# Songs that reference Beatles song titles **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 4, 2007, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834 "2007-12-04T21:30:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/1 "2007-12-04T21:30:13Z")
I’m putting together a bonus for a trivia contest. This bonus will consist of clips that appear in songs, but are also titles of Beatles songs. Example - “Shooting Star” by Bad Company: _Love Me Do, I think it was_ Another example - “Glass Onion” by The Beatles (the only actual Beatles song I plan to include in the bonus): \*I told you about the fool on the hill \* What other examples can you people come up with? The songs don’t have to be referencing Beatles songs on purpose (although the two examples do). The main purpose of this approach is to make Googling the answers difficult. And, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/2 "2007-12-04T21:39:49Z")
David Bowie’s song “Young Americans” contains the line “I heard the news today, oh boy,” a reference to the Beatles’ “A Day in the Life.” ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/3 "2007-12-04T21:59:03Z")
It shouldn’t be too hard to come up with all kinds of lyrics that use the word “Help” – like “Help me make it through the night,” “Mother’s Little Helper,” etc. – you can go as hard as you like on that. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/4 "2007-12-04T22:41:50Z")
John Lennon’s “How Do You Sleep?” begins with the line: _So Sgt. Pepper took you by surprise…_ ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/5 "2007-12-04T22:47:19Z")
“Shooting Star” by Bad Company: _Johnny was a schoolboy When he heard his first Beatles song. Love Me Do, I think it was._ :o It’s in the OP. Then, I should add that “Glass Onion” mentions other songs as well: “Strawberry Fields Forever”, “I Am the Walrus”, “Lady Madonna”, “Fixing a Hole” ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/6 "2007-12-04T22:50:26Z")
John Lennon’s “God” has: _I was the walrus, now I’m John_ Actually, he claims in “Glass Onion” that the walrus was Paul though. That’s confusing. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/7 "2007-12-04T22:51:43Z")
[This](http://www.geocities.com/Starshyne9/songs.html) might help. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/8 "2007-12-04T22:54:33Z")
Johnny Rivers: “Summer Rain” (“Everybody just kept on playing ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’”) Sparks, “Rockin’ Girls” (“You’re the only girl I ever met who hates ‘Hey Jude’”) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/9 "2007-12-04T23:56:06Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] John Lennon’s “How Do You Sleep?” begins with the line: _So Sgt. Pepper took you by surprise…_ [/QUOTE] It also mentions “Yesterday.” Another Beatles self-referential bit: near the end of “All You Need Is Love,” someone (Paul, I think) sings “She loves you, yeah, yeah. yeah…” ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/10 "2007-12-05T00:32:59Z")
Captain Beefheart’s “Beatle Bones ‘n’ Smokin’ Stones” references “Strawberry Fields Forever,” although some lyric sites claim that Beefheart is saying “Strawberry _feels_ forever.” ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/11 "2007-12-05T01:15:29Z")
One missing at ArchiveGuy’s link is Simon & Garfunkel’s aside to “I Am the Walrus” in “Mrs. Robinson.” Coo coo ca-choo, Mrs Robinson, Not a song title, though. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/12 "2007-12-05T01:27:50Z")
[QUOTE=Exapno Mapcase] One missing at ArchiveGuy’s link is Simon & Garfunkel’s aside to “I Am the Walrus” in “Mrs. Robinson.” Coo coo ca-choo, Mrs Robinson, Not a song title, though. [/QUOTE] Given that the Beatles song was recorded in Sept. 1967 and the film _The Graduate_ was released barely 3 months later, I’m dubious as to whether there is much of a connection…or not. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/13 "2007-12-05T03:13:50Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] [This](http://www.geocities.com/Starshyne9/songs.html) might help. [/QUOTE] Yes, it definitely will! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/14 "2007-12-05T03:19:53Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] Given that the Beatles song was recorded in Sept. 1967 and the film _The Graduate_ was released barely 3 months later, I’m dubious as to whether there is much of a connection…or not. :dubious: [/QUOTE] The film itself contains only the chorus of the song. The rest of the song wasn’t written until later, to be included on the Bookends album. Most of the work on that album was done in early 1968 and the album itself released in April. See Pete Fornatale’s _Simon & Garfunkel’s Bookends_, which also makes the Beatles connection claim. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/15 "2007-12-05T03:45:34Z")
**Pearl Jam’s** _Love Boat Captain_ > [@](#): > > Its already been sung, but it cant be said enough. > All you need is love ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/16 "2007-12-05T04:01:47Z")
Pink Floyd’s **Let There Be More Light** contains the lines: \*The outer lock rolled slowly back The service men were heard to sigh For there revealed in glowing robes Was Lucy in the sky \* ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/17 "2007-12-05T04:03:52Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] Given that the Beatles song was recorded in Sept. 1967 and the film _The Graduate_ was released barely 3 months later, I’m dubious as to whether there is much of a connection…or not. :dubious: [/QUOTE] And if it _was_ referring to “Walrus” it would have to have been “goo goo goo joob,” because that’s the lyric in the Beatles record. ---
**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:** [December 5, 2007, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/18 "2007-12-05T04:08:50Z")
Lazybone by Shonen Knife: - You dont need to be serious You dont need to be the walrus You dont need to be nervous You dont need to be the eggman \* ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/19 "2007-12-05T04:21:08Z")
The winner: Harry Nilsson’s version of “You Can’t Do That” from his first album. It has references and snippets of over 20 other Beatles songs, ending with “Strawberry Beatles Forever.” ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834/20 "2007-12-05T04:49:29Z")
Sons of Champlin: “Rooftop” (“I’ve got one thing to say to the Fool on the Hill/You’re gonna feel funny on a rooftop!”) Barclay James Harvest: “[Titles](http://www.lyricsdomain.com/2/barclay_james_harvest/titles.html)” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-beatles-song-titles/428834.md?page=2)