Oscar Wilde famously said, “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” But sometimes art imitates art, as evidenced in songs that are influenced by the literary arts. See how classic literature has been used to create these five enduring songs below.
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[RELATED: 5 Musicians Who Are Also Prolific Authors]
1. “How Soon Is Now?” by The Smiths
Morrissey has used a multitude of literary allusions in his lyrics. His most famous lit reference appears in The Smiths’ B-side “How Soon Is Now?” Referencing George Eliot’s Middlemarch (1871–1872), Morrissey sings: I am the son / And the heir / Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar / I am the son and heir / Of nothing in particular. The line is adapted from a passage in Book I, Chapter XII of Eliot’s novel (“To be born the son of a Middlemarch manufacturer, and inevitable heir to nothing in particular…”)
For the song’s title, however, Morrissey drew from another source. In the 1973 feminist film history book Popcorn Venus: Women, Movies & the American Dream, author Marjorie Rosen writes, “How immediately can we be gratified? How soon is ‘now?’”
2. “L.A. Woman” by The Doors
Jim Morrison found inspiration in John Rechy’s 1963 novel City of Night. The book’s title is repeated in the song where Morrison uses a woman as a metaphor for Los Angeles. Rechy’s novel follows a young man working as a hustler across the country, and the story unfolds in various cities visited by the unnamed narrator. Many consider “L.A. Woman” to be Morrison’s farewell before leaving for Paris, where he would succumb to heart failure and a suspected overdose.
Well, I just got into town about an hour ago Took a look around, see which way the wind blow Where the little girls in their Hollywood bungalows Are you a lucky little lady in the city of light Or just another lost angel, city of night City of night, city of night, city of night
3. “Off to the Races” by Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey revealed her bookshelf in “Off to the Races” from her album Born to Die (2012). In the chorus, Del Rey sings, Light of my life / Fire of my loins, which is a direct quote from Vladimir Nabokov’s 1955 novel Lolita. In Del Rey’s song, she sings about an older boyfriend she describes as a bad man but / I can’t deny the way he holds my hand. She delivers the lyrics in a recitative, quasi-rap style. The persona Del Rey assumes in the song is eye candy for her sugar daddy. The chaos of the relationship sums up the album’s title, Born to Die.
Light of my life, fire of my loins Be a good baby, do what I want Light of my life, fire of my loins Gimme them gold coins, gimme them coins
4. “Wuthering Heights” by Kate Bush
“Wuthering Heights” is the first single by Kate Bush. Released in 1978, the song takes its name from the Emily Brontë novel, published in 1847. Bush was inspired by the film adaptation of Wuthering Heights, which she saw on TV as a child. The song is written from the point of view of Cathy Linton, who calls out to Heathcliff, a man she is forced to marry, When I needed to possess you / I hated you, I loved you, too. The novel was controversial in its time, challenging class, morality, and religion.
Heathcliff, it’s me, I’m Cathy I’ve come home, I’m so cold Let me in your window Heathcliff, it’s me, I’m Cathy I’ve come home, I’m so cold Let me in your window
5. “happiness” by Taylor Swift
In this track from her album evermore, Taylor Swift turns The Great Gatsby into a breakup song. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel, Gatsby’s former lover Daisy has hopes for her daughter: “She’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” Swift repurposes the line: I hope she’ll be your beautiful fool / Who takes my spot next to you. Wallowing in the end of a relationship, Swift distills the heartbreak of Gatsby and Daisy into a modern, possibly autobiographical tale.
Sorry, I can’t see facts through all of my fury You haven’t met the new me yet There’ll be happiness after me But there was happiness because of me Both of these things, I believe There is happiness in our history
Photo by Michael Kovac/WireImage
