Songs Inspired by Books

Today I want to talk about two of my favorite things. Music and reading. I compiled a list of songs from the bands and artists I listen to that were inspired or based off of books. I was surprised by how long the list was and that there were many songs I hadn't realized were based off of a book.

There are tons of songs out there that were inspired by books, but I specifically focused on the bands and artists I like. Some of the books mentioned I have read and others I haven't, but I do at least know the general plot of them. Most songs are inspired by classics, but there are a few modern books on this list. My goal is to give you a little information on the band and the specific song mentioned.

Some artists show up multiple times, but the list is going alphabetical based on book title. I hope you enjoy this list and let me know if you have listened to any of these songs!

1. 1984 by George Orwell

The first song is 1984 (Infinite Jest) by The Used. On their latest album Heartwork, they had a handful of songs based on short stories and books. I have been listening to The Used for a long time and it was so cool to see books and stories I have read interpreted into music I love. The opening lyrics are:

No one is safe

Closer than I want to be

Imaginary enemy

Screen in my face

The second song is Resistance by Muse. Another band I have been listening to for a long time. The whole song has lyrics that easily make sense if you have read the book. This one has major inspiration from the book and is a great anthem while reading the book.

2. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Look Alive, Sunshine by My Chemical Romance. This is the short song before Na Na Na on the Danger Days album. I have never read A Clockwork Orange due to the fact that it has some difficult and horrifying scenes, though I know it is a popular book. My Chemical Romance said that this song was inspired by the novel and for those who have read it, the lyrics may make more sense for you.

3. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Jimmy Eat World's song Goodbye Sky Harbor is a very long song that is a thematic portrayal of the story. The song is over sixteen minutes long. I have never read anything by John Irving and the plot of this story seems very different from anything I have ever read. An eleven-year-old playing baseball hits a foul ball which hits his best friend's mother and ends up killing her. The story follows what happens to Owen after this event and as he grows up believing that he was chosen to be God's instrument.

4. A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner

To the End by My Chemical Romance was inspired by this work. It is a short story about a family after the Civil War. The lyrics to this song work well for the theme of the story and has the usual dark tone of My Chemical Romance.

5. Amerika by Franz Kafka

Young the Giant has a song by the same name that was inspired by the novel. This isn't one of Kafka's most known novels. I have read Kafka's Metamorphosis and that story has a creepy vibe to it and from my understanding most of his works have the same vibe. This song seems like a great homage to the novel.

6. Annabel Lee (poem) by Edgar Allen Poe

Stevie Nicks has a song of the same name. I am very familiar with Poe's works and it was cool that an artist that I enjoy was inspired by his work. Nicks took some of the lines from the poem and added it into the song, while also still making it her own. Some of the lyrics from this song are:

She was a child and I was a child

In this kingdom by the sea

We loved with a love

That was more than a love

I and my Annabel Lee

With a love that the winged angels of Heaven

They coveted her, and me

7. The Art of War by Sun Tzu

The song Art of War by Anberlin was clearly inspired by the novel by Sun Tzu. This well-known novel talks about the strategies of war and power. This translated work has been mentioned in so much media, so I shouldn't have been surprised to see a song inspired by it. Some lyrics that show the influence of this novel are:

Was I the greatest in your arsenal?

Or just the latest in your art of war?

Your art of war?

8. Carrie by Stephen King

I am not a horror fan, but as someone from Maine, I am very familiar with King's work. Ice Nine Kills have a song called Hell in the Hallways that directly relates to the novel. The lead singer of Ice Nine Kills, Spencer Charnas, is a huge horror fan. Even the band's name comes from the novel Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. The band have many songs that have been inspired by horror novels, but I have rarely seen any songs based off of Carrie.

9. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games series is still one of my favorites to this day. I recently reread this series and enjoyed it just as much the second time around and it may have aged a little too well in how realistic it seems. A singer on YouTube, Arshad, wrote many songs based on books he had read and one of them was Spark for this book. He takes lines from the novel and incorporates it into the song and it works so well. It is a great song.

10. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

I love Green Day, but I didn't enjoy this book. Green Day's song Who Wrote Holden Caulfield talks about the main character of this novel. The song talks about the personality of Holden and the actions that he takes in the story. I think the song does a great job of capturing the typical teen angst and I enjoy the song way more than I did the story. As I get older I understand more of Holden's personality, but I felt like nothing was happening in the story and Holden wasn't always a great person.

11. Divergent by Veronica Roth

Flyleaf's song Set Me On Fire was written after two of the band members finished reading the book. I have read this one and after listening to the song and learning the lyrics I could tell that they relate back to the characters in the story. It even has a direct line that talks about being factionless which is a major part of the book.

Notable lyrics are:

Oh, what a cold dark world it is

To walk through alone

With a fear filled head

Thinking of losing you

Is a haunted song

And a dread much worse than

The fear of death

12. Ender series by Scott Orson Card

This isn't a series I have read, but I have heard a lot about it. The song Ender Will Save Us All by Dashboard Confessional was inspired by the series. All I know about the series is that it is a science fiction series that was popular at one point, but after Card was publicly against same-sex marriage, the following has dropped off.

13. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Arshad has another song that he wrote after reading this book. This one is Okay. I love that he uses quotes from the book in the songs. The songs always match up so well with the books and they are so good. If you like the book, I highly recommend listening to the song.

14. For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway

The song of the same name is probably one of the most well-known songs by Metallica. They have a great way of combining instrumental parts and a kind of story-telling aspect to their lyrics. It's a great song and has clear ties back to the story.

15. Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon

This is another one by The Used off of their Heartwork album. I had actually never heard of this novel until I listened to the album, but after reading the synopsis of the book and looking at the lyrics to the song I can see how they are connected. The book focuses on V-2 rockets during WWII. Some of the lyrics of this song are:

Gravity's rainbow above me

A single tear drips from your eye

Somewhere the siren sounds cold through the night as we move

Single file in a line

So why would you leave me

Alone with these moments of love

16. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

At this point I think it is clear that I enjoy Arshad's book inspired songs. He wrote Girl on Fire after reading this novel and was the first song based off of a book that I found from him. I also mentioned before that I still highly enjoy this series and think it is still a great read for anyone who hasn't read it yet.

17. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

Lifehouse has a song based on the main character of the story, Quasimodo. The song is named after the main character. Though I have never read this book, I am familiar with the plot thanks to the Disney movie. My favorite lyrics from this song are:

I'm trapped inside of my own mind

Afraid to open my eyes cause of what I'd find

And I don't want to live like this anymore

There goes my pain

There goes my chains

Did you see them falling

18. It by Stephen King

There are many songs based off of this book but one of my favorites is We All Float Down Here by Four Year Strong. The band have such a fun pop-punk sound. The sound is so different from the vibe of the story that it gives it a new life.

19. Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk

Time to Dance by Panic! At the Disco has many lines that relate back to this story. Another novel I have never read and hadn't heard of until learning more about the song. However, this song has an interesting beat that makes you feel like time is somehow running out and the lyrics have a melancholy feel to them. Panic! At the Disco is known for their theatrical songs.

20. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe series by C.S. Lewis

The first song inspired by this series is In Like A Lion (Always Winter) by Relient K. This song feels like the nostalgia of reading books again and remembering childhood. I think this series was what many people grew up reading and this song brings back the good memories.

The second song is This is Home by Switchfoot. This song feels like an ode to the series told from the perspective of the four siblings. The lyrics talk about wishing they could go back to the world of Narnia and how it is where they feel like they belong. It's a beautiful song.

21. Looking For Alaska by John Green

Another Arshad song. Perhaps is a haunting song that captures the tone of the novel. The song name also comes from the quote in the book that says "I go to seek a great perhaps". If you have read this book then you know how heartbreaking it is.

22. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

Once again it's a song from The Used. The song is also called The Lottery and features Caleb Shomo of Beartooth. The short story is very unsettling and the song does a great job of capturing that feeling and explaining what happens in the story. Some of my favorite lyrics from this song are:

Twisting

We’re all contorting

While you keep sorting us in a line

Chasing the warm embracing while you keep tasting the bloody wine

Blindly leading the blindfolded T

o an outdated state of mind

The free will die

Live my lie

Make your body whole like mine

23. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The last song I have I am mentioning from Arshad is Ashes. It completes the trilogy of songs that he did for The Hunger Games series. As I have mentioned before I love this series and the songs go with the books so well. I highly recommend listening to them in order because it really adds to the story.

24. Paradise Lost by John Milton

This is also the the last song I have to talk about from The Used. It's called Paradise Lost, A Poem by John Milton. The title clearly tells us how much inspiration they took from the work. I have read part of Paradise Lost and it really isn't for me, but I am obsessed with this song. It's so catchy and has a beat that sticks in my head easily.

25. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

For this one I have the song Mix Tape by Brand New. I love the novel and was so excited that one of my favorite bands did a song inspired by it. However, I don't condone the actions that have recently come forward of the lead singer Jesse Lacey. I do my best to separate the artist from the art because Brand New has such good music, but I understand that others may not want to do that. I did still want to include this song because it does relate to the novel, but I also want to be honest about the people behind the music.

26. Ride the Lightning by Stephen King

Another song by Metallica that shares the name of the book they wrote about. I had never heard of this book by King which is surprising given the popularity of his books and how much he is a celebrity where I live. However, you just can't go wrong with Metallica.

27. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Star Crossed by Scary Kids Scaring Kids is based off of the play by Shakespeare. This iconic play has inspired lots of different media so it isn't surprising to find songs as well. Though the sound of Scary Kids Scaring Kids isn't for everyone, I highly enjoy their music and think the song is worth a listen, even if it is just to see how they were inspired by the play.

28. The Sound and The Fury by William Faulkner

Praise Poison by The Devil Wears Prada was inspired by this novel. I have read very little from Faulkner, but I once did a presentation on him and his works. The Devil Wears Prada is a heavy metal Christian band, but they have an interesting sound if you are up to giving them a chance. Some great lyrics from the song are:

How's there so much to speculate?

I can't stand to carry the weight

Call me "the sound and the fury"

Consider me dead and buried

29. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Halestorm did their own take on this novella with the song Mz Hyde. Lead singer Lizzy Hale said that the song is about her two personalities, her private one and her on-stage one. She took a lot of inspiration from this well-known story. It has the normal gritty sound of Halestorm and I highly recommend it.

30. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

If you were interested in Twilight at any point then you have most likely heard the song Decode by Paramore. This is still a very popular song and Haley Williams wrote it after reading the book. Even the music video has clips from the movie. Paramore is a great band and even though I outgrew Twilight I still love the song.

Another song inspired by the book is These Bones by Dashboard Confessional. Given how popular the books were, and in some instances still are, it makes sense that multiple songs were based off the book. When listening to the song you can't easily see that it is inspired by the book, but if you have read the book you can see the subtle nod to it.

31. Watchmen by Alan Moore (Comic)

Gerard Way has said many times in the past that he likes comics and graphic novels and has now written quite a few. So it makes sense that The Ghost of You by My Chemical Romance was based off of this comic. I love this song and my favorite lines are the part where it goes:

And all the wounds

That are ever gonna scar me

For all the ghosts

That are never gonna catch me

If I fall...

If I fall...

Down

32. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Death Cab for Cutie's Cath is based off the main character on this novel. Cath refers to Catherine,the heroine, and with Death Cab For Cutie's classic sound it puts you into the events of the novel. My favorite lyrics from this song:

You said your vows

And you closed the door,

On so many men

Who would have loved you more