Though they seem like rather unlikely pairings, many great rock songs have been the result of a lyricist finding inspiration in the pages of a book. These are just the tip of the iceberg…
The Song: “Pigs (Three Different Ones),” Pink Floyd. *
The Novel: Animal Farm, George Orwell. *The Song: “My Antonia,” Emmylou Harris.
The Novel: My Antonia, Willa Cather.The Song: “Whip It,” Devo.
The Novel: Gravity’s Rainbow, Thomas Pynchon.The Song: “Wuthering Heights,” Kate Bush.
The Novel: Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte.The Song: “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” Bruce Springsteen.
The Novel: The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck.The Song: “Sympathy for the Devil,” The Rolling Stones. *
The Novel: The Master and Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov.The Song: “Holden Caulfield,” Guns N’ Roses.
The Novel: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger. *The Song: “Tales of Brave Ulysses,” Cream.
The Novel: The Odyssey, Homer.The Song: “Breathe,” U2. *
The Novel: Ulysses, James Joyce.The Song: “Ramble On,” Led Zeppelin. *
The Novel: Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien.The Song: “Scentless Apprentice,” Nirvana. *
The Novel: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, Patrick Süskind. *
I’ve marked the songs in my CD collection and the novels I’ve read with asterisks. Visit the source link to read more about the songs and novels, plus additional contributions by commenters.