3 Popular Songs That Make Pretty Direct References to Other Songs

When one becomes a big pop or rock star, one gains some creative power to do whatever one wishes with one’s tunes. It’s only natural that musicians who love other musicians would take the opportunity to pen songs with references to other famous songs, especially if the musician in question is a big fan of the latter. The following three classic popular tunes pay homage to other tracks. And if you weren’t listening closely, you might have missed those connections. Let’s take a look!

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“Crocodile Rock” by Elton John (1972)

This might be one of the most famous songs that has references to other songs out there. Elton John’s enormous hit, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972, is a tribute of sorts to the rock and roll era of the 1950s. “Crocodile Rock” name-drops some well-known rock and roll records, including “Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley & His Comets. That classic rock tune was first released way back in 1954, and also made it to No. 1 on the Hot 100.

“Weather With You” by Crowded House (1992)

You won’t find a direct reference on this track by New Zealand pop-rock outfit Crowded House, but the reference is there all the same. This song is a fine little nod to the Ethel Waters standard “Stormy Weather”. The reference comes down to the title of the song and the lyrical similarities about the ups and downs of being alive. Waters’ version dropped nearly a century ago in 1933. Crowded House’s ode dropped in 1992, and was a pretty hefty hit in the UK, Oceania, and Europe, but didn’t quite cross over to the US charts. That’s a shame, because Crowded House’s ode is quite good.

“Heart Songs” by Weezer (1976)

Talk about a serious ode to one’s favorite musicians and records! Rivers Cuomo wrote this track off of The Red Album about all the musicians and records that influenced him over the years. There are several references to other songs in “Heart Songs”, from “The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot (1976) to the whole of Nirvana’s Nevermind (1991). The bridge of “Heart Songs” is also self-referential, describing how Weezer came to form way back in 1992.

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