# Songs that are sequels to other songs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 20, 2008, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079 "2008-04-20T03:08:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/1 "2008-04-20T03:08:55Z")
By which I don’t mean “songs that refer/shout out to other songs” (like Lynyrd Skynyrd’s _Sweet Home Alabama_ with respect to Neil Young’s _Southern Man_), but rather songs that are clearly meant as extensions to, or followups of a specific earlier song? For example, earlier today I had two classic songs by Chubby Checker come up on a random play shuffle: _The Twist_ (“Come on baby, let’s do the twist…”), followed about 15 minutes later by the musically similar _Let’s Twist Again_ (“Let’s twist again, like we did last summer; yeah, let’s twist again, like we did last year”). I wasn’t around when these songs were Top 40 hits, but I would assume _Let’s Twist Again_ was an undisguised (and successful) effort to keep the Twist payola going. I also remember a record that my parents used to have, many years ago, that had both the Elvis Presley version of _Are You Lonesome Tonight?_ and a “response” song sung by a woman, _Yes I’m Lonesome Tonight_. Though that wasn’t really a different song but rather the same song, with even the same melody, but with the words rearranged to echo back the same sentiments from “the other side” (lame, lame, lame – I’d rather pair it with Gloria Gaynor’s song _I Will Survive_, or even Alanis Morissette’s _You Oughta Know_). I used to think the Counting Crows song _Mister Jones_ was a follow-up of sorts to Bob Dylan’s _Ballad of a Thin Man_, but apparently it’s not. Any other examples? ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/2 "2008-04-20T03:16:53Z")
Marty Robbins did a sequel to _El Paso_, called _El Paso City_. It’s a damn good song in its own right. > [@](#): > > From thirty thousand feet above > The desert floor, I see it there below > A city with a legend - > The west Texas city of El Paso > Where long ago I heard a song > About a Texas cowboy and a girl… > > El Paso City, by the Rio Grande > Could it be that I could be > The cowboy in this mystery > That died there in that desert sand so long ago… ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/3 "2008-04-20T03:17:13Z")
**Metallica** had _The Unforgiven_ on the Black Album and did a sequel called _The Unforgiven II_ on the albun ReLoad. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/4 "2008-04-20T03:17:18Z")
“Devil went down to Georgia” AND “The Devil Comes Back to Georgia” is the BEST example I can think of right now. “Nothing but a G thang” and “The Next Episode” both by Dr. Dre sorta follow up each other, though not really in any story wise fashion, but it is pretty much the follow up to the old one. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/5 "2008-04-20T03:27:46Z")
[QUOTE=RoOsh] “Devil went down to Georgia” AND “The Devil Comes Back to Georgia” is the BEST example I can think of right now. “Nothing but a G thang” and “The Next Episode” both by Dr. Dre sorta follow up each other, though not really in any story wise fashion, but it is pretty much the follow up to the old one. [/QUOTE] Huh. I’ve never heard of “The Devil Comes Back To Georgia”. To the Google search tab! Aren’t those two Dr. Dre songs on the same album? So having one earlier song say “just chill, to the next episode” and then a later song be “the next episode” seems more like the gangsta rap take on The Beatles’ Sun King Medley, but only sorta. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/6 "2008-04-20T03:33:47Z")
Not sure if it’s a sequel, strictly speaking, but The Who’s “Pure and Easy” follows “The Song is Over”, quoting it’s last lines in the opening verse. Last lines of “The Song is Over”: > [@](#): > > Excepting one note, pure and easy > Playing so free like a breath rippling by First lines of “Pure and Easy”: > [@](#): > > There once was a note, pure and easy > Playing so free, like a breath rippling by For what it’s worth, “The Song is Over” seems to be about love lost, while “Pure and Easy” seems to use music as a metaphor for . . . something more eternal (?). ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/7 "2008-04-20T03:42:54Z")
[QUOTE=Quixotic] Not sure if it’s a sequel, strictly speaking, but The Who’s “Pure and Easy” follows “The Song is Over”, quoting it’s last lines in the opening verse. Last lines of “The Song is Over”:First lines of “Pure and Easy”:For what it’s worth, “The Song is Over” seems to be about love lost, while “Pure and Easy” seems to use music as a metaphor for . . . something more eternal (?). [/QUOTE] Doesn’t _The Song Is Over_ directly follow the song _My Wife_ on the album _Who’s Next_? If you’re gonna say any other song by The Who is linked to _The Song It’s Over_ it should be that one 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/8 "2008-04-20T03:54:12Z")
[QUOTE=robardin] Doesn’t _The Song Is Over_ directly follow the song _My Wife_ on the album _Who’s Next_? If you’re gonna say any other song by The Who is linked to _The Song It’s Over_ it should be that one 🙂 [/QUOTE] Bad phrasing on my part; I meant “Pure and Easy” follows “The Song is Over” in that it quotes its final lines, not sequentially album-wise (I don’t think “Pure and Easy” was commercially available at all at least until '74’s _Odds & Sods_). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/9 "2008-04-20T04:13:29Z")
Harry Chapin: [_Sequel_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCAdlnkjCgM) ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/10 "2008-04-20T04:14:06Z")
Lesley Gore had “It’s My Party”, followed by “Judy’s Turn to Cry”. Listening to both songs makes me wonder, who the hell wants Johnny, anyway? He sounds like a jerk. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/11 "2008-04-20T04:17:53Z")
[QUOTE=Marlitharn] who the hell wants Johnny, anyway? He sounds like a jerk. [/QUOTE] Thank you. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/12 "2008-04-20T04:20:53Z")
Peter Schilling’s **Major Tom** is a follow up to David Bowie’s **Space Oddity** (although he once said he had never heard of **Space Oddity** , which is ridiculous…I think he’s backed off of that now). ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/13 "2008-04-20T04:30:55Z")
_Little Marie_ by Chuck Berry is a sequel to _Memphis_. _It’s Judy’s Turn to Cry_ by Leslie Gore was a sequel to _It’s My Party_. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/14 "2008-04-20T05:01:32Z")
[QUOTE=robardin] Aren’t those two Dr. Dre songs on the same album? So having one earlier song say “just chill, to the next episode” and then a later song be “the next episode” seems more like the gangsta rap take on The Beatles’ Sun King Medley, but only sorta. [/QUOTE] Nope, not the case at all. “Nothing but a G thing” was recorded in 1992 for the debut album "[The Chronic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronic) " by Dr. Dre. “The Next Episode” was recorded for the album [2001](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_(album)), also known as “The Chronic 2001” but was released in 1999. The song is basically a continuation of the first though in terms of beat and makeup, but they were released 7 years apart. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/15 "2008-04-20T05:19:58Z")
David Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes” was a sequel of sorts to “Space Oddity.” And the Kinks “Destroyer” was a sequel of sorts to “Lola.” Then there’s the category of “answer songs.” Country music star Jim Reeves had a huge hit with a song called “He’ll Have to Go.” That inspired an equally big hit called “He’ll Have to Stay” by Jeanne Black. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/16 "2008-04-20T05:42:51Z")
Did this a few months ago: [Songs with sequels?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=431369) ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/17 "2008-04-20T06:28:32Z")
\*\*Queen of the House \*\*by Jody Miller was an ‘answer song’ to **King of the Road** , by Roger Miller (no relation). \*Up every day at six Bacon and eggs to fix Four kids from one to four Pretty soon there’ll be more… \* ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/18 "2008-04-20T06:35:17Z")
_…pretty soon there’ll be one more_, rather. Here’s a [Scopitone](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdMISGruB0Q) for it. (What? You think MTV invented music videos?) ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/19 "2008-04-20T06:39:29Z")
I’ve Got Sand In My Shoes by The Drifters is a sequel to Under The Boardwalk. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2008, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079/20 "2008-04-20T06:54:44Z")
**Charlie Daniels** - [Uneasy Rider '88](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uneasy_Rider#Uneasy_Rider_.2788) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-are-sequels-to-other-songs/446079.md?page=2)