6 Famous Songs That Are Secretly Responses To Other Famous Songs
Most of the songs on the radio today are as simple as they sound. A good beat, a catchy hook, and you are pretty much good to go. It seems like we have stopped searching for hidden messages because every song is so obvious now.
But don’t give up. There are still great musicians out there putting out satisfying tunes. And even if you can’t find them, you can still go back in time to listen to your old favorites. Speaking of old favorites, how is your mom doing?
No, seriously…speaking of old favorites. We’re willing to bet you didn’t know the songs below were actually clever responses to other songs.
No. 6 – Joy Division “Love Will Tear Us Apart”
Don’t be fooled by the “Joy” in Joy Division. The English rock band was known for their terribly depressing lyrics, which is why it’s surprising to hear that their most popular song was in response to one of the most optimistic songs out there, Love Will Keep Us Together. The lead singer of the band, Ian Curtis, was in a bit of a love triangle when he got the idea for Love Will Tear Us Apart. He had reportedly fell in love with a woman who wasn’t his wife.
And when he heard the nauseating lyrics to Love Will Keep Us Together, it only made him feel worse about the situation he was in. So he decided to sit down and write a song explaining how easy it is to feel unhappy in a mundane long-term relationship.
No. 5 – Katy Perry “California Gurls”
What? You mean the song, which features a music video filled with Katy Perry shooting whipped cream out of her breasts, is actually a response to another song? Yes. It’s true. The 30-year-old singer claims she wrote the song out of jealousy. She was jealous of all the attention the East Coast was getting after Jay Z and Alicia Keys’ hit song, Empire State of Mind.
She wanted to write something for the West Coast…
“When I came up with the idea of ’California Gurls,’ it was because I was a little bit jealous of all the love that was given to the East Coast, and I thought for sure Tupac was rolling in his grave, and the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson was totally upset … like, ’What is up with that?’”
No. 4 – Green Day “American Idiot”
This one is actually pretty hilarious. Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong was inspired to write this catchy tune after listening to the Lynyrd Skynyrd song, That’s How I Like It, inside his car. The song sounds a lot like the ‘bro country’ of today, featuring lyrics like…
“Like my women hot and my beer ice cold
A real fast car and my whiskey old
Like a slow drive down an old dirt road
That’s How I like it.”
Armstrong was confused by the lyrics, “It was like, ‘I’m proud to be a redneck’ and I was like, ‘oh my God, why would you be proud of something like that?’ This is exactly what I’m against.”
No. 3 – Roberta Flack “Killing Me Softly”
There is actually some controversy surrounding the origin of this song. According to Lori Lieberman, the artist who first recorded the song in 1972, the song was a continuation of a short poem she wrote on a bar napkin after experiencing an emotional reaction to Don McLean performing his song Empty Chairs on stage. When McLean learned his performance was responsible for creating such a beautiful song, he said…
“I’m absolutely amazed. I’ve heard both Lori’s and Roberta’s version and I must say I’m very humbled about the whole thing. You can’t help but feel that way about a song written and performed as well as this one is.”
But like we said, there is some controversy. The song’s composer, Charles Fox, claims he and songwriter Norman Gimbel had already wrote the song when Lori mentioned how it reminded her of how she felt at a Don McLean concert…
“Don McLean didn’t inspire Norman or me to write the song but even Don McLean thinks he’s the inspiration for the song according to his official website!”
No. 2 – Woody Guthrie “This Land Is Your Land”
You might have heard this famous folk song in school a few times as a celebration of America, but the song actually started out as a critical response to Irving Berlin’s God Bless America. Guthrie felt it was unrealistic and complacent, and he was getting really sick of hearing Kate Smith sing it on the radio, so he wrote a response originally called God Blessed America.
The lyrics changed over time and eventually became the most popular version we all know and love today. However, the original version of the song featured some interesting lyrics…
“Was a high wall there that tried to stop me / A sign was painted said: Private Property, But on the back side it didn’t say nothing. One bright sunny morning in the shadow of the steeple / By the Relief Office I saw my people —As they stood hungry, I stood there wondering if God blessed America for me.”
No. 1 – John Mayer “Paper Doll”
Okay, so the people inside Taylor Nation might already know about this one. Even though he refuses to confirm the reports, it’s pretty obvious that Paper Doll is a response to Taylor Swift’s Dear John. It’s worth noting that Mayer’s song is less painful than Taylor’s. In her song, she tried her best to slam the 37-year-old singer…
“Well maybe it’s me and my blind optimism to blame
Maybe it’s you and your sick need to give love then take it away
And you’ll add my name to your long list of traitors who don’t understand
And I’ll look back and regret how I ignored when they said ‘run as fast as you can'”
Mayer was more respectful with his response. He doesn’t attack Swift in the song. Instead, it sounds like he’s almost warning her about the future, hoping she doesn’t make the same mistakes she made in their relationship. Honestly, I think both Mayer and Swift have grown so much since their split. They are two completely different people now.
