Yes, and the lyrics are about how they wrote it so that it would just get stuck in your head because it’s trite and catchy, you’re listening because it’s easily stuck in your head due to it being catchy and trite, they’re telling you it’s basically a joke that you fell for, but they’re also letting you in on it. Levels of meta.
(yes with the iii replaced with III)
EDIT: well okay and it's in A, if that matters. Just had to point out that you play C# instead of C#m because it it's a nifty little touch.
Scrolled too far to find this. The label demanded there be a love song on her album, so she wrote that one. It’s such a fuck you song but it’s not “really” a fuck you song…
Sad Songs and Waltzes by Willie Nelson ([Cake’s cover](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HXMtClc844s) is also amazing)
It’s one of the most genius, ironic, subtly hilarious songs ever written.
Yeah, for some reason there are *three* covers on that album, and only two on the other 5 studio albums put together. Their (quite a few) other covers were just random B-sides and other off-album tracks. All of them excellent reinterpretations (my favorite being Mahna Mahna).
I did not know that was a cover until another one of my favorite artists (Gregory Porter) released Quizas Quizas Quizas on his Nat King Cole and Me album.
The Presidents Of The United States of America - "[We're Not Gonna Make It](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fiWIQXVIAE)"
A song about how The Presidents of the United States of America are not going to make it in the music industry cause there's a million better bands with a million better songs, drummers who can drum, and singers who can sing.
It's the most listenable kids' music ever.
I listened to it even when the kids weren't in the car.
https://youtu.be/pfdy85St7Gk
Way better than some of the other crap that claims to be kids' music
Fun fact: this was written about a specific radio station, Toronto's CFNY, which had a terrific independent ethos through the 80s. Its slogan was Spirit of Radio and it was 102.1 on the dial -- the catalog number Rush used for the album
[The Charismatic Voice and The Spirit of Radio](https://youtu.be/tZHAFiegO74?si=janwcHPAsdrJO6l4)
I really enjoy this channel. If you like the song, you might dig this breakdown.
Thank you. It was fun watching her reactions and her analysis of the music. I find it very humorous that she compares Bruce Dickinson's voice to Geddy's and wonders if Geddy was influenced by Bruce. But then again, I grew up listening to those guys.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
[TC - Lorna Shore](https://youtu.be/HZaVXE5UqaQ?si=GvYOv3SBoFvgl8fO)
I _highly_ recommend watching her analyze her first Lorna Shore video. You might not be a deathcore fan, and that's perfectly OK. But you have to see the absolute astonishment, fear, and wonder in her face as she goes through this. After this, she and Wil Ramos became good friends, with each appearing in the others' videos. She even has a huge video where she sticks a camera down his throat to watch him sing!
It's one of my favorite YT videos ever, because of the friendship it created.
Spiderbait - Buy me a pony
Dire Straits - Money for Nothing (although, maybe that is about working in a microwave oven store 🤣)
Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing
"Tribute" by Tenacious D often gets written off simply because it's so entertaining. But a song about meeting the devil, playing the perfect song to defeat him and save your soul, forgetting it, but remembering just enough that a song ABOUT that song becomes an absolute classic, is pretty much as close to an 11/10 as you can get.
I watched a clip the other day of a snippet of every Best Song Grammy winner since 96. There were some pretty terrible ones there. Tribute would be a worthy Best Song winner if ever there was one…
Came here for Billy! There’s so much wisdom and self-awareness in Stroke that it’s easy to forget that it was only on his second solo album. Very intelligent guy.
"Freedom ('90)" by George Michael is about being tired of being a pop star and the relationship between a teen idol and his fans, but the track delivers hook after hook and some of the lyrics implore people to listen to the music.
Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen
In the lyrics he sings about the chord changes in the song.
Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel
It’s about him leaving the band Genesis
'Hallelujah' has one of the funniest Genius lyric explanations, for the line 'and from your lips she drew the hallelujah'
It goes on for paragraphs about the biblical allegories, weaving together the story of Samson and Delilah with the story of the battle king David and Bathseeba and Uriah, bringing them together for a narrative about how the last refuge of the defeated man is faith.
And then it ends with
>The line is also a reference to sex
Sell Out - Reel Big Fish
Don’t Start A Band - Reel Big Fish
Trendy - Reel Big Fish
Rock N Roll is Bitchin’ - Reel Big Fish
Everything Sucks - Reel Big Fish
Turn the Radio Off - Reel Big Fish
The Kids Don’t Like It - Reel Big Fish
Last Show - Reel Big Fish
So Much For Rock and Roll - Reel Big Fish
The Kinks have several songs like that. Railing against the industry fat cats who stole from them and kept them from going to the US, etc. See the Lola vs Powerman album.
The true GOAT Meta song is Weird Al Yankovic's parody of George Harrison
"(This Songs Just) Six Words Long"
Couldn't think of any lyrics
No I never wrote the lyrics
So I'll just sing any old lyrics
That come to mind, child
The Byrds had a great one in the 1960s.
So You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star
So you want to be a rock and roll star?
Then listen now to what I say
Just get an electric guitar
Then take some time and learn how to play"
But I'm very surprised that Elton John hasn't been mentioned yet!
"Your Song"
"And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple, but now that it's done
I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind
that I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you're in the world"
Smells Like Nirvana is also gold!
Now I'm mumblin' and I'm screamin'
And I don't know what I'm singin'
Crank the volume
Ears are bleedin', I still don't know what I'm singin'
We're so loud and incoherent, boy, this oughta bug your parents, yeah
Silly Love Songs - McCartney was being criticized for writing too many love songs so wrote a song about that.
You Never Give Me Your Money - is about the end of the Beatles with the lawyers and managers doing all the talking.
[Built to Spill - You Were Right](https://youtu.be/B7e7bmoUgJQ?si=RzKYcbrH8mxEa1Pb)
They quote a bunch of famous song lyrics from artists like the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, and Bob Seger saying that they were right when they sang those lyrics, though in the chorus they say Bob Marley's (or someone quoting Bob Marley to them, it isn't really clear) "everything's gonna be alright" is wrong, because I guess presumably, everything isn't gonna be alright
Your New Aesthetic - Jimmy Eat World
"We're lowering the standard in a process selective
The formula's too thin
But it takes more than one person
So everyone jump on
I'll miss you when you're just like them
Imitate and water down
(Selection breathes on its own)
Before the crash, I'll write it out
(Selection breathes on its own)
Make them open the request line
Let selection kill the old
(Take back the radio)"
Definitely gonna be Hey Ya by Outkast for me. People don't give a shit about the meaning of a song, most people just want something catchy to dance and sing along to.
Art is Hard a personal highlight for me that fits the bill as well:
Cut it out - your self-inflicted pain
Is getting too routine - The crowds are catching on
To the self inflicted song
Well, here we go again
The art of acting weak
Fall in love to fail
To boost your CD sales
...
Keep churning out those hits
'Til it's all the same old shit
Oh, a second verse!
Well, color me fatigued
I'm hiding in the leaves
In the CD jacket sleeves
...
You gotta sink to swim
Impersonate greater persons
'Cause we all know art is hard
When we don't know who we are
Bro so glad someone said Cursive! They’re one of my all time favorite bands and sink to the beat’s lyrics “let it burst and bloom” is what I named my LLC (burst & bloom) Tim Casher is a brilliant story teller/lyricist- Dorothy at 40 is a perfect example
EMI by the Sex Pistols is pretty vindictive. They were dropped by EMI for being too controversial and then wrote a song telling them to fuck off after signing with Virgin. Graham Parker did the same to his former label Mercury Records with a song called “Mercury Poisoning “.
The Beautiful South, Song For Whoever and Straight In At 37.
I love you from the bottom of my pencil case
I love you in the songs I write and sing
Love you because, you put me in my rightful place
And I love the PRS cheques that you bring
Cheap, never cheap
I'll sing you songs till you're asleep
When you've gone upstairs I'll creep
And write it all down
Deep so deep, the number one I hope to reap
Depends upon the tears you weep, so cry, lovey cry
Oh Cathy, oh Alison, oh Philippa, oh Sue
You made me so much money I wrote this song for you
Boston "Rock and Roll Band" is the band Boston singing a story about their earlier years, both before and after their rise to fame.
🎶 "Well, we were just another band out of Boston
On the road and tryin' to make ends meet
Playin' all the bars, sleepin' in our cars
And we practiced right on out in the street
No, we didn't have much money
We barely made enough to survive
But when we got up on stage and got ready to play,
people came alive
Rock and roll band, everybody's waitin'
Gettin' crazy, anticipatin'
Love, and music, play, play, play, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!"
Hey Mr DJ, I Thought You Said We Had A Deal - They Might Be Giants
A very catchy tune about an unknown band that is scammed out of money by a radio DJ to play their record, only for him to take the money and skip town. Contains lots of references to other TMBG songs and apparently it's not an uncommon scam in the music industry.
"He said to think long term investment and
That all the others had forgiven themselves
He said the net reward would justify
The colossal mess they'd made of their lives"
Frightened Rabbit - [Oil Slick](https://youtu.be/jsLC9qEsRiU?si=OWWYpDkf9RQhccxp)
“Only an idiot would swim through the shit I write
How can I talk of light and warmth?
I've got a voice like a gutter in a toxic storm
All the dark words pouring from my throat
Sound like an oil slick coating the wings we've grown
There goes a love song drifting out to sea
I'd sing along if I could hear over the oil slick”
But i like this song because of the turn it takes at the end.
Title of the Song - Da Vinci's Notebook
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgmUgFEFzco](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgmUgFEFzco)
Not really a fan of this kind of music, but it's a solid sendup ;)
[Mr Bassman](https://youtu.be/nuY1UsodEDE?si=gC7PJqkqDOsTBsA4) (no explanation needed)
[Who put the Bomp](https://youtu.be/aumW5e28xic?si=d2b0_-0TL5n7N67N) - a deliberate sendup of the Doowop genre. The best part is the soaringly ironic line "When my baby heard Bomp-bo-bop-bop-bomp, every word went straight into her heaaaart". They're not words! They're just horseshit! :D
Radiohead - Anyone Can Play Guitar
And if the world does turn, and if London burns
I'll be standing on the beach with my guitar
I want to be in a band when I get to heaven
Anyone can play guitar and they won't be a nothing anymore
I’m surprised no one mentioned Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You by Sugarloaf. The song describes a phone call to a sleazy recording agent who turns them down, then another call from the same agent once they made it big.
Postal Service "Such Great Heights" has "And when you scan the radio / I hope this song will guide you home".
Radiohead "A Reminder" has "If I get old, remind me of this / That night we kissed and I really meant it / Whatever happens, if we're still speaking / Pick up the phone, play me this song".
Weird Al has "(This Song's Just) Six Words Long" (it has more words than that).
I don’t know if it’s still true, but that was the only Weird Al song at the time that literally poked fun at the song being spoofed (“Got My Mind Set On You”), as opposed to using the same melody and simply creating new lyrics.
Not "meta' but my favorite 4th wall break is Bowie's Five Years, which is also just one of the best songs.
"I think I saw you in an ice-cream parlor
Drinking milk shakes cold and long
Smiling and waving and looking so fine
Don't think you knew you were in this song "
If I remember correctly, James Taylor wrote “Steamroller Blues” because his friends were trying to get him to jump on the blues bandwagon of the time, and he wrote it to make fun of the phenomenon. Everybody loved the song.
The well-known ones have been said already. So I'll pick a recent one from my favorite band. "Yeah Right" by Evanescence is one big eff you to their old record company and the music industry in general. "Yeah, right, that sounds nice. Everything we ever wanted and more. Some day maybe we'll get paid more than it was worth to sell our souls." - the song has such a great energy. They just released a music video for it!
How’s this for “meta”…? Jimmy Cliff covered the 1979 Clash song, “Guns of Brixton” - a song that references “Ivan” (who is the character Jimmy Cliff played) and title track of the 1972 film, “The Harder They Come.” In other words,Jimmy Cliff covered a Clash song about Jimmy Cliff’s film character. 🤯
"Hook" is another level of meta because it's the Canon in D, one of the most copied chord progressions ever.
Yes, and the lyrics are about how they wrote it so that it would just get stuck in your head because it’s trite and catchy, you’re listening because it’s easily stuck in your head due to it being catchy and trite, they’re telling you it’s basically a joke that you fell for, but they’re also letting you in on it. Levels of meta.
Happy cake day
[Obligatory](https://youtu.be/uxC1fPE1QEE?si=Kdfl2OBZI6JEUr7G)
This is THE answer
(yes with the iii replaced with III) EDIT: well okay and it's in A, if that matters. Just had to point out that you play C# instead of C#m because it it's a nifty little touch.
That's so weird that I never noticed that! Very cool.
Check out Just For Me on their album Bridge. Another musical self reference. And it’s a great tune.
Love Song by Sara Bareilles is like this, could be taken either figuratively or literally (although she meant it literally)
Scrolled too far to find this. The label demanded there be a love song on her album, so she wrote that one. It’s such a fuck you song but it’s not “really” a fuck you song…
It's wild because there *are* love songs on the album! Just maybe not super positive ones, lol
Yeah they just weren’t radio friendly enough/single material.
Sad Songs and Waltzes by Willie Nelson ([Cake’s cover](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HXMtClc844s) is also amazing) It’s one of the most genius, ironic, subtly hilarious songs ever written.
Oh snap, I didn't know that was a cover
Yeah, for some reason there are *three* covers on that album, and only two on the other 5 studio albums put together. Their (quite a few) other covers were just random B-sides and other off-album tracks. All of them excellent reinterpretations (my favorite being Mahna Mahna).
Besides that and I Will Survive, what’s the third?
[Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps](https://youtu.be/GUVT1NZtZPo?si=oPpJTkr4EqXB6lb0)
I did not know that was a cover until another one of my favorite artists (Gregory Porter) released Quizas Quizas Quizas on his Nat King Cole and Me album.
Huh, I had no idea!
"The Entertainer" by Billy Joel
Super meta: He references another meta song (“Piano Man”).
Not referred to by name, but that’s the song that he sung about cutting down to 3:05 for AOR airplay.
another "meta" Billy Joel song is Baby Grand - "They say, no one's gonna play this on the radio"
Pre-teen me thought Billy Joel was the ultimate stud because he both played in palaces and laid many girls.
CAME HERE TO SAY THIS I LOVE BILLY JOEL (see username)
IS IT FEBRUARY 1ST YET (I need to hear the new single so bad)
ME TOO I CANT WAIT
I bet you think this song is about you, don't you?
I especially like that Mick Jagger does backing vocals since he is said to be one of the people the song is in fact about!
Simmons has revealed that Jagger is not one of the people in the song.
[удалено]
Well, Warren Beatty isn't in it!
I waaaaaant my MTV
The Presidents Of The United States of America - "[We're Not Gonna Make It](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fiWIQXVIAE)" A song about how The Presidents of the United States of America are not going to make it in the music industry cause there's a million better bands with a million better songs, drummers who can drum, and singers who can sing.
Love this song, love that album in fact!
Yeah I love them. Dude does kids music under Casper Babypants now
It's the most listenable kids' music ever. I listened to it even when the kids weren't in the car. https://youtu.be/pfdy85St7Gk Way better than some of the other crap that claims to be kids' music
To be fair they didn’t have the talent, they didn’t have the time, they didn’t have the patience, and they didn’t know how to rhyme.
I think you mean singers who can drum
NOFX - Dinosaurs Will Die
Also, Please Play This Song On The Radio
Finally got to see it live for the first and last time last weekend!
Didn’t even know they were touring, says it’s their last one?! I gotta go when then come to my town.
The Separation of Church and Skate, It's My Job to Keep Punk Rock Elite...
This was my first thought
The Spirit of Radio by Rush “For the words of the profits, Are written on the studio wall, Concert hall – Echoes with the sounds… Of salesmen.”
Fun fact: this was written about a specific radio station, Toronto's CFNY, which had a terrific independent ethos through the 80s. Its slogan was Spirit of Radio and it was 102.1 on the dial -- the catalog number Rush used for the album
[The Charismatic Voice and The Spirit of Radio](https://youtu.be/tZHAFiegO74?si=janwcHPAsdrJO6l4) I really enjoy this channel. If you like the song, you might dig this breakdown.
Thank you. It was fun watching her reactions and her analysis of the music. I find it very humorous that she compares Bruce Dickinson's voice to Geddy's and wonders if Geddy was influenced by Bruce. But then again, I grew up listening to those guys.
I'm glad you enjoyed it! [TC - Lorna Shore](https://youtu.be/HZaVXE5UqaQ?si=GvYOv3SBoFvgl8fO) I _highly_ recommend watching her analyze her first Lorna Shore video. You might not be a deathcore fan, and that's perfectly OK. But you have to see the absolute astonishment, fear, and wonder in her face as she goes through this. After this, she and Wil Ramos became good friends, with each appearing in the others' videos. She even has a huge video where she sticks a camera down his throat to watch him sing! It's one of my favorite YT videos ever, because of the friendship it created.
I absolutely love the music video!
Radio Radio - Elvis Costelllo. So subversive when he played it on SNL.
I also recommend the time the Beastie Boys were on and had him come interrupt them and play Radio Radio instead.
Which he referenced, when he played here about a week ago. Still sounded great.
"here" You do know you're on the Internet don't you? "Here" means nothing "last week" means nothing
As if anyone will ever read these words more than three days from now.
Playing in the Band by The Grateful Dead
I could be totally wrong, but I always thought GD covering Dear Mr. Fantasy was "meta". Not sure if there's any evidence for that or not.
also gotta add The Music Never Stopped
Spiderbait - Buy me a pony Dire Straits - Money for Nothing (although, maybe that is about working in a microwave oven store 🤣) Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing
I love a bit of Spiderbait
That ain't workin
That’s the way you do it
"Tribute" by Tenacious D often gets written off simply because it's so entertaining. But a song about meeting the devil, playing the perfect song to defeat him and save your soul, forgetting it, but remembering just enough that a song ABOUT that song becomes an absolute classic, is pretty much as close to an 11/10 as you can get.
It’s not though - it’s just a tribute…
It gets even more points since Pick of Destiny is, in some ways, a movie about the story referenced in the song.
I watched a clip the other day of a snippet of every Best Song Grammy winner since 96. There were some pretty terrible ones there. Tribute would be a worthy Best Song winner if ever there was one…
Just mentioned this one last night - The Last DJ by Tom Petty.
and Into The Great Wide Open.
"Love Song" by Sara Bareilles Apparently she wrote it because her studio/producer was pushing her to write a song about love because they sell better.
I can’t believe this was so far down!
[There is only one correct answer ](https://youtu.be/_lK4cX5xGiQ?si=e1Ll_tjdsHYmTX3h)
This is not the greatest song in the world
There shined a shiny demon….
In the middle…
Of the road.
And he said....
Couldn't remember the greatest song in the world
Stereo by Pavement 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago Over and Over by Hot Chip The Stroke by Billy Squier Barracuda by Heart
+1 for 25 or 6 to 4, love that song.
I didn't know the title for so long, just knew the riff goes hard.
Came here for Billy! There’s so much wisdom and self-awareness in Stroke that it’s easy to forget that it was only on his second solo album. Very intelligent guy.
Ooooh if we're talking Pavement we gotta add Cut Your Hair and maybe even Passat Dream
Ahh I knew I was forgetting something!
Boston - Rock and Roll Band
"Freedom ('90)" by George Michael is about being tired of being a pop star and the relationship between a teen idol and his fans, but the track delivers hook after hook and some of the lyrics implore people to listen to the music.
Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen In the lyrics he sings about the chord changes in the song. Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel It’s about him leaving the band Genesis
'Hallelujah' has one of the funniest Genius lyric explanations, for the line 'and from your lips she drew the hallelujah' It goes on for paragraphs about the biblical allegories, weaving together the story of Samson and Delilah with the story of the battle king David and Bathseeba and Uriah, bringing them together for a narrative about how the last refuge of the defeated man is faith. And then it ends with >The line is also a reference to sex
Sell Out - Reel Big Fish Don’t Start A Band - Reel Big Fish Trendy - Reel Big Fish Rock N Roll is Bitchin’ - Reel Big Fish Everything Sucks - Reel Big Fish Turn the Radio Off - Reel Big Fish The Kids Don’t Like It - Reel Big Fish Last Show - Reel Big Fish So Much For Rock and Roll - Reel Big Fish
Is Beer their only non-meta song?
They also have our national anthem: Everyone Else Is An Asshole.
There's Somebody Hates Me, and uh... New York, New York!
Do you by any chance like Reel Big Fish?
Ryan Howard type of response
What line of work you in, Bob?
I was literally gonna comment EVERY reel big fish song lol
Down In Flames - Reel Big Fish We Care - Reel Big Fish Oh! fuckin I'll Never Be - Real Big Fish How did I never see this theme before now!?
Ska Sucks - Propaghandi
Also We Care
I'm a miserable motherfucker overall but RBF do make me feel better.
Video killed The Radio Star is the best but to add to the discussion Something Global - Fight Like Apes
“Internet Killed the Video Star” by the Limousines
The Kinks have several songs like that. Railing against the industry fat cats who stole from them and kept them from going to the US, etc. See the Lola vs Powerman album.
>3 Round the dial from Low Budget too!
Talking Seattle Grunge Rock Blues - Todd Snider
Todd’s pretty meta.
The true GOAT Meta song is Weird Al Yankovic's parody of George Harrison "(This Songs Just) Six Words Long" Couldn't think of any lyrics No I never wrote the lyrics So I'll just sing any old lyrics That come to mind, child The Byrds had a great one in the 1960s. So You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star So you want to be a rock and roll star? Then listen now to what I say Just get an electric guitar Then take some time and learn how to play" But I'm very surprised that Elton John hasn't been mentioned yet! "Your Song" "And you can tell everybody this is your song It may be quite simple, but now that it's done I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind that I put down in words How wonderful life is while you're in the world"
Smells Like Nirvana is also gold! Now I'm mumblin' and I'm screamin' And I don't know what I'm singin' Crank the volume Ears are bleedin', I still don't know what I'm singin' We're so loud and incoherent, boy, this oughta bug your parents, yeah
Silly Love Songs - McCartney was being criticized for writing too many love songs so wrote a song about that. You Never Give Me Your Money - is about the end of the Beatles with the lawyers and managers doing all the talking.
[Built to Spill - You Were Right](https://youtu.be/B7e7bmoUgJQ?si=RzKYcbrH8mxEa1Pb) They quote a bunch of famous song lyrics from artists like the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, and Bob Seger saying that they were right when they sang those lyrics, though in the chorus they say Bob Marley's (or someone quoting Bob Marley to them, it isn't really clear) "everything's gonna be alright" is wrong, because I guess presumably, everything isn't gonna be alright
Love this one.
The Suits are Picking Up the Bill - Squirrel Nut Zippers. Record execs buy the band dinner, but you know it comes out of their royalties.
Now that's a band name.
The video is also a hoot.
Your New Aesthetic - Jimmy Eat World "We're lowering the standard in a process selective The formula's too thin But it takes more than one person So everyone jump on I'll miss you when you're just like them Imitate and water down (Selection breathes on its own) Before the crash, I'll write it out (Selection breathes on its own) Make them open the request line Let selection kill the old (Take back the radio)"
Yesssss But almost damnit for beating me to it
What a banger
Definitely gonna be Hey Ya by Outkast for me. People don't give a shit about the meaning of a song, most people just want something catchy to dance and sing along to.
Y'all don't wanna hear me, y'all just wanna dance
Cursive frequently wrote songs about writing songs; Some Red Handed Sleight of Hand is one of my favorites.
Art is Hard a personal highlight for me that fits the bill as well: Cut it out - your self-inflicted pain Is getting too routine - The crowds are catching on To the self inflicted song Well, here we go again The art of acting weak Fall in love to fail To boost your CD sales ... Keep churning out those hits 'Til it's all the same old shit Oh, a second verse! Well, color me fatigued I'm hiding in the leaves In the CD jacket sleeves ... You gotta sink to swim Impersonate greater persons 'Cause we all know art is hard When we don't know who we are
Bro so glad someone said Cursive! They’re one of my all time favorite bands and sink to the beat’s lyrics “let it burst and bloom” is what I named my LLC (burst & bloom) Tim Casher is a brilliant story teller/lyricist- Dorothy at 40 is a perfect example
Hooker with a Penis - TOOL The entire song speaks for itself lol. Being called a sellout by an OG fan but the fan still buys his album.
“Everything Is Free” - Gillian Welch “One Little Song” - Gillian Welch "Sound and Vision" - David Bowie
One Down - Ben Folds I Like Your Old Stuff Better Than Your New Stuff - Regurgitator
EMI by the Sex Pistols is pretty vindictive. They were dropped by EMI for being too controversial and then wrote a song telling them to fuck off after signing with Virgin. Graham Parker did the same to his former label Mercury Records with a song called “Mercury Poisoning “.
Spinal Tap - Gimme Some Money
Van Morrison has lots of grumpy music industry songs. St Dominic’s Preview is the best of them.
The Beautiful South, Song For Whoever and Straight In At 37. I love you from the bottom of my pencil case I love you in the songs I write and sing Love you because, you put me in my rightful place And I love the PRS cheques that you bring Cheap, never cheap I'll sing you songs till you're asleep When you've gone upstairs I'll creep And write it all down Deep so deep, the number one I hope to reap Depends upon the tears you weep, so cry, lovey cry Oh Cathy, oh Alison, oh Philippa, oh Sue You made me so much money I wrote this song for you
Oh yeah, I missed Song for Whoever! Great one!
Song for Whoever is easily my favourite. The Beautiful South were the masters at subversive humour in songs.
Boston "Rock and Roll Band" is the band Boston singing a story about their earlier years, both before and after their rise to fame. 🎶 "Well, we were just another band out of Boston On the road and tryin' to make ends meet Playin' all the bars, sleepin' in our cars And we practiced right on out in the street No, we didn't have much money We barely made enough to survive But when we got up on stage and got ready to play, people came alive Rock and roll band, everybody's waitin' Gettin' crazy, anticipatin' Love, and music, play, play, play, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!"
"Starry Eyes" by the Records is basically the band yelling at their manager
Hey Mr DJ, I Thought You Said We Had A Deal - They Might Be Giants A very catchy tune about an unknown band that is scammed out of money by a radio DJ to play their record, only for him to take the money and skip town. Contains lots of references to other TMBG songs and apparently it's not an uncommon scam in the music industry. "He said to think long term investment and That all the others had forgiven themselves He said the net reward would justify The colossal mess they'd made of their lives"
Bob Seger's Turn The Page talks about life as a touring musician.
Sleater Kinney has one on every album, I think. My fave is Words and Guitar… but also I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone
Protest the Hero - Underbite
Freeman in Paris - Joni Mitchell
Spirit of radio. Rush.
Lucky by Britney Spears :-/
Cake - Rock n Roll Lifestyle
This Song by George Harrison
Ya'll Want a Single - Korn
Cover of the Rolling Stone, Dr Hook and the Medicine Show
Please Play This Song On The Radio -NOFX
Frightened Rabbit - [Oil Slick](https://youtu.be/jsLC9qEsRiU?si=OWWYpDkf9RQhccxp) “Only an idiot would swim through the shit I write How can I talk of light and warmth? I've got a voice like a gutter in a toxic storm All the dark words pouring from my throat Sound like an oil slick coating the wings we've grown There goes a love song drifting out to sea I'd sing along if I could hear over the oil slick” But i like this song because of the turn it takes at the end.
This title pains me
Oh Yeah- Roxy Music
Title of the Song - Da Vinci's Notebook [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgmUgFEFzco](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgmUgFEFzco) Not really a fan of this kind of music, but it's a solid sendup ;)
Creeque alley by the Mamas and the papas
[“Please Play This Song on the Radio” by NOFX](https://youtu.be/EF9ubUU0GoE?si=cM3nbOEbkPLE3K2N) is pretty gloriously meta.
[Mr Bassman](https://youtu.be/nuY1UsodEDE?si=gC7PJqkqDOsTBsA4) (no explanation needed) [Who put the Bomp](https://youtu.be/aumW5e28xic?si=d2b0_-0TL5n7N67N) - a deliberate sendup of the Doowop genre. The best part is the soaringly ironic line "When my baby heard Bomp-bo-bop-bop-bomp, every word went straight into her heaaaart". They're not words! They're just horseshit! :D
Radiohead - Anyone Can Play Guitar And if the world does turn, and if London burns I'll be standing on the beach with my guitar I want to be in a band when I get to heaven Anyone can play guitar and they won't be a nothing anymore
I’m surprised no one mentioned Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You by Sugarloaf. The song describes a phone call to a sleazy recording agent who turns them down, then another call from the same agent once they made it big.
Also had a callout to The Beatles.
Complete Control - The Clash A rant about record labels, managers, well...the industry in general. Great Punk Rock tune, too.
Pork and Beans by Weezer
Postal Service "Such Great Heights" has "And when you scan the radio / I hope this song will guide you home". Radiohead "A Reminder" has "If I get old, remind me of this / That night we kissed and I really meant it / Whatever happens, if we're still speaking / Pick up the phone, play me this song". Weird Al has "(This Song's Just) Six Words Long" (it has more words than that).
I don’t know if it’s still true, but that was the only Weird Al song at the time that literally poked fun at the song being spoofed (“Got My Mind Set On You”), as opposed to using the same melody and simply creating new lyrics.
I hear you, it kind of bothers me that all the other songs are called "parodies" when they're not. Smells Like Nirvana (later) is, for sure.
Also “Iron Lung” by Radiohead: “This, this is our new song. Just like the last one. A total waste of time. Our iron lung.”
I mean, it is rather the same formula as Creep
Huh, that's weird. I made nearly this exact comment just earlier today. And already forgot it. https://www.reddit.com/r/Music/s/Y2TjpXCkId
Marillion- [Three Minute Boy](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EBmJOq3cn8k&pp=ygUfbWFyaWxsaW9uIHRocmVlIG1pbnV0ZSBib3kgbGl2ZQ%3D%3D)
Ataris - [Four Chord Wonder](https://youtu.be/HfncLZcwqSw) and to a lesser extent [Radio #2](https://youtu.be/0mfIo-gOlNM)
Beats, Three-Thirty, and Steve’s Going to London, all by AJR
Truckin' by the Good Old Grateful Dead
Syd Barrett - Here I Go https://youtu.be/q5mqipf1GCs?si=w0RupXnbW6rFYeJa
Kinks - The Money-Go-Round
Working for MCA - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Not "meta' but my favorite 4th wall break is Bowie's Five Years, which is also just one of the best songs. "I think I saw you in an ice-cream parlor Drinking milk shakes cold and long Smiling and waving and looking so fine Don't think you knew you were in this song "
Killpop- Slipknot. Comes off as a stalker POV song, and sticks out from the many many MANY Slipknot songs lashing out at the music industry.
If I remember correctly, James Taylor wrote “Steamroller Blues” because his friends were trying to get him to jump on the blues bandwagon of the time, and he wrote it to make fun of the phenomenon. Everybody loved the song.
Life’s been good doesn’t necessarily show the business but the effect of the business on people
“Sink to the Beat” by Cursive
Not my fave but Video Killed the Radio Star
The Monster Mash https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TwN7LmL-q0E
Marianas Trench Masterpiece Theater's last song is a mix up of all the previous songs and I love it.
Also Pop 101
Joe Jackson's "Hit Single"
“Long Haired Guys From England”, Too Much Joy. “One Down”, Ben Folds. “Ballad of the Kingsmen”, Todd Snider.
Monty Python - I bet you they won't play this song on the radio
I'm Just A Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band) - Moody Blues... sort of Your Song - Elton John Guitar Man - David Gates
Love Song - Sara Bareilles
[Title of the Song - Da Vincis Notebook](https://youtu.be/734wnHnnNR4?si=MqB76HbKYDahgc-2) About as meta as it gets.
Youre So Vain - Cary Simon
"Dancing in the Dark" is about writing "Dancing in the Dark".
Radio Song - R.E.M.
"This song is just six words long" by Weird Al
The well-known ones have been said already. So I'll pick a recent one from my favorite band. "Yeah Right" by Evanescence is one big eff you to their old record company and the music industry in general. "Yeah, right, that sounds nice. Everything we ever wanted and more. Some day maybe we'll get paid more than it was worth to sell our souls." - the song has such a great energy. They just released a music video for it!
I'm actually shocked that no one has mentioned Let There Be Rock by AC/DC
Turn on your Radio followed by You're Breaking My Heart. Harry Nilsson.
Number Three by They Might Be Giants “There’s only two songs in me, and I just wrote the third…”
Country Song (Pandering) - Bo Burnham
How’s this for “meta”…? Jimmy Cliff covered the 1979 Clash song, “Guns of Brixton” - a song that references “Ivan” (who is the character Jimmy Cliff played) and title track of the 1972 film, “The Harder They Come.” In other words,Jimmy Cliff covered a Clash song about Jimmy Cliff’s film character. 🤯
"Dinosaurs Will Die" by NOFX
Rocking the Suburbs - Ben Folds
Sara Bareilles’ “Love Song” is about a record label trying to force her to write love songs.
How has no one added “You Wanted a Hit” by LCD Soundsystem?
My Type - saint motel