Songs that reference (without directly sampling) other songs or famous bits of music

barnstorm

YouTube suggested this for me – was obviously timed by the band to coincide with the release of the Mario film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFh5Rq7TBDU  

I'm always inordinately delighted by this sort of playfulness, even if the song isn't a masterpiece or my usual cup of tea, e.g. the Material Girl-type bassline in this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnHS7Ju7icI

For an elevated example, see this brilliant Steven Page song – stuffed with Beatles/Lennon/McCartney/Harrison references, plus a great joke about the Dead and Phish served up in Biblical wrapping.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5Sn5QKN9-o

Any songs you like that do this sort of thing?

barnstorm

Adding for my own amusement as the shuffle function reminds me of other examples.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7zrnbVCNag

Bellycaster

"Sorry boy, but I've been hit by Purple Rain" America - Ventura Highway 1972

I think they had a prophecy of the Future Prince song 

Switch625

Travis singing “and what’s a Wonderwall anyway?” in Writing To Reach You. Apparently Fran Healey put it in there because it uses the same chords as Wonderwall

viz

Eric Carmen’s All By Myself is a homage to Rachmaninov’s 2nd piano concerto

Philly_Q

Black Sabbath quoting Devil Woman in Lady Evil.  2:55.

Funkfingers

The entire Rutles schtick comes to mind. Despite the pastiches receiving the approval of The Beatles, some bugger tried to sue Neil Innes' estate.

The Dukes Of Stratosphear mini-albums ape the styles of numerous Sixties artistes and songs - even to the extent of Dave Gregory (he of XTC) using the correct vintage guitars and amplifiers to recreate the sounds.

richardhomer

Chinese Cafe by Joni Mitchell uses the tune and lyrics of Unchained Melody as part of the song. 

barnstorm

Philly_Q said:

Black Sabbath quoting Devil Woman in Lady Evil.  2:55.

This one is super-fun!

barnstorm

Bellycaster said:

"Sorry boy, but I've been hit by Purple Rain" America - Ventura Highway 1972

I think they had a prophecy of the Future Prince song 

Apart from maybe Horse with No Name, I always think of that as their most enduring contribution to music!

barnstorm

Funkfingers said:

The entire Rutles schtick comes to mind. Despite the pastiches receiving the approval of The Beatles, some bugger tried to sue Neil Innes' estate.

I missed that. I’m sure some would say it was ‘just business’ but the original action by ATV seemed very mean-spirited. Although I guess the defence that the songs were based on his memories of Beatles songs was also a bit hopeful…

prowla

Billy Squier's "Emotions In Motion" uses a Santana bass riff.

prowla

Switch625 said:

Travis singing “and what’s a Wonderwall anyway?” in Writing To Reach You. Apparently Fran Healey put it in there because it uses the same chords as Wonderwall

And Wonderwall itself, referencing Wonderwall Music.

prowla

The lyrics to Deep Purple's "Speed King" are a mash-up of rock'n'roll classics.

EricTheWeary

barnstorm said:

Philly_Q said:

Black Sabbath quoting Devil Woman in Lady Evil.  2:55.

This one is super-fun!

It is! 

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

My favourite recent one is "Forget About Georgia" by Lukas Nelson. References Ray Charles in a lovely way, and also subtly drops his own father (Willie Nelson) in there:



Also, "Could It Be Magic" by Barry Manilow (and then Take That) was adapted from a Frederic Chopin Prélude. I remember learning the piece on the piano at school and thinking "Hey that sounds familiar," and lo and behold it was the early 90s when Take That were in the charts!

Nitefly

Tom Petty in the Travelling Wilburys' End Of The Line sings

"Maybe somewhere down the road when somebody plays Purple Haze"

hollywoodrox

Lots of classical ones 
  Gregg lake - I believe in Father Christmas  - Troika Prokofiev
  and is joybringer by manfred Mann , part of Holstz Planet Suite 

Rocker

The band played ‘Waltzing Matilda’ as the ship pulled away from the quay......

VimFuego

I guess Lynard Skynard Sweet Home Alabama, when they reference Neil Young's Southern Man. 

barnstorm

Nitefly said:

Tom Petty in the Travelling Wilburys' End Of The Line sings

"Maybe somewhere down the road when somebody plays Purple Haze"

A name-check, though, rather than a lifting/twisting of something recognisable from the song.

But speaking of Petty, Mary Chapin Carpenter gets just close enough, musically, to I Won't Back Down when she sings that line here to always make me smile:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzn6ATwp3m8 

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

Also, "Could It Be Magic" by Barry Manilow (and then Take That) was adapted from a Frederic Chopin Prélude.

That's a 'Today I learned…' for me! Have lots of blind spots in classical music.