Songs Inspired by True Stories

 


     Like movies and TV shows, many songs are based on or inspired by true, often tragic, stories. Here are some of my favorite songs that were inspired by true events:

     Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy”: In 1991, a fifteen-year-old boy named Jeremy shot himself in front of his classmates.

     “Jeremy spoke in class today…”

    Fastball’s “The Way”: In June 1997, an elderly couple rode their car and left their home to attend a festival, two weeks after, they were found dead at the bottom of a ravine.

    “You can see their shadows wandering off somewhere, they won’t make it home, but they really don’t care…”

    Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb:” Pink Floyd’s bassist and singer Roger Waters, feeling ill before a 1977 concert, was injected with tranquilizers so the show could go on.

   “Can you stand up? I do believe it’s working, good, that’ll keep you going through the show, come on, it’s time to go…”

    Tori Amos’ “Me and a Gun”: Tori Amos, 21 years old then, was raped at knifepoint (she replaced the knife with a gun in the lyrics) after performing in a bar.

    “It was me and a gun, and a man on my back, and I sang “Holy, Holy,” as he buttoned down his pants…”

    The Boomtown Rats’ “I Don’t Like Mondays”: In 1979, a sixteen-year-old girl carrying a gun opened fire inside her school, killing two and injuring nine. When asked why she did it, she said that she didn’t like Mondays.

     “Tell me why I don’t like Mondays, I wanna shoot, oohh, the whole day down…”

     Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven”: Clapton’s four-year-old son accidentally fell from a 53rd-floor window.

   “Would you hold my hand if I saw you in heaven? Would you help me stand if I saw you in heaven?”

     The Beatles’ “Hey Jude”: John Lennon and his wife were divorcing, and to console John’s son, Julian, Paul McCartney wrote a song for him, originally titled, “Hey Jules,” which became “Hey, Jude.”

    “And anytime you feel the pain, hey, Jude, refrain, don’t carry the world upon your shoulders…”

    Don Mclean’s “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)”: Mclean beautifully and hauntingly wrote about star-crossed painter Vincent van Gogh’s struggle and grief.

    “Now I understand, what you tried to say to me, how you suffered for your sanity…”



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