Difference between revisions of "Songs mentioned in Bleeding Edge"

Latest revision as of 04:56, 27 December 2018

Songs, Music and Artists in Bleeding Edge

In terms of references and allusions to historical musicians and works of music, Bleeding Edge is second only to Gravity's Rainbow. In 2018, Orbit published an analysis of the historical musical material referenced and alluded to in all of Pynchon's work. The Excel spreadsheet can be downloaded here. With the help of the Orbit list (and a handful of additions), the original, less encompassing list below was replaced entirely. For the rationale which songs were included (particularly where they are only alluded to), see the Orbit article.

• Spotify playlist - If you have Spotify, a playlist of all the songs available there.
• Rdio playlist - If you use Rdio, here's a playlist for you.

The Spotify and Rdio playlists don't include the additions of the more encompassing list (yet?).

Bleeding Edge Playlist

7: “Oops!… I Did It Again” (Max Martin/Rami Yakoub, 2000), recorded by Britney Spears.
7: “Help Me Rhonda” (Brian Wilson/Mike Love, 1965), recorded by the Beach Boys.
12: “Landslide” (Stevie Nicks, 1975).
13: “Borderline” (Madonna, 1984).
16: “The Love Boat” (Charles Fox, Paul Williams, 1979). “Love, exciting and new, as they used to sing on The Love Boat.”
21: “Purple Haze” (Jimi Hendrix, 1967). “Figures, it’s that white food y’all eat, white bread and that,’ paraphrasing Jimi Hendrix.”
21: “Georgia on My Mind” (Hoagie Carmichael, 1930). “Horst is somehow on her mind.” 21: “Life Is A Party” (The Michael Zager Band, 1978). “Life is a party isn’t it Daytona.”
27: West Side Story (Leonard Bernstein/Steven Sondheim, 1957; here in the movie version from 1961).
28: “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” (Ernest Ball/Chancey Olcott/George Graff, Jr., 1912).
43: “Korobeiniki” (a.k.a. “Korobushka,” Russian folk song based on a poem by Nikolay Nekrasov, 1861). “Nintendo’s Tetris theme.”
47: Britney Spears (*1981), American pop singer.
47: Jay-Z (a.k.a. Shawn Corey Carter, *1969), American rapper.
47: “1999” (Prince, 1982). “Even hashslingrz is hirin like it’s 1999.”
47–48: “Time Is on My Side” (Jerry Ragovoy, 1963), here in the version by The Rolling Stones, 1964.
48: Evil Empire (Rage Against the Machine, 1996). “The next Evil Empire” and further down “Fodder for the machine.”
50: Elvis Presley (1935–1977), American rock ’n’ roll singer and guitarist.
52: John Lennon (1940–1980), British guitarist, singer and songwriter, member of The Beatles.
55–56: West Side Story (Leonard Bernstein/Steven Sondheim, 1957).
58: “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” (Billy Berry/Peter Buck/Mike Mills/Michael Stipe, 1987), recorded by R.E.M. “Anything short of the end of the world” etc.
59: “Run Like Hell” (Roger Waters/David Gilmour, 1980), recorded by Pink Floyd. “Maybe I should be telling him to run like hell.”
61: “Don’t Stop Believing” (Jonathan Cain, Steve Perry, Neal Schon, 1981).
65: “That’s Amore” (Harry Warren/Jack Brooks, 1952), recorded by Dean Martin in 1953). “When the stars make-a you droli” etc.
66: “Una furtiva lagrima” from L’elisir d’amore (Gaetano Donizzetti/Felice Romani, 1832).
69: “It’s Cool at the Mall” (Melanie’s Mall commercial, 1996).
92: “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” (a.k.a. “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”, Mr. Rogers theme song) (Fred Rogers, 1967).
92: Guys and Dolls (Frank Loesser, 1950).
96: Guys and Dolls (Frank Loesser, 1950).
97: Frank Loesser (1910–1969) American composer.
97: Jussi Björling (1911–1960), Swedish opera tenor.
97: Deanna Durbin (1921–2013), Canadian opera singer.
97: “Nessun dorma” from Turandot (Giacomo Puccini/Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni, 1926).
98: Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901), Italian composer.
98: Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924), Italian composer.
98: Richard Wagner (1813–1883), German composer.
98: Aretha Franklin (*1942), American soul singer.
98: Luciano Pavarotti (1935–2007), Italian opera tenor.
100: Tosca (Giacomo Puccini/Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, 1900).
100: Plácido Domingo (*1941), Spanish opera tenor.
100: Hildegard Behrens (1937–2009), German opera soprano.
102: “Strangers in the Night” (Avo Uvezian, Charles Singleton, Eddie Snyder, 1966), popularized by Frank Sinatra.
106: Big Ben theme (a.k.a. “Westminster Quarters” or “Westminster Chimes”, origin disputed).
107: The Flying Dutchman (Richard Wagner, 1843).
112: “Billie’s Bounce” (Charlie Parker, 1945).
121: Elvis Presley (1935–1977), American rock ’n’ roll singer and guitarist.
123: “As Mayor of the Munchkin City” from The Wizard of Oz (Harlon Arlen/E.Y. Harburg, 1938).
124: John Kander (*1927), American composer.
124: Fred Ebb (1928–2004), American musical theatre lyricist.
124: Richard Rodgers (1902–1979), American composer.
124: Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), American librettist.
124: Andrew Lloyd Webber (*1948), British musical composer.
125: “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” (Ross Bagdasarian Sr., 1958). “Me, I want a hula hoop.”
127: “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” (Ross Bagdasarian Sr., 1958). “Al-vinnn?”
141: Detsl (a.k.a. Kirill Aleksandrovich Tolmatskiy, a.k.a. Le Truk, *1983), Russian hip hop artist.
141: “Вечеринка у Децла” (“Vetcherinka U Detsla”; “Party at Detsl’s”) from Кто ты? (Who Are You?) (Detsl, 2000).
141: “Уличный боец” (“Ulitchnyi Boyets”; “Street Fighter”) (Detsl, 2001).
149: “Don’t Stop Believin’” (Jonathan Cain, Steve Perry and Neal Schon, 1981), recorded by Journey.
151: “More Than a Feeling” (Tom Scholz, 1976), recorded by Boston.
151: “Bohemian Rhapsody” (Freddie Mercury, 1975), recorded by Queen.
151: “Dancing Queen” (Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Stig Anderson, 1976), recorded by ABBA.
153: Oklahoma! (Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II, 1943), here in the movie version of 1955 with Gloria Grahame in the role of Ado Annie Carnes.
153: Irene Dunne (1898–1990), American film actress and singer.
154: “Volare (Nel blu dipinto di blu)” (Domenico Modugno/Franco Migliacci, 1958).
154: “Africa” (David Paich/Jeff Porcaro, 1981), recorded by Toto. “I left my brains down in Africa.”
155–56: “September” (Maurice White, Al McKay and Allee Willis, 1978), recorded by Earth, Wind & Fire.
156: “What a Fool Believes” (Michael McDonald/Kenny Loggins, 1978), recorded by The Doobie Brothers.
158: “Doctor Wu” (Walter Becker/Donald Fagen, 1975), recorded by Steely Dan.
164: Celia Cruz (1925–2003), Cuban singer.
164: “Cuando Volverás” (Anthony “Romeo” Santos, 1999), recorded by Aventura.
166: “This Land Is Your Land” (Woody Guthrie, 1944). “This Land Is My Land, This Land Also Is My Land.”
177: “Green Haze” (Elvis Hitler, 1988), a mashup of the next two entries. “Elvis Hitler […] singing the Green Acres theme to the tune of ‘Purple Haze’.”
177: Green Acres theme (unknown, c. 1965).
177: “Purple Haze” (Jimi Hendrix, 1967).
187: Meat Loaf (*1947), American rock musician.
189: “Lyin’ Eyes” (Don Henley/Glenn Frey, 1975), recorded by the Eagles. “Cheatin side of town, as the Eagles like to say.”
189: “Kick Out the Jams” (MC5, 1969). “Where a man can kick out the jambs.”
190: Shania Twain (*1965), Canadian singer-songwriter.
204: “Whoomp! (There It Is)” (Steven Gibson/Cecil Glen [Tag Team], 1993). “And whoop there it is.”
209: “Nowhere to Run” (Lamont Dozier/Brian Holland/Eddie Holland, 1965), recorded by Martha and the Vandellas. “Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide.”
217: Henry “Henny” Youngman (1906–1998), American comedian and violinist.
217: The Sound of Music (Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II, 1959), here in the movie version of 1965.
221: U2, Irish rock band.
221: Guns N’ Roses, American hard rock band.
221: Journey, American rock band.
221: Moby (*1965), American singer, songwriter, and DJ.
221: “That’s When I Reach for My Revolver” (Clint Conley, 1981), here in the version by Moby.
222: “Canned Heat” (Jay Kay/Sola Akingbola/Wallis Buchanan/Simon Katz/Derrick McKenzie/Tony Smith, 1999), recorded by Jamiroquai.
222: “Cosmic Girl” (Jay Kay/Derrick McKenzie, 1996), recorded by Jamiroquai.
231: “Baby Beluga” (Raffi, Ken Whiteley, 1980).
232: Les Paul (Lester William Polsfuss, 1915–2009), American jazz, country and blues guitarist and songwriter. Here as a reference to the Epiphone guitar.
235: “Bird Dog” (Boudleaux Bryant, 1958,) recorded by The Everly Brothers.
239: “The Imperial March” (a.k.a. “Darth Vader Theme”) (John Williams, 1980).
241: “Ride the Wild Surf” from the movie Ride the Wild Surf (Jan Berry, Brian Wilson, Roger Christian, 1964, recorded by Jan & Dean).
251: “Tzena, Tzena, Tzena” (Issachar Miron/Jehiel Hagges, 1941).
253: “Shall We Dance?” from The King and I (Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II, 1951), here also referring to the movie version of 1956. “On the clear understanding, […] as Deborah Kerr, or Marni Nixon, might say, or actually sing” etc.
253: Marni Nixon (*1930), American soprano and actress.
254: Tiny Desk Unit, American psychedelic dance band.
254: Bad Brains, American punk band.
263: Al Jolson (1886–1950), American singer and actor.
263: “Nessun dorma” from Turandot (Giacomo Puccini/Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni, 1926). “Talk about nessun’ dorma.” This reference is only included in the review copy and was deleted before the novel came out officially.
267: Jaws theme (John Williams, 1975).
270: Look Sharp! by Joe Jackson (1979) or Roxette (1988)
273: “Meet the Flintstones” (Hoyt Curtin, 1960).
279: “Donna non vidi mai” from Manon Lescaut (Giacomo Puccini, 1893).
282: Jay-Z (a.k.a. Shawn Corey Carter, *1969), American rap musician.
282: “The World Is Yours” (Nasir Jones/Peter Phillips, 1992), recorded by Nas.
282: Tupac Shakur (1971–1996), American rap musician and actor.
282: The Notorious B.I.G. (a.k.a. Biggie or Biggie Smalls; Christopher George Latore Wallace) (1972–1997), American rap musician.
282: “Piggy Bank” (50cent, 2004). “Chairman Mao piggy banks.”
283: “Hong Kong” (Jalacy Hawkins/I. Nahan, 1958), recorded by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.
289: Hy-Vee commercial (Annie Beacham/James Poulsen, 1990s).
295: “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” (Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe, 1987), recorded by R.E.M. “Something like this particular End of the World As We Know It.”
296: Johnny Pacheco (*1935), Dominican musician.
300: “Copacabana” (Barry Manilow, Jack Feldman, Bruce Sussman, 1978), recorded by Barry Manilow.
302: “1999” (Prince, 1982). “Party like it’s 1999.”
302: Blink-182, American rock band.
302: Echo & The Bunnymen, British rock band.
302: Barenaked Ladies, Canadian rock band.
302: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, American hip hop band.
302–03: “Erica Kane” (John Rowan, Edward Roeser, Nathan Kaatrud), recorded by Urge Overkill, 1993.
308: “Copacabana” (Barry Manilow, Jack Feldman, Bruce Sussman, 1978, recorded by Barry Manilow).
308: “What a Fool Believes” (Michael McDonald/Kenny Loggins, 1978), recorded by The Doobie Brothers.
311: “Closing Time” (Dan Wilson, 1998), recorded by Semisonic.
328: “America the Beautiful” (Samuel A. Ward/Katherine Lee Bates, 1895).
328: “Amazing Grace” (Christian hymn; lyrics: : John Newton, 1779).
332: “Time After Time” (Sammy Cahn/Jule Styne, 1947), recorded by Frank Sinatra.
333: Sarcófago, Brazilian metal band.
333: Burzum, Norwegian metal band project.
333: Mayhem, Norwegian metal band.
334: “Love in Bloom” from the film She Loves Me Not (Ralph Rainger/Leo Robbins, 1934).
344: Andrew Lloyd Webber (*1948), British musical composer.
347: “Macarena” (Rafael Ruiz Perdigones, Antonio Romero Monge, 1993), recorded by Los del Río.
351: “Dancing in the Street” (Marvin Gaye, William “Mickey” Stevenson, Ivy Jo Hunter, 1964), recorded by Martha and the Vandellas. “So he’s working in ‘D.C. now,’ as Martha and the Vandellas might say.”
355: Tia Carrere (*1967), American actress, model, and singer.
355–56: “Regulate” (Nate Dogg/Warren G, 1994), recorded by Warren G. and Nate Dogg.
356: “Don’t Fear the Reaper” (Buck Dharma, 1976). “More Cowbell.”
356: Theme from Deus Ex (Alexander Brandon, 2000).
358: “Chalk Outline” (Adam Gontier/Neil Sanderson/Brad Walst/Barry Stock/Craig Wiseman, 2012), recorded by Three Days Grace on the album Transit of Venus. “The dead can’t speak.”
362: Surf’s Up! (The Beach Boys, 1971) or the song of the same title on that album. 362: “A Whiter Shade of Pale” (Gary Brooker/Keith Reid/Matthew Fisher, 1967).
366: “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” (Albert Von Tilzer/Jack Norworth, 1908). “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack?.”
369: “The Fez” (Walter Becker/Donald Fagan/Paul Griffin), recorded by Steely Dan, 1976.
369: “My Way” (Paul Anka, 1968).
382: “Beyond the Sea” (Jack Lawrence/Charles Trenet, 1946), here in the version of Bobby Darin, 1959.
382: Dean Martin (1917–1995), American singer and actor.
387: “Movin’ on Up” (Theme from The Jeffersons) (Jeff Barry/Ja’net Dubois, 1975).
387: “Theme from New York, New York” (Fred Ebb/John Kander, 1977), popularized by Frank Sinatra. “The City That Doesn’t Sleep.”
392: “Already Gone” (Jack Tempchin/Robb Strandlund, 1973), recorded by The Eagles.
396: “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (Johnny Marks, 1949).
417: Theme from The Godfather (Nino Rota, 1972).
417: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), Austrian composer.
418: Il dissoluto punito ossia il Don Giovanni (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 1787), here in the fictional version by the Marx Brothers.
418: “Madamina, il catalogo è questo” (a.k.a. “The Catalogue Aria”) from Don Giovanni (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; libretto: Lorenzo Da Ponte, 1787).
418: “Deh, vieni alla finestra” from Don Giovanni (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; libretto: Lorenzo Da Ponte, 1787).
418: Nelson Eddy (1901–1967), American singer and actor.
422: Joe Hill (1879–1915), Swedish-American hobo, union leader, singer, and songwriter.
429: Eddie Fisher (1928–2010), American entertainer and singer.
433–34: “At Long Last Love” (Cole Porter, 1938; recorded by Frank Sinatra in 1957 and 1962). “It’s just the strangest feeling […] And Frank, I believe, was singing about love.”
434: Richard Wagner (1813–1883), German composer.
451: “Candle in the Wind” (Elton John/Bernie Taupin, 1973).
456: “Ты не один” (“Ty Nye Odin”) (recorded by DDT, 1992).
456: “Ветер” (“Veter”) (recorded by DDT, 1994).
457: “Marching to Astoria.” Unknown. Probably a pun on “Marching to Pretoria” (unknown origin, likely during the Boer Wars, 1880–1902).
457: “Zum Gali Gali” (Israeli children’s song, origin unknown).
457: “Ride wit Me” (Nelly, El DeBarge, William DeBarge, Jason Epperson, Steven Bojovich, Eugene Webb, Joe Islardo, 2000), recorded by Nelly.
464: Music from Girl Happy (George E. Stoll, 1965), here in particular “The Meanest Girl in Town” (Joy Byers, 1965), performed by Elvis Presley. “Elvis-movie music […] I’M EVIL.”
464: Elvis Presley (1935–1977), American rock’n’roll singer and guitarist.
464: Michele Ann Marie “Shelley” Fabares (*1944), American actress and singer.
464: “Love Will Find A Way.” Likely a song reference, for instance to a song recorded either by Pablo Cruise (1978), Lionel Richie (1983), Yes (1987), or Christina Aguilera (1999).
466: Elvis Presley (1935–1977), American rock’n’roll singer and guitarist.
467: “Can’t Smile Without You” (Christian Arnold/Geoff Morrow/David Martin, 1976).
467: “Reunited” (Dino Fekaris/Freddie Perren, 1977), recorded by Peaches & Herb.
474: Mamma Mia! (Björn Ulvaeus/Benny Andersson/Stig Anderson/Catherine Johnson, 1999).
474: Tammy Wynette (1942–1998), American country music singer and songwriter.