12 Timeless Rock Songs Influenced by Films We Adore

      Here are some iconic rock songs that draw inspiration from classic films that we cherish. Some are quite evident, while others may take you by surprise.

      To Begin

      Badlands. Warner Bros. – Credit: C/O

      This list focuses on artists who were so moved by films — like the timeless Casablanca mentioned above — that they went home and created memorable songs, not on music composed specifically for movies.

      Alright, let’s dive into this collection of classic rock tracks inspired by beloved films.

      Bob Dylan – ‘Motorpsycho Nightmare’ (1964)

      Credit: Paramount Pictures

      Janet Leigh in Psycho. Paramount Pictures© Janet Leigh in Psycho. Paramount Pictures

      Dylan's 1964 song directly references La Dolce Vita but draws even more inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, including a nod to its star and one of its most famous moments:

      There stood Rita, looking just like Tony Perkins / She said, “Would you like to take a shower? I’ll show you up to the door / I said, “Oh, no, no, I’ve been through this movie before.”

      David Bowie – ‘Space Oddity’ (1969)

      Credit: C/O

      2001. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer© 2001. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

      The narrative of “Space Oddity,” about a doomed astronaut named Major Tom, was influenced by Stanley Kubrick's epic 2001: A Space Odyssey, as Bowie shared in the book David Bowie: Starman by Paul Trynka.

      “I went completely stoned to see the film, and it truly unsettled me, particularly the journey sequence,” Bowie recalled.

      “Space Oddity” was quickly sent to radio stations to take advantage of the moon landing in July 1969. British television even used it during their coverage of the event, apparently unaware that the soon-to-be classic rock song depicted an astronaut stranded in space.

      Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Bad Moon Rising” (1969)

      RKO Radio Pictures – Credit: RKO Pictures

      John Fogerty has mentioned that CCR's hit “Bad Moon Rising” was inspired by a scene in The Devil And Daniel Webster, a 1941 film about a farmer who sells his soul to the devil for success but later seeks lawyer Daniel Webster's assistance to escape his deal.

      Fogerty was particularly struck by a moment post-hurricane, where debris — trees, homes, furniture — littered the area. Sample lyrics include:

      I hear hurricanes a-blowin’ / I know the end is comin’ soon / I fear rivers over flowin’ / I hear the voice of rage and ruin.

      Aerosmith – ‘Walk This Way’ (1975)

      Teri Garr in Young Frankenstein. 20th Century Fox – Credit: C/O

      Mel Brooks' 1974 classic Young Frankenstein was still showing in theatres in 1975 when Aerosmith saw it and borrowed one of the film's funniest jokes for their hit “Walk This Way,” as guitarist Joe Perry shared with The Wall Street Journal in 2014.

      Brooks noted in his memoir, All About Me!, that the joke originated from vaudeville and that he had reused it several times.

      It's a classic comedic routine in a classic film that evolved into classic rock — and later classic hip-hop, when Run-DMC covered the song — uniting generations of entertainment.

      Blue Oyster Cult – ‘Godzilla’ (1977)

      Credit: Toho

      Godzilla. Toho©

      Do we even need to argue this one?

      The lyrics include:

      With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound / He pulls the spitting high tension wires down / Helpless people on a subway train / Scream bug-eyed as he looks in on them / He picks up a bus and he throws it back down / As he wades through the buildings toward the center of town / Oh no, they say, he’s got to go /

      Go go Godzilla, yeah / Oh no, there goes Tokyo / Go go Godzilla, yeah.

      Deep Purple – ‘Why Didn’t Rosemary’ (1969)

      Credit: C/O

      Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby. Paramount Pictures

      This 1969 track from Deep Purple is inspired by the 1968 film Rosemary’s Baby by Roman Polanski, which is based on Ira Levin's 1967 novel. The song reflects on the plight of Rosemary (played by Mia Farrow), who is carrying the devil's child:

      Why didn’t Rosemary ever take the pill? / Laying there waiting, waiting for the kill / Oh, man won’t do it but the devil will, yeah.

      Roxy Music – ‘2HB’ (1972)

      Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca. Warner Bros. – Credit: C/O

      Bryan Ferry, the lead singer of Roxy Music, openly acknowledges the influence of Casablanca on this beautiful 1972 song, which shares initials with