# Pop songs based on books **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 6, 2001, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776 "2001-10-06T12:03:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/21 "2001-10-06T20:33:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sir Rhosis \* > \*\*Wasn’t “Suddenly, Last Summer” by Martha Something and the Do-hickeys (it escapes me) based on a novel, or was it a movie? > > Sir Rhosis \*\* I think “Suddenly, Last Summer” was done by the Motels. I have no idea if it was based on a book or a movie. Laughing Lagomorph, who is beginning to think he knows way too much about 80s pop music. ---
**Author:** ![Spoonbender](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spoonbender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoonbender)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/22 "2001-10-06T23:48:28Z")
**Green Day** has “Who Wrote Holden Caulfield,” which is based on Salinger’s _The Catcher in the Rye_. There’s a boy who fogs his world and now he’s getting lazy There’s no motivation and frustration makes him crazy Makes a plan to take a stand but always ends up sitting Someone help him up or he is gonna end up quitting ---
**Author:** ![Myrnalene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@Myrnalene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrnalene)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/23 "2001-10-07T00:14:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Laughing Lagomorph \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Sir Rhosis \* > > \*\*Wasn’t “Suddenly, Last Summer” by Martha Something and the Do-hickeys (it escapes me) based on a novel, or was it a movie? > > > > Sir Rhosis \*\* > > I think “Suddenly, Last Summer” was done by the Motels. I have no idea if it was based on a book or a movie.\*\* There’s a Tennessee Williams play by that title that was made into a movie starring Elizabeth Taylor, which I have seen. My memories of the Motels (\*\*Sir Rhosis \*\* is correct) song are quite foggy, but the lyrics don’t really some to have much to do with the plot of the movie. (Elizabeth Taylor is traumatized by memories of her rich, gay cousin’s grisly death.) ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/24 "2001-10-07T00:20:02Z")
Jon English has a song called “Carmilla” that must have been inspired by Le Fanu’s novella of the same name. Plenty of goth bands mention Carmilla in their songs, but most seem to be just dropping her name for some sort of goth street cred purposes. I’m sure there are plenty of songs that mention Dracula and Frankenstein’s monster too, but since the two characters are so famous across all media the majority probably were not inspired by the actual novels. ---
**Author:** ![Gaspode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gaspode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaspode)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/25 "2001-10-07T00:23:29Z")
Does Metallica’s instrumental ‘Call of Ktulu’ count? ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Rhosis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sir\_Rhosis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Rhosis)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/26 "2001-10-07T03:47:18Z")
The Motels are sometimes referred to informally by DJs and others as Martha Davis and the Motels, thus my misremembering the name of the group. Thanks for the help remembering the movie and play, Myrnalene. Sir Rhosis ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/27 "2001-10-07T04:18:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jeremy’s Evil Twin \* > **Iron Maiden’s “To Tame a Land” was based on Frank Herbert’s _Dune_, and they’ve done songs based on “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, _Stranger in a Strange Land_, and _The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner_.** Interestingly, **To Tame a Land** was originally called **Dune** but Herbert refused to let them use the title. Iron Maiden have also had numerous other adaptations, including **Phantom of the Opera** , **Murders In The Rue Morgue** , **Where Eagles Dare** , **The Duellists** , **Seventh Son of a Seventh Son** , **Run Silent, Run Deep** , amongst probably others. Check out the excellent [Baeleron’s Commentary](http://www.truemetal.org/ironmaiden/EN.html) page for more information. ---
**Author:** ![ignatzmouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b2d939/32.png) [@ignatzmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatzmouse)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/28 "2001-10-07T05:07:24Z")
Isn’t Sting’s Tea in the Sahara based on an incident in Paul Bowles “Under the Sheltering Sky?” I’m pretty sure that Synchronicity comes from a theoretical treatise on the topic by Arthur Koestler. Invisible Sun is based on the book Darkness at Noon by Koestler. I think there are more Sting songs from books, him being an english teacher and all. I’m pretty sure Elton John’s Rocket Man is based on the story of the same name by Ray Bradbury. I have a vague recollestion of a song by a female artist based on Kate Chopin’s The Awakening. Anyone remember this? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/29 "2001-10-07T05:16:40Z")
I am not an expert, but I believe that there is a **Rage against the Machine** song based on **The Grapes of Wrath**. The **Mr.T Experience** (lord, it seems that every cafe post I make has at least something to do with MTX) has a song based on **“Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret”**. The adolescent novel theme is continued in their instramental **“Bridge to Terabithia”**. They also have a song entitled **“Book of Revelations”** , which, like **“Dictionary Girl”** is only loosely connected to it’s title tome. Any number of their songs have biblical references, such as **Sackcloth and Ashes"** and **Martyr"**. **“The Complicated History of the Concept of the Soul”** is based on Dr. Frank’s (MTX’s lead singer)junior thesis and includes footnotes leading one to a book called “The Greeks and the Irrational”. **“Love Manifesto”** is a play on the Communist Manifesto. **Naomi** is about Noami Wolf’s **The Beauty Myth**. Oh dear. Now you know more about MTX than any of you ever wanted to. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/30 "2001-10-07T12:30:54Z")
Jesus Christ Superstar and the 1,972,476 other songs about Jesus. Hey, it’s in the Bible. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/31 "2001-10-07T13:16:29Z")
Fatboy Slim’s **Weapon of Choice** contains lines about using voice as a weapon and “walk without rhythm, and it won’t attract the worm” which seem to be pretty clear references to _Dune_. ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/32 "2001-10-07T13:56:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by even sven \* > I am not an expert, but I believe that there is a **Rage against the Machine** song based on **The Grapes of Wrath**. It’s actually a Bruce Springsteen song which they covered called **The Ghost of Tom Joad**. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/33 "2001-10-07T15:26:40Z")
**Magic Bus** - The Who. Based on The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe. (?) **1984** - David Bowie. Based on (duh) 1984 by George Orwell. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/34 "2001-10-07T15:42:02Z")
Oh yeah, and honorable mention to **Hey Jack Kerouac** by **10,000 Maniacs** , which was based on the entire Beat movement, but with particular focus on On the Road. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/35 "2001-10-07T15:53:35Z")
A few more: 1. Metallica’s “One” was based on Dalton Trumbo’s anti-war novel “Johnny Got His Gun” (the video, of course, consisted mostly of clips from the movie version). 2. Viet Nam vet Ron Kovic’s autobiographical novel “Born on the 4th of July” was adapted into a song by folkie Tom Rush. 3. “The Ghost of Tom Joad” was the second song that Bruce Springsteen inspired by John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath.” The title of “Darkness on the Edge of Town” came from the same novel. ---
**Author:** ![Folkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@Folkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folkie)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/36 "2001-10-07T16:14:17Z")
Well, how about a few from the folk (or at least singer-songwriter) world? “Tom Joad” by Woody Guthrie - The Grapes of Wrath (not the same as Bruce Springsteen’s “Ghost of TJ” “Moby Book” by Steve Goodman - Moby Book “Call Me Ishmael” by Mark Graham - ditto “Oedipus Rex” - Tom Lehrer, also one by Mark Graham - O.R. “Spoon River” - Michael Smith - Spoon River Anthology “We Come Birds” - Michael Smith - from a passage in one of Robert Coles books: I think, The Moral Lives of Children “The Persecution and Restoration of Dean Moriarty” by Aztec Two Step - On the Road (Kerouac) “Born on the Fourth of July” by Tom Paxton - BOTFOJ “Got To Get The Product Out The Door” vy Zeke Hoskin - The Soul of a New Machine Dan Bern wrote a song called “Marilyn Monroe” which is not based on a book , as far as I know, but is one of the funniest riffs on writers that I know of… basically he suggests MM would have been happier if she married HENRY Miller instead of ARTHUR Miller. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/37 "2001-10-07T18:52:03Z")
Do poems count? **Green Grow the Rushes** - R.E.M. (Inspired by the Robert Burns poem, “Green Grow the Rashes.”) ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/38 "2001-10-07T19:14:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spoke- \* > \*\ ***Magic Bus** - The Who. Based on The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe. (?) > \*\* No it wasn’t. Pete Townshend has stated repeatedly that “Magic Bus” wasn’t really based on anything – it’s just a nonsense song. I believe it predates _TEKAAT_ by a year or two anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/39 "2001-10-07T19:35:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lamia \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by spoke- \* > > \*\ ***Magic Bus** - The Who. Based on The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe. (?) > > \*\* > > No it wasn’t. Pete Townshend has stated repeatedly that “Magic Bus” wasn’t really based on anything – it’s just a nonsense song. I believe it predates _TEKAAT_ by a year or two anyway. \*\* Well, far be it from me to wrongfully accuse Pete Townshend of a literary reference. The road trip described in the book took place in '64, and the book came out in '67. The song was recorded in '68, but Townsend claims to have written it in '66. If Pete is telling it straight it looks like you’re right, and that the song’s titular “magic bus” is not an allusion to the “magic bus” in Wolfe’s book. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776/40 "2001-10-07T19:53:19Z")
Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit”…doesn’t it have some Lewis Carrol references? (I can’t remember all the words). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-based-on-books/85776.md?page=3)