# Songs with impressions of other singers/groups **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 8, 2016, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474 "2016-01-08T04:44:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/21 "2016-01-08T19:10:15Z")
Oh, well, then, BACK IN THE USSR. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/22 "2016-01-08T19:15:16Z")
Henry Gross’ song “Shannon” was about Beach Boy Carl Wilson’s Irish setter, which is why he sings the chorus in Carl’s trademark falsetto. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/23 "2016-01-08T19:22:40Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > _A Simple Desultory Philippic_ by Simon & Garfunkel, with Simon impersonating Dylan. Dylan Thomas? ---
**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 8, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/24 "2016-01-08T19:25:28Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > Dylan Thomas? Whoever he was. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/25 "2016-01-08T19:49:47Z")
> [@Abner\_Ravenwood](#): > > The lead singer of Dread Zeppelin is an Elvis impersonator. Ditto for the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/26 "2016-01-08T19:58:19Z")
I know we’re getting away from the original point of the OP but I can’t resist bringing up _[The Masked Marauders](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Masked_Marauders)_, a real LP created to fit a fictitious LP review. Check out [“I Can’t Get No Nookie”](http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=can%27t+get+no+nookie+masked+marauders+youtube&qpvt=can%27t+get+no+nookie+masked+marauders+youtube&view=detail&mid=43E0ED42767F6D74B50A43E0ED42767F6D74B50A). There are some great imitations of rock musicians on some of the _National Lampoon_ LPs, such as ["Old Maid (Southern California Brings Me Down)"](http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=old+maid+southern+california+brings+me+down+youtube&qpvt=old+maid+southern+california+brings+me+down+youtube&view=detail&mid=0D5853A59495FCC446C30D5853A59495FCC446C3)by “Neil Young” (Tony Scheuren) on _Good-Bye Pop 1952-1976._ ---
**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:** [January 8, 2016, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/27 "2016-01-08T19:58:56Z")
The Bonzo Dog Band’s “[Death Cab for Cute](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKXsrWrmbAg)\*” (note the person introducing it) is an Elvis impersonation. \*Yes, it’s the origin of the band name. And the Bonzos also performed it on the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour, too. ---
**Author:** ![TheInimitableMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TheInimitableMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheInimitableMaven)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/28 "2016-01-08T20:16:43Z")
**[Todd Rundgren’s “I Saw The Light”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-TCMuagVn4)** is a stylistic homage, musically and vocally, to Carole King. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/29 "2016-01-08T20:33:06Z")
> [@TheInimitableMaven](#): > > **[Todd Rundgren’s “I Saw The Light”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-TCMuagVn4)** is a stylistic homage, musically and vocally, to Carole King. Um…Can you tell me how you came up with that? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/30 "2016-01-08T20:34:19Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > I know we’re getting away from the original point of the OP but I can’t resist bringing up _[The Masked Marauders](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Masked_Marauders)_, a real LP created to fit a fictitious LP review. Check out [“I Can’t Get No Nookie”](http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=can%27t+get+no+nookie+masked+marauders+youtube&qpvt=can%27t+get+no+nookie+masked+marauders+youtube&view=detail&mid=43E0ED42767F6D74B50A43E0ED42767F6D74B50A). > > There are some great imitations of rock musicians on some of the _National Lampoon_ LPs, such as ["Old Maid (Southern California Brings Me Down)"](http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=old+maid+southern+california+brings+me+down+youtube&qpvt=old+maid+southern+california+brings+me+down+youtube&view=detail&mid=0D5853A59495FCC446C30D5853A59495FCC446C3)by “Neil Young” (Tony Scheuren) on _Good-Bye Pop 1952-1976._ The best one is Magical Misery Tour with vocals by Tony Hendra. It is all John Lennon’s actual words from his Jann Wenner interview. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/31 "2016-01-08T20:40:20Z")
In the song _Black Country Rock,_ David Bowie did an imitation of Marc Bolan. (fangirlishly posted on Bowie’s birthday) ---
**Author:** ![TheInimitableMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TheInimitableMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheInimitableMaven)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/32 "2016-01-08T21:02:38Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Um…Can you tell me how you came up with that? **["Todd Rundgren’s best-known songs – the Carole King pastiche "I Saw the Light…](http://www.billboard.com/artist/430059/todd-rundgren/biography)"** And along with people who admit that when they first heard the song, they thought it was King herself performing it. I’m proud to say that I have never been amongst those people, but I more than certainly can see/hear the King-esque nuances between the piano and Rundgren’s vocal styling on the track. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/33 "2016-01-08T21:40:03Z")
> [@TheInimitableMaven](#): > > **["Todd Rundgren’s best-known songs – the Carole King pastiche "I Saw the Light…](http://www.billboard.com/artist/430059/todd-rundgren/biography)"** > > And along with people who admit that when they first heard the song, they thought it was King herself performing it. I’m proud to say that I have never been amongst those people, but I more than certainly can see/hear the King-esque nuances between the piano and Rundgren’s vocal styling on the track. A billboard writer saying that doesn’t constitute a cite. It’s the paid verbiage of someone who probably wasn’t born when these people were current. I guess you’ve never read a music writer slinging BS? ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/34 "2016-01-08T23:19:04Z")
Here’s Guttermouth doing a What If… Fred Schneider tried out for the doors [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QOsbuWAzUZo/hqdefault.jpg "Guttermouth What If") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOsbuWAzUZo) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2016, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/35 "2016-01-08T23:51:13Z")
I didn’t recognize this at all back in 1979, but years later, Doug Fieger of the Knack said he was doing a Johnny Cash imitation on “Good Girls Don’t.” Still not sure I hear it. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2016, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/36 "2016-01-09T02:34:57Z")
I don’t know if this qualifies , as I only know this one song by them, but from the first time I heard / saw the video by The Darkness’s _I Believe in a Thing Called Love_, my first thought was that they(or the lead singer, anyway) were imitating Freddie Mercury. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/37 "2016-01-09T02:42:28Z")
_The Turtles Present The Battle of The Bands_ featured a dozen tracks parodying different genres and artists. Each cut had a different “artist” (The Quad City Ramblers, The L.A. Bust '66, Fats Mallard and the Bluegrass Fireball, etc.) and ranged from bluegrass to California surf music to psychedelica to Malibu Canyon folk rock. The roots, especially the Beach Boys in “Surfer Dan” and Van Dyke Parks in “Food,” are pretty obvious. As a jab at their label, the Turtles actually parodied themselves on two cuts. “Elenore” was supposed to be a spoof follow-up to “Happy Together” (and actually surprised the group when it turned out to be an actual hit) while “Surfer Dan” parodied the group’s own existence as The Crossfires, before they became The Turtles. ---
**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:** [January 9, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/38 "2016-01-09T02:52:33Z")
“Stuck in the Middle with You” by Stealer’s Wheel was a Bob Dylan parody; many people think it’s Dylan singing it himself. “[The Authentic British Blues](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu3jqvn9o0U)” by Wilderness Road seems to imitate John Mayall with the harmonica and immediately after. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2016, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/39 "2016-01-09T03:37:45Z")
“Friends of Mine” by The Guess Who has Burton doing his Jim Morrison impersonation. Listen [here](https://youtu.be/geLuIb4oic4?t=240) at 4:00 onward. ---
**Author:** ![jrbor76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9e8a1a/32.png) [@jrbor76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jrbor76)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/40 "2016-01-09T20:29:32Z")
Sugarloaf’s song “Don’t Call Us (We’ll Call You)” name-checks John, Paul and George (but sadly, not Ringo), then lifts one of the riffs from “I Feel Fine”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474.md?page=3)