And you can watch it here
Leonard Cohen has written several songs that have biblical references:
The Story Of Isaac
Last Year’s Man
Hallelujah
Suzanne
and several songs have references to Joan of Arc.
A great deal of Bob Marley’s catalogue is about politics. And, to hit the literature category, a fair share make Biblical references.
Honestly, anything off of the recording that these tunes appeared on, Dust Bowl Ballads, is pretty good. History AND politics, and not anti-war politics, neither. And “Tom Joad” references literature, of course. It’s some of Woody Guthrie’s best work, so it’s worth checking out.
Oh, I forgot - “Done with Bonaparte” by Mark Knopfler counts, as it is about one soldier’s experience in Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. And there’s an earlier song by Dire Straits called “Iron Hand,” although I’m not actually entirely certain which particular event in British history or politics it refers to :D.
To continue the political tangent, a lot of Sysytem of a Down’s songs make some sociological/political points (assuming you have the lyric sheet:)).
“Prison Song” and “B.Y.O.B.” spring immediately to mind.
“Sullivan” by Caroline’s Spine, about the deaths of the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, Iowa. They insisted on being stationed on the same battleship together, and when it sank, they all died. It’s a common misconception that, following this, the military doesn’t allow close family members to be stationed together. That’s not quite right; no Sullivan act was ever put into effect. For more info on the issue, see here.
“Plane Wreck at Los Gatos” by Woody Guthrie. Like the title says. Also his “Pretty Boy Floyd,” about you know, that one guy.
“What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?” by REM, about the guy who attacked Dan Rather. Also by REM, “Man on the Moon” about Andy Kaufman. I suppose that means “The Great Beyond” is about him, too.
“Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple about the burning of the Montreux Casino.
By The Indigo Girls: Galileo, Jonas and Ezekiel (memorializing Bob Sheldon, anti-war activist who was shot in his bookstore in 1991), Virginia Woolf, and Romeo and Juliet. That’s just from the titles on the Rites of Passage album. (Yes, I’m basically just going through the music on my computer. Rites of Passage is the only album by them I own.) I’ve always thought that the lyrics for “Cedar Tree” were heavily biblical, but the only thing I’ve really found is Abraham/Sarah and the palm/cedar trees, and the link is very tenuous. Anyway, The Indigo Girls use a lot of historical and literary references in their songs.
And now I’m out of steam.
Laurie Anderson does quite a bit of material that references Moby Dick. And she has a sweet song about Hansel and Gretel.
Elvis Costello’s Spike album has a number of songs that reference historical or political themes. “Any King’s Shilling” is about the Troubles, “Tramp the Dirt Down” is a song about Maggie Thatcher, “Let Him Dangle” is about the murder case that ultimately led to the end of capital punishment in England (Derek Bentley, a mentally handicapped man, was hanged for a murder in which his friend, a minor, actually pulled the trigger).
While you have your Pogues cds out, give a listen to “Thousands Are Sailing” (Irish emigration) and “Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six” (the treatment of the Irish by the English under the Prevention of Terrorism Act) from If I Should Fall From Grace With God.
Another Kate Bush- “The Sensual World”- refs Joyce’s ULYSSES
Two songs by Kate Bush have already been mentioned, but most of her songs are small works of fiction: stories told from the first person. She’s an endless source of fascinating and unique material.
Tom Waits’ California, Here I Come. (Inspired by Kerouac and On the Road.)
Gordon Lightfoot’s Don Quixote, if you’re into that kind of thing.
I know tons and tons of examples of political music, being a folky sort of Pookah.
But for some reason they are all at the moment blocked by No More Heroes by the Stranglers and the Trotski icepick thing.
Oh, but Dick Gaughan is good for political song. As long as you don’t mind it being folky and very left wing. And seriously good.
Morrisey’s Irish Blood, English Heart.
I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: “Red Army Blues” by the Waterboys, about the fate of Russian soldiers after WWII. Great horns, too.
Another RUSH-Ayn Rand work- all of 2112 is basically a sad-ending revision of her ANTHEM
Reuben James by Woody Guthrie.
The Ballad of Ira Hayes by Johnny Cash.
Actually, I’d recommend the whole album this song is from: Arthur, or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire. Plenty of references to British history of the past century or two.
A couple of songs from Utopia (Todd Rundgren’s 70s-80s prog-rock/power-pop band) that reference literature: “Lysistrata” and “Fahrenheit 451.”
The Decemberist’s material is all about storytelling, often historical. The modern songs are generally political.
Goldfinger’s albums have been moving steadily towards political commentary.