# Songs That Reference Other Songs (Not Sampling) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 30, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234 "2020-01-30T18:14:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/41 "2020-01-31T16:19:36Z")
Well, I learned something today. In the Jack Johnson song “Upside Down,” I always thought the lyric was “I’ll share this love I find with everyone, We’ll sing and dance to Mother Nature’s Son,” a reference to the Beatles’ song. I looked up the lyrics to confirm, and it turns out he’s singing “We’ll sing and dance to Mother Nature’s _songs_.” So I’ve got nothing to add, but now have something to contribute to the next “Misheard lyrics” conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/42 "2020-01-31T17:28:55Z")
Billy Joel’s **We Didn’t Start the Fire** > [@](#): > > Roy Cohn, Juan Peron, Toscanini, Dacron > Dien Bien Phu Falls, _Rock Around the Clock_ ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/43 "2020-01-31T17:34:45Z")
^ Post 36 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dave.B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9f8e36/32.png) [@Dave.B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave.B)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/44 "2020-01-31T17:48:42Z")
Ed Sheeran’s Castle on the Hill mentions “Tiny Dancer”, a song originally by Elton John. There is another song by a female artist around the same time that also mentions Tiny Dancer, but I can’t think who it’s by or what it’s called at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/45 "2020-01-31T17:52:41Z")
Johnny Rivers’ Summer Rain: "All summer long we were dancing in the sand Everybody just kept on playing “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”. ---
**Author:** ![Dave.B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9f8e36/32.png) [@Dave.B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave.B)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/46 "2020-01-31T17:54:31Z")
> [@Dave.B](#): > > There is another song by a female artist around the same time that also mentions Tiny Dancer, but I can’t think who it’s by or what it’s called at the moment. That would the previously mentioned Anne-Marie in her song Don’t Leave Me Alone. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/47 "2020-02-01T04:34:28Z")
\*[\*The Night Hank Williams Came to Town](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucNvyaxUMUE), by Johnny Cash, includes a list of songs by the senior Hank Williams. ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/48 "2020-02-01T05:14:40Z")
Not exactly mainstream, but if you’re into Irish republican music, [Rebel Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp5iGEWPlCc) by Spirit of Freedom is basically a list of other IRA songs. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/49 "2020-02-01T05:38:43Z")
[Does Major Tom count?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMDbX1zksgI) ---
**Author:** ![BlueInfinity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BlueInfinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueInfinity)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/50 "2020-02-01T14:10:02Z")
Tom Lehrer’s Christmas Carol: _Hark, the Herald Tribune sings, Advertising wondrous things. God rest ye merry merchants, May ye make the Yuletide pay. Angels we have heard on high, Tell us to go out and buy!_ ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/51 "2020-02-01T15:14:57Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > The Commodores’ “Nightshift” When I read that, I immediately thought of the Righteous Brothers’ _[Rock and Roll Heaven](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bddSJbj3VGA)_, which mentions at least half a dozen songs. I’ve always liked the concept of that song, a Valhalla for singers. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/52 "2020-02-01T15:25:11Z")
Joan Baez’s tribute to Bob Dylan “Winds of the Old Days” has the line “Your blue eyed son,” an obvious reference to his “A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall” My blue eyed son. ---
**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:** [February 1, 2020, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/53 "2020-02-01T15:45:49Z")
Lyle Lovett’s “An Acceptable Level of Ecstacy” mentions “Moon River.” Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Californicatiob” namechecks the Bowie album _Station to Station_. ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/54 "2020-02-01T19:00:40Z")
Extreme’s Rest In Peace has the line: Someone said give peace a chance And that’s all that we’re saying ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/55 "2020-02-01T22:25:33Z")
[You had to know this one was coming](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6hzkBihaew) ---
**Author:** ![its\_the\_daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bb73d2/32.png) [@its\_the\_daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/its_the_daddy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/56 "2020-02-01T22:26:32Z")
Joni Mitchell’s ‘California’: “They won’t give peace a chance: That was just a dream some of us had”. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/57 "2020-02-03T22:00:48Z")
I’d forgotten this one, heard it on the radio this morning: Bowie’s _Young Americans_ references the Beatles _A Day in the Life_, with the backup singers piping, “I heard the news today oh boy” in the final verse (it’s “read the news” in the original, but IMO it’s clearly a reference). ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/58 "2020-02-04T16:44:43Z")
The Housemartins - [Five Get Over Excited](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGYofWnTueQ) _Last seen drinking Daddy’s own beer (Five poisoned over dinner) Singing Abba’s, ‘Mamma Mia’ (Five poisoned over dinner)_ ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/59 "2020-02-04T20:17:42Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > ”I hope Neil Young will remember, a Southern man don’t need him around," presumably a reference to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s _Southern Man_. _Southern Man_ is on Young’s 1970 solo album _After the Gold Rush_ ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234/60 "2020-02-04T20:25:01Z")
> [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > _Southern Man_ is on Young’s 1970 solo album _After the Gold Rush_ That was the original version, but granted, it was also on[CSN&Y’s live album](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX5IEd15u5A) “4 Way Street” from around the same time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs-not-sampling/847234.md?page=4)