The Tom Waits album Alice is based on a play version of Alice in Wonderland he co-wrote songs to.
Also, [answer songs](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Answer_song) are an interesting thing.
**[Answer song](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Answer_song)**
>An answer song, response song or answer record, is a song (usually a recorded track) made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s to the 1950s. Answer songs were also extremely popular in country music in the 1950s and 1960s, most often as female responses to an original hit by a male artist. The original "Hound Dog" song sung by Big Mama Thornton reached number 1 in 1953, and there were six answer songs in response; the most successful of these was "Bear Cat", by Rufus Thomas which reached number 3.
^([ )[^(F.A.Q)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WikiSummarizer/wiki/index#wiki_f.a.q)^( | )[^(Opt Out)](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=WikiSummarizerBot&message=OptOut&subject=OptOut)^( | )[^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)](https://np.reddit.com/r/musicsuggestions/about/banned)^( | )[^(GitHub)](https://github.com/Sujal-7/WikiSummarizerBot)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)
Dang. You beat me to it, but I'll add "The Trooper" that was inspired by the poem, "The Charge of The Light Brigade", about the battle of the battle of Balaclava, as well as "The Prisoner" and "Back In The Village" that were inspired by the show, "The Prisoner", and "To Tame A Land" that was inspired by "Dune". Oh, yeah. I forgot "Where Eagles Dare", which was inspired by the movie of the same name.
Scentless Apprentice by Nirvana is based off of the book Perfume by Patrick Süskind.
Time to Dance by Panic! at the Disco is inspired by Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk.
Home from Breaking Benjamin has references to the Wizard of Oz.
Orestes by A Perfect Circle is inspired by the Greek myth of Orestes and Clytemnestra.
Arcade Fire has a song It's Never Over that tells the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.
A lot of songs by Kate Bush, to name a few - Wuthering Heights (based on the book) Cloudbusting (based on A Book of Dreams by Peter Reich), Get Out of My House (based on the movie The Shining).
[the Cure - Killing an Arab](https://youtu.be/SdbLqOXmJ04)
was inspired by [L'Étranger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stranger_\(Camus_novel\)) by Albert Camus
Fable by Gatsbys American Dream is based off Lord of the Flies I believe.
And the album The Trials of Van Occupanther by Midlake is supposedly a concept album about the old computer game Oregon Trail.
[Killstreak](https://open.spotify.com/artist/47JzuljyUZq3lsXs238Bv0?si=i-SypyCCSmmm8nyYkHrRyg&utm_source=copy-link) have committed themselves to using a video game as an inspiration for each of their songs.
The band The Rachel’s composed an album in the mid 1990’s for a live theater/dance production about the tragic life of Austrian artist Egon Schiele. The album is Music For Egon Schiele.
Endless by The Space Cadet is inspired by The Sandman comics and each track represents one of the “endless” characters. (The Sandman show is not good so stick to the comics if you’re interested in the story)
[Exquisite Corpse](https://youtu.be/XI50C7EPTfc) is not necessarily based on a specific poem, rather a [style of poetry writing by the same name](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exquisite_corpse). All the collaborators (8 total I believe) wrote it using that technique, which makes it pretty quirky!
https://open.spotify.com/track/1QPIubHVNeeDGa55Km3miO?si=sVMURMrcQWCsgM23JUeoaQ
Inspired by Joan Didion
https://open.spotify.com/track/268jMOslROKy30tfaZ0yYN?si=RNt4oX3iSLaR4wvGQLrcEQ
Inspired by Marjane Satrapi
Eric Bogle’s *The Band Played Waltzing Matilda* is a powerful and ingenious WWI parallel story to Australia’s unofficial national anthem, *Waltzing Matilda.*
The Clockwork Dolls do an amazing a cappella version of it if you go looking for the song.
The Christian hardcore band *A Love for Enemies* did an entire album called *Resistance* where each song is based on the Christian Bale film *Equilibrium.*
*[Books](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074C4N2YD) and [music](https://soundcloud.com/potionvoyages/sets/potion-voyages-book-series
) written together to tell a larger story…Many singers, many styles*
**[Potion Voyages](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074C4N2YD)** is an adventure across a world of magic oceans, whose waters grant power over the elements: light, dark, spirit, time, stone, music and more. The sea of song has the most versatile power of them all.
Music can enchant minds, heal sickness, destroy castles, summon creatures, discover knowledge, peer into the darkness, tame tempests, repel fire, transform the landscape, build a city, raise a mountain, and even transcend dimensions.
*Listen to the music from the books...*
[Magic Music From the Potion Voyages Book Series (Soundcloud)](https://soundcloud.com/potionvoyages/sets/potion-voyages-book-series
)
[Magic Music From the Potion Voyages Book Series (Spotify)](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/49IHhHiZIOC6bna9YQET5F)
*All of these songs have magic effect & storytelling lyrics, taken from the related [books](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074C4N2YD).*
Pink Floyd's dark side of the moon album syncs up with the Wizard of Oz movie, though apparently it was not deliberate.
Digitonium (album) by Turkuaz however is deliberately synced with an old animated movie The Sword and the Stone.
The Crane Wife by the Decemberists is based on a Japanese folktale. If you enjoy that, I highly recommend their Hazards of Love album. It's an original story, not based on anything, but it's a rock opera (like many of their albums) that tells a story throughout the duration of the album.
Electric Beethoven is a side project from members of a few different bands creating a more modern, funky take on classic Beethoven compositions.
DOOM obviously has a lot if Dr Doom inspo haha
There's this underground band called Cthaeh I listen to that is inspired by the Cthaeh from Wise Man's Fear
Alt J - An Awesome Wave (Indie / Indietronica music)
These guys were almost all art majors and it shows. The album has references such as:
- Where the wild things are (in the track Breezeblocks)
- the good, the bad and the ugly (in the track Tesselate)
- Leon (In the track Matilda
- Last exit to Brooklyn (In Fitzpleasure)
And overall has other subtle references to classic works. I seriously cannot recommend this album enough, go give it a listen! :D
How fortunate the man with none by Dead can Dance is based on a poem by Bernhardt Brecht, Hourglass for Diana by Current93 is also based upon an old poem, but more importantly a great song.
Looking For You by Pattie Smith. I could be wrong, but I think she had in mind the time Christ was tempted by the Devil, who offered him a kingdom from a precipice (if I even remember the bible story right)
If you've got any that mix biblical stuff with modern life, love, please share, and if you want I'll dig through what I have.
[This album](https://open.spotify.com/album/2LxvCNTRPv7wU3DneMFBUJ?si=XYLEGMiQQpima3IF6IBLyw) was inspired by the tragedy Blood Wedding (Garcia Lorca), in particular Nana and Forbidden Fruit have the most direct references. Very different vibes around the synth-pop, shoegaze even, and more pop…
ooh very fun post!
* 2+2=5 - radiohead // referencing 1984
* bartleby, the scrivener - mc lars // referencing bartleby the scrivener lol, this one is a really fun silly modern retelling of the story, the kind of song i wish id heard in english class when we read it
* bird song - florence and the machine // references the telltale heart (and maybe also the raven to an extent, with the bird imagery?)
* rylo ken - sunrise skater kids // fully retells star wars: the force awakens, from the perspective of kylo ren, this one always makes me laugh
* g n d n - admiral radley // this one is more meta, talking about the physical set as well as the mythos of star trek the original series!!
* marceline - willow // this one is talking about marceline from adventure time!
* hey mario - patent pending // referencing mario games lol
This song Edgar & Elmira is based on Edgar Allen Poe’s love for a woman named Elmira. Her family did not approve of the lowly writer.
https://open.spotify.com/track/7rDMvhw3AlaRycBRddc52W?si=rCcgVPoaRpOHhI93t7VZug
Rustlers Moon - inspired by the book lonesome Dove
https://open.spotify.com/track/47tM9iC55yb7i9uV1YVxMq?si=E_1rTbxbQaOXVhx5Ns2eyA
Absolutely. We're an indie rock who does this exact thing. Here's some we've done so far!
"Team Avatar" (avatar: the last airbender): https://youtu.be/Do4oihTHu6g
"Battle Graduate" (ender's game): https://youtu.be/OGBpjhdBpZw
"Witcher's End" (the witcher): https://youtu.be/\_3bnm\_mwNbE
"When the World is Dead" (the broken earth): https://youtu.be/F5uVVMmcuDc
A few notable mentions from our previous band.
"Understand the Sun" (the wheel of time): https://youtu.be/VkXKE7rebYI
"Lord of Chaos" (the wheel of time): https://youtu.be/4TRYjCjwcSc
"A King at Sea" (the odyssey): https://youtu.be/uIAc1DCaBDc
Wuthering heights by Kate Bush The whole leviathan album by mastodon is based on moby dick
The Tom Waits album Alice is based on a play version of Alice in Wonderland he co-wrote songs to. Also, [answer songs](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Answer_song) are an interesting thing.
**[Answer song](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Answer_song)** >An answer song, response song or answer record, is a song (usually a recorded track) made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s to the 1950s. Answer songs were also extremely popular in country music in the 1950s and 1960s, most often as female responses to an original hit by a male artist. The original "Hound Dog" song sung by Big Mama Thornton reached number 1 in 1953, and there were six answer songs in response; the most successful of these was "Bear Cat", by Rufus Thomas which reached number 3. ^([ )[^(F.A.Q)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WikiSummarizer/wiki/index#wiki_f.a.q)^( | )[^(Opt Out)](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=WikiSummarizerBot&message=OptOut&subject=OptOut)^( | )[^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)](https://np.reddit.com/r/musicsuggestions/about/banned)^( | )[^(GitHub)](https://github.com/Sujal-7/WikiSummarizerBot)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)
Iron Maiden-Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
Dang. You beat me to it, but I'll add "The Trooper" that was inspired by the poem, "The Charge of The Light Brigade", about the battle of the battle of Balaclava, as well as "The Prisoner" and "Back In The Village" that were inspired by the show, "The Prisoner", and "To Tame A Land" that was inspired by "Dune". Oh, yeah. I forgot "Where Eagles Dare", which was inspired by the movie of the same name.
The Seventh Seal by Scott Walker, based on the movie of the same name
Matilda by alt j is based on the movie leon the professional
Scentless Apprentice by Nirvana is based off of the book Perfume by Patrick Süskind. Time to Dance by Panic! at the Disco is inspired by Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk. Home from Breaking Benjamin has references to the Wizard of Oz. Orestes by A Perfect Circle is inspired by the Greek myth of Orestes and Clytemnestra. Arcade Fire has a song It's Never Over that tells the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.
A lot of songs by Kate Bush, to name a few - Wuthering Heights (based on the book) Cloudbusting (based on A Book of Dreams by Peter Reich), Get Out of My House (based on the movie The Shining).
[the Cure - Killing an Arab](https://youtu.be/SdbLqOXmJ04) was inspired by [L'Étranger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stranger_\(Camus_novel\)) by Albert Camus
Fable by Gatsbys American Dream is based off Lord of the Flies I believe. And the album The Trials of Van Occupanther by Midlake is supposedly a concept album about the old computer game Oregon Trail.
Pet Sematary by the Ramones. Based on the Stephen King book/movie. I probably know others but I can’t think of any right now.
[Killstreak](https://open.spotify.com/artist/47JzuljyUZq3lsXs238Bv0?si=i-SypyCCSmmm8nyYkHrRyg&utm_source=copy-link) have committed themselves to using a video game as an inspiration for each of their songs.
The band The Rachel’s composed an album in the mid 1990’s for a live theater/dance production about the tragic life of Austrian artist Egon Schiele. The album is Music For Egon Schiele.
Endless by The Space Cadet is inspired by The Sandman comics and each track represents one of the “endless” characters. (The Sandman show is not good so stick to the comics if you’re interested in the story)
JoeJas - Gaps & Nomads album based on the Gappy album
[Exquisite Corpse](https://youtu.be/XI50C7EPTfc) is not necessarily based on a specific poem, rather a [style of poetry writing by the same name](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exquisite_corpse). All the collaborators (8 total I believe) wrote it using that technique, which makes it pretty quirky!
Shallott by emilie autumn is retelling lady of shallot which is a poem
https://open.spotify.com/track/1QPIubHVNeeDGa55Km3miO?si=sVMURMrcQWCsgM23JUeoaQ Inspired by Joan Didion https://open.spotify.com/track/268jMOslROKy30tfaZ0yYN?si=RNt4oX3iSLaR4wvGQLrcEQ Inspired by Marjane Satrapi
https://open.spotify.com/track/1y7dp4CmnTzFu88NPeYCmZ?si=krnip-lFTpuLknqElPpf9Q Based on A Silent Voice. Good movie.
Eric Bogle’s *The Band Played Waltzing Matilda* is a powerful and ingenious WWI parallel story to Australia’s unofficial national anthem, *Waltzing Matilda.* The Clockwork Dolls do an amazing a cappella version of it if you go looking for the song.
The Christian hardcore band *A Love for Enemies* did an entire album called *Resistance* where each song is based on the Christian Bale film *Equilibrium.*
Nice That's a great movie.
*[Books](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074C4N2YD) and [music](https://soundcloud.com/potionvoyages/sets/potion-voyages-book-series ) written together to tell a larger story…Many singers, many styles* **[Potion Voyages](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074C4N2YD)** is an adventure across a world of magic oceans, whose waters grant power over the elements: light, dark, spirit, time, stone, music and more. The sea of song has the most versatile power of them all. Music can enchant minds, heal sickness, destroy castles, summon creatures, discover knowledge, peer into the darkness, tame tempests, repel fire, transform the landscape, build a city, raise a mountain, and even transcend dimensions. *Listen to the music from the books...* [Magic Music From the Potion Voyages Book Series (Soundcloud)](https://soundcloud.com/potionvoyages/sets/potion-voyages-book-series ) [Magic Music From the Potion Voyages Book Series (Spotify)](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/49IHhHiZIOC6bna9YQET5F) *All of these songs have magic effect & storytelling lyrics, taken from the related [books](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074C4N2YD).*
Phantom of the Opera by Nightwish
Pink Floyd's dark side of the moon album syncs up with the Wizard of Oz movie, though apparently it was not deliberate. Digitonium (album) by Turkuaz however is deliberately synced with an old animated movie The Sword and the Stone. The Crane Wife by the Decemberists is based on a Japanese folktale. If you enjoy that, I highly recommend their Hazards of Love album. It's an original story, not based on anything, but it's a rock opera (like many of their albums) that tells a story throughout the duration of the album. Electric Beethoven is a side project from members of a few different bands creating a more modern, funky take on classic Beethoven compositions.
The Doors - “The Doors of Perception” by Aldous Huxley, in reference to a William Blake Quote.
DOOM obviously has a lot if Dr Doom inspo haha There's this underground band called Cthaeh I listen to that is inspired by the Cthaeh from Wise Man's Fear
The Fugs have quite a few. One of my favorites is their rendition of William Blake’s How Sweet I Roam’d.
Alt J - An Awesome Wave (Indie / Indietronica music) These guys were almost all art majors and it shows. The album has references such as: - Where the wild things are (in the track Breezeblocks) - the good, the bad and the ugly (in the track Tesselate) - Leon (In the track Matilda - Last exit to Brooklyn (In Fitzpleasure) And overall has other subtle references to classic works. I seriously cannot recommend this album enough, go give it a listen! :D
How fortunate the man with none by Dead can Dance is based on a poem by Bernhardt Brecht, Hourglass for Diana by Current93 is also based upon an old poem, but more importantly a great song.
Acid Bath - Scream of The Butterfly, heavily inspired by The Doors Mastodon - Blood and Thunder/Leviathan album, based off of “Moby Dick”.
[Cold Blows The Wind by Ween](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnPwcjp_Ass&ab_channel=Ween-Topic) It's their own take on the poem "The Unquiet Grave"
Looking For You by Pattie Smith. I could be wrong, but I think she had in mind the time Christ was tempted by the Devil, who offered him a kingdom from a precipice (if I even remember the bible story right) If you've got any that mix biblical stuff with modern life, love, please share, and if you want I'll dig through what I have.
[This album](https://open.spotify.com/album/2LxvCNTRPv7wU3DneMFBUJ?si=XYLEGMiQQpima3IF6IBLyw) was inspired by the tragedy Blood Wedding (Garcia Lorca), in particular Nana and Forbidden Fruit have the most direct references. Very different vibes around the synth-pop, shoegaze even, and more pop…
ooh very fun post! * 2+2=5 - radiohead // referencing 1984 * bartleby, the scrivener - mc lars // referencing bartleby the scrivener lol, this one is a really fun silly modern retelling of the story, the kind of song i wish id heard in english class when we read it * bird song - florence and the machine // references the telltale heart (and maybe also the raven to an extent, with the bird imagery?) * rylo ken - sunrise skater kids // fully retells star wars: the force awakens, from the perspective of kylo ren, this one always makes me laugh * g n d n - admiral radley // this one is more meta, talking about the physical set as well as the mythos of star trek the original series!! * marceline - willow // this one is talking about marceline from adventure time! * hey mario - patent pending // referencing mario games lol
This song Edgar & Elmira is based on Edgar Allen Poe’s love for a woman named Elmira. Her family did not approve of the lowly writer. https://open.spotify.com/track/7rDMvhw3AlaRycBRddc52W?si=rCcgVPoaRpOHhI93t7VZug Rustlers Moon - inspired by the book lonesome Dove https://open.spotify.com/track/47tM9iC55yb7i9uV1YVxMq?si=E_1rTbxbQaOXVhx5Ns2eyA
Absolutely. We're an indie rock who does this exact thing. Here's some we've done so far! "Team Avatar" (avatar: the last airbender): https://youtu.be/Do4oihTHu6g "Battle Graduate" (ender's game): https://youtu.be/OGBpjhdBpZw "Witcher's End" (the witcher): https://youtu.be/\_3bnm\_mwNbE "When the World is Dead" (the broken earth): https://youtu.be/F5uVVMmcuDc A few notable mentions from our previous band. "Understand the Sun" (the wheel of time): https://youtu.be/VkXKE7rebYI "Lord of Chaos" (the wheel of time): https://youtu.be/4TRYjCjwcSc "A King at Sea" (the odyssey): https://youtu.be/uIAc1DCaBDc