# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![penny\_dreadful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71c47a/32.png) [@penny\_dreadful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penny_dreadful)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/61 "2003-01-14T01:30:39Z")
“Give me a Leonard Cohen afterworld, so I can sigh eternally,” from Nirvana’s “Pennyroyal Tea”. “Punk Rock girl”, by the Dead Milkmen mentions the Beach Boys, Mojo Nixon and Minnie Pearl. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by longjohn \* > **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.** I’m not a big fan of Eminem, but after Insane Clown Posse slammed him with their song “Slim Anus”, I have to admit I was impressed by his comeback in “Marshall Mathers” ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/62 "2003-01-14T01:32:26Z")
Since **T Rex** has been mentions a few times already: Their song “Ballroom of Mars” has these lines: > [@](#): > > Bob Dylan knows > And I bet Alan Freed did > There are things in night > That are better not to behold and > [@](#): > > John Lennon knows your name > And I’ve seen his The **Ramones** song “7-11”: > [@](#): > > Whatever happened to the radio? > And where did all the fun songs go? > Summer fun with the Beach Boys on - > But we all know what went wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/63 "2003-01-14T01:46:43Z")
I’m going to stick with rock bands, b/c hip hop artists talk about each other a lot in their songs. “Hangin’ out in the commode Listening to Depeche Mode You look like some kind of toad Why are you a moron?” ~Dead Milkmen “Moron” “You’ll dance to anything By Depeche Mode” ~Dead Milkmen “You’ll Dance to Anything” Clearly they have a bone to pick. “Standin’ with the look of avarice Talkin’ to Huddie Ledbetter” (aka Leadbelly) ~Van Morrison “Astral Weeks” “I wanna be Bob Dylan” ~Counting Crows, “Mr. Jones” Led Zeppelin have a song called “Hats Off to Roy Harper” I’m sure I’ll think of more right after I send this… ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/64 "2003-01-14T02:13:33Z")
Cranking up the Wayback Machine, we have Johnny Rivers’ 1968 **Summer Rain** , with the line > [@](#): > > All summer long we were dancing in the sand > Everybody just kept on playing “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” And to amplify **LoN** ’s answer a while back, the Mamas & Papas song was “Creeque Alley,” with the odd spelling. Several groups are mentioned: > [@](#): > > When Denny met Cass he gave her love bumps > Call John and Zal, and that was The Mugwumps > [@](#): > > McGuinn and McGuire couldn’t get no higher > But that’s what they were aiming at , a reference to the Byrds and “Eight Miles High.” And, of course > [@](#): > > Sebastian and Zal formed The Spoonful referencing the Lovin’ Spoonful ---
**Author:** ![Omorka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Omorka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omorka)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/65 "2003-01-14T02:41:50Z")
I suppose Weird Al doesn’t count, but I do like “My Baby’s In Love With Eddie Vedder” . . . ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/66 "2003-01-14T03:02:21Z")
In a song on Time out of Mind (or possibly Love and Theft), Bob Dylan sings “I’m listening to Neil Young.” In Tower of Song, Leonard Cohen sings “I asked Hank Williams, ‘How lonely does it get?’ Hank Williams hasn’t answered yet…” ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/67 "2003-01-14T03:50:24Z")
On Bad Religion’s newest album (the name escapes me) there’s a song (who’s name also escapes me) about several of the people that Greg grew up with. One of the lines is: _Milo went to college but you knew about that_ Referring to Milo Auckerman of the Descendents. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/68 "2003-01-14T04:26:02Z")
When I saw the thread title, this was the first thing I thought of. Go figure. **Fat Angel** by Donovan: \ He will bring happiness in a pipe, He’ll-a ride away on his silver bike And apart from that he’ll be so kind In consenting to blow your mind. Fly Jefferson Airplane, get you there on time. Fly Jefferson Airplane, get you there on time. \ ---
**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 14, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/69 "2003-01-14T15:46:13Z")
**The Ataris** - Giving up on love “I used to have this friend, who took his fiance To see Billy Idol, a couple weeks before their wedding day” **Jimmy Eat World** - The Authority Song “The DJ never has it/ JAMC Automatic” (JAMC being the Jesus and Mary Chain) **The Streets** - Weak become heroes “Outta respect for Johnny Walker Paul Oakenfold, Nicky Holloway, Danny Rampling and all the people who gave us these times” **Weezer** - El Scorcho “I’m the eptiome/ of Public Enemy” (yeah, he could just be saying that he’s very disliked, but it’s a straight take from a PE lyric, so I’m pretty sure he’s referring to Chuck D and co) **TISM** - He’ll never be an Ol’ Man River "I drank the slab that Bon Scott drunk; I injected some of Hendrix’s junk; I booked a seat on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s plane; Mama Cass’s sandwich? I ate the same… …Where’ll I get my next drug action? Odds on it’ll be Michael Jackson." **Bowling For Soup** - Girl all the bad guys want “She likes Godsmack and I like Agent Orange” **The Ataris** - Summer Wind was always our song “Sinatra’s singing summer wind” **The Ataris** - You need a hug “Maybe you should work for Sick Of It All” **The Ataris** - Song for a mix tape “There was Jawbreaker and Armchair Martain Built To Spill and The Descendants” **The Promise Ring** - Make me a mix tape “Make me a mix tape, don’t leave off Hüsker Dü Put something on The Cars made in 1982 Put on Duran Duran… U2” **Red Hot Chili Peppers** - Californication “Cobain can you hear the spheres Singing songs off station to station” ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/70 "2003-01-14T15:54:55Z")
**Gex** , yup, i noticed that its entirely made up of other bands lyrics, but its been said once before, but it bears repeat…ooops, wrong band 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/71 "2003-01-14T15:59:35Z")
i just remembered Instance Dance Hit too, and as luck would have it it was mentioned before i could post. However I have an interesting story about it: “You’ll dance to anything by the Smiths you’ll dance to anything by Book of Love you’ll dance to anything by Depeche Commode” now, I hadnt HEARD of Book of Love at that point. Now, normally that would be a reason to NOT research that band, as while I like that sort of music the milkmen are poking fun at, i wouldnt want to research it just because of a song. HOWEVER, I have a personal policy that when I hear a song on the radio i really like and I dont know who it is, I will rethink my position on the band EVEN if i previously hated the band. Yup, I heard BoL on the radio and subsequently bought an album of theirs; I had decided to buy it even before I knew it was them. And ironically, the milkmen song helped along with the purchase, since it made it easier to remember their name. ---
**Author:** ![Timchik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@Timchik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timchik)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/72 "2003-01-14T16:30:10Z")
From the song “Fiesta” on the album _If I should fall from grace with God_ by the Pogues: _Y Costello el rey del America Y suntuosa Cait O’Riordan_ (a reference to Elvis Costello and his wife, a former Pogues member) ---
**Author:** ![k61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@k61](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k61)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/73 "2003-01-14T17:02:55Z")
“I’ve been tired” by the Pixies contains the line “I wanna be a singer like lou reed…” “white man in hammersmith palais” by the Clash namechecks some reggae artists like dillinger, leroy smart, delroy wilson… ---
**Author:** ![Opengrave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@Opengrave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opengrave)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/74 "2003-01-14T17:22:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by percypercy \* > \*\*That was actually Peter Paul and Mary in I Dig Rock and Roll Music. That song is what totally convinced me my music history teacher was cool. :eek: > -Lil \*\* Nope, [Creeque Alley](http://www.creequealley.com/) by the Mamas and the Papas. NP: **Rancid** - _Life won’t wait_ ---
**Author:** ![angelicate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@angelicate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/angelicate)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/75 "2003-01-14T17:32:30Z")
Cake: _Meanwhile Rick James_ “Meanwhile, Rick James…” Tori Amos: _Precious Things_ “With their nine inch nails…” The Eels: _My Descent Into Madness_ “Springfield’s looking pretty dusty today…” Weezer: _El Scorcho_ “I asked you to go to the Green Day concert…” Rancid: _Roots Radicals_ “Went into his room and smashed his Billy Bragg records…” _The Wars End_ “The radio was playing, Desmond Dekker was singing…” Nirvana: _Pennyroyal Tea_ “Give me a Leonard Cohen afterworld…” Bloodhound Gang: _Mama Say_ “What, no I’m not the guy from the Beastie Boys!” (Of course, most of their songs are based on pop culture, so they’ve probably got lines like this in every song.) Sublime: _KRS ONE_ “And I know because of KRS-ONE” _Don’t Push_ “With a face like Bob Marley…” Dead Milkmen: _Bitchin’ Camaro_ “…buy some Def Leppard t-shirts. Hey, don’t forget to get your Motley Crue t-shirt. Y’know, all proceeds go to get their lead singer out of jail…” It then goes on to mention their favorite Doors cover band, Crystal Shit. NOFX: _What’s the Matter With Parents Today_ “Dad’s dressing like Motley Crue … laying round on the couch, with my Misfits records out, softly banging your head.” _Jeff Wears Birkenstocks_ “he’s got a tie dyed Rancid shirt” Diesel Boy: _True Drew_ Mentions the guy from “that band Hole” and Courtney Love _Cock Rock_ Mentions just about every rock band that was popular in the 80s _From the Used Bin_ Starts with the line “I once snorted cocaine off of Gwen Stefani’s ass” and goes on to mention a bunch of bants/artists that were big in the 90s Pantera Fans in Love, as mentioned above, is Nerf Herder. It’s a great song too. =) “We went to Sears for pictures at Christmastime But they wouldn’t let us make the metal sign” ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/76 "2003-01-14T17:38:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LoN \* > \*\*“Pantera Fans in Love”… i think its by **Dismemberment Plan** \*\* 😕 I dont think it’s Dismemberment Plan. If so, I’ve never heard of it. going to google… Looks like Nerf Herder? Does that sound right? ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/77 "2003-01-14T17:39:17Z")
and **angelicate** beats me to the punch…good call. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Righteous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Dr.Righteous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Righteous)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/78 "2003-01-14T20:10:10Z")
An obscure, sadly overlooked, excellent album called **Hallucination** by Tommy Shaw (of Styx) and Jack Blades (of Night Ranger) includes the following: - Sittin’ in with the boys and a six-string Singin’ every Beatles song we knew Gettin’ lucky with a girl at the drive-in Keep me happy for a month or two \* [http://www.styxnet.com/styxlyrics/shaw/dth.htm](http://www.styxnet.com/styxlyrics/shaw/dth.htm) And in that vein, from Styx’s **Kilroy Was Here** : - Don’t let it end I shake to soul music Don’t let it end I gotta gotta have that music Don’t let it end Chuck Berry Don’t let it end The Platters Don’t let it end Little Richard - ahoo! Don’t let it end \* [http://www.styxnet.com/styxlyrics/dlier.htm](http://www.styxnet.com/styxlyrics/dlier.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Winterwren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Winterwren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winterwren)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/79 "2003-01-14T20:36:33Z")
In “The Ice of Boston,” by The Dismemberment Plan, Travis sings: “Woke up at 3 A.M. with the radio on, that Gladys Knight and the Pips song on about how she’d rather live in his world with him than live in her own world alone…” John Wesley Harding’s “Goth Girl” includes the lines: “Goth Girl – who is the guy on the leash? Does he wash dishes? Goth Girl – he looks like Pete Murphy to me – oh, yeah, he wishes! I know he’s appropriately frail but I bet he can’t afford to take you to hear Nine Inch Nails – I’ve got two tickets…” And Stew/The Negro Problem have a lot of them; the two albums from last year (_The Naked Dutch Painter_ and _Welcome Black_ ) have references to Coltrane, John Cougar Mellencamp, Mingus, Thelonius Monk, Stiv Bator, Sinatra ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253/80 "2003-01-14T22:53:18Z")
The Gatlin brothers and Kenny Rogers were once on the Tonight Show at the same time. As a joke, they changed the lyric from “All the Gold” to “All the gold in California/Is in a bank in the middle of Beverly Hills/In Kenny Rogers’ name”–a reference to Rogers’ runaway hit "The Gambler. Rogers swore he’d get even. A year later, he put them into “Coward of the County” as the boys who gang rape Becky, the protagonists girlfriend. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-mention-other-bands/148253.md?page=5)