Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones
Based on: The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
After reading the newly-translated tale of the Devil's mischief-making gang in the USSR, frontman Mick Jagger penned one of the most famous book-inspired songs in history. What he crafted in 1968 was the Devil’s musical POV, which went on to cause quite a stir in its day. Inspired by Bulgakov’s cultured and observing Voland, the song reflects on a timeline of human chaos. The trial and death of Jesus Christ, the end of tsarist Russia, World War II, and the JFK (and later RFK, too) assassination – these are just some of the historical events alluded to in the song.
“Please allow me to introduce myself // I'm a man of wealth and taste // I've been around for a long, long year // Stole many a man's soul and faith…”
A Song From Under the Floorboards by Magazine
Based on: Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
A definite #2 hit for Magazine, this 1980 song unapologetically yet brilliantly weaves existential themes into its dark melodies – or, perhaps, the other way around. The single is an overt nod to Dostoevsky’s faux-memoir of an unnamed man who opts for a reclusive life. The influence is noticeable not only in the song’s title and opening – which basically paraphrases the first lines of the novella; but also in the way it mirrors the themes of human nature, suffering, and isolation.
“I am angry, I am ill and I'm as ugly as sin // My irritability keeps me alive and kicking…”
Dead Souls by Joy Division
Based on: Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol
In biographical accounts, Ian Curtis, the lead vocalist and songwriter of the band, is often described as an avid reader whose love for fiction tended to filter into his own songs. Their track titles say it all. Dead Souls, for example, is thought to be inspired by the Russian novelist Nikolai Gogol and his Dead Souls – a story of a middle-aged schemer. Though not lyrically identical, both share the title, a darker, more gothic tone, and even some themes: societal decay and “haunting” past.
“Someone take these dreams away // That point me to another day // A duel of personalities // That stretch all true realities…”
Moi… Lolita by Alizée
Based on: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Nabokov’s infamous Lolita is a reference mainstay in music; the book, though, endlessly falls victim to misguided interpretations and romanticization. Among Lolita-inspired songs is Moi… Lolita – a debut song by the French singer Alizée that topped the charts in the 2000s. In it, Alizée is portrayed as a young Lolita straddling the line between childhood and adolescence.
“My name is Lolita // Lo or Lola, it's all the same // My name is Lolita…”
The Gates of Delirium by Yes
Based on: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
The Gates of Delirium (1974) is the band’s almost 22-minute-long (!) musical tribute to Leo Tolstoy’s four-volume epic of around 1,400 pages. Though with no direct quotes to spot, the track, just as the book, paints a picture of horrendous battlefields and culminates with a more gentle, promising tone of hope. In his masterwork, Tolstoy chronicles the Napoleonic Wars in 1805 and 1812 and their aftermath.
“Soon oh soon the light // Pass within and soothe this endless night // And wait here for you // Our reason to be here…”
Whether you love reading, jamming, or both and combined, check out our tags Music and Literature to find a story (or two) to your liking.
