The Stories Behind Songs Inspired by Real-Life Events—From Bob Dylan’s ‘Hurricane’ to Don McLean’s ‘American Pie’
Did you know that your favorite songs were inspired by these real-life events?
Singing along to your favorite songs takes on a whole different meaning when you realize that there is real inspiration behind the words. Smash hits like “Hurricane” by Bob Dylan and “Baba O’Riley” by the Who, among others, were written based on true events and went on to be successful in their own right.
While most of the events that inspired these songs were rather tragic, they created the masterpieces we all know and love and continue to sing along to today. Keep reading to find out what real-life events motivated your favorite artists to write their biggest hits.
1. ‘Hurricane’ by Bob Dylan
It’s no secret that Bob Dylan had a knack for writing lyrics about ongoing social issues, politics, religion and just about every other touchy subject. But it’s also known that he was one of the biggest hitmakers of all time, landing himself in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and his 1975 hit “Hurricane” was no exception.
Here comes the story of the Hurricane / The man the authorities came to blame / For somethin’ that he never done
Dylan wrote and recorded the track based on the real-life story of Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, a champion boxer falsely accused of murder and imprisoned. Carter was convicted of a triple murder in New Jersey in 1966 and, despite proclaiming his innocence, was sent away for 20 years. The conviction seemed to be racially motivated, as well as based on false evidence.
All of Rubin’s cards were marked in advance / The trial was a pig-circus, he never had a chance
It wasn’t until 1988 that the conviction was overturned and Carter was proven innocent, but the damage had already been done. Dylan explores the struggle for equality and justice throughout the eight-and-a-half-minute song.
2. ‘American Pie’ by Don McLean
It’s long been understood that McLean penned this smash hit about “the day the music died,” referencing the plane crash that claimed the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson in 1959. For many years following the 1971 track’s rise on the charts, McLean wouldn’t share the meaning behind his lyrics. But he recently opened up in the documentary, The Day the Music Died.
But February made me shiver / With every paper I’d deliver / Bad news on the doorstep / I couldn’t take one more step
“It was too hard in an interview to explain the subtlety of what I was trying to say,” McLean shared. “So, I would say, ‘Look I really don’t talk about the lyrics.’ And that’s all I would say. Because it would require a set-up such as this movie [the documentary] makes, for me to then come in and talk about how I lived through this.”
I was a lonely teenage broncin’ buck / With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
The documentary explores McLean’s childhood, leading up to his discovery of the 1959 plane crash. But despite how popular the song has become over the years, McLean had a hard time getting it recorded. He explained, “I realized how everything was against me and I didn’t allow it to defeat me. The record producer didn’t think I had any talent, he didn’t really care about my songs.”
And while the King was looking down / The jester stole his thorny crown
Beyond the crash, McLean’s song made many other references to his own life, including one to his lonely childhood and another to his life with his mother. And while the “King” reference was often thought to be about Elvis, McLean says it actually refers to Jesus Christ.
3. ‘Smoke on the Water’ by Deep Purple
“Smoke on the Water,” a success from Deep Purple, is actually based on a fire that burned the Montreux Casino to the ground in 1971. The flames began at a Frank Zappa and the Mothers concert after a crazy fan shot off a flare gun, causing the entire building to catch fire.
We all came out to Montreux / On the Lake Geneva shoreline / To make records with a mobile / We didn’t have much time
Luckily, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, causing only injuries and burned equipment, but it was a significant moment in history. Deep Purple happened to be in Montreux, Switzerland at the time of the fire, getting ready to record their own album at the venue, and the fire ended up sparking inspiration for their hit song.
Smoke on the water / A fire in the sky
Bassist Roger Glover explained that the song came to him in a dream a few days following the events. “It was probably the biggest fire I’d ever seen up to that point and probably ever seen in my life” Glover said. “It was a huge building. I remember there was very little panic getting out, because it didn’t seem like much of a fire at first. But, when it caught, it went up like a fireworks display.”
4. ‘Baba O’Riley’ by the Who
Interestingly, the title of this hit is not even mentioned once in the song’s entirety, but the Who does often mention the line “teenage wasteland.” This was inspired by one of their concerts in 1969 when the field was trashed by the fans. The idea for “Baba O’Riley” was also partially inspired by 1969’s infamous Woodstock music festival.
Out here in the fields / I fight for my meals / I get my back into my living
Guitarist Pete Townshend explained in an interview that the song sprang from “the absolute desolation of teenagers at Woodstock, where audience members were strung out on acid and 20 people had brain damage. The irony was that some listeners took the song to be a teenage celebration.”
Don’t cry / Don’t raise your eye / It’s only teenage wasteland
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