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 Post subject: Songs about other songs
PostPosted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:44 pm 
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This could go in the Lists forum but I suspect it'll get more hits here.

I mean songs about specific other songs. i.e.


The Jesus And Mary Chain - 'Happy When It Rains'
Garbage - 'Only Happy When It Rains'

Don McLean - 'American Pie'
Roberta Flack - 'Killing Me Softly (With His Song)'


Get it?


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:57 pm 
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Tenacious D - "Tribute"


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 Post subject: Re: Songs about other songs
PostPosted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 10:33 pm 
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alongwaltz Wrote:
Get it?


I guess not.


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 10:35 pm 
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Is "Only Happy When It Rains" really about the Jesus and Mary Chain song?


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 10:39 pm 
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Actually, there's this song called "No, Glen It's a School Night" by a Boston band called the Beatings, that is sort of about (or I guess a response to) "Mommy Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight" by the Misfits.

That's the best I can come up with.


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 11:13 pm 
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"Oh Bondage, Up Yours" by the X-ray Spex is Poly Styrene's response to the whole Sex Pistols/Malcolm McLaren/Vivienne Westwood scene, not quite a song, but still a response to something in other music.

"Memphis Skyline" is Rufus Wainwright's song about Jeff Buckley and makes reference to his own cover of Buckley's cover of Cohen's "Hallelujah" (a protracted sentence, I know, but accurate nonetheless).


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 11:15 pm 
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el_scorcho Wrote:
Is "Only Happy When It Rains" really about the Jesus and Mary Chain song?


Yeah, isn't it just Garbage's tendency to pillage other peoples' music?


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 11:16 pm 
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Heh heh. How bout : "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life"?


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 11:43 pm 
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Van Morrison - "Jackie Wilson Said ("I'm In Heaven When You Smile)"

Pogues - "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda"


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 1:30 am 
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el_scorcho Wrote:
Is "Only Happy When It Rains" really about the Jesus and Mary Chain song?


I haven't looked up corroborative information but I assumed so. Adding the "only" into the phrase makes it seem like they're purposefully making their own take-off on it.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 1:44 am 
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Low - "(That's How You Sing) Amazing Grace" apparently references a song called "(That's How You Sing)." Or something.

Meg Hentges - "This Kind of Love" (specifically the line "This kind of love is / what Marguerita told Tom) references the Velvet Underground's "Some Kinda Love"

And of course there's the whole category of answer songs, but they're usually not so much referring to the original song as continuing the story. Exception: "Sweet Home Alabama"


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:35 am 
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the dismemberment plan - "the ice of boston" references "midnight train to georgia" by gladys knight & the pips

mos def "ms. fat booty pt. II" references "if i don't have you" by gregory isaacs

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 4:16 am 
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Regina Spektor mentions GnR's "November Rain" in her song "On the Radio." Don't know if that counts or not.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 11:16 am 
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Dolly Varden - "California Zephyr"
"And the song in my head was... 'California Zephyr'..."

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I've recently noticed that all the unfortunate events in the lives of blues singers all seem to rhyme... I think all these tragedies could be avoided with a good rhyming dictionary.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 12:13 pm 
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Off the top of my head here are a couple of songs that reference other songs (if that is what you mean):

Elliott Smith’s “Waltz No. 2” has lines from “You’re No Good” [Linda Ronstadt]
Andrew Bird’s “Lull” has lines from “Your So Vain” [Carly Simon]

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 2:19 pm 
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Thelonious Monster "Lena Horne Still Sings Stormy Weather"

BTW - I don't buy Alongwaltz's theory on "Only Happy When It Rains" at all. That's just a case of two bands sharing a cliche.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 2:30 pm 
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Jimmy Eat World - "Authority Song" (Mellencamp, also namedrops "What Goes On", JaMC's Automatic)

Beulah - "Popular Mechanics for Lovers" (Magnetic Fields 69 Love Songs)

Built to Spill - "You Were Right" (too many to count)


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 2:32 pm 
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"Alex Chilton" - The Replacements
(not a particular song, I guess, but: "I never travel too far/Without a little Big Star" and "I'm in love with that song" would count, no?)

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Paul Caporino of M.O.T.O. Wrote:
I've recently noticed that all the unfortunate events in the lives of blues singers all seem to rhyme... I think all these tragedies could be avoided with a good rhyming dictionary.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 2:48 pm 
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"Singular Girl" - Old 97's
quotes T. Rex's "Bang A Gong";
("You've got the teeth of the Hydra upon you...")

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Paul Caporino of M.O.T.O. Wrote:
I've recently noticed that all the unfortunate events in the lives of blues singers all seem to rhyme... I think all these tragedies could be avoided with a good rhyming dictionary.


Last edited by PopTodd on Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:33 pm 
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MiceElf Wrote:

Elliott Smith’s “Waltz No. 2” has lines from “You’re No Good” [Linda Ronstadt]


Also references "Cathy's Clown" by the Everly Brothers.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:41 pm 
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"Those Were the Days" (aka the All In the Family theme):
"Oh the songs Glenn Miller Played/Songs that made the Hit Parade..."

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Paul Caporino of M.O.T.O. Wrote:
I've recently noticed that all the unfortunate events in the lives of blues singers all seem to rhyme... I think all these tragedies could be avoided with a good rhyming dictionary.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:51 pm 
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Sketch Wrote:
Jimmy Eat World - "Authority Song" (Mellencamp, also namedrops "What Goes On", JaMC's Automatic)


Off the same record; "Praise Chorus" lifts, as a frame of reference, parts of "Our House" by Madness, "Don't Let's Start" by They Might Be Giants, "Kickstart My Heart" by Motley Crue and "Crimson and Clover" by Tommy James & The Shondels

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:01 pm 
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Built to Spill - "You Were Right"


Last edited by two guns holla on Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:08 pm 
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starf*ckers inc [you're so vain]... :P

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:21 pm 
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the tori amos song 'caught a light sneeze' where she claims to have made her own 'pretty hate machine'.

ok, thats an album regference and not song. sue me.

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