The best art in life is inspired by true events. Whether it be people or events. This is a list of songs inspired by life-events which are able to touch us in a rich and emotional way.
Whether they are lyrics of love, hate or a broken heart, find out what inspired these classics.
”Peggy Sue” by Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly really lived up to his name and was one fantastic buddy to his drummer friend Jerry Allison. He gave their song the title Peggy Sue after the woman who caught Allison’s attention, Peggy Sue Gerron.
Successfully Smitten
The song proved to be mightily successful in every way. Not only did Jerry and Peggy get married soon after, but it secured Holly one of his biggest musical hits of all time.
Peggy Sue passed away October 2, 2018 at the age of 78.
Don't stop here, see other classic hit song inspirations...
”Layla” by Dereck and the Dominos (Erik Clapton)
Let’s start with the juiciest story that inspired a classic. The legendary Erik Clapton fell head over heels for his best friend’s wife! Clearly, he had no shame and wrote this song which detailed everything he loved about the married woman.
Best Friend’s Girl
The woman in question was Pattie Boyde who was married to George Harrison. The song did not work at first. Pattie remained faithful to her husband and a heartbroken Clapton isolated himself.
But, the story doesn’t end there! Pattie eventually left her husband and Clapton and she tied the knot! The two later divorced in yet another amazing twist to this plot.
”And I Love Her” by The Beatles
McCartney himself was impressed with how amazing this love song sounded. Claiming that it’s “The first ballad I impressed myself with” He wrote it about his then-fiancé Jane Asher, so it makes sense that the song was overflowing with love.
Not All Love Lasts
Although the love song may have been perfect, their love apparently was not. McCartney and Asher’s engagement did not last and the two went on to marry different people.
"Sweetest Thing” by U2
This one will touch everyone’s heart, even if you are not the biggest fan of Bono. The singer penned the lyrics as an apology to his wife for neglecting her while he was focussed on recording his album ‘The Joshua Tree”. She definitely deserved it as he even missed her birthday!
A Charitable Cause
The story gets even sweeter believe it or not. Bono donated all the profits earned by the single to Alison’s charity of choice- Chernobyl Children’s Project International.
”Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel
Joel’s catchy song “Uptown Girls” actually had more than one gorgeous woman as its inspiration! Originally, the lyrics paid tribute to his supermodel girlfriend Ella Macpherson who was only 19 at the time. by the time the song came out, he was on to his next supermodel fling with Christie Brinkley!
The Uptown Girls
Although these two may have been the key inspiration, Joel claims that he really drew from the idea of him as a ‘downtime boy’ spending time mingling with the most beautiful and famous woman of the 80’s including Whitney Houston.
”Rocket Queen” by Guns and Roses
Axl Rose may have penned his song Sweet Child O’Mine about his ex-wife, Erin Everly, but on the first album Appetite for Destruction which exploded in 1987, there was another woman inspiring lyric. Meet Barbie Von Grief, the woman who talked about having a band names Rocket Queen.
Who Wrote It?
Axl spoke about his song Rocket Queen in a Hit Parade interview back in 1988 stating “I wrote this song for this girl who was gonna have a band and she was gonna call it Rocket Queen. She kinda kept me alive for a while. The last part of the song is my message to this person or anybody else who can get something out of it. It's like there's hope and a friendship note at the end of the song.”
Many claim that Barbie herself wrote this song and Axl masked it as his own.
“She’s Always a Woman” by Billy Joel
Joel is the king of writing romantic musical melodies. She’s Always A Woman was inspired by his then-wife Elizabeth Weber Small and was all about Joel loving this modern woman not despite, but because of all of her flaws.
Woman Power
Weber certainly deserved the tribute, she was one fiery woman! She not only managed Joel’s career but secured much of his success. The song addresses how many opponents of Joel found her manly in the way she handled negotiations, for Joel it was these traits that added to her womanly charm.
“Photography” by Def Leppard
Joe Elliot of the rock band may have only been 3-years-old when Marilyn Monroe passed away, but as we know, her beauty was timeless. After seeing a picture of her later in his life, he was moved by her beauty and inspired to write the song “Photograph”.
Song of Desire
The lyrics of this song lament the feeling of wanting someone you can never have. Obviously, Monroe was out of reach for Elliot but for the music video, they recruited a whole lot of Monroe look-alikes!
“Maybe I’m Amazed” by Paul McCartney
McCartney is the master of love songs, which makes sense as he experienced an incredible love with his wife throughout his life. he wrote “Maybe I’m Amazed” thanking her for being exactly who she is.
A Tribute
The relationship between Paul McCartney and his wife Linda was beautiful and inspiring. She was a pillar of strength for him when the Beatles split and supported him throughout all the career changed he went through. This is one song he penned for her before she passed away from breast cancer in 1998.
“Oh Sherrie” by Steve Perry
It’s pretty straightforward and all in the title- Perry found himself smitten with a woman named Sherrie Safford who even appeared in the music video for this song!
A Living Legacy
The music video and song was a total hit and it became one of the most popular anthems of the 80’s. but their actual relationship was not such a hit and didn’t last very long.
“Jennifer Juniper” by Donovan
What is it with these Boyde sisters that inspires hit songs! They must have been something. We have already heard about Pattie Boyde who inspired the love of Clapton and the song “Layla”, but her sister Jenny Boyd was no less impressive and inspired a song two years before!
Jenny was a famous model but said goodbye to that life when she traveled with Donavan and her sister Pattie to meditate in Rishikesh, India.
Crushing Hard
While nothing every happened between Donovan and Boyd, he certainly thought about it! He had a huge crush on her, which isn’t surprising. The woman is beauty and brains who hold a Ph.D. in psychology and co-wrote a book called “Musician in Tune”.
“My Sharona” by The Knack
It was love at first sight for Doug Fieger from The Knack. The moment he laid eyes in the beautiful Sharona Alperin he was smitten. While she inspired multiple love-songs, the one “My Sharona” was an instant hit and launched the band to international fame.
An Inspired Love
The lovebirds may have only been together for 4 years, but it was enough time to inspire a fortune of creativity in the for the band's lyrics. The song “My Sharona” was written in 15 minutes and accounts for his instant attraction and affection upon meeting Alperin.
“Woman” by John Lennon
This song was featured in the album that the creative couple Lennon and Ono worked on together shortly before his murder and it was released posthumously
To All Women
Ono was an inspiration for her husband, he dedicated the song to her and claimed she stood for all woman. He also stated that he viewed this song as the “grown-up” version of his song “Girl”.
“Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones
This catchy song was inspired by a brief and passionate love affair. Mick Jagger and the stunning Marsha Hunt shared a short period of romance, it may not have been long, but it was long enough for them to have a child together- Kris Jagger.
Inspired by Whom?
It makes sense that this whirlwind love affair was an inspiration for an iconic hit. But after the song came out other women such as singer Claudia Lennear claimed it was her that was the inspiration for the lyrics. That being said, we think its more likely that the baby mamma is the one who inspired this track.
“Athena” by The Who
Believe it or not, even famous people can get rejected. Just ask Pete Townshed from The Who who experienced the pain of unrequited love when he fell for Theresa Russel. Still, at least out of the pain came the inspiration for a hit song!
Change of Name
The first title of the song was ‘Theresa’, but Townshed cleverly changed it so it would seem a little less like a personal attack.
“Candle in the Wind” by Elton John
There are two iconic women involved with his song. Although Elton John penned this song as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, he also sang it at the funeral od Princess Diana making it almost the anthem for the lost princess.
Lyrical Change
The lyricist, Berbue Taupin, altered the words to fit the circumstance of Diana’s death. It was so meaningful that this version became even more popular than the original version and remains the second best-selling single of all time.
“Suzanne” by Leonard Cohen
‘Everyone was in love with Suzanne’ was what Lennard Cohen claimed about Suzanne Verdal who was considered one of the most beautiful women in the world. The song was in fact, originally a poem penned in her honor.
Platonic Lovers
Although it seemed to many that these two were involved romantically, the poem described the beauty of their platonic friendship. Cohen insisted they never had any sexual encounters and remained close and caring friends.
“Je T’aime … Moi Non Plus” by Serge Gainsbourg
This is one song that was written upon request! The exquisite Brigitte Bardot asked Serge Gainsbourg to compose a song for her in 1967. The result was an incredibly erotic melody called “Je T’aime … Moi Non Plus.”
Music Roadblocks
Things got a little messy when Bardot’s husband found out about the song and Gainsbourg was forced to re-record is with his then-girlfriend Jane Birkin. The Birkin version was a hit although the lyrics were so explicit, several radios banned it from being played!
“Always” by Irving Berlin
This love story could be the plot of a soap opera! Some may call it cradle snatching, others star-crossed lovers, but when Irving Berlin set his eyes in Elin MacKay, he knew she was the on. Their love was not without bumps along the road. her father was incredibly against it seeing that she is Catholic, and Berlin is Jewish.
Overcoming the Obstacles
But these two would not let others keep them apart, MacKay was disowned by her family and tied the knot with Berlin. Berlin composed the song ‘Always’; for their love and gave his new wife the royalties to the song... They turned out to be very valuable and more than made up for her lost inheritance.
“Jersey Girl” by Tom Waits
At last- a song inspired by a love that actually lasted. The chemistry between the musician Tom Waits and the artist Kathleen Brennan was instant when they met while working together on the soundtrack ‘One from the Heart’.
Lasting Love
The happy love story goes like this- the pair met in New Jersey, hence the name of the song. They tied the knot the same year that the track was released and went on to have three kids. They now live in California and often still collaborate on art projects.
“It Ain’t Me, Babe” by Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan went through many love-affairs in his life, and most of them inspired beautiful tracks, like ‘It Ain’t Me Babe’ which was inspired by his then-girlfriend Suze Rotolo. He penned the lyrics while he was visiting Rotolo who studied in Italy at the time.
Going Through Girls
The tale of this song does not end there. The song was recorded by another one of Dylan’s girlfriends, Joan Baez. After a few months of nasty fighting the two broke up but when she heard Dylan was hospitalized with a bad virus she showed up with flowers, only to find out he had already moved on to Sara Lownds who he married six months later… Dylan was certainly busy when it came to women.
“50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” by Paul Simon
Sometimes a new love is what inspires a song, and other times it is the end of a love that can inspire lyrics! Just as Paul Simon who wrote this song after ending his marriage to Peggy Harper and jumping right into a romance with Carrie Fisher.
Rocky Romance
Simon and Fisher had one crazy up and down relationship. After seven years of dating on and off they finally tied the knot… then got divorced the following year… then started dating again after their divorce
“Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s
It’s one of the catchiest tunes ever made, once you get ‘Hey There Delilah’ stuck in your head, it’s there to stay. the lyrics, which perfectly capture the longing felt in long-distance relationships was inspired by a real person named Delilah!
Will the Real Delilah Please Stand Up
The Delilah who inspired this tune is, in fact, an athlete names Delilah DiCrescenzo who knew the band’s lead singer, Tom Higgenson. He remembered the moment stating to US Today “I thought she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. I told her, ‘I have a song about you already.’ The song may have been a hit but the two never landed up being romantically involved.
“Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper
The biggest hit of pop icon Cyndi Lauper’s album ‘She’s So Unusual’ was undoubtedly the track ‘Time After Time’. while clearly a love song, the inspirations behind it was a mystery for a long time.
Wolfy Love
Finally, it was revealed that the man behind the lyrics of love was her manager and then-boyfriend David Wolf. The lyrics about a clock ticking is in reference to a loud clock he once gave her. he also appeared in the music video.
“867-5309/Jenny” by Tommy Tutone
No girl wants their number shared with the entire world. But poor Jenny (who we assume is a real girl) did not have the luxury to chose who knew her digits!
I Dare You
Jim Keller, the lead guitarist gave the background story to this hit stating “Jenny is a regular girl, not a hooker. Friends of mine wrote her name and number on a men’s room wall at a bar. I called her on a dare, and we dated for a while. I haven’t talked with her since the song became a hit, but I hear she thinks I’m a real jerk for writing it.”
“Dear John” by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is known for penning her lyrics to lost loves. Those who date Taylor know there is a risk of all their dirty laundry being aired in her next album. Her song ‘Dear John came out just after she briefly dated John Mayer (put the dots together’ and it referenced the end of their relationship.
A Low Blow
The lyrics read "Dear John, I see it all, now it was wrong / Don't you think 19 is too young to be played by your dark twisted games, when I loved you so?". Joh Mayer was not happy with the way he was portrayed and stated “I never did anything to deserve that. It was a really lousy thing for her to do."
“American Pie” by Don McLean
The inspiration for this song is tragic. The song, which featured on Don McLean’s album American Pie was inspired by the plane crash which killed rock and roll artists Perry Richardson Jr. (The Big Bopper), Buddy Holly, and Ritchie Valens in 1959.
A Grieving Melody
one line which appears multiple times through the song is “The day the music died” as a tribute to the impact that the lost artists had on the music industry throughout their lives.
“Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton
Clapton knows loss. In fact, it is the many tragic losses he experienced throughout his life that inspired some of his best music. in 1990 a helicopter accident killed his manager, his friend, and a fellow musician Stevie Ray Vaughan… but the tragedies did not end there.
Grief Stricken
In 1991 the unthinkable happened. Clapton lost his four-year-old son who died after falling from the 53rd window of a New York City apartment, Clapton isolated himself for a long period before creating music again. His song “Tears in Heaven” was born out of the grief he felt from his many losses.
“Chelsea Hotel 32” by Leonard Cohen
Chelsea Hotel was the infamous hostel where many of the artists of the time hung out. The lyrics of this song go into Cohen and Janis Joplin’s sexual encounter at this bohemian hostel.
A Big Regret
Cohen was not shy about who and what inspired this hit tune. However, later on, her came to regret the way he handled it and the explicit details he went into about the encounter. In 1994, he released a statement that the “song was an indiscretion for which I’m very sorry, and if there is some way of apologizing to the ghost, I want to apologize now, for having committed that indiscretion.”
“Philadelphia Freedom” by Elton John
It was a random but very special friendship. Elton John and the tennis star Billie Jean King spent a lot of time side by side. So much so that John asked his lyricist Bernie Taupin to write a song about the tennis queen.
Team Name
At first, Taupin had no idea where to star. But with a flash of inspiration he landed up writing a song called “Philadelphia Freedom” because at the time, King was a member of a World Team Tennis squad called Philadelphia Freedom.
“Donna” by Ritchie Valens
“La Bamba” will always be the song we think of when we think of Ritchie Valens. But his song “Donna” which he wrote as a tribute to his high school sweetheart Donna Ludwig was also one of his highest charting hits.
Tragic End
Valens and Ludwig stayed in contact while he was performing on the road until his tragic death when he and Buddy Holly were killed in a plane crash.
“Wild World” by Cat Stevens
Patti D’Arbanville and Cat Steven had one passionate romance which inspired many of his songs. One of them which he wrote during their two-year relationship was “wild World” which was a big hit in 1970.
Perfect Muse
“Wild World” was written as their relationship came to an end and D’Arbanville left Stevens for Mick Jagger so fittingly, the words bid farewell to a lover. Patti was no stranger to the artistic life and she had already been a muse for Andy Warhol when she was only 16!
“Walk Away Renee” by The Left Banke
Distraction is a real thing. Just as Michael Brown from The Left Banke who could not make it through band practice without being distracted by the beautiful Renee Fladen-Kamm who was bass player Tom Finn’s girlfriend. The tall blonde used to sit in on their practices giving Brown time to fall deeply in love with her.
A Mythological Kind of Love
Renee was actually an inspiration for a number of the band’s songs including ‘Pretty Ballerina”. Brown later stated that he felt “mythologically in love” with Renee (which we think is just a nice way to say, unrequited love)
“Cry Me a River” by Justin Timberlake
Probably one of the most iconic break-up songs of our generation. Timberlake penned these lyrics after his breakup with fellow Disney star Britney Spears. The two had puppy love which lasted three years, and many suspected they broke up after Spears cheated on him which seems to be backed up by the lyrics of this song.
Accusatory Lyrics
"You don't have to say what you did/ I already know, I found out from him", is only an example of the accusatory lyrics Timberlake belts out in the heartfelt ballad.
“Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani
There is no love lost between Gwen Stefani and Courtney Love... The feud started when Love called Stefani a “cheerleader” in Seventeen. Stefani did not take the dig sitting down and opened these lyrics in response to the comments.
Fighting Dirty
The lyrics, aimed at Love include the words “I Ain’t no Hollaback Girl,” and, “This shit is bananas/B-A-N-A-N-A-S.” Love did not take it well and a few months later claimed that she slept with Stefani’s husband Gavin Rossdale while they were dating! Talk about fighting dirty…
“Obsessed” by Mariah Carey
Eminem brought it upon himself when he rapped about Mariah Carey in his song “Bagpipes” the lyrics were pretty straightforward: "Mariah, whatever happened to us, why did we have to break up... Nick Cannon better back the fuck up. I'm not playing, I want her back, you punk."
Calling Him Right Out
Like the diva she is, Mariah was not shy to call Eminem out. In her lyrics for “Obsessed” she sings "You're delusional, boy, you're losing your mind,". It only got juicier… "It must be weed, it must be the E... Why are you so obsessed with me? Lying that you're sexing me."
“Civil War” by Axl Rose
This piece is not inspired by a person, but the deep song refers to the civil war and was one of the band’s only political pieces. The lyrics are not addressing an actual war but the metaphorical divide that exists between people of the United States.
Relevant Still Today
The song is teeming with historical references and still today they are relatable such as the line “We’ve got the wall of D.C. to remind us all that you can’t trust freedom when it’s not in your hands when everybody’s fighting for the promised land.”
“Runaway” by Kanye West
One lyricist who knows how to push boundaries is the infamous Kanye West. Only he would write a whole song inspired by a wacky dream.
Dream Inspired
About his song Runaway, he states, “It’s a piece of a dream of mine all the way from the colors to the Phoenix to the explosion and just crashing these things together,” At the end of the day we have to trust that when it comes to music at least, Yeezy knows what’s up.
“All My Love” by Led Zeppelin
Another artist that knows what suffering feels like- lead singer of Led Zeppelin Robert Plant lost his 5-year-old son when he fell ill to a stomach virus. Plant could not handle the spotlight while mourning and left the band to be with his family and teach.
Tribute Track
Guitarist Jimmy Page soon convinced him to re-join the band. Once he made the decision to return to music, Plant and John Paul Jones wrote “All My Love” as a tribute track for his son. However now all members loved the tone of the music, some felt it was too soft and might inspire crowds to do "the wave," which they felt was off-brand for the band.
“Shine on You Crazy Diamond” by Pink Floyd
Little did you know, but Pink Floyd once had another band member names Syd Barret, Barrett, who was a founding member, suffered from an LSD induced breakdown and was kicked out of the band due to his crazy antics.
No Love Lost
Although they could no longer work with him, they still loved and respected him and penned these lyrics as a tribute to his creative spirit.
“Me and Mr. Jones” by Amy Winehouse
When the troubled late-singer Amy Winehouse sings “What kind of f*ckery is this?” to Mr. Jones, she is really referring to hip-hop artist Nas. It may seem random, but these two creative souls shared a birthday and had a special friendship.
Intense Lyrics
The lyrics hit on some of Nas’s complicated dating life. The singer dated Mary J. Blige was married to Kelis and has a 17-year-old daughter from an ex-fiancée, named Destiny. She, too, is name-dropped in the Winehouse track: “Mr. Destiny 9 and 14, Nobody stands in between me and my man 'Cause it's Me and Mr Jones”
“We Are the Dead” by David Bowie
We have spoken about songs inspired by love, hate, politics, and suffering, but even literature can inspire hit lyrics! Take David Bowie who wrote, “We Are the Dead” as a tribute to George Orwell’s 1984.
Intellectually Stimulating
The lyrics tap into a more intellectual realm. The title of the track itself pays direct homage to the novel. It is a recurring g line in the novel which simultaneously comments on the repressed “inner and outer parties” as well the protagonist’s impending imprisonment by the thought police.
“Survivor” by Destiny’s Child
Every girl has belted out these empowering lyrics at one time of their lives. But no one realizes it was a nasty feud that inspired these powerful lyrics. The girl group lost three members in quick succession, and some commented that it felt like the rotating cast in the reality show Survivor.
Power Anthem
But Queen B knows how to turn anything into gold and found inspiration from the feud for this hit. he got right in the studio and penned this song with spicy lyrics like "Now that you're out of my life, I'm so much better," and "You thought I wouldn't sell without you, sold nine million."
The former bandmates Latoya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson sued Destiny's Child over the lyrics claiming it made mocking comments about them. The case amounted to nothing and Beyoncé went on to rule the world.
“Without You” – Badfinger (Not Mariah Carey)
