Songs inspired by or containing references to The Dark Tower!

[kept_back]

Not sure where the best place to post this would be, so I'll stick it here.

I need a little help. Trying to Make a Dark Tower playlist and I'm having trouble remembering all the songs refernced in the series. I've got a few;

Hey, Jude
Velcro Fly
Someone Saved my Life Tonight
Ease on Down the Road
Maid of Constant Sorrow
Bad Company
Hurt
19th Nervous Breakdown

And that's about all I can recall. Can ya give a brother a hand? Do ya kennit?

[Letti]

I wish my memory wasn't so bad but I will try to remember some more.

[Jean]

Oxford Town
We Shall Not Be Moved

[Matt]

This is a great idea for a thread, it would be wonderful to have a collection of the music mentioned in the series.

Good show kept

[Storyslinger]

I will look into some for you

[Letti]

Anyway guys... which is your favourite song from the series?

[Darkthoughts]

Theres also The Lovin' Spoonful - Summer In The City.

[funky dredd]

I don't remember it being mentioned, but whenever I listen/read Wolves there is a part in there where Eddie gets back into the New York groove. Maybe an honorable mention to Ace Frehley for his tune Back In The New York Groove? I'm probably dating myself here with this one though

http://www.discogs.com/release/561186
http://www.discogs.com/release/561197

[Rolands_Father]

Anyway guys... which is your favourite song from the series?

My favorite song would brobobly be eather "Hey Jude" or Someone Saved my Life Tonight". I Love The Beatles and Elton John!

[Steve]

Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones (from The Waste Lands).

[Spencer]

Not sure where the best place to post this would be, so I'll stick it here.

I need a little help. Trying to Make a Dark Tower playlist and I'm having trouble remembering all the songs refernced in the series. I've got a few;

Hey, Jude
Velcro Fly
Someone Saved my Life Tonight
Ease on Down the Road
Maid of Constant Sorrow
Bad Company
Hurt
19th Nervous Breakdown

And that's about all I can recall. Can ya give a brother a hand? Do ya kennit?

Gimme a second, I'll get you a more comprehensive list I made over at thedarktower.net a while back.

[Spencer]

Here it is:



I've been working for years to pull together a list of all the songs in The Dark Tower Cycle, and here it is!

Criteria for the list:

1. I have to have verified it as a real song. If I can't find it anywhere, I'm assuming it's a product of King's imagination. If anyone knows about a real song that isn't here, let me know.

2. Some of the songs are traditional, or have been covered by many artists. I didn't put any artist for the traditional ones, and put what seemed to be the most popular artist, (the one identified with the song) for the ones with multiple cover versions, or the writer if I couldn't determine the artist.

3. For songs with multiple mentions, the 1st mention ONLY is listed. Each song is listed once.

The list is by no means complete, if you remember a song that's not listed, just let me know.

Here's the list!!!

SONGS IN STEPHEN KING'S "THE DARK TOWER" CYCLE


The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger

1. Hey Jude- The Beatles
2. Onward Christian Soldiers
3. Shall We Gather at the River
4. Careless Love- (various artists have done this with various lyrics, I prefer the one by Dinah Washington, as being closest with the series)
5. Ease on Down the Road- Michael Jackson and Diana Ross

The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three

1. Just A Gigolo- David Lee Roth
2. Title Unknown (“Doctor tole me daughter you gotta quit it fast”)- Billie Holiday
3. A Boy named Sue- Johnny Cash
4. Folsom Prison Blues- Johnny Cash
5. People- Barbara Striesand
6. We Shall Not Be Moved
7. John Henry
8. Barbry Allen
9. Twilight Time- The Platters

The Dark Tower III: The Wastelands

1. Paint it Black- Rolling Stones
2. Love to Love You Baby- Donna Summer
3. Calling Dr. Love- Kiss
4. Double Shot of My Baby’s Love- Swinging Medallions
5. Hippy Hippy Shake- The Fabulous Thunderbirds
6. Buffalo Gals- Malcolm McClaren
7. Darlin’ Katy
8. Sharp Dressed Man- Z.Z. Top
9. Velcro Fly- Z.Z. Top
10. Knock Three Times- Tony Orlando and Dawn
11. My Girl’s a Corker
12. Stardust- Hoagy Carmichael
13. Tube Snake Boogie- Z.Z. Top

The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass

1. As Time Goes By- Frank Sinatra
2. We’re Off to See the Wizard- Wizard of Oz Cast
3. Somewhere Over the Rainbow- Judy Garland
4. The Green Door
5. Big Iron- Marty Robbins

The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla

1. With a Little Help From My Friends- The Beatles
2. Legs- Z.Z. Top
3. 19th Nervous Breakdown- The Rolling Stones
4. Maid of Constant Sorrow- Joan Baez
5. Walk on the wild Side- Lou Reed
6. Someone Saved My Life Tonight- Elton John
7. Mother (A Word That Means the World to Me)- Howard Johnson/Theodore Morse
8. A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall- Bob Dylan
9. I Can’t Go For That- Hall & Oates
10. Holding Out For a Hero- Bonnie Tyler
11. Summer in the City- Lovin' Spoonful
12. In the Summertime- Mungo Jerry
13. Follow the Pied Piper- Crispian St. Peters
14. Barber of Seville


The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah

1. Night and Day- Frank Sinatra
2. Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again- Bob Dylan
3. Visions of Johanna- Bob Dylan
4. Pinhead- The Ramones
5. The Wreck of Old Nintey Nine
6. The Wreck of the Hesperus- George Harrison
7. 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall
8. Hang on Sloopy- The McCoys
9. This Time- Troy Shondell
10. Pop Goes the Weasel
11. Man of Constant Sorrow
12. Blowin in the Wind- Bob Dylan
13. Hesitation Blues- Reverend Gary Davis
14. I Ain’t Marchin’ Anymore
15. We Shall Overcome
16. Alfie – Burt Bacharach


The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower

1. Hurt- Nine Inch Nails (also covered by Johnny Cash)
2. Moonlight Becomes You- Frank Sinatra
3. I left My Heart in San Francisco- Tony Bennett
4. Good Golly Miss Molly- Little Richard
5. Harrigan- George M. Cohan
6. The Lion Sleeps Tonight- The Tokens
7. Roll Tide- University of Alabama Fight Song
8. Nowhere to Run- Martha and the Vandellas
9. Drive My Car- The Beatles
10. That’s Amore- Dean Martin
11. Born to Run- Bruce Springsteen
12. I’m Late- Bill Thompson (From “Alice in Wonderland”)
13. Hey Nineteen- Steely Dan
14. Crazy Train- Ozzy Osbourne
15. Amazing Grace
16. Rockin’ in the Free World- Neil Young
17. What Child Is This?
18. California Sun- The Riverias
19. Sugar Shack- Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs
20. Heat Wave- Martha and the Vandellas
21. She Loves You- The Beatles
22. Silent Night
23. Come Go With Me- The Del-Vikings

[Sai_Rhavan]

I think my favorite in the entire series was Hurt- both NIN and Cash versions.
It was the one song going through my head when all of the events took place, especially when the fight with Morded was over.

And I thought the title was Man of Constant Sorrow, like in O Brother, Where Art Thou? and just changed a few words for Susannah.

[Jean]

The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three

1. Just A Gigolo- David Lee Roth
2. Title Unknown (“Doctor tole me daughter you gotta quit it fast”)- Billie Holiday
3. A Boy named Sue- Johnny Cash
4. Folsom Prison Blues- Johnny Cash
5. People- Barbara Striesand
6. We Shall Not Be Moved
7. John Henry
8. Barbry Allen
9. Twilight Time- The Platters

Oxford Town by Dylan? (sorry, I know I'm obsessed......)

[Darkthoughts]

And Bad Company by Bad Company. He (SK) quotes from it before he begins the story, it conjures up Roland perfectly in my mind.

[TerribleT]

Anyway guys... which is your favourite song from the series?

I actually heard the song Bad Company the other day and went WOW!!!! that should be the theme song for the series!!! It's also one of my all time classic favorites too.

Company Always on the run
Destiny is the rising sun
Oh I was born 6-gun in my hand
Behind a gun I'll make my final stand
That's why they call me Bad company
And I can't deny
Bad company
Till the day I die

[Darkthoughts]

Yes, it's an amazing song. Ready For Love, which is on the same album is also awesome and again could have been written about Roland.

[timtempest6]

What about the Rice Song

[Wuducynn]

And Bad Company by Bad Company. He (SK) quotes from it before he begins the story, it conjures up Roland perfectly in my mind.

Really? It conjures up the Big Coffin Hunters to me.

[childeluke]

Not sure where the best place to post this would be, so I'll stick it here.

I need a little help. Trying to Make a Dark Tower playlist and I'm having trouble remembering all the songs refernced in the series. I've got a few;

Hey, Jude
Velcro Fly
Someone Saved my Life Tonight
Ease on Down the Road
Maid of Constant Sorrow
Bad Company
Hurt
19th Nervous Breakdown

And that's about all I can recall. Can ya give a brother a hand? Do ya kennit?

Paint it black
Somewhere over the rainbow?
What child is this
(not a real song but) The Rice song

that's all i can think of off hand

[LadyHitchhiker]

This one would be neat:




Oh, Susannah
Traditional Traditional Lyrics and the California Gold Rush Adaptation

Listen to Phil Rosenthal perform Stephen Foster's traditional lyrics.

This song is available on Phil Rosenthal's The Green Grass Grew All Around: Family Folk Songs.

Listen to Judy Caplan Ginsburgh and David Marler perform the "Forty-Niners" adaptation.

This song is available on Judy Caplan Ginsburgh's Musical America.



Stephen Foster wrote the original lyrics in 1847.

I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee
I'm going to Louisiana,
My true love for to see

It rained all night
The day I left
The weather it was dry
The sun so hot,
I froze to death
Susanna, don't you cry

Oh, Susanna,
Oh don't you cry for me
For I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee

I had a dream the other night
When everything was still
I thought I saw Susanna
A-coming down the hill

The buckwheat cake
Was in her mouth
The tear was
In her eye
Says I, I'm coming from the south
Susanna, don't you cry

Oh, Susanna,
Oh don't you cry for me
For I come from Alabama
With my banjo on my knee



"Oh Susannah" was set with new lyrics and became known as the "forty-niners" theme song. This version was sung by miners during the California Gold Rush.

I came from Salem City
with my washpan on my knee
I'm going to California,
the gold dust for to see.

It rained all night the day I left,
the weather it was dry
The sun so hot I froze to death,
Oh, brothers don't you cry.

Oh, Susannah, Oh, don't you cry for me
I'm going to California with my washpan on my knee.

I soon shall be in Frisco
and there I'll look around.
And when I see the gold lumps there,
I'll pick them off the ground.

I'll scrape the mountains clean, my boys,
I'll drain the rivers dry.
A pocketful of rocks bring home,
So, brothers don't you cry.



This song is available on Phil Rosenthal's The Green Grass Grew All Around: Family Folk Songs.


This song is available on Judy Caplan Ginsburgh's Musical America.

"Forty-niners" lyrics courtesy of Judy Caplan Ginsburgh.




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[LadyHitchhiker]

These boots were made for walking by Nancy Sinatra
House of the Rising Sun by The Animals

Those might be good ones..

[blackrose22]

When reading the books you don't realize how many songs get mention. I remember Creedence Clearwater Revival getting a mention but not sure if any songs were included. Anyone?
Bad Company's self titled song gets my vote with Paint It Black by the Stones a close second.
Pity SK couldn't included a CD of the songs mentioned in the books like John Connolly did with one of his books The Black Angel.

[kept_back]

The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger

1. Hey Jude- The Beatles
2. Onward Christian Soldiers
3. Shall We Gather at the River
4. Careless Love- (various artists have done this with various lyrics, I prefer the one by Dinah Washington, as being closest with the series)
5. Ease on Down the Road- Michael Jackson and Diana Ross

The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three

1. Just A Gigolo- David Lee Roth
2. Title Unknown (“Doctor tole me daughter you gotta quit it fast”)- Billie Holiday
3. A Boy named Sue- Johnny Cash
4. Folsom Prison Blues- Johnny Cash
5. People- Barbara Striesand
6. We Shall Not Be Moved
7. John Henry
8. Barbry Allen
9. Twilight Time- The Platters

The Dark Tower III: The Wastelands

1. Paint it Black- Rolling Stones
2. Love to Love You Baby- Donna Summer
3. Calling Dr. Love- Kiss
4. Double Shot of My Baby’s Love- Swinging Medallions
5. Hippy Hippy Shake- The Fabulous Thunderbirds
6. Buffalo Gals- Malcolm McClaren
7. Darlin’ Katy
8. Sharp Dressed Man- Z.Z. Top
9. Velcro Fly- Z.Z. Top
10. Knock Three Times- Tony Orlando and Dawn
11. My Girl’s a Corker
12. Stardust- Hoagy Carmichael
13. Tube Snake Boogie- Z.Z. Top

The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass

1. As Time Goes By- Frank Sinatra
2. We’re Off to See the Wizard- Wizard of Oz Cast
3. Somewhere Over the Rainbow- Judy Garland
4. The Green Door
5. Big Iron- Marty Robbins

The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla

1. With a Little Help From My Friends- The Beatles
2. Legs- Z.Z. Top
3. 19th Nervous Breakdown- The Rolling Stones
4. Maid of Constant Sorrow- Joan Baez
5. Walk on the wild Side- Lou Reed
6. Someone Saved My Life Tonight- Elton John
7. Mother (A Word That Means the World to Me)- Howard Johnson/Theodore Morse
8. A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall- Bob Dylan
9. I Can’t Go For That- Hall & Oates
10. Holding Out For a Hero- Bonnie Tyler
11. Summer in the City- Lovin' Spoonful
12. In the Summertime- Mungo Jerry
13. Follow the Pied Piper- Crispian St. Peters
14. Barber of Seville


The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah

1. Night and Day- Frank Sinatra
2. Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again- Bob Dylan
3. Visions of Johanna- Bob Dylan
4. Pinhead- The Ramones
5. The Wreck of Old Nintey Nine
6. The Wreck of the Hesperus- George Harrison
7. 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall
8. Hang on Sloopy- The McCoys
9. This Time- Troy Shondell
10. Pop Goes the Weasel
11. Man of Constant Sorrow
12. Blowin in the Wind- Bob Dylan
13. Hesitation Blues- Reverend Gary Davis
14. I Ain’t Marchin’ Anymore
15. We Shall Overcome
16. Alfie – Burt Bacharach


The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower

1. Hurt- Nine Inch Nails (also covered by Johnny Cash)
2. Moonlight Becomes You- Frank Sinatra
3. I left My Heart in San Francisco- Tony Bennett
4. Good Golly Miss Molly- Little Richard
5. Harrigan- George M. Cohan
6. The Lion Sleeps Tonight- The Tokens
7. Roll Tide- University of Alabama Fight Song
8. Nowhere to Run- Martha and the Vandellas
9. Drive My Car- The Beatles
10. That’s Amore- Dean Martin
11. Born to Run- Bruce Springsteen
12. I’m Late- Bill Thompson (From “Alice in Wonderland”)
13. Hey Nineteen- Steely Dan
14. Crazy Train- Ozzy Osbourne
15. Amazing Grace
16. Rockin’ in the Free World- Neil Young
17. What Child Is This?
18. California Sun- The Riverias
19. Sugar Shack- Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs
20. Heat Wave- Martha and the Vandellas
21. She Loves You- The Beatles
22. Silent Night
23. Come Go With Me- The Del-Vikings

Impressive...most impressive.

My favorite has gotta be Hurt. But I do prefer the(Man in Black) Johnny Cash version over NIN for anything DT related. It's not actually in the series, but I always imagine Cash' rendition of "God's gonna cut you down" as a DT song as well

[Hallvard]

Blind Guardian singer and Iced Earth guitarist cooperation band (awkward way to put it, I know!) Demons & Wizards has got a whole CD about The Dark Tower. I can barely believe it. One of the few bands I like (two of them, in fact!) have made a third band. And that band has actually made a CD about the Tower. When I first understood this I was like then I got the CD and was like

The CD is called Touched By The Crimson King!

Here are what the songs reference:

"Crimson King" is a reference the Crimson King, the main antagonist of the series. However, the song itself seems to be about Randall Flagg, one of the King's many servants.

"The Gunslinger" is referring to Roland of Gilead, the protagonist of the piece. The song refers mainly to the plot of the final book of the series with subtle allusions to the fifth book throughout (e.g., 'come-commala', 'say thankya').

"Terror Train" is a reference to Blaine the Mono, from the third and fourth novels of the series.

"Beneath These Waves" was directly inspired by Moby-Dick and one's man struggle with nature and which ties in with repeated references in the Dark Tower novels drawing parallels between Roland of Gilead and Captain Ahab.

"Wicked Witch" is Kürsch's interesting interpretation of the Wizard of Oz, which is also referenced in the fourth novel, Wizard and Glass. It is also a reference to the evil witch, Rhea of the Cöos.

"Dorian" was inspired by Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, which again bears some relation to the character of Roland of Gilead.

"Seize The Day" details some of the tests and hardships that Roland of Gilead faces on his way to The Dark Tower, such as him reaching the western shore, and also his drifting personality that causes him to be constantly on the move. Another interpretation of this song, perhaps intentionally ambiguous, is that it talks about the hobbits Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee, from The Lord of the Rings. It actually includes quotes from the story, such as "The road goes on and on", originally spoken by Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit.


"Down Where I Am" is about Roland Deschain's son, Mordred Deschain

"Love's Tragedy Asunder" is a reference to the fourth book, where Roland loses his true love, Susan Delgado.

"Lunar Lament" is a reference to an obsession of Roland's, where someone is trying to reach the sun, as Roland reaches for the Tower.

"Immigrant Song" is originally by Led Zeppelin but still consists with another of this albums major theme of The Dark Tower and Roland's journey (' our only goal will be the western shore')

Just listening to this and understanding what it's all about is awesome.


Feel free to post any other songs/albums that are inspired by The Dark Tower.