business, you're worthless.'"
"It's just like Judas said, 'I've been your right-hand man all along. My admiration for you hasn't died.'"
posted by unknowncommand at 7:03 PM on February 28
Olivia Rodrigo's Deja Vu: “I bet she knows Billy Joel / Cause you played her "Uptown Girl"”
posted by libraryhead at 7:13 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
posted by libraryhead at 7:13 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
Tenacious d, tribute
This is not the greatest song in the world, no
This is just a tribute
Couldn't remember the greatest song in the world, yeah - no!
This is a tribute
To the greatest song in the world
posted by Jacen at 7:16 PM on February 28 [3 favorites]
This is not the greatest song in the world, no
This is just a tribute
Couldn't remember the greatest song in the world, yeah - no!
This is a tribute
To the greatest song in the world
posted by Jacen at 7:16 PM on February 28 [3 favorites]
Eric Bogle's "Do You Sing Any Dylan?" surely qualifies.
posted by automatronic at 7:32 PM on February 28
posted by automatronic at 7:32 PM on February 28
Well….Piano Man?
posted by bq at 8:06 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
posted by bq at 8:06 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
Wolf Parade's song California Dreamer is written from the perspective of the partner left behind by the singer in California Dreamin’.
posted by deludingmyself at 9:09 PM on February 28
posted by deludingmyself at 9:09 PM on February 28
Tubthumping by Chumbawamba -- references Danny Boy and Don't Cry for me Argentina
posted by Mallenroh at 9:22 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
posted by Mallenroh at 9:22 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]
Girls Like Status by The Hold Steady references This Year, by the Mountain Goats:
'It was song number three on John's last CD
"Gonna make it through this year, if it kills me"
And it almost killed me'
The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song, by Jeffrey Lewis, is about walking past the Chelsea Hotel and overhearing someone discuss Chelsea Hotel #2 by Leonard Cohen.
posted by Pink Frost at 9:28 PM on February 28
'It was song number three on John's last CD
"Gonna make it through this year, if it kills me"
And it almost killed me'
The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song, by Jeffrey Lewis, is about walking past the Chelsea Hotel and overhearing someone discuss Chelsea Hotel #2 by Leonard Cohen.
posted by Pink Frost at 9:28 PM on February 28
Adrian Borland, White Room:
Do me one favour tonight
Play that Roxy song
And have a glass of wine
There's nothing more than this
And never will be
posted by kite at 9:59 PM on February 28
Do me one favour tonight
Play that Roxy song
And have a glass of wine
There's nothing more than this
And never will be
posted by kite at 9:59 PM on February 28
An old school rap example: Ice Cream Tee "Guys Ain't Nothing But Trouble" - riposte to A sideDJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble"
posted by rongorongo at 10:28 PM on February 28
posted by rongorongo at 10:28 PM on February 28
Best answer: Besides the previous Ask from 2013 that hanov3r just mentioned, there was an even earlier one from 2009. Back then I answered with Elliott Smith's "Waltz #2 (XO)." (It's partly set in a karaoke bar, where a former couple sing "Cathy's Clown" and "You're No Good" to one another.)
posted by lisa g at 10:35 PM on February 28
posted by lisa g at 10:35 PM on February 28
Mount Eerie's Voice In Headphones is an homage to Bjork's Undo.
posted by dudekiller at 10:57 PM on February 28
posted by dudekiller at 10:57 PM on February 28
Rita Ora - You and I
Direct references in the chorus:
Now I'm dancin' in your arms to "Eternal Flame"
I know my life is never gonna be the same, that's fine
There's a lifetime in those eyes
Now we're singin' all the words to "Sweet Caroline"
And you say to me, "I love the way you look tonight"
You know I, I never got it right
Until I found you and I
But also in the lyrics - "everlasting love", "dance with somebody", "wonderful world"....maybe "stand by me" if you squint.
posted by cpatterson at 11:30 PM on February 28
Direct references in the chorus:
Now I'm dancin' in your arms to "Eternal Flame"
I know my life is never gonna be the same, that's fine
There's a lifetime in those eyes
Now we're singin' all the words to "Sweet Caroline"
And you say to me, "I love the way you look tonight"
You know I, I never got it right
Until I found you and I
But also in the lyrics - "everlasting love", "dance with somebody", "wonderful world"....maybe "stand by me" if you squint.
posted by cpatterson at 11:30 PM on February 28
Best answer: ‘Monster Mash’ as we know it, is a song about the eponymous song and dance that became a graveyard smash and caught on in a flash.
posted by TwoWordReview at 11:42 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
posted by TwoWordReview at 11:42 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]
Elvis ain’t dead by Scouting for Girls
I’m all shook up and I’m lonesome tonight
posted by Erinaceus europaeus at 2:29 AM on February 29
I’m all shook up and I’m lonesome tonight
posted by Erinaceus europaeus at 2:29 AM on February 29
Also from Phil Elverum (Mount Eerie), Microphones in 2020 is a long, winding song, referencing many of his own songs as well as his influences like Stereolab, Mayhem, and Bonnie Prince Billy.
LCD Soundsystem's Losing My Edge references just about every cool band ever, although it only references one song directly (Soulsonic Force - just hit me!)
posted by dudekiller at 2:33 AM on February 29
LCD Soundsystem's Losing My Edge references just about every cool band ever, although it only references one song directly (Soulsonic Force - just hit me!)
posted by dudekiller at 2:33 AM on February 29
Prince does it a lot. Off the top of my head - The Ballad of Dorothy Parker (Joni Mitchell’s Help Me), Housequake (Chubby Checker’s The Twist and Let’s Twist Again), Get Off (James Brown’s Mother Popcorn)
posted by Hugobaron at 4:15 AM on February 29
posted by Hugobaron at 4:15 AM on February 29
Came here to mention the boygenius song (which is great). Also Lana Del Rey does this ALL THE TIME. In just the title track for her latest album she name checks Hotel California and Harry Nilsson's Don't Forget Me.
posted by rikschell at 4:59 AM on February 29
posted by rikschell at 4:59 AM on February 29
Oh also, The River by David Byrne and Brian Eno has this line: "A change is gonna come / Like Sam Cooke sang in '63." I.e., referencing A Change is Gonna Come.
posted by Xalf at 5:41 AM on February 29 [1 favorite]
posted by Xalf at 5:41 AM on February 29 [1 favorite]
Tori Amos' song "In The Springtime of His Voodoo" starts: "Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona / And I’m quite sure I’m in the wrong song", referencing "Take It Easy".
posted by madcaptenor at 6:46 AM on February 29 [1 favorite]
posted by madcaptenor at 6:46 AM on February 29 [1 favorite]
"Rainbow in the Dark" by the fantastic Das Racist, with the actual tie-in coming at the very end..
Catch me in the trees where it's shady like Lockheed Martin
Sparking in the shade of the trees in the park, B
Hark the angels stay singing in the dark
Like the rainbow in the Ronnie James Dio joint
posted by FatherDagon at 10:29 AM on February 29
Catch me in the trees where it's shady like Lockheed Martin
Sparking in the shade of the trees in the park, B
Hark the angels stay singing in the dark
Like the rainbow in the Ronnie James Dio joint
posted by FatherDagon at 10:29 AM on February 29
Van Morrison references Jackie Wilson's "Reet Petite" in "Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile)"
posted by jrchaplin at 1:03 PM on February 29
posted by jrchaplin at 1:03 PM on February 29
Best answer: It’s not a lyrical reference, but Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture contains long passages of the Marseillaise (to represent the invading French) and the former anthem ‘God Save The Tsar’ (the successful defence).
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 3:01 PM on February 29
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 3:01 PM on February 29
Phoebe Bridgers - Moon Song
We hate Tears in Heaven
But it's sad that his baby died
posted by signal at 3:22 PM on February 29 [1 favorite]
We hate Tears in Heaven
But it's sad that his baby died
posted by signal at 3:22 PM on February 29 [1 favorite]
libraryhead: "Olivia Rodrigo's Deja Vu: “I bet she knows Billy Joel / Cause you played her "Uptown Girl"”"
Here's Rodrigo and Joel playing both songs.
posted by signal at 3:24 PM on February 29 [1 favorite]
Here's Rodrigo and Joel playing both songs.
posted by signal at 3:24 PM on February 29 [1 favorite]
Ronnie and Neil by the Drive-By Truckers is basically all about Ronnie Van Zandt & Neil Young cross-referencing each other.
Some excerpts:
And out in California, a rock star from Canada
Wrote a couple of great songs about the bad shit that went down
"Southern Man" and "Alabama" certainly told some truth
There's a lot of good folks down here, Neil Young just wasn't around
and ...
Ronnie and Neil became good friends
Their feud was just in song
Skynyrd was a bunch of Neil Young fans
And Neil he loved that song
So he wrote "Powderfinger"
For Skynyrd to record
But old Ronnie ended up singing
"Sweet Home Alabama" to the Lord
posted by wps98 at 8:13 PM on March 2
Some excerpts:
And out in California, a rock star from Canada
Wrote a couple of great songs about the bad shit that went down
"Southern Man" and "Alabama" certainly told some truth
There's a lot of good folks down here, Neil Young just wasn't around
and ...
Ronnie and Neil became good friends
Their feud was just in song
Skynyrd was a bunch of Neil Young fans
And Neil he loved that song
So he wrote "Powderfinger"
For Skynyrd to record
But old Ronnie ended up singing
"Sweet Home Alabama" to the Lord
posted by wps98 at 8:13 PM on March 2
In the song "Night Moves," Bob Seger sings that he "started humming a song from 1962." He's said that this refers specifically to "Be My Baby."
posted by knile at 1:16 PM on March 6
posted by knile at 1:16 PM on March 6
The protagonist of the brand-new Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds song, Wild God, begins his journey by searching for one of the characters in Jubilee Street.
posted by paper scissors sock at 1:18 PM on March 6
posted by paper scissors sock at 1:18 PM on March 6
A few months back I posted on the blue about Annika Norlin and Jens Lekman’s Correspondence project. It features the former’s Silent Night, which is the story of the well known Christmas song, told through an indie song. The website has the original demo and here’s a nice choral version.
posted by Kattullus at 2:02 PM on April 15
posted by Kattullus at 2:02 PM on April 15
Caetano Veloso's "It's a Long Way" riffs on the Beatles' "It's a Long and Winding Road".
posted by hydrophonic at 12:49 PM on April 23
posted by hydrophonic at 12:49 PM on April 23
Walking round the room/ singing Stormy Weather (Weather with you Crowded House, 1991), video is a true time capsule.
posted by bq at 1:56 PM on April 23 [1 favorite]
posted by bq at 1:56 PM on April 23 [1 favorite]
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Refers to Wild Side of Life.
posted by sciencegeek at 1:49 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]