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Songwriters occasionally write songs that make covert references to real musicians and bands.
Entries are listed with the following syntax:
"Song Title" by musical artist(s) most associated with song references musicians and/or bands referred to.
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A
"Accident Waiting to Happen" by Billy Bragg references The Kinks": "a dedicated swallower of fascism" is a reference to "Dedicated Follower of Fashion"
"Adam's Song" by Blink 182 references "Come As You Are" by Nirvana. The line "I took my time/I hurried up" is a reference to Take your time/hurry up/the choice is yours/don't be late
"A New England" by Billy Bragg references Simon & Garfunkel (The lines "I was 21 years when I wrote this song, I'm 22 now, but I won't be for long" are taken from "Leaves That Are Green").
"Autobiography" (officially unreleased) by John Cale references J.J. Cale ("I never wrote a song called "Cocaine"/I never wrote a song called "After Midnight").
"All His Suits Are Torn" by NOFX, is a reference to Billy Corgan; the name "Billy Cogan" included in the song is a slightly altered version of the Smashing Pumpkins' frontman's name. (The name in this song is actually "Billy Cobin" and considering the lyrics of this song is more than likely no reference to Billy Corgan at all.)
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"Baby Britain" by Elliott Smith references The Beatles ("Revolver's been / turned over / and now it's ready once again")
"Bringing Back the Balls to Rock" by Lordi references KISS, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper (Through behavior and stage shows), Twisted Sister, Accept, W.A.S.P., Judas Priest, Mötley Crüe, and Skid Row (through songs like "SMF," "Metal Heart," "L.O.V.E. Machine," "Breaking the Law," "Looks That Kill," and "Youth Gone Wild.") As well as KISS's "Creatures of the Night."
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C
"Collapsing New People" by Fad Gadget references the industrial group Einstürzende Neubauten, a band that performed some backup instrumentation on that track and others from the same album (Gag). "Einstürzende Neubauten" is literally translated from German to English as "collapsing new buildings".
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D
"Deadhead" by The Teen Idles references The Grateful Dead. ("I'll be grateful when you're dead", and lyrics from the Grateful Dead song "Casey Jones" are quoted.)
"Death Singing" by Patti Smith references Benjamin Smoke. (Smith has said the song is about him, and recites the lyrics in a documentary about Smoke.)
"Destroy Rock 'N' Roll" by Mylo references a list of artists: Michael Jackson, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, David Bowie, Van Halen, Madonna, Huey Lewis & The News, The Cars, Herbie Hancock, Bonnie Tyler, Stevie Nicks, Men At Work, ZZ Top, Paul MCartney & Michael Jackson, Weird Al Yankovic, Cyndi Lauper, Pink Floyd, The Pretenders, Billy Joel, Billy Idol, Elton John, Neil Young, Sheena Easton, Patty Smyth & Scandal, Fashion, Big Country, Morris Day & The Time, John Lennon, Apollonia 6, REO Speedwagon, David Gilmour, The Rolling Stones, Pat Benatar, Hall & Oates, Wham, Rebbie Jackson, Adam Ant, Bananarama, Christine McVie, Queen, John Cougar Mellencamp, U2, Fleetwood Mac, The Alan Parsons Project, Rick Springfield, The Thompson Twins, Missing Persons, Duran Duran, The Police, Eurythmics, Culture Club, Band Aid and Stevie Wonder.
"Distopian Dream Girl" by Built to Spill references David Bowie, ("My stepfather looks just like David Bowie/he hates David Bowie/I think Bowie's cool")
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E
"Everything Zen" by Bush references David Bowie ("Mickey Mouse has grown up a Cow", part of "Life On Mars" lyric; the song also overtly references Elvis Presley).
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G
"Glory Of The 80s" by Tori Amos references Kim Carnes ("I'll clone myself like that blonde chick who sings "Bette Davis Eyes'")
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"Have You Ever" by Incubus references Billy Joel ("a prophet did once say that honesty is a lonely word")
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I
"I'll Remember You" by Michael Nesmith makes references to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, as well as The Beatles, Mainly John Lennon. (One of his close friends.) He refers to them as 'Fred and Ginger', and 'John, my friend'. (Paul, George, and Ringo, too.) The song and the video is touching, as it thanks them for all the things they did to make him happy throughout the years.
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"Let it Rain" by Tilly and the Wall references Madonna's lyrics, "Get into the Groove Boy, You've Got to Prove Your Love to Me" in the first line
"Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me)" by Reunion references The Eagles ("Take It Easy"), probably Sly & the Family Stone and/or Ike & Tina Turner ("take me higher" and "wanna take you higher"), Little Eva and/or Grand Funk Railroad ("Locomotion"), The Rolling Stones ("Satisfaction", "Gimme Shelter"), The Edsels ("Rama Lama" Ding Dong), Little Anthony & the Imperials ("Shimmy, Shimmy, Koko Bop"), Hank Ballard and/or Ike & Tina Turner ("Finger Poppin'"), Music Explosion and/or Marmalade ("Can't stop now"), possibly The Monkees ("Mary, Mary"), Frankie Avalon ("De De Dinah"), probably Leadbelly ("C.C. Rider"), The Beach Boys ("Good Vibrations", "Help Me Rhonda", "Surfer Girl", "Little Honda"), Tommy James and/or Alive and Kicking ("Tighter, Tighter"), possibly ABBA ("Honey, Honey"), The Archies ("Sugar, Sugar"), Ohio Express ("Yummy, Yummy"), and The Four Tops (ending chorus uses "Baby I Need Your Loving" tune)
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R
"Radio" by Rancid references The Clash ("Radio Clash, Magnificent Seven, I was a choir boy, you showed me no heaven")
"Reminisce, Part One" by Dexys Midnight Runners references Stevie Wonder ("I heard that blind man, the man with the glasses, I heard him singing... um, I didn't like the song you understand, but I did know what he meant about the 'higher ground'.")
"Rip It Up" by Orange Juice references Buzzcocks ("my favourite song’s entitled Boredom", followed by part of that song's guitar solo)
"Randy Scouse Git" by The Monkees makes a reference to The Beatles. Line: "The four kings of EMI are sitting stately on the floor." This is because Micky Dolenz wrote this song after attending a party the Beatles had thrown for the Monkees in London while on tour.
"Range Life" by Pavement references Smashing Pumpkins and Stone Temple Pilots. ("Out on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins. Nature kids, they don't have no function. I don't understand what they mean and I could really give a fuck. The Stone Temple Pilots, they're elegant bachelors. They're foxy to me are they foxy to you?").
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"Shoe Song" by Shellac references "Good Morning Captain" by Slint.
"The Spiderbite Song" by The Flaming Lips references the musicians in The Flaming Lips; the whole song is about various events in their past.
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"Take It Away" by The Used references My Chemical Romance ("I'm the one with no more chances, and I've lost all doubt in a chemical romance")
"The Things That Dreams Are Made Of" by the Human League covertly references The Ramones by referring to three of the Ramones ("... Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, good times....")
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W
"Wednesday" by Tori Amos references Prince ("I start humming 'When Doves Cry'")
"When We Was Fab" by George Harrison references his old band The Beatles (the music video for this song is more explicit in the reference).
"(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" by The Clash references The Jam ("They got Burton suits, you think it's funny / turning rebellion into money", which Joe Strummer later said was about The Jam).
"Writing to Reach You" by Travis references Oasis ("What's a Wonderwall anyway?")
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Y
"You Were Right" by Built to Spill references Bob Marley ("You were wrong when you said/Everything's gonna be alright."), Neil Young ("You were right when you said/All that glitters isn't gold."), Kansas ("You were right when you said/All we are is dust in the wind."), Pink Floyd ("You were right when you said/We are all just bricks in the wall"), Jimi Hendrix ("And when you said manic depression's a frustrating mess."), The Rolling Stones ("You were right when you said/You can't always get what you want."), Bob Dylan ("You were right when you said/It's a hard rain's gonna fall."), Bob Seger ("You were right when you said/We're still running against the wind."), John Mellencamp, ("And life goes on after the thrill of living is gone."), and The Doors ("You were right when you said/This is the end.").
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Notes
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See also
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