The Oldies Music Board » Hit songs that mention other hit songs

aflem · August 18, 2019 3:59 pm

I’ve always been both curious and amused by Top 40 hits that find a way to mention other Top 40 songs. It doesn’t happen often, so it’s kind of hard to make up a big list. Here's what I was able to come up with.

Summer Rain – Johnny Rivers (The chorus repeatedly mentions “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”)

Creeque Alley – Mamas & Papas (The story acts as the biography of the group and talks about “California Dreamin’ is becoming a reality” at the end.)

Life Is A Rock – Reunion (The novelty record mentions too many songs to list, including The Loco-Motion, Little Honda, Satisfaction, Sugar Sugar, and Liar Liar.)

Rock and Roll Heaven – The Righteous Brothers. (A number of them, but the one that stands out to me is “Remember Bad, Bad Leroy Brown, hey Jimmy touched us with that song.”)

Radar Love – Golden Earring. (At one point, “Brenda Lee’s Coming on Strong” is mentioned.)

Shout! Shout! Knock Yourself Out! – Ernie Maresca. (In the song, Ernie urges “play another song like Runaround Sue.” Of course he would. He was one of the tune’s co-authors. He also mentions that “Mary’s in the corner and she’s doing the twist,” But that may be more about the dance than the Chubby Checker hit.)

Mashed Potato Time – Dee Dee Sharp. (Talks about “Please Mr. Postman.”)

Almost Summer – Celebration. (Granted, this wasn’t a huge hit but it did make the chart and it was the theme song to a teen movie of the same name. Celebration was Mike Love of the Beach Boys and in a remarkable moment in the record, he references “cruising in my little Deuce Coupe,” at which point they actually perform a very small part of the tune in the style of the Beach Boys. It's spectacular.)

Glass Onion – Beatles. (I suppose it’s not really a Top 40 hit, but the Beatles are always the exception to the rule. John Lennon begins the song by stating, “I told you about Strawberry Fields, you know the place where nothing is real.”)

All You Need Is Love – Beatles. (This may be my favourite one. Not only do the Beatles mention another tune at the end of this song, but they actually sing it – and it’s one of their own. As the refrain fades, John Lennon begins a slow version of “She Loves You.” To me, that makes it the best song within a song ever done.)

Cary · August 18, 2019 5:47 pm

Saturday Night by The New Christy Minstrels was their followup to Green, Green. Saturday Night closes with "green, green on a Saturday night."

Last edited by Cary (August 18, 2019 5:47 pm)

Lorne · August 18, 2019 6:13 pm

Could It Be I'm Falling In Love by The Spinners, which was their followup to I'll Be Around, contains the line "When you need me, I'll be around". And Sly & The Family Stone's Thank You mentions four of their previous songs, the first two of which had also been big hits: Dance to the Music, Everyday People, Sing A Simple Song, and You Can Make It If You Try.

memphis boy · August 18, 2019 6:18 pm

Splish Splash by Bobby Darin,
There was lollipop with a Peggy Sue
Good golly, Miss Molly was-a even there, too
A- well-a, splish, splash, I forgot about the bath
I went and put my dancin' shoes on, yeah

It's me Karen · August 19, 2019 5:17 am

In a little different vein, Sugarloaf mentions John, Paul andGeorge in "Don't Call Us We'll Call You" and plays the guitar lick from "I Feel Fine."

Jim Southern · August 19, 2019 11:02 am

I'll throw in a couple that came to mind.... Larry Williams "Short Fat Fannie' refers to Long Tall Sally, Heartbreak Hotel and Fever. I will nominate as the king of the mentions the Four Preps "More Money For You And Me", doing takeoffs on "A Teenager In Love", "A Worried Man", "In This Whole Whole, Wide World", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Alley Oop" & "Mr. Blue" in the 6+ minute version.

Lorne · August 19, 2019 11:50 am

The Commodores' Nightshift mentions What's Going On and Higher And Higher, and also indirectly references Baby Workout ("It seems like yesterday/When we were working out").

aflem · August 19, 2019 12:09 pm

It's me Karen wrote:
In a little different vein, Sugarloaf mentions John, Paul andGeorge in "Don't Call Us We'll Call You" and plays the guitar lick from "I Feel Fine."

If you want to include real people being named in a song, then one of the all time champs (besides the aforementioned Life Is A Rock, which is just a string of them, and Rock & Roll Heaven which does the same) has to be Abraham, Martin & John by Dion. (Not to mention Bobby, at the end.)

Last edited by aflem (August 19, 2019 12:10 pm)

Lorne · August 19, 2019 12:35 pm

The thing about Karen's example is that it basically does mention another hit song, just not by name. And it's kind of ironic that it also mentions the artist, but in a roundabout way as well. I've always wondered how Ringo felt about the way that this was done ... although I think he's good-natured enough that he probably just took it in stride.

Little Rich · August 19, 2019 2:10 pm

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Rick Nelson's famed/infamous "Garden Party" when he mentions The Beatles' I Am A Walrus ("Yoko brought her walrus"), Rolling Stones' Country Honk (sung by Nelson at the Party)("I sang a song about honky tonk"), Nelson's own Mary Lou and She Belongs To Me (Dylan song covered by Nelson)("I said hello to Mary Lou, she belongs to me"), Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode ("out stepped Johnny B. Goode"), reference to Elvis Presley's early career experience as a truck driver ("I'd rather drive a truck")

Lorne · August 19, 2019 2:34 pm

Just remembered a favourite of mine. After Edward Bear hit it big with Last Song, their followup was Close Your Eyes ... it contains the lines "I see you've written one last song/And I realized it's mine".

It's me Karen · August 19, 2019 5:16 pm

Lorne wrote:
The thing about Karen's example is that it basically does mention another hit song, just not by name. And it's kind of ironic that it also mentions the artist, but in a roundabout way as well. I've always wondered how Ringo felt about the way that this was done ... although I think he's good-natured enough that he probably just took it in stride.

While writing my post, I thought the same thing about Ringo.

Flo · August 21, 2019 12:38 pm

Sam Cooke's Having a Party - Play that song called Soul Twist, plau that one called I Know. Don't forget the Mashed Potatoes, no other songs will do.

celepe · August 22, 2019 8:03 am

In addition the the aforementioned "Splish Splash," Bobby Darin also recorded "Queen of the Hop," which mentioned:
-- Julie
-- Peggy Sue
-- Good Golly Miss Molly
-- Mary Lou
-- Sweet Little 16
-- Yellow Dog Blues
-- Short Shorts
-- Rock 'n' Roll Shoes
-- Sugar Time
-- Lollipop

memphis boy · August 22, 2019 12:27 pm

Sweet Soul Music by Arthur Conley mentions several artists but also Mustang Sally and Hold On I'm Coming

Lorne · August 22, 2019 12:35 pm

That's a really good one. It also mentions Going To A Go-Go, Love Is A Hurtin' Thing, and Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa.

memphis boy · August 22, 2019 8:36 pm

I heard a song on our oldies station today that I don't know the name of. It may have mentioned other songs so I'm posting it here. It was a guy singing about getting a guitar and becoming a star then getting drafted like Elvis. Any help?

Lorne · August 22, 2019 8:52 pm

Sounds like The All American Boy by Bill Parsons (actually Bobby Bare), which mentions Johnny B. Goode.

Lorne · August 22, 2019 10:29 pm

Just thought of one of my favourite examples of this, from John Mellencamp's Lonely Ol' Night:
Radio playing softly some singer's sad sad song
He's singing about standing in the shadows of love
I guess he feels awfully alone ...

memphis boy · August 23, 2019 5:47 am

I'm sure that's it. Thanks Lorne. Our oldies station rarely gives the titles.

memphis boy · August 27, 2019 12:35 pm

I just heard a song yesterday on Sirius XM by the EasyBeats called Good Times where they mention Boney Morony, Long Tall Sally and Short Fat Fanny

RobN · September 1, 2019 1:57 pm

Shep and the Limelights "Daddy's Home". At the end of the song, Shep sings "I'm not a thousand miles away". This was a dig at his original group, the Heartbeats, and their song "A Thousand Miles Away".

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It's me Karen wrote:

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