"So I Want to Be a Paperback Writer": Books That Inspired Songs

For whom the bell tolls

Hemingway, Ernest, 1899-1961.

From the Publisher

In 1937 Ernest Hemingway traveled to Spain to cover the civil war there for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Three years later he completed the greatest novel to emerge from "the good fight," For Whom the Bell Tolls. The story of Robert Jordan, a young American in the International Brigades attached to an antifascist guerilla unit in the mountains of Spain, it tells of loyalty and courage, love and defeat, and the tragic death of an ideal. In his portrayal of Jordan's love for the...

My Thoughts

Metallica's 1984 song of the same name tells of the horrors of war described in this classic Hemingway novel.

Alice's adventures in Wonderland

Carroll, Lewis, 1832-1898.

From the Publisher

A little girl falls down a rabbit hole and discovers a world of nonsensical and amusing characters.

My Thoughts

"White Rabbit," by Jefferson Airplane, is a trippy retelling of this classic children's novel.

The catcher in the rye

Salinger, J. D. (Jerome David), 1919-2010.

From the Publisher

Holden narrates the story of a couple of days in his sixteen-year-old life, just after he's been expelled from prep school.

My Thoughts

Songs Inspired: "Who Wrote Holden Caulfield?" and "Basket Case" by Green Day, as well as "Catcher in the Rye" by Guns N' Roses.

1984

Orwell, George, 1903-1950.

From the Publisher

"En el año 1984 Londres es una ciudad lúgubre en la que la Policía del Pensamiento controla de forma asfixiante la vida de los ciudadanos. Winston Smith es un peón de este engranaje perverso, su cometido es reescribir la historia para adaptarla a lo que el Partido considera la versión oficial de los hechos... hasta que decide replantearse la verdad del sistema que los gobierna y somete."--Amazon.

My Thoughts

David Bowie's album "Diamond Dogs" was meant to be a "1984" concept album; however, his idea was rejected by Orwell's estate. Other songs include, "Welcome to 1984" by Anti-Flag, the Eurythmics' “Ministry of Love,” Rage Against The Machine's “Testify,” and Stevie Wonder's “Big Brother.” However, there are still many more that could be listed.

Johnny got his gun

Trumbo, Dalton, 1905-1976.

From the Publisher

This was no ordinary war. This was a war to make the world safe for democracy. And if democracy was made safe, then nothing else mattered--not the millions of dead bodies, nor the thousands of ruined lives ... This is no ordinary novel. This is a novel that never takes the easy way out: it is shocking, violent, terrifying, horrible, uncompromising, brutal, remorseless, and gruesome ... but so is war. Johnny Got His Gun holds a place as one of the classic antiwar novels. First published in 1939,...

My Thoughts

The haunting song "One," by Metallica, is based on this infamous anti-war novel about a brutally injured WWI veteran.

Wuthering Heights

Brontë, Emily, 1818-1848.

From the Publisher

Perhaps the most haunting and tragic love story ever written, "Wuthering Heights" is the tale of Heathcliff, a brooding, troubled orphan, and his doomed love for Catherine Earnshaw. His desire for her leads him to madness when Catherine is made to marry a wealthy lord, sending Heathcliff on a lifelong quest to avenge himself upon those who stole his only love and his life..

My Thoughts

"Heathcliff, it's me..." Kate Bush's song "Wuthering Heights" is the most notable song inspired by this Bronte novel. "Cath..." by Death Cab for Cutie is another.

The adventures of Tom Sawyer

Twain, Mark, 1835-1910.

From the Publisher

Who could forget the pranks, the adventures, and the sheer fun of Tom Sawyer? From Tom's sly trickery with the whitewashe.d fence to his and Becky Thatcher's calamities in Bat Cave, the enjoyment never ends.

My Thoughts

Rush tells of a modern day Tom Sawyer in their 1981 progressive rock hit "Tom Sawyer."

The lord of the rings

Tolkien, J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel), 1892-1973, author, illustrator.

From the Publisher

Presents the epic depicting the Great War of the Ring, a struggle between good and evil in Middle-earth, following the odyssey of Frodo the hobbit and his companions on a quest to destroy the Ring of Power.

My Thoughts

Many a song has been written about the mystical world of Middle-Earth including "The Battle of Evermore," "Misty Mountain Hop," and "Ramble On," all by Led Zeppelin. Canadian band Rush also included a song called "Rivendell" on their album "Fly by Night" all about weary travelers finding peace in Middle-Earth.

Lolita

Nabokov, Vladimir Vladimirovich, 1899-1977.

From the Publisher

Presents the degeneration which results from a middle-aged professor's desperate obsession with a precocious, callous teenager whose mother he marries just to be near the young girl.

My Thoughts

This is another book with many song adaptations, most notably "Don't Stand So Close to Me" by The Police and "Lolita" by Lana Del Rey.

The Grapes of wrath

Steinbeck, John, 1902-1968.

From the Publisher

The influential story of the Joad family amidst the Great Depression, illuminating their journey from disparaging Oklahoma to the deceptively promising fields of California.

My Thoughts

The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, wrote about the American classic on his 1995 album of the same name.

Anthem

Rand, Ayn.

From the Publisher

In a future where there is no love, no science, and everyone is equal and of one entity, one man defies the group to be his own person.

My Thoughts

Rush drummer Neil Peart gained the moniker "The Professor" for the many literary references he made in the lyrics he wrote. Most notably are his songs inspired by Ayn Rand's work. The epic, 20 minute "2112" is a retelling of the novel, and their song "Anthem" celebrates the free-will aspects of Rand's writing.

Animal farm : a fairy story

Orwell, George, 1903-1950

From the Publisher

George Orwell's famous satire of the Soviet Union, in which "all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others."

My Thoughts

Some more songs based on another Orwell classic include; R.E.M.'s "A Disturbance at the Heron House" and all of Pink Floyd's "Animals" album.

The call of Cthulhu : and other stories

Lovecraft, H. P. (Howard Phillips), 1890-1937, author.

From the Publisher

"The essential literary collection of H. P. Lovecraft's ten finest short stories, from the celebrated editor of the two-volume New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft. Devoured by the Lovecraftian community and general readers alike, Leslie S. Klinger's best-selling New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft, Volumes I and II were hailed as classics of the genre. Now, Klinger returns with the ideal annotated primer not only for Lovecraft devotees eager for a more portable version, but also students,...

My Thoughts

James Hetfield must be incredibly well read as we have two more Metallica songs for the list. The now classic thrash metal songs include "The Call of Ktulu" and "The Thing That Should Not Be."

Paradise lost

Milton, John, 1608-1674.

From the Publisher

Paradise Lost is one of the most epic, complex theological works to date. Milton's masterpiece in blank verse tells the story of the fall from grace. His protagonist is often read as Satan, who rebels against the omnipotent God, though he cannot win. Milton expresses the paradox of free will within the creation of an all-knowing God.

My Thoughts

From Nick Cave to Pet Shop Boys to Eminem, it seems many musicians have taken inspiration from this 17th century classic.

The stand : a novel

King, Stephen, 1947-

From the Publisher

An accident occurs in an Army lab causing a horrific disaster and a plague virus sweeps the U.S. leaving only a handful of survivors.

My Thoughts

This novel served as the main inspiration of Metallica's "Ride the Lightning" as well as the main story of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' "Red Right Hand." The Bad Seeds song title is actually from the above mentioned "Paradise Lost."

Ulysses

Joyce, James, 1882-1941.

From the Publisher

James Joyce's novel Ulysses is said to be one of the most important works in Modernist literature. It details Leopold Bloom's passage through Dublin on an ordinary day: June 16, 1904. Causing controversy, obscenity trials and heated debates, Ulysses is a pioneering work that brims with puns, parodies, allusions, stream-of-consciousness writing and clever structuring. Modern Library ranked it as number one on its list of the twentieth century's 100 greatest English-language novels and Martin...

My Thoughts

Kate Bush reworked the closing paragraphs of James Joyce's novel for her 1989 album "The Sensual World." Jefferson Airplane also used the novel as inspiration for their song "ReJoyce."

The hobbit, or, There and back again

Tolkien, J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel), 1892-1973.

From the Publisher

Bilbo Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbit-hole until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to take part in an adventure from which he may never return.

My Thoughts

Rush once again use J.R.R. Tolkien as inspiration for their song "The Necromancer." Actor Lenoard Nimoy wrote a song called "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins," based on the novel as well.

Brave new world

Huxley, Aldous, 1894-1963.

From the Publisher

First published 70 years ago, the classic, prophetic novel capturing the socialized horrors of a futuristic utopia remarkably explores the now-timely themes of cloning, individual creativity and freedom, and the role of science, technology, and drugs in humankind's future.

My Thoughts

Soma, from The Strokes' first album, "Is This It," uses Aldous Huxley's dystopian novel as inspiration. As does the aptly named "Brave New World," by Iron Maiden.