The Top 10: Bands Named After Other Bands’ Lyrics
From the Rolling Stones to Wooden Shjips, groups that took their names from the words of other people’s songs
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Your support makes all the difference.Ian Moss suggested this list and nominated numbers 6 and 8. I’ve listed them in roughly chronological order of the bands’ formation.
1. The Rolling Stones, originally the Rollin’ Stones, from “Rollin’ Stone”, by Muddy Waters, a reinterpretation of “Catfish Blues”, a 1920s blues standard. This is permissible as the phrase is also in the lyrics (“Gonna be, he gonna be a rollin’ stone”). Nominated by Private Frazer.
2. Deep Purple, named after guitarist Ritchie Blackmore’s grandmother’s favourite song, “Deep Purple” by Pete DeRose. Still counts, even though the lyrics (“When the deep purple falls over sleepy garden walls...”) weren’t written until 1938, five years after the piano composition was a hit.
3. Steeleye Span from “Lincolnshire Posy” by Percy Grainger, composed and adapted from folk songs in 1937. The second movement, “Horkstow Grange”, features a fight between John “Steeleye” Span and John Bowlin. Thanks to Robert Boston.
4. Dr Feelgood took their name from “Dr Feel-Good” by Willie Lee Perryman, who often performed as Piano Red but who recorded the song under the name of Dr Feelgood and the Interns. From Alan Robertson and Simon Edwards.
5. Motörhead. Lemmy wrote a song called “Motörhead” for Hawkwind just before they sacked him in 1975. Nominated by Robert Boston and No Ordinary Cat.
6. Simple Minds from “The Jean Genie”, David Bowie (“He’s so simple-minded, he can’t drive his module...”). Ian Moss.
7. A Flock of Seagulls from “Toiler on the Sea” by The Stranglers (“The young ones used their hands, pointed the way to a flock/A flock of seagulls/A flock of seagulls…”). Thanks to Peter Carbery and Alan Robertson.
8. Radiohead from “Radio Head”, by Talking Heads. (“Hey, radio head”). Ian Moss.
9. Deacon Blue took their name from “Deacon Blues” by Steely Dan (“...call me Deacon Blues”). Nominated by Paul de Zylva and Craig Oliver.
10. Wooden Shjips from “Wooden Ships” by Crosby, Stills and Nash (Jefferson Airplane also did a version). Thanks to Mary Elwin.
In the “there’s always one” category is Ross Smith, who said: “The boy band Five were named after a work by Beethoven, who in turn took his name from a Chuck Berry song.”
Next week: Politicians Who Did the Job They Were Responsible For, such as Tracey Crouch, who was a football coach and is now Minister for Sport
Coming soon: Best Brackets in Literature, such as: “My very photogenic mother died in a freak accident (picnic, lightning) when I was three…” Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita.
Your suggestions, and ideas for future Top 10s, in the comments please, or to me on Twitter, or by email to top10@independent.co.uk
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