HENRY DILTZ, AFP/Getty Images When Rhode Island's Newport Jazz Festival…
History in the Singing: 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' & 19 Other Songs Based On Historic Events
- Posted by Anne T Donahue
liveaid.free.fr
And while you may or may not be a history buff, songs like U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" have helped history live on by commemorating events ranging from great victories to terrible tragedies. (To wit, this week also marks the anniversary of the school shooting that inspired the Boomtown Rats' "I Don't Like Mondays.")
That's why we've rounded up 20 historically inspired songs. Now, even if you're not particularly into the subject, you'll know the meaning behind a few of Bob Dylan's and Dr. Dre's biggest songs.
To read 20 Important Historical Moments Captured in Song click the gallery below:
- Don McLean "American Pie"
- U2 "Sunday Bloody Sunday"
- Gordon Lightfoot "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"
- Dr. Dre "The Day the Niggaz Took Over"
- Bob Dylan "Hurricane"
- Pearl Jam "Jeremy"
- Billy Joel, "We Didn't Start the Fire"
- The Neville Brothers "Sister Rosa"
- The Tragically Hip, "Wheat Kings"
- Boomtown Rats "I Don't Like Mondays"
- The Cranberries "Zombie"
- Bloc Party "Hunting for Witches"
- The Postal Service "Sleeping In"
- Bruce Springsteen "The Rising"/"My City of Ruins"
- Arlo Guthrie "Alice's Restaurant Massacre"
- Filter, "Hey Man, Nice Shot"
- KISS, "Detroit Rock City"
- Cherry Poppin' Daddies, "Zoot Suit Riot"
- Steve Earle, "Ben McCulloch"
- Arcade Fire "Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out)"
- 15 Greatest Overlooked Sports Songs
- A League Of Their Own (1992)
- Beerfest (2006)
- Blades Of Glory (2007)
- Blue Crush (2002)
- Bring It On (2000)
- Center Stage (2000)
- Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)
- Major League (1989)
- Moneyball (2011)
- She's the Man (2006)
- Space Jam (1996)
- Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby (2006)
- The Cutting Edge (1992)
- The Replacements (2000)
- Whip It (2009)
- 16 Best Posthumous Albums
- Joy Division 'Closer'
- Amy Winehouse 'Lioness: Hidden Treasures'
- The Notorious B.I.G. 'Life After Death'
- Elliott Smith 'From a Basement on the Hill'
- Johnny Cash 'My Mother's Hymn Book'
- Bob Marley & The Wailers 'Confrontation'
- Joey Ramone 'Don't Worry About Me'
- Otis Redding "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay"
- Janis Joplin 'Pearl'
- John Lennon 'Milk and Honey'
- Makaveli (a.k.a. 2Pac) 'The Don Killuminati: The 7-Day Theory'
- Michael Hutchence 'Michael Hutchence'
- Nirvana 'Unplugged in New York'
- Ray Charles 'Genius Loves Company'
- Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros 'Streetcore'
- Sublime 'Sublime'
- 11 Sad Songs About Car Accidents
- Jan and Dean "Dead Man's Curve"
- Kanye West "Through the Wire"
- Meat Loaf "Bat Out of Hell"
- The Shangri-Las "Leader of the Pack"
- Bruce Springsteen "Wreck on the Highway"
- Pearl Jam "Last Kiss"
- Barenaked Ladies "Tonight is the Night I Fell Asleep at the Wheel"
- Mark Dinning "Teen Angel"
- KISS "Detroit Rock City"
- Radiohead "Killer Cars" & "Airbag"
- "Simple Plan" Untitled (How Could This Happen To Me?
Watch U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" Video
- Filed under: News, Exclusive, The Hit List, Music Appreciation
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Around The Web:
100 songs that changed history: the full list - Music - Time Out London
Popular Songs in American History
Good songs about history? - music | Ask MetaFilter
Top-10 Songs with Historical Meaning
American History and Government - Songs for Teaching
Start the Revolution! 10 Songs About Historical Events - Houston ...
Add a Comment
u2 should retire and stop making music on past events. bono and his bubble gum music of years gone by should put a lid on it
February 04 2013 at 9:50 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyBuddy Holly, Ritchie Valens , The big bipper need I say more? Thats the day The Music died
February 04 2013 at 10:50 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI know for sure american pie had nothing to do with U2 aol is off the mark that I know.
February 03 2013 at 5:55 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyamen--Danny----this is bull---thought there may be a good article
February 03 2013 at 3:26 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyAnyone over 40 who doesn't know these factoids grew up under a rock.
February 03 2013 at 2:52 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyAs I recall it was The Big Bopper. Ritchie Valens, and Otis Redding. I never heard of "Hawk Shaw" Hawkins. If you did not mention, the renowned Otis Redding, I think you are in error.
February 03 2013 at 2:48 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyHate to be the one to tell you, but Otis Redding did NOT die with the other 2. It was Buddy Holly.
February 03 2013 at 3:51 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replydamned fooled again to read some other bullshit not topic spoken what the hell are you guys at aol doing got more info from readers than anything written grow up wise up get a clue write what you say topic is about gee thanks
February 03 2013 at 2:46 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyAmerican Pie speaks of life back in 60's as being simple and wholesome where you wnet to church and believed in God and the Bible. Kids attended school and Sock Hops where songs of Ritchie Valens,Little Ritchie,Buddy Holey,"the Big Bopper" and even Patsy Cline were played. "The day the music died" speaks of Ritchie Valens,Buddy Holy,"the Big Bopper",Patsy Cline, and "Hawk Shaw" Hawkins all tragicly died in a plane crash!!! At the time that Buddy Holy died he just got married so that was the "widowed Bride" in the song. This song also tells of the "Cuban Missle Crisis" and the song "Helta Skelta" sung by the Beattles and of Charles Manson and his followers killing and terrorizing people in california(1969) it also talks about future generations that may someday live in outer space. But this song American Pie is mainly about music legends like Ritchie Valens,Buddy Holy,"the Big Bopper", Patsy Cline, and "HawkShaw" Hawkins and when they died that changed the music industry forever.
February 03 2013 at 2:44 PM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down ReplyI am getting more inclined to NOT click on any of these stories from AOL just because of things like this! Where is the story that was blasted in front of me about American Pie? Who is the editor for this crap? This seems to be getting an every day occurance with AOL. But, then, AOL has lost it's charm in so many more ways. Thinking I will cancel, probably just like other people reading this.
February 03 2013 at 2:38 PM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down ReplyI agree with dannywray. Almost every time I click on a story, it\'s very defficult to find the story if there is any. This goes on everyday. Is a 5 year old in charge of posting these links?
February 03 2013 at 4:15 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
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