# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/61 "2016-01-12T03:21:57Z")
David Bowie wrote a song for Bob Dylan, saying his voice was [“like sand and glue”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPxnCNRm_nY). The song itself is a rather meta reference to a Dylan tribute song to Woody Guthrie. If you squint (with your, um, ears), his rough vocals could be an homage. (OK, fine, I just wanted to shoe-horn a Bowie one in here . . .) ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/62 "2016-01-12T15:48:26Z")
[Spyder Turner](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ROH3eh3c2M) covered Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me” in 1966 in which he not only did an impression of King, but also Jackie Wilson, David Ruffin, Billy Stewart, Smokey Robinson and Chuck Jackson! ---
**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 12, 2016, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/63 "2016-01-12T16:16:22Z")
> [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](#): > > Paul Stanley wrote [Hard Luck Woman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5zzTzGCtQ8) with the intention of giving it to Rod Stewart, who passed on it. KISS then recorded it with Peter Criss on vocals, since he had a raspy singing voice kind of like Rod’s. I did not know that. I like Mr. Criss’s version but know I’d really like to hear Rod do it. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/64 "2016-01-12T17:40:30Z")
Much of what Tom Petty sings sounds like Dylan to me, but I don’t think it’s intentional. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/65 "2016-01-12T18:12:39Z")
This is a real stretch, but from the late '70s (early '80s?) [April Wine’s “I Like to Rock”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlcY_enzwmI) closes the song with the “Satisfaction” riff played over the “Day Tripper” riff. Seemed cool at the time, but my ears have gotten old. (The riff[s] start at 3:58) ---
**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:** [January 12, 2016, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/66 "2016-01-12T22:59:13Z")
> [@Octarine](#): > > David Bowie wrote a song for Bob Dylan, saying his voice was [“like sand and glue”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPxnCNRm_nY). The song itself is a rather meta reference to a Dylan tribute song to Woody Guthrie. If you squint (with your, um, ears), his rough vocals could be an homage. > > (OK, fine, I just wanted to shoe-horn a Bowie one in here . . .) And there’s another homage on that same album. Like so many of us, I listened to a lot of Bowie lately, also to my favorite Bowie album, _Hunky Dory_. I have always thought that [Queen Bitch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5P63qGTm_g)is the best song Lou Reed never recorded, but tonight I studied the liner notes for the first time in eons and noticed a side note next to the song’s track listing in parentheses reading “Some V.U., White Light Returned With Thanks”. I had never noticed that or else forgot about it, but it shows that he appreciated the influence and that it was an intentional tribute. And it’s a great song, one of Bowie’s best rockers, I love it. ---
**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 13, 2016, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/67 "2016-01-13T02:29:36Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > This is a real stretch, but from the late '70s (early '80s?) [April Wine’s “I Like to Rock”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlcY_enzwmI) closes the song with the “Satisfaction” riff played over the “Day Tripper” riff. Seemed cool at the time, but my ears have gotten old. > > (The riff[s] start at 3:58) I’m surprised you’ve heard of April Wine, frankly. Lot’s of airplay in Canada, but I assumed they were unheard of elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/68 "2016-01-13T03:02:26Z")
> [@Llama\_Llogophile](#): > > Not sure if this counts, but here is [Bill Kirchen doing many “guitar impressions” during a long version of Hot Rod Lincoln.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxjvlB26Rgw) > > He played on Commander Cody’s version years ago, and is a lot of fun to see live. Junior Brown does the same thing. Live, anyway. There’s probably something on Youtube. As for vocalists, John Pizzarelli does impressions of a bunch of singers when performing “I Like Jersey Best.” James Taylor, Lou Rawls, Billie Holiday, Harry Chapin, Lou Reed, the Beach Boys, Dean Martin, and I guess whoever else pops into his head at a given performance. The Bee Gees. He does it with guitarists, too. [Here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ6_ikx3qoI&list=RDsZ6_ikx3qoI) ---
**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 13, 2016, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/69 "2016-01-13T05:01:25Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I’m surprised you’ve heard of April Wine, frankly. Lot’s of airplay in Canada, but I assumed they were unheard of elsewhere. Are you kidding? Just Between You And Me was huge in the US, and MTV played a lot of their videos frequently, especially from “Nature of the Beast”. ---
**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 13, 2016, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/70 "2016-01-13T05:24:24Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Are you kidding? Just Between You And Me was huge in the US, and MTV played a lot of their videos frequently, especially from “Nature of the Beast”. I’m glad to hear that. I thought they were merely a Canuck band. Ever heard of Trooper? ---
**Author:** ![lew\_cody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e274bd/32.png) [@lew\_cody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lew_cody)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/71 "2016-01-13T05:30:51Z")
“Jukebox Saturday Night”, a 1942 hit by Glenn Miller’s orchestra, name-drops Benny Goodman, Kay Kyser and Miller himself, in addition to featuring imitations of Harry James and the Ink Spots. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/72 "2016-01-13T16:23:09Z")
I’m not sure if it was an intentional imitation or not, but ["Baby Jane (Mo-Mo Jane)"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zk5XM-jfcU)by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels sure sounds like the Velvet Underground to me. (And completely unlike Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels.) ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/73 "2016-01-13T16:25:00Z")
> [@Tread](#): > > Three Dog Night’s Mama Told Me Not to Come, was done as an impression of song writer Randy Newman The song was written by Randy Newman, but actually their version would make my personal list of cover versions that sound the _least_ like the originals. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/74 "2016-01-13T16:36:26Z")
A very clever use of this was the novelty song _More Money for You and Me_ by **The Four Preps** , from back in 1960. Probably little known these days. Basically, the song mimics the styles of several popular groups and songs of the day, and riffs on them by changing the lyrics. The songs and groups parodied are **The Fleetwoods** (_Mr. Blue_), **The Hollywood Argyles** (_Alley Oop_), **The Platters** (_Smoke gets in Your Eyes_), **The Four Freshmen** (_In This Whole Wide World_), **The Kingston Trio** (_Tom Dooley_) and **Dion and the Belmonts** (_A Teenager in Love_). They do quite a good job with the mimicking and obviously have a lot of fun poking riffs at the other groups. More Money for You and Me example: > [@](#): > > _Next we have The Freshman, a group that brings a cheer. > Of course they’ve been four freshmen for almost 20 years. > It isn’t that they’re stupid; well, a little, maybe so; > They can’t afford to graduate; they’re making too much dough_… ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/75 "2016-01-13T17:40:33Z")
At about 2:45 into it, Neil Young’s _Long May You Run_ includes the line “Maybe The Beach Boys have got you now, with those waves singing ‘Caroline,’” followed by a Beach Boys-esque harmonization by the backup singers of the line “Caroline, No.” It’s the only time the backups sing outside of the title line and the chorus, and it’s beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/76 "2016-01-14T12:32:41Z")
It may fall at the “Quotation rather than Impression” fence belatedly added to this thread but in **‘Spirit of the Radio’ Rush** clearly change musical style to deliver the line “_For the words of the profits were written on the studio wall, Concert halls_” which is a clear reference to **Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘Sound of Silence’** and _“The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls. And tenement halls”_ TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/77 "2016-01-14T12:41:18Z")
In 1987 Steve Elson was the singer in a \*\*Rolling Stones \*\*tribute band when he wrote an original song called **“Coming On Strong.”** Feeling the song was just too good to ignore he put together a band of capable session musicians, called themselves **Broken English** and released the song. The song was a reasonable hit although the band never went any further. However Elson sung in his usual Mick Jagger style and, at the time, many people were CONVINCED it was a secret **Rolling Stones** recording. For a non-band back in 1987 the promotional video is surprisingly professional. Plus - for no special reason - it is clearly a Ghostbusters tribute. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_hF4Mnz1CHI/hqdefault.jpg "Broken English coming on Strong Video") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hF4Mnz1CHI) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/78 "2016-01-14T16:06:54Z")
> [@jrbor76](#): > > 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”. Beaten to it. ---
**Author:** ![Allezgatta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/65b543/32.png) [@Allezgatta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Allezgatta)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/79 "2016-01-18T03:24:08Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > David Allen Coe does a pretty good imitation of Waylon Jennings, Charlie Pride and Merle Haggard in [“You Never Even Called Me by My Name”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAOVRkSCWmg). And it calls out to “Hello Walls” in the second verse. David Allan Coe also apes Jimmy Buffett on “Divers Do It Deeper.” ---
**Author:** ![Hocus\_Pocus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/41988e/32.png) [@Hocus\_Pocus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hocus_Pocus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2016, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474/80 "2016-01-18T05:05:34Z")
When it comes to impressions of Elvis, I don’t think anyone has this 16 y/o beat: And for impressions of Freddie Mercury, Marc Martel takes the cake (can’t believe Queen passed him up): [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dREKkAk628I/hqdefault.jpg "Queen Extravaganza - My "Somebody To Love" audition") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dREKkAk628I) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-impressions-of-other-singers-groups/742474.md?page=5)