Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,222 
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Post by Confessor on Nov 20, 2018 7:21:01 GMT -5
Since this thread has mutated into more of a general "pop stars and the influence comics had on them" kinda thread, I feel as if I should mention the impact that comic characters had on the Hippie counterculture of the 1960s. You had Donovan singing about "Superman and Green Lantern..." in his song "Sunshine Superman" (1966), name-dropping Supergirl in his later "Superlungs My Supergirl (1969), or Country Joe and the Fish's tribute to one of Daredevil's arch villains in their song "Masked Marauder" (1969), or the Beatles name-dropping Captain Marvel in their song "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" (1968), garage punk band The Traits singing "Nobody Loves the Hulk" (1969), or The Clique's "Superman" (1969), to name just a few. In particular, there were quite a few references to Doctor Strange within the Hippie counterculture and its music. For example, the very first Hippie "love in" in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district in 1965 was called "A Tribute to Doctor Strange"; the cover of Pink Floyd's 1968 album A Saucerful of Secrets is based on Steve Ditko's Doctor Strange artwork and even features an image of the good Doctor; Strange was also name dropped in songs by the likes of Marc Bolan and the aforementioned Pink Floyd; and there was even an Irish acid-folk band in the late '60s called Dr. Strangely Strange. There's also little doubt that Ditko's artwork on Dr. Strange was hugely influential on the psychedelic rock posters that flourished in the late 1960s. Marvel even licensed a number of Doctor Strange black light posters that were sold in head shops in the late '60s and early '70s, like this one...  |
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Post by rberman on Nov 20, 2018 8:48:58 GMT -5
Since this thread has mutated into more of a general "pop stars and the influence comics had on them" kinda thread, I feel as if I should mention the impact that comic characters had on the Hippie counterculture of the 1960s. You had Donovan singing about "Superman and Green Lantern..." in his song "Sunshine Superman" (1966), name-dropping Supergirl in his later "Superlungs My Supergirl (1969), or Country Joe and the Fish's tribute to one of Daredevil's arch villains in their song "Masked Marauder" (1969), or the Beatles name-dropping Captain Marvel in their song "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" (1968), garage punk band The Traits singing "Nobody Loves the Hulk" (1969), or The Clique's "Superman" (1969), to name just a few. In particular, there were quite a few references to Doctor Strange within the Hippie counterculture and its music. For example, the very first Hippie "love in" in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district in 1965 was called "A Tribute to Doctor Strange"; the cover of Pink Floyd's 1968 album A Saucerful of Secrets is based on Steve Ditko's Doctor Strange artwork and even features an image of the good Doctor; Strange was also name dropped in songs by the likes of Marc Bolan and the aforementioned Pink Floyd; and there was even an Irish acid-folk band in the late '60s called Dr. Strangely Strange. There's also little doubt that Ditko's artwork on Dr. Strange was hugely influential on the psychedelic rock posters that flourished in the late 1960s. Marvel even licensed a number of Doctor Strange black light posters that were sold in head shops in the late '60s and early '70s, like this one... I didn't know about some of those. I've been trying to amass a master list of genre pop songs (comic book, sci-fi, and fantasy themed). Things like: Billie Holliday - Two Little Men in a Flying Saucer Leonard Nimoy - The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins All Saved Freak Band - Theme of the Fellowship of the Ring Blue Oyster Cult - Godzilla Michael Jackson - Thriller Aqua - Cartoon Heroes Kirby Krackle - Great Lakes Avengers And so on. I have 148 so far, and thanks to you I have a couple more to add! |
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Post by Cheswick on Nov 20, 2018 11:07:06 GMT -5
I think Bowie was an X-Men reader at some point, based on his use of the term "Homo Superior" in "Oh, You Pretty Things". Pete Shelley (of the Buzzcocks) also used the phrase in his solo song "Homo Sapien"
rberman- You probably already have these songs on your list but, just in case, here are some genre-related songs that came to mind after reading your post:
"Frankenstein" by The Edgar Winter Group, The Jam's cover of the '60s TV Batman theme, "Bela Lugosi's Dead" by Bauhaus, and REM's cover of The Clique's "Superman". Also, Queen references Star Wars and Jaws in "Bicycle Race". edit: I just remembered "More Human Than Human" by Rob Zombie, with its title , and many of the lyrics coming from Blade Runner. edit 2: I can't believe I forgot "Can U Dig It?" by Pop Will Eat Itself. They pack more genre references into it than any other song I've ever heard (Bruce Wayne, Terminator, Furry Freak Brothers, Alan Moore, Marvel, DC, Bruce Lee, V for Vendetta, The Warriors, and probably a few I'm forgetting). "Nerd Girl" by MC Chris is also comic-reference-heavy. |
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Post by beccabear67 on Nov 20, 2018 13:53:29 GMT -5
'60s Canadian group The Staccatos had a single of Super Girl (it's really cool too).  I think Confessor mentioned everything else I might have, even Dr. Strangely Strange who are also tres cool! Didn't know the Country Joe one though... |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2018 13:58:34 GMT -5
Some other pop culture references...I'm sure you have most of them but just in case... Weezer's In the Garage references X-Men, D&D and Kiss there's a whole passel of fantasy references in Uriah Heep's catalog, and the band itself was a topic in the Sandman letters pages at some point (I haven't had the original issues in almost 20 years so I can;t remember exactly which issues). Billy Thorpe's Children of the Sun is essentially a sci-fi epic in song form the same is true of some of Rush's stuff, especially from the earlier albums, stuff like Cygnus X-1 and 2112 come to mind quickly Rick Wakeman has a couple of genre influenced albums, in particular Journey to the Center of the Earth (and it's sequel Return to the Center of the Earth) and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. More sci-fi themed songs... Starship Troopers by Yes. Another Yes member solo effort was Jon Anderson's Olias of Sunhillow that was a concept album about an alien civilizations journey to a new world Interstellar Overdrive, Astronomy Domine and Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun by Pink Floyd. Tarkus and Karn Evil 9 by Emerson Lake and Palmer Warren Zevon's Transverse City channels William Gibson's works there's the obvious stuff like Queen's Flash (Gordon) from the soundtrack, but less obvious is their song "39" Watcher of the Skies by Genesis is a post-apocalypptic song with lyrics influenced by Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke another obvious one is Godzilla by Blue Oyster Cult and speaking of Parliament Funkadelic as Reptisaurus! was there's the Mothership Connection and Doctor Funkenstein one of my dad's favorite one hit wonders was In the Year 2525 by Zager and Evans Intergalactic by the Beastie Boys Rapture and its man from Mars by Blondie and then some super-hero references... Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down Jimmy Olen's Blues by SPin Doctors Land of Confusion by Genesis Don't Mess Around with Jim by Jim Croce One Week by Bare Naked LAdies Rap God by Eminem Real World by Matchbox Twenty Sunshine Superman by Donovan Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me) by XTC there's lots more but that's all I got off the top of my head. -M |
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Post by rberman on Nov 20, 2018 14:16:06 GMT -5
Some other pop culture references...I'm sure you have most of them but just in case... ... there's lots more but that's all I got off the top of my head. -M I was missing a few of those, so thanks for the suggestions! Does anybody else listen to Kirby Krackle? They have scads of comic-book related songs, as their name implies. Here's one about Green Lantern. |
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Nov 20, 2018 14:52:37 GMT -5
Warren Zevon's Transverse City channels William Gibson's works Warren Zevon is the best. (I haven't heard this album, though, except for a couple cuts on a greatest hits.) Along similar lines, one of my youtube subscribees just did a video on Billy Idol's early '90s Masterpiece *snicker* Cyberpunk. |
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Post by badwolf on Nov 20, 2018 15:16:42 GMT -5
Deborah Harry had a song called "Comic Books" on her album Def, Dumb and Blonde, but IIRC it was written for her.
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Post by MDG on Nov 20, 2018 15:32:40 GMT -5
Man or Astro-Man used samples from Power Records Batman and Spider-Man stories.
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Post by Rob Allen on Nov 20, 2018 15:35:29 GMT -5
Does "One-eyed, One-horned Flying Purple People Eater" count as a genre song?
Also, for you P-Funk fans, before George Clinton was able to support himself with music, he managed a barbershop in my home town. I also went to high school with guitarist Glenn Goins, who died tragically young.
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Post by rberman on Nov 20, 2018 16:01:42 GMT -5
Does "One-eyed, One-horned Flying Purple People Eater" count as a genre song? It does as far as I'm concerned! It's on my list. Also Monster Mash and King Kong by Bobby Pickett, Mr. Spaceman by The Byrds, Wooden Ships by CSNY, Mr. Roboto by Styx, Red Barchetta by Rush, Blue Sunny Day by Jonathan Coulton, etc. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2018 16:42:40 GMT -5
'60s Canadian group The Staccatos had a single of Super Girl (it's really cool too). I think Confessor mentioned everything else I might have, even Dr. Strangely Strange who are also tres cool! Didn't know the Country Joe one though... I heard this song in Vancouver B.C. a few years back when renting a car for a couple of days ... |
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Post by beccabear67 on Nov 20, 2018 19:53:27 GMT -5
Did we check Black Sabbath off the list with Iron Man or Crash Test Dummies for Superman Song? Also Blondie (sort of named for a comic strip though they say something about construction workers hollering at Debbie) they mention Brenda Starr in Rip Her To Shreds... comic artist Mike Grell worked on Brenda Starr early on.
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Post by beccabear67 on Nov 20, 2018 19:58:25 GMT -5
Don't Mess Around with Jim by Jim Croce Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me) by XTC I know those two well yet didn't think of them, wouldn't have thought of some of the others though. Oh and lots of instrumental artists covered the Batman and Green Hornet themes or is that how we got here? Also The Ventures did the Dick Tracy theme which is one of my favorites of theirs. |
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Post by Cheswick on Nov 20, 2018 20:19:45 GMT -5
I forgot about this song in my earlier post: |
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