Songs that mention or quote other songs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LNtflPamok

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO6OvHxD_m8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVM8_jAL86w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbr0d4iQMa8

Just this week, with Paul McCartney due on SNL tonight, I was thinking of songs that mentioned the Beatles. (I’ve Never Been to Spain — “but I kinda like the Beatles” — came up for other reasons in a group text.) 

This is a favorite, and if the album it’s from shows up at the record sale at the Woodland tomorrow, I call dibs.

One more, for Macca.

More of a mash up than a song that merely mentions or quotes another song but always found this Joni thing to be lovely.  BTW Dave, one of the 2 well known songs on my list has a Beatles quote if you didn't already know or notice. 

This Elton oldie, which I love, has the title of an even older oldie in its lyrics, bu the nature of the title is such that I'm not sure if the reference is even intentional or just coincidental but it's there.

Like a vision she dances across the porch while the radio plays Roy Orbison singing for the lonely, hey that's me and I want you to want me, don't turn me home again I just can't face myself alone again

(Thunder Road, somebody else can post the YouTube link 😀)

bub said:

BTW Dave, one of the 2 well known songs on my list has a Beatles quote if you didn't already know or notice.

Yup.

HatsOff said:

Like a vision she dances across the porch while the radio plays Roy Orbison singing for the lonely, hey that's me and I want you to want me, don't turn me home again I just can't face myself alone again

Beat me to it.

“… I want you to want me” gave me a smile. You quoted a song title just a little before its time.

DaveSchmidt said:

Beat me to it.

“… I want you to want me” gave me a smile. You quoted a song title just a little before its time.

hah, didn't catch that! Maybe that song was quoting Springsteen!

HatsOff said:

DaveSchmidt said:

Beat me to it.

“… I want you to want me” gave me a smile. You quoted a song title just a little before its time.

hah, didn't catch that! Maybe that song was quoting Springsteen!

except Bruce doesn't sing that. It's "hey that's me, and I want you only."

it rhymes with "lonely"  

this one refers to Maren Morris's "My Church" with the line "Maren singing Hallelujah"

this references a handful of songs:

this song nods to Darkness on the Edge of Town, Bad Moon Rising, and Life During Wartime. Not overt, but they were intentional.

Bub, I’m getting an error on your first post. Thought it may have been a temporary glitch, but, alas, no. Want to repost it? Or the title/artist? I’d like to hear that song.

"The Walrus Was Paul."

Sam Cooke's singin' on the radio:

(one of the cheesiest videos of all time   )

"And I forget, I forget, the movie song"

"There's a place for us, you know the movie song"

The movie song is "Somewhere" from West Side Story

max_weisenfeld said:

"And I forget, I forget, the movie song"

"There's a place for us, you know the movie song"

The movie song is "Somewhere" from West Side Story

Also: “Hey, la, My Boyfriend’s Back.”

Here’s another 13-year-old girl. Her dad is about to hear about Paint It Black.

ml1 said:

Sam Cooke's singin' on the radio:

John’s going to keep us guessing, though, which song.

DaveSchmidt said:

Bub, I’m getting an error on your first post. Thought it may have been a temporary glitch, but, alas, no. Want to repost it? Or the title/artist? I’d like to hear that song.

The first post was messed up so I quickly sent the links in a 2nd post.  That's not working for you?  Do you need all of those link or just one?

DaveSchmidt said:

ml1 said:

Sam Cooke's singin' on the radio:

John’s going to keep us guessing, though, which song.

that's good songwriting

Yeah, a mash up I guess but a great one:

Early Billy Bragg 

bub said:

The first post was messed up so I quickly sent the links in a 2nd post. That's not working for you? Do you need all of those link or just one?

You caught me not clicking; I didn’t realize the first link was the Led Zep-quoting track. Thanks.

I like how Chuck Prophet kicks off his song by nodding to For What It’s Worth, at least to my ears.

I never noticed the For What It's Worth Connection before.  

A bit of trivia about Elton John's Mellow.  I long thought the instrumental break was an organ. I learned more recently that it's an electric violin played by Jean-Luc Ponty.  Remember him? He was a kind musical superstar back in the day.  Don't know what happened to him.  And can you ID the reference I picked it for?

bub said: 

And can you ID the reference I picked it for?

They call him Mellow El — oh. Rhythm of the Rain?

This one is a bit on the nose, being a tribute, but since he’s the man of the minute …

Rhythm of the Rain, it is

James Brown by Big Audio Dynamite, a song made up almost entirely of lyric-snippets from James Brown songs arranged to tell the story of his PCP-fuelled car chase in 1988 and shooting up his wife's car. It came out in 1989, so it's also filled with appropriate samples (another West Side Story reference!) and an acid house influence, but the lyrics are very well done, IMO.

HatsOff said:

(Thunder Road, somebody else can post the YouTube link 😀)

As you wish (this version from how it was performed in the BITUSA tour, with the kiss at the end) - - 

ml1 said:

except Bruce doesn't sing that. It's "hey that's me, and I want you only."

it rhymes with "lonely"

 

guess I heard it wrong, wouldn't be the first time 😀