There are plenty of bands out in the world who are inspired by literature. Most likely you won’t be surprised by this fact, but you might be surprised by some of the tunes themselves. From classic rock, to indie bands, from country jams, to folk rock, everyone loves a good book reference.
1. Romeo and Juliet sung by Dire Straits
This tune was obviously inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but in the hands of Dire Straits it takes on a modern edge. Or modern if we’re comparing it to Shakespeare.
YouTube Channel: DogSwede1
2. If I Die Young sung by The Band Perry
This is the song that catapulted The Band Perry into the spotlight, If I Die Young is their take on poet Alfred Lord Tennyson’s The Lady of Shalott. Which was also made popular by the Anne of Green Gables series when Anne reenacts the death scene from the epic poem.
YouTube Channel: TheBandPerryVEVO
3. Ramble On sung by Led Zeppelin
There might be a lot more to the song, but there are so many references to J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy that they can’t be missed. These British boys were clearly influenced by the stories of Middle Earth.
YouTube Chanel: All Is One And One Is All
4. Sherlock sung by Hive Riot
This fantastic synth-pop tune is a love song with a ton of nods toward Arthur Conan Doyle’s famed detective Sherlock Holmes. And nobody likes anything more than a love song, and Sherlock.
YouTube Channel: Hive Riot
5. Flash sung by Queen
This song was created for the 1980’s film Flash Gordon though the film itself was based on a comic strip from the 1930’s, originally drawn by Alex Reymond. How epic is that?
YouTube Channel: Queen Official
6. White Rabbit sung by Jefferson Airplane
It’s clear as soon as the 60’s tune starts that it was inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The song itself is quite a trip, and totally fitting to its source material.
YouTube Channel: dustasdu
7. Sigh No More sung by Mumford & Sons
We’re headed back to Shakespeare with this one. This Mumford & Sons track draws inspiration from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. And if you ask me, it seems rather fitting that they picked it as the name of their first album as well.
YouTube Channel: Ruben Partida
8. Tales of a Brave Ulysses sung by Cream
Based on the Roman myth of the brave Ulysses, Cream dug deep for inspiration for this track. It’s part psychedelic rock, part loose retelling, but it sure is epic.
YouTube Channel: deviouslittle
What are some of your favorite songs inspired by literature? Did I miss some good tunes?
Featured image via Wallpoper
