# Songs That Reference Other Songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 16, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980 "2014-01-16T17:21:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/21 "2014-01-16T18:53:16Z")
First one I can think of not already mentioned is [Waylon Jennings - Luckenbach, Texas](http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/jennings-waylon/luckenbach-texas-13118.html) ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/22 "2014-01-16T19:03:11Z")
Wilson Pickett’s Land of 1000 Dances refers to The Twist, Long Tall Sally, and several other songs. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/23 "2014-01-16T19:08:20Z")
In Bowie’s _Young Americans_ they sing the line “I read the news today, oh boy” in a clear call back to a _A Day in the Life_ bu The Beatles ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/24 "2014-01-16T20:14:36Z")
Men at Work referenced “The Kookaburra Song” in a flute riff of the song “Down Under”. Years later they were sued by the copyright owners of the song and lost leading to an interesting explanation of why it was in there and a probable contribution to the death of the flutist who added the riff as an improvisation during recording. [Down Under Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_Under_%28song%29) ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/25 "2014-01-16T20:18:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The Pogues’ “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda” That would, of course, be Tom Waits’s [Tom Traubert’s Blues](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Traubert's_Blues). ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/26 "2014-01-16T20:27:04Z")
Eric Carmen’s _Make Me Lose Control_ mentions _Be My Baby_, _Back In My Arms Again_, _Uptown_, and _Stand By Me_. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/27 "2014-01-16T20:27:17Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > That would, of course, be Tom Waits’s [Tom Traubert’s Blues](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Traubert's_Blues). It would? “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda” was written by Eric Bogle; I know it mainly from the June Tabor version, which predates the Pogues one by nine years. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2014, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/28 "2014-01-16T20:43:34Z")
The Bangles’ song “Glitter Years” references/quotes Bowie: > [@](#): > > Driving home that night he was singing > “Better hang on to yourself” ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/29 "2014-01-16T20:46:55Z")
“[Garden Party](http://www.lyricsdepot.com/ricky-nelson/garden-party.html)” by Ricky Nelson references “I Am the Walrus,” “Johnny B. Goode”,\* and his own "“Hello Mary Lou” (and possibly others I am missing). “[Peggy Sue Got Married](http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/buddy_holly/peggy_sue_got_married.html)”, by Buddy Holly references his own “Peggy Sue” (and got made into a film). Although “Peggy Sue” was hid big hit, IMHO “Peggy Sue Got Married” is the better song, by some distance. John Lennon’s “[How Do You Sleep](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/How-Do-You-Sleep-lyrics-John-Lennon/97A87C6D61509ADE48256BCA0007625D)” references several songs by McCartney: “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “Yesterday,” and “Another Day” (and, again possibly more that I am missing). Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes” references his “Space Oddity.” Mott the Hoople’s “The Saturday Gigs” references their (and Bowie’s) “All the Young Dudes.” ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬ \*I have a feeling that there are shitload of songs that reference “Johnny B. Goode”, but I cant think of any more right now. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/30 "2014-01-16T20:52:26Z")
Redlight King samples and builds (beautifully, IMHO) on Neil Young’s “Old Man” in their song of the same name. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2014, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/31 "2014-01-16T20:55:33Z")
The Kinks song “[One of the Survivors](http://www.kindakinks.net/discography/showsong.php?song=294)” mentions a number of 1950s rock songs and artists (e.g. “Hound Dog, Oh Boy, and Great Balls of Fire”). Not to mentioned that the “Johnny Thunder” character in that song first appeared in an earlier Kinks song by that name. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/32 "2014-01-16T20:57:41Z")
Oh, and The Who’s “[5.15](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/5-15-lyrics-The-Who/89A49DD1D9C4C7E348256977002F8553)” references their “My Generation”. ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/33 "2014-01-16T21:00:39Z")
The Spirit of Radio (Rush) and The Sounds of Silence (Simon and Garfunkel). ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/34 "2014-01-16T21:03:55Z")
The Beatles’ “Yer Blues:” “Feel so suicidal, just like Dylan’s Mr. Jones” (“Ballad of a Thin Man”) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/35 "2014-01-16T21:14:40Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > The Kinks song “[One of the Survivors](http://www.kindakinks.net/discography/showsong.php?song=294)” mentions a number of 1950s rock songs and artists (e.g. “Hound Dog, Oh Boy, and Great Balls of Fire”). > > Not to mentioned that the “Johnny Thunder” character in that song first appeared in an earlier Kinks song by that name. In The Kinks’ song “[Destroyer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WJ6FbcWYRU)”, the song opens with the singer meeting a girl named Lola (and the song’s riff is borrowed from their own “All Day and All of the Night”). ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/36 "2014-01-16T21:19:26Z")
The Ramones’ “Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?” mentions a number of artists (John Lennon, T. Rex), music TV shows (Ed Sullivan, Hullabaloo) and disc jockeys (Murray the K, Alan Freed). ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/37 "2014-01-16T21:20:14Z")
Van Morrison’s “[Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile)](http://www.absolutelyrics.com/lyrics/view/van_morrison/jackie_wilson_said_%28i%27m_in_heaven_when_you_smile%29)” references Wilson’s “Reet-Petite” (and almost certainly several other songs by Jackie, but I don’t know his oeuvre well enough to identify them). I think Morrison’s “[Saint Dominic’s Preview](http://www.lyrics007.com/Van%20Morrison%20Lyrics/Saint%20Dominic%27s%20Preview%20Lyrics.html)” alludes to Dylan’s “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry,” but it is confusing, because he also mentions Hank Williams (but not Dylan, directly) in the same line. Greg Lake’s “[I Believe in Father Christmas](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/g/greg+lake/i+believe+in+father+christmas_20157258.html)” mentions “Silent Night” (as well as sampling Prokofiev). ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/38 "2014-01-16T21:24:55Z")
Pretty much everything Steve Miller did referenced at least one of his earlier songs. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/39 "2014-01-16T21:25:37Z")
And The Sex Pistols’ “God Save the Queen”, of course, refers to the British National Anthem of the same title. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980/40 "2014-01-16T21:34:00Z")
These keep popping into my head - Dire Straits’ “Walk of Life” references “I Got a Woman”, “Be-Bop-A-Lula”, “What’d I Say”, “My Sweet Lovin’ Woman”, and “Mack the Knife.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-reference-other-songs/678980.md?page=3)