Tip of the hat, a flip of the bird, songs that reference other musical acts

Elvis

Yeah, but only one version charted anywhere ;-)

Ben Folds' 'Rockin' the suburbs' tips the hat to Michael Jackson, Quiet Riot and Jon Bon Jovi


Let me tell y'all what it's like,
Being male, middle-class and white.
It's a bitch, if you don't believe, listen up to my new CD.
I got **** running thought my brain,
It's so intense that I can't explain.
All alone in my white-boy pain,
Shake your booty while the band complains.
I'm rockin' the suburbs, just like Michael Jackson did,
I'm rockin' the suburbs, except that he was talented.
I'm rockin' the suburbs, I take the checks and face the facts,
That some producer with computers fixes all my shitty tracks.
I'm pissed off, but I'm too polite,
When people break in the McDonald's line.
Mom and Dad you made me so uptight,
I'm gonna cuss on the mic tonight.
I don't know how much I can take,
Girl, give me something I can break.
I'm rockin' the suburbs, just like Quiet Riot did,
I'm rockin' the suburbs, except that they were talented.
I'm rockin' the suburbs, I take the cheques and face the facts,
That some producer with computers fixes all my shitty tracks.
In a haze these days, I pull up to the stop light,
I can feel that something's not right.
I can feel that someone's blasting me with hate,
And bass, sending dirty vibes my way.
Cause my Great, Great, Great, Great, Grandad,
Made someone's Great, Great, Great, Great Grandaddies slaves.
It wasn't my idea, it wasn't my idea, never was my idea.
I just drove to the store for some Preparation-H.
y'all don't know what it's like, being male, middle-class and white [Repeats]
It gets me real pissed off, it makes me want to say,
It gets me real pissed off and it makes me want to say,
It gets me real pissed off and it makes me want to say,
****!
Just like Jon Bon Jovi did, I'm rockin' the suburbs,
Except that he was talented, I'm rockin' the suburbs.
I take the checks and face the facts,
That some producer with computers fixes all my shitty tracks.
These days, yeah-yeah, I'm rockin' the suburbs,
Yeah-yeah, I'm rockin' the suburbs, yeah-yeah.
You'd better look out, because I'm gonna say **** [Repeats]

Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

The KLF's 'Kylie Said To Jason' namechecks Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Rolf Harris - and I'm pretty sure that will only mean anything to Brits and Aussies.




Kylie Said to Jason
I'm gonna leave this body now
I'm gonna leave this body now
Oh Baby... Oh Baby
I was lying on the floor
with the music in my head
the Todd Terry Project
was the last thing that I heard
I had searched for the answer
it was not much to find
Then Kylie said to Jason
"It's all in the mind"
My mind was empty (party)
Had been for a while (party)
So I said to Kylie (party)
"Jason's got some style" (party)
You got it, You got it
I'm gonna leave this body now
I'm gonna leave this body now
Oh Baby... Oh Baby
Trapped in a rerun
Of a seventies sitcom soap
"Some Mothers Do Have 'Em"
Or "The Archie Bunker Show"
I was smokin with Felicity
The good life begins in bed
Richard was in the garden
Or I think that's what she said
Then in walks Skippy (party)
The bush kangaroo (party)
Rolf playing "Sad Eyes" (party)
And playing the didgeridoo (party)
You got it, You got it
You got it, You got it
I'm gonna leave this body now
I'm gonna leave this body now
Oh Baby... Oh Baby
You got it, You got it
You got it, You got it
I'm gonna leave this body now
I'm gonna leave this body now
You got it, You got it
You got it, You got it
I'm gonna leave this body now
I'm gonna leave this body now

The less said about Rolf Harris the better.

I threw out his album, when his crimes became public knowledge.

When I was a kid he was a real hero of mine. I was very shocked when the truth came out because he always seemed such a nice bloke.

Others, like Jimmy Savile were always a bit weird but Rolf seemed quite normal.

We played his album every day for a long time. I loved the guy. It hurts to lose someone that way.

I know, I feel exactly the same. I used to watch his show Saturday evening just before Doctor Who, (the old one with Patrick Troughton.) I loved his paintings, Jake the Peg, the Koala bear, all of it. Later on he presented shows on old WB cartoons before hosting crowd pleasing Animal Hospital.

He even painted an official portrait of the Queen.

For me his highlight was Stairway to Heaven at Glastonbury Festival, at that point I don't think there was anyone I admired more that him.

Fast forward a few years and the truth comes out, I was really upset. I didn't feel like that about Savile, Michael Jackson, Gary Glitter because I didn't like any of them.

Like I don't like Woody Allen, at all, never did, so when all the stuff came up about him I wasn't affected. Rolf Harris though, that's a big chunk of my childhood shat all over.

Speaking of KLF ...

This one is I suppose a bit of a subset as Tammy name checks herself.
(and if the video is anything to go by, she was bemused and they seem to have treated her like a queen -- it is one wacky song and video but Tammy Wynette is a helluva good sport through it all)

Let's hear it once more for a name dropped song from David Allan Coe. ThIs time around, Willie, Waylon and Me about himself, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.
It references, the Flying Burrito Brothers, The Byrds, the Eagles, the Beatles, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan and Roger McGuinn, the Rolling Stones

Hotel Hell - Skyhooks shouts out to Clapton, Beck and Jimi (twice) here's the second time:

When Thursday comes around you know I'm staying home
Yes I've learnt my lesson there's no way I'm gonna roam
From the room above the laundromat on the dirty side of town
When the fridge is always full and the beers not watered down
Where they never lock their cars or punch each other heads
Spike your drinks with mandies or try to sell you reds
Where Clapton, Beck and Jimi are jamming in the sun
And the girls are very friendly I think I'll get me one
You know I've had a good time drinking my moselle
Forget about this place they call Hotel Hell

References songs by elvis, little richard, fats domino, rick nelson, others

Mr. Parker is Charlie Parker.


Dizzy may or may not refer to Dizzy Gillespie.

What Would Jay-Z Do? - Ben Lee (title says it all)

Tim Curry references lots of pop culture!



The highlighted people, in order:
John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Rod Stewart
Mick Jagger
Liza Minnelli
Linda Ronstadt (she was dating Governor Jerry Brown around the time the song came out)

the next verse mentions Uncle Ernie (Keith Moon's character in Tommy the Movie)...