Comments | glambot: Literary song references

glambot

Literary song references

Sep 10, 2005 14:26

I have a project for AP Lit -- we have until May to find 13 allusions to literature in songs, newspaper articles, comics/cartoons, etc. Unfortunately we can't do ALL songs, but it got me curious -- how many songs can you think of that have a reference to a book or poem?

( I've thought of these so far. )

Comments 32

979259 September 10 2005, 18:29:58 UTC

I don't like Metallica but there's always For Whom the Bell Tolls because Hemmingway is incredible.

And I never knew you read HGttG.

glambot September 10 2005, 18:37:38 UTC

I don't, I just knew that it was a reference. I've seen the movie though.

I forgot about Metallica...not only do they have that Hemingway reference, but they also have "The Call of Ktulu" which is a reference to H.P. Lovecraft's short story "The Call of Cthulhu"...in fact, there's a ton of heavy metal references to Cthulu, including but not limited to songs by Cradle of Filth, King Diamond, Nile, Morbid Angel, and Bal-Sagoth.

wolfbane September 10 2005, 18:47:49 UTC

"2112" and "Anthem" by Rush - Allusion to Ayn Rand's novel Anthem

"Layla" by Derek and the Dominos - Allusion to the classical Indian text Layla and Majnun

"Achilles Last Stand" by Led Zeppelin - Allusion to classic Greek mythology, maybe The Iliad by Homer

"Moby Dick" by Led Zeppelin - Allusion to Moby Dick (I have no clue who it's by off the top of my head..sorry)

That's really all I can think of right now. If I think of any others I'll let you know!

glambot September 10 2005, 18:51:43 UTC

EEE, how in the heck did I forget Moby Dick!!! Maybe it's because I haven't actually read the novel. :p Anyways, thanks!

rocknrollbitch September 10 2005, 19:01:19 UTC

"the world is a vampire" from bullet with butterfly wings is i think from shakespeare.

glambot September 10 2005, 21:36:45 UTC

Do you remember which one of Shakespeare's works it is from? I'm trying Google and Wikipedia and I'm not coming up with anything.

rocknrollbitch September 10 2005, 21:42:38 UTC

i think i'm wrong. i do remember hearing that somewhere but i dont remember where.

xaemyl September 10 2005, 19:07:56 UTC

"Themes from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" by Ulver (reference to The Marriage of Heaven and Hell by William Blake)

glambot September 10 2005, 21:37:06 UTC

I never would've guessed from the title. ;)

rocknrollbitch September 10 2005, 21:01:13 UTC

the cure - "killing an arab" is a reference to "the stranger" by Albert Camus

you can probably go pretty nuts with the simpsons, as they have a ridiculous amount of allusions to crap.