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5 songs you did not know were inspired by novels

Explore how rock songs draw inspiration from literature, showcasing the timeless connection between music and novels. Discover tracks inspired by works like "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Nineteen Eighty-Four."

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Art inspires art.

Art often echoes, borrows from, or builds on what came before it, transcending the boundaries of time, space, and medium. Paintings have inspired poems, and novels have inspired films, and artists and writers often turn to music for inspiration. Musicians, too, often draw inspiration from other art forms, depicting them sonically through lyrics, beats, and melodies. Here are a few songs by rock bands that are directly inspired by characters, stories, and themes of renowned literary works:

White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Jefferson Airplane (source: wikimedia commons)

White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane adds a sinister tone to the classic children’s tale, a stark contrast to the childlike wonder that is associated with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Maple press, pages 120, Rs 125) authored by Lewis Carroll. Released in 1967, the song portrays the experience of taking psychedelics which was characteristic to the counterculture movement in the 1960s. Beginning with the lines, “One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small”, the song uses Alice’s eccentric and whimsical experiences in Wonderland to describe the experience of taking psychedelics. The eerie instrumental accompanied with the powerful and haunting vocals, creates a surreal atmosphere that reflects the effect of psychedelics on the mind.

2+2=5 by Radiohead, Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell

Hail to the Thief- Radiohead (source: amazon.in)

With a title that directly refers to George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four (Penguin Select Classics, pages 304, Rs 199), 2+2=5 by Radiohead tells the story of the narrator who is trapped in an Orwellian regime. The statement, “Two and two makes five” in the novel illustrates how the Party maintains absolute control over logic and thinking of its subjects; it symbolises total submission to the authoritarian regime and the complete disintegration of individual thought. The narrator in the song is a subject of such an authoritative regime. The sudden shift in the pace and tone of the song is indicative of the narrator’s inner dilemma between choosing to be a subject of this regime or revolting against it.

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Don’t Stand So Close To Me by The Police, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

The Police (source: wikimedia commons)

One of The Police’s most popular songs, Don’t Stand So Close To Me, a groovy pop rock song about a sensual relationship between a teacher and his student, is inspired by Vladimir Nabokov’s most renowned novel, Lolita (Penguin, pages 368, Rs 550). The desire of the teacher mirrors that of Humbert, the protagonist of the novel who was infatuated with a young girl, Lolita. Lolita is infamous for the age-gap between the two characters and the immoral acts executed by Humbert to be closer to her. The song directly refers to Humbert: “It’s no use, he sees her he starts to shake and cough, Just like the old man in the book by Nabakov”.

Sympathy For The Devil by The Rolling Stones, The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

The Rolling Stones (source: wikimedia commons)

The Rolling Stones’ Sympathy For The Devil is inspired by Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel, The Master and Margarita (Penguin, pages 432, Rs 399). The lyrics are written from the perspective of a devil reminiscent of Woland, the devil from The Master and Margarita, who arrives in Moscow and incites chaos while helping The Master, a novelist who is the protagonist of the novel. The devil in the song also recalls some of the same historical events as the novel, such as the crucifixion of Jesus which holds great significance in the novel. The song explores moral ambiguity which is one of the major themes of the novel embodied in the character of Woland. The playful instrumental, with elements of samba music, adds a flair of devilishness to the song.

Ramble On **by Led Zeppelin, The Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien**

Led Zeppelin (source: wikimedia commons)

Weaving fantasy into rock, Ramble On by Led Zeppelin directly references locations and characters from The Lord of The Rings in the lines, “Twas in the darkest depths of Mordor, I met a girl so fair, but Gollum and the Evil One, crept up and slipped away with her”. Ramble On is a song about love and heartbreak from the perspective of someone who left their past lover behind and is now on the search for a greater love. Incorporating elements of fantasy adds a surprising twist to a classic narrative. Led Zeppelin has referenced The Lord of The Rings in their other songs as well, such as Misty Mountain Hop and The Battle of Evermore.