Does anyone know of any songs that have been inspired by books? I'm researching for a project...

I'm sure there are lots. A couple that immediately spring to mind:

"Killing an Arab" - The Cure. Inspired by Albert Camus' The Stranger.

"Ramble On" - Led Zeppelin. Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Another winner:

"White Rabbit" - Jefferson Airplane. Inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland

This is actually a cool thread. After we hear some other suggestions, I may make myself a literary song mix-CD.

David Bowie's "1984" inspired by 1984, the George Orwell novel.

Bruce Springsteen's "The Ghost of Tom Joad" inspired by John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath.

Ray Manzarek's "He Can't Come Today" inspired by Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot.

A short story inspiration- Tom Waits' "A Good Man is Hard to Find" was inspired by the same titled Flannery O'Conner tale.

Dan Clowes' graphic novel Ghost World inspired Aimee Mann's song of the same title.

poe's album house was based on the book house of leaves. Also, I just read an interview with Joe Henry where he talked about the books that influenced specific songs of his. Can't remember where that interview was though.

And the hold steady's new album opens with a line from On the Road

quote:

Originally posted by keylimetrev:
poe's album house was based on the book house of leaves.

The album you refer to is called Haunted. Also, not to nitpick, but I believe that it is not so much based on the book her brother wrote, but primarily focused on her unresolved issues with her deceased father. I think the relationship with the book somehow grew out of that, though I could very easily be wrong on this.

Speaking of "poe", the Alan Parsons Project had an album, Tales of Mystery and Imagination, made up of songs inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe.

Ben Gibbard did a song with Styrofoam called "Couches in Alleys" which is about Jack Kerouac and On the Road. It's brilliant, by the way.

Cheers for all your help guys! Some gems for my project!

This one isn't based on an entire book, but Murder by Death's "Shiola" is based on the Poe story The Fall of the House of Usher.

I seem to remember that two Decemberists songs, "Song for Myla Goldberg" and "Billy Liar", are literarily inspired. Myla Goldberg is more about the author, though.

Just thought I'd throw out an indie rock suggestion in said forum.

The Police's "Don't Stand So Close to Me" references Lolita and it carries a number of similarities, though I doubt it would qualify as being based on the book.

Tom Waits' Alice was written for the play of the same name, adapted from Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

U2's song "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" was inspired by Salman Rushdie's book, which employs the Orpheus and Eurydice mythos. (Nick Cave's "The Lyre of Orpheus" retells that story—in a way—as well.)

Pink Floyd's Animals album was inspired by George Orwell's Animal Farm. Although, the connection is a fairly loose one.

My guess is that there are plenty to choose from in the Decemberists catalogue.

Also, Bob Dylan's Love and Theft was accused of plagarising some book called Confessions of a Yakuza by Junichi Saga. Don't know if plagarism counts.

quote:

Originally posted by Musicalifragilistic:
My guess is that there are plenty to choose from in the Decemberists catalogue.

Also, Bob Dylan's Love and Theft was accused of plagarising some book called Confessions of a Yakuza by Junichi Saga. Don't know if plagarism counts.

Bob Dylan is a kleptomaniac. I'm becoming more and more surprised by how accepting of this everyone's become.

One of the songs off of Sufjan Stevens's Seven Swans is based on a novel. I'm pretty sure it's "A Good Man Is Hard To Find." Couldn't tell you what novel though. You can look it up on songmeanings.net though.

Mastodon's Leviathan album is inspired by Moby Dick.

I'm pretty sure "One" by Metallica is based on Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo. I think the video even had some movie clips.

quote:

Originally posted by Chamberk:
I seem to remember that two Decemberists songs, "Song for Myla Goldberg" and "Billy Liar", are literarily inspired. Myla Goldberg is more about the author, though.

Just thought I'd throw out an indie rock suggestion in said forum.

The Tain is based on an Irish folk story (not a book, but as oral folk tale), as is "The Crane Wife" (based on a Japanese folk tale)

Craig Finn has described the new Hold Steady record as being a sort of a reply to Kerouac's On the Road. He also references the late poet John Berryman in "Stuck Between Stations."

The song "Martin Eden" from The Twilight Singers' Blackberry Belle album is based on the book Martin Eden by Jack London. It's a great song that opens a great album.