# Songs that mention other bands **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 13, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253 "2003-01-13T05:21:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LoN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cab0a1/32.png) [@LoN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoN)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/21 "2003-01-13T09:09:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Philosophocles \* > \*\*XTC: Catherine Wheel in “Then She Appeared” > > The Mamas and the Papas: One of their songs mentioned the names of a bunch of other people in counterculture late 60s folk music…McGuinn and McGuire yadda yadda yadda gettin’ fat except Mama Cass (don’t recall if they mentioned the band names specifically) > > \*\* Creek Alley. There was something about “getting tuneful” and “formed a Spoonful”-- reffering to The Lovin Spoonful ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/22 "2003-01-13T10:52:15Z")
**Pavement: "Range Life"** "Out on tour with the **smashing pumpkins** , nature kids, I, they don’t have no function, I don’t understand what they mean, and I could really give a fuck. **Stone temple pilots** , the elegant bachelors, they’re foxy to me are they foxy to you, I will agree, it doesn’t, absolutely nothin’, nothin’ more than me." ---
**Author:** ![longjohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@longjohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longjohn)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/23 "2003-01-13T10:58:14Z")
Very common in Hip-Hop, sometimes because one band is keen on another band, De La Soul songs have loads of references to the Jungle Brothers, and vice versa, or because of a very incestuous scene where rappers and producers appear on each others records, for example Death Row Records in the mid 90’s - Dre, Snoop, Nate Dogg, Warren G, etc etc. Of course the flip side of this is the rappers that for what ever reason make records about each other to diss the other person up – I guess the most famous being the row between Tupac Shakur and Notorious BIG. Jay-Z has a perfectly respectable row going on with Nas (see “Takeover” from The Blueprint – also mentions the Large Professor, Mobb Deep, Boyz II Men, and a whole bunch of Jay-Z’s protégés). Cypress Hill and Ice Cube have recorded tracks to diss each other – I forget who supposedly started this row, but “King of the Hill” by Westside Connection – an Ice Cube project - is a particularly vitriolic attack on Cypress Hill, and “no Rest for the Wicked” by Cypress Hill is an equally vicious critique of Ice Cube. And of course there are many many unknown rappers having a go at Eminem, hoping he will respond to their insults on record, thus making their name. This is presumably the hip-hop equivalent of Jerry Springer. J. ---
**Author:** ![dbygawdcapn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dbygawdcapn/32/3995_2.png) [@dbygawdcapn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbygawdcapn)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/24 "2003-01-13T11:41:13Z")
The Replacements - Alex Chilton _I never travel too far without a little Big Star_ ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/25 "2003-01-13T12:22:03Z")
**Beastie Boys** - 3 MCs and 1 DJ “Kenny Rogers’ Gambler is my gambling theme” **Jimmy Eat World** - A Praise Chorus “So come on, Davey, sing me something that I know” (Davey being Davey Von Bohlen of The Promise Ring, who then obligingly goes on to sing him something that he knows) **Peaches** , Fuck the Pain Away “Check out my Chrissy BeHinde” **The Clash** - London Calling “Phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust” **Wilco** - Heavy Metal Drummer “Playing Kiss covers, beautiful and stoned” **Blink 182** - Josie “My girlfriend likes UL and DHC” (UL being Unwritten Law and DHC being the Dance Hall Crashers) **Randy Newman** - Masterman and Baby J “When we get on the mike, we’ll be number one/ even top DMC and Run” **Frenzal Rhomb** - Everything’s Fucked “Who plays the keyboards in Killing Heidi?” **The Promise Ring** - Is this thing on? “Delaware, are you aware of Air Supply and Television?” **The Ataris** - Ben Lee **Klinger** - Ben Lee **Machine Gun Fellatio** - Line of Silver “Take a line of silver, take a line of coke add it up together, Kylie Minogue” ---
**Author:** ![longjohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@longjohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longjohn)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/26 "2003-01-13T12:23:25Z")
Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus: “I’m just a teenage dirtbag, baby, Listen to Iron Maiden maybe” “Dylan in the Movies”, by Belle and Sebastien “Roll over Beethoven” by Chuck Berry What goes around Comes around, by Cypress Hill: “Make ya sing the blues like B.B. King” Jazz thing by Gangstarr is a hall of fame of jazz musicians ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/27 "2003-01-13T12:46:30Z")
also, **Nerfherder** - Courtney Love **The Bloodhound Gang** - I Wish I Was Queer So I Could Get Chicks “Listen to Depeche Mode and avant garde ballet” **R.E.M.** - Man On The Moon “Andy, are you goofing on Elvis?” “Mott the Hoople and the Game of Life, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah” ---
**Author:** ![Mith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mith)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/28 "2003-01-13T13:00:21Z")
Bon Jovi “like Frankie said, I did it my way” (sorry if that’s not word-for-word, I’m not a fan) ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/29 "2003-01-13T13:35:53Z")
Billy Joel, “Goodnight Saigon”: “We passed the hash pipe / And played our Doors tapes” I’ll bet he’s got others, but it’s early. ---
**Author:** ![Wyld\_Stallyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Wyld\_Stallyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wyld_Stallyn)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/30 "2003-01-13T13:55:10Z")
Pantera’s Goddamn Electric: “Your trust is in whiskey and weed and Black Sabbath/It’s Goddamn Electric” then the second time around, it’s Slayer instead of BS. ---
**Author:** ![Kantalooppi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a5b964/32.png) [@Kantalooppi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kantalooppi)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/31 "2003-01-13T13:55:19Z")
I got your old I.D. and you’re all dressed up like the Cure – Ben Folds Five, “Battle Of Who Could Care Less” ---
**Author:** ![Spoonbender](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spoonbender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoonbender)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/32 "2003-01-13T13:58:30Z")
_Ah, Tipper, come on Ain’t you been gettin’ it on? Ask Ozzy, Zappa or me We’ll show you what it’s like to be free_ The Ramones, **Censorshit** ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/33 "2003-01-13T14:11:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gex gex \* > **Jimmy Eat World** - A Praise Chorus > “So come on, Davey, sing me something that I know” > > (Davey being Davey Von Bohlen of The Promise Ring, who then obligingly goes on to sing him something that he knows) > > \*\* I noticed this too, in addition to the “Our house in the middle of our street, **why did we ever meet?** ” ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/34 "2003-01-13T14:34:09Z")
Sweet Soul Music - Arthur Conely Mentions Lou Rawls, Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, & James Brown Can U Dig It - Pop Will Eat Itself Mentions Run DMC, Renegade Soundwave, & AC/DC Mope - Bloodhound Gang Mentions Tupak, Notorious BIG, Falco, Tori Spelling, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Journey & Pavoratti Fire Water Burn - Bloodhound Gang "I’m not black like Barry White no I am white like Frank Black is " Also mentions Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendix, Marvin Gaye, Lawrence Welk ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/35 "2003-01-13T14:41:24Z")
I forget the band’s name, and even the song title, but the lyric is unmistakable: “Fashion shoots with Beck and Hanson Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson…” ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/36 "2003-01-13T15:00:30Z")
**Weezer** : mention Green Day in _El Scorcho_ **David Allan Coe** : mentions Waylon Jennings, Charlie Pride and Merle Haggard in _You Never Even Called Me By My Name_, and Johnny Cash in _If That Ain’t Country_. **Waylon Jennings** : mentions Hank Williams Sr. in _Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way_ In fact, this behavior is very prevalent among country musicians…I can think of dozens of examples that I don’t want to take the time to type… ---
**Author:** ![longjohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@longjohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longjohn)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/37 "2003-01-13T15:04:39Z")
Krokodil, I believe that’s “Get What You Give” by the New Radicals, and I think the lyrics are Fashion mag shoots with the aid of Beck Hansen Courtney Love and Marilyn Manson You’re all fakes un to your mansions Come around we’ll kick your ass in! ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/38 "2003-01-13T15:13:46Z")
1. Bad Company’s “Shooting Star” mentions the Beatles: Johnny was a schoolboy when he heard his first Beatles song. “Love Me Do,” I think it was, and from there it didn’t take him long." 1. Cheap Trick’s “Surrender” mentions Kiss: When I woke up, Mom & Dad Were rolling on the couch, Rolling numbers, rock and rolling Got my Kiss records out. 1. Bruce Springsteen’s “Thunder Road” mentions Roy Orbison: Roy Orbison singing for the lonely, Hey, that’s me, and I want you only. 1. Tom Petty’s “Running Down a Dream” mentions Del Shannon. I had the radio on, I was driving. Trees flew by, me and Del were singing “Little Runaway.” 1. The Righteous Brothers’ “Rock & Roll Heaven” alludes to a host of dead musicians, including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Jim Morrison, Jim Croce, and Bobby Darrin. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/39 "2003-01-13T15:21:32Z")
Another David Allan Coe song, _Willie, Waylon, and Me_, mentions the Flying Burrito Brothers, the Byrds and the Eagles. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/40 "2003-01-13T16:05:40Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by ludovic_ > > > [@](#): > > > > _Originally posted by gex gex_ > > Jimmy Eat World - A Praise Chorus > > “So come on, Davey, sing me something that I know” > > > > (Davey being Davey Von Bohlen of The Promise Ring, who then obligingly goes on to sing him something that he knows) > > I noticed this too, in addition to the “Our house in the middle of our street, **why did we ever meet?** ” You may know, but I’ll mention it anyway - that whole section is a take-off of other bands’ songs. “Crimson and clover, over and over” (Tommy James and the Shondells - Crimson and Clover) Our house in the middle of the street (Madness - Our House) Why did we ever meet? (Promise Ring - Why Did We Ever Meet) Started my rock 'n roll fantasy Don’t, don’t, don’t let’s start (They Might Be Giants - Don’t Let’s Start) Why did we ever part? Kickstart my rock n rollen heart" I also believe there’s some Motley Crue in there as well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253.md?page=3)