Jan 242013
My son has been reading a book that has a lot of references to Greek Mythology. This got me wondering how many songs contain lyrical references to specific Greek or Roman gods (or goddesses).
The rules:
- To keep this from turning into a Venus-centric list, only three songs per god, please.
- You may, however, list the Roman counterpart to a Greek god, even if the Greek god has already been listed three times. So for instance, you could list a song with Poseidon in the lyrics, even if three “Neptune” songs have already been mentioned.
- One entry per post.
I expect someone with a working knowledge of mythology will poke holes in this contest, but until that happens, I’ll lead off with “Venus” by Shocking Blue.
I will claim the second of our 3 allotted Venuses: Television’s “Venus.”
Graham Patker “Mercury Poisoning “
“Mr Apollo” – Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.
The Fall – “Leave the Capitol”
“I laughed at the great God Pan / I didnae I didnae”
The Undertones – “Mars Bars”
The Rezillos – “Destination Venus”
David Bowie “Life on Mars?”
“Athena” – The Who
Wanda Jackson – “Stupid Cupid”
Please refrain from offering additional answers until someone else has knocked you off the top of the heap.
Soap Star Joe by Liz Phair “They say he sprung from the skull of Athena…”
The Divine Comedy, “Neptune’s Daughter”
The Gin Blossom’s “Until I Fall Away” looks for “Aphrodite on a barstool”.
Holy Fripp! It’s basically just picking up the loose change from the fountain, but King Crimson – ‘In the Wake of Poseidon’ for both song and alblum:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPdRB9CpEFo
Great song! Graham Parker covers it too!
Hi five for any BDDDB reference…
Meant to post this too: Come for the doo-dah, stay for the Kaleidoscope!
http://www.amazon.com/Urban-Spacemen-Wayfaring-Strangers-Visionaries/dp/0879306165/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359072011&sr=8-1&keywords=Urban+spacemen+and+wayfaring+strangers+%3A+overlooked+innovators+and+eccentric+visionaries+of+%2760s+rock
Venus (If you will…) – Frankie Avalon
“Bronze Adonis” – John Cooper Clarke.
Hmmm…at this point it appears that we have blown our ‘Venus’ wad without a Lou Reed mention…unexpected! I have been pummeling my brain for Warren Zevon lyrics as I am sure he is the only rockstah who may have name-checked Hephaestus, and I’d bet I’d have that god sewn up as it were…I’m not done trying.
Still, just to dog-pile to the top I’m going to assume that using gods names in contexts with completely no reference to mythology bes okay, I will claim the first blow for the GREEK god of war by channeling Mr. Walter Becker’s ‘Surf and/or DIE’ on ’12 tracks of Whack:’
“Now Armand’s looked all over but he can’t find your car keys
Were they under the tire? Were they under the seat?
Because as it stands now your beloved white Aires
Is fair game for the vandals up on Makapuu Street”
So I can more or less claim ‘first’ on Ares/Aire; whatever, and for all I know may have pulled off a double-dip with one of them feisty Hawaiian gods as well…
I knew Andy Partridge would have something for this. But since “apple Venus on a half open shell” is closed:
XTC – “The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul” references the Sirens.
Cream’s “Tales of Brave Ulysses” satisfies our second “Aphrodite” reference. Since this is surely the last reference to Greek or Roman gods in song, I feel safe in saying…LAST MAN STANDING!
Scruffy the Cat, “Moons of Jupiter”
I didn’t think that the Sirens were goddesses, just daughter’s of a god or something.
Ha, I was waiting for you or Andy to get that one.
Mars needs Guitars – the Hoodoo Gurus
Well ” as sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti” Toto will provide somewhere for them all to stay.
Bob Dylan, “Changing of the Guards” — “she was torn between Jupiter and Apollo” (two-for-one).
Whoa, Sam Cooke’s “Cupid” hasn’t been mentioned yet…until now. LMS!
Ruling please about Hercules. I believe he is considered a demigod (but, my oh my, those abs are fabulous!). If he is allowed, please accept “Hercules Theme” by Hercules and Love Affair.
Hercules is the son of a god but not an actual god so I’m afraid that the Mod is still the Last Man Standing. Unless…
… Mercury Blues by a whole bunch of people but I’ll say by El Rayo Ex.
As of now, only Mars and Venus are off the table.
Venus and Mars…Allright!
And now – it is STAR TIME! Can’t say I get full credit as it’s not eggzackly a lyrical reference, but – I CAN’T HELP MYSELF! HUH!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMizXttN-Uo
Ladies and gentlemen – Mr. James Brown and the Famous Flames – LIVE AT THE APOLLO!
Yeah, I’m not sure about the “gods” qualification either. Supernatural for sure.
Dick Campbell, “Aphrodite’s Child.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCgHEIwnw3U No relation to the Greek prog band featuring young Vangelis.
Oops I gave him and extra track of whack…
Oh, sorry: LMS.
I always imagined how a fight between ‘Aphrodite’s Child’ and ‘Lucifer’s Friend’ would turn out…
Dirty Diana – Michael Jackson
Love conquers all.
Neptune City-Nicole Atkins
LMS
Hmmm….I dunno. Looks like <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5DpOdf-_yMthese guys
could of won the Euro division of the Lunkheaded league.
Damn! I think it was David Thomas and Pere Ubu who pointed out that thems ‘needs women’ too. With a track record like that I’d bet that they are short of Three Floyds as well.
Flop, “Pluto”
Ooh – I hear the Sirens in my creamiest dreams.
‘Flop’ is a band? I can’t imagine why I never heerd of them…sharing a bill with ‘Ultimate Loser’ in Austin perhaps?
Hmmm….if Pluto is no longer considered a planet, can it still be considered a god?
Speaking of Boston, I’ll bet Clutch has greek god lyrics. I consider it fair to google the names of the gods, but googling Clutch lyrics would cross my line of death…
Train “Drops of Jupiter”
Achilles, like Herc, was a demi-god. Therefore, Achilles Last Stand by Zep.
“But I know there’s not a hope in Hades” Elvis C. Beyond Belief.
The Pixies “Mr Grieves” “Who’s that swimming in the water / old Nep-tuna’s only daughter”.