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

digitalkettle

Self reference: Sting's "big enough umbrella" phrase, born on 'Every Little Thing...' turns up again on 'O My God' and again on 'Seven Days'!

RocknRollDave

The nod to Blue Moon in the solo in Sunshine of Your Love.

digitalkettle

Foo's 'Something From Nothing' has to be a tongue-in-cheek reference to 'Holy Diver'.

barnstorm

More pastiche like the Rutles stuff than the sort of sly co-opting that I love, but it's very well observed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtbKch8x37o

Was amused by Newman's clarification that he wouldn't have written it if he hated ELO 'like I hate some people'. He always makes me laugh. The Live in London record is like a stand-up show in places.

Gassage

Peaceful Easy Feeling- 

With a nod to Blowing in the Wind in solo.

barnstorm

Gassage said:

Peaceful Easy Feeling- 

With a nod to Blowing in the Wind in solo.

Good one!

barnstorm

digitalkettle said:

Foo's 'Something From Nothing' has to be a tongue-in-cheek reference to 'Holy Diver'.

Hadn't heard that song until just now, but agree it must be a little tip of the cap to Dio.

digitalkettle

Bit obscure...

Sweet Billy Pilgrim's 'Get Back To What You Started' outro...here at 3'45:


...and the pre-chorus on Simple Minds' 'Alive & Kicking' at 0'56:


Quote from the Pilgrims:
"It became clear that we had perhaps absorbed more of the 80s into our bones than we realised when we played it to a close family member who was like “uh…guys?” A not-so-subtle borrowing that had us checking in with SM’s people, so as not to get in trouble!"

MagicPigDetective

Alunah's 'The Earth Spins' is surely referencing Richie Blackmore's motif at the end of Catch the Rainbow.

1:10:



4:05:

Gassage

Top of list

Beatles and Glass Onion- which references Lady Madonna, Strawberry Fields Forever, The Fool On The Hill and I Am The Walrus.

Also- RHCP- Californication says "Cobain can you hear the spheres singing songs off station to station" which references David Bowie Station to Station;

ELO Shangri-La references Hey Jude too.

Philly_Q

@MagicPigDetective nice to see a bit of Alunah on here!

MagicPigDetective

Philly_Q said:

@MagicPigDetective nice to see a bit of Alunah on here!

I rate their latest album highly, a top band who should be getting more attention 

digitalkettle

barnstorm said:

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.

Couple more for you then:

• Sting's 'Russians' features a theme from Prokofiev
• Billy Joel's 'This Night' borrows a bit of Beethoven (you know, the guy from the Bill & Ted film)

stimpsonslostson

Surely American Pie by Don McLean- almost every line is a reference. 

Philly_Q

MagicPigDetective said:

Philly_Q said:

@MagicPigDetective nice to see a bit of Alunah on here!

I rate their latest album highly, a top band who should be getting more attention 

I think they're fantastic, and they've managed to remain so despite all the lineup changes!

stimpsonslostson

Gaslight Anthem- High Lonesome lifts a line from Springsteen- I'm on Fire:

There was "Southern Accents" on the radio as I drove home
And at night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet
It's a pretty good song, baby you know the rest
Baby, you know the rest.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Dire Straits Romeo and Juliet referencing Bernstein's West Side Story: 

"There's a place for us.....you know the movie song...." 

barnstorm

digitalkettle said:

barnstorm said:

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.

Couple more for you then:

• Sting's 'Russians' features a theme from Prokofiev
• Billy Joel's 'This Night' borrows a bit of Beethoven (you know, the guy from the Bill & Ted film)

I think you'll find it's pronounced Beeth Oven.

RocknRollDave

This:

https://youtu.be/D8UfEWttw1M


used the motif from this:

https://youtu.be/ZtWTUt2RZh0

(Credit was given to Kraftwerk, so it was all above-board.)

Philly_Q

Not a reference as such, more of a soundalike: