How Pop Music Sparked a Love for Literature Among Writers
Ahead of World Book Day this Thursday, Guardian music writers have shared their personal stories of discovering great literature through pop music. From Iron Maiden's epic retellings to The Cure's haunting references, these musicians illuminated classic works for a new generation.
Penelope Farmer via The Cure
As a teenager, hearing The Cure's Charlotte Sometimes felt like waking from a dream. The dissonant guitar and opaque lyrics about bedtime unearthed a childhood memory of Penelope Farmer's 1969 ghostly novel of the same name. Initially fantastical, the story of a girl time-travelling at boarding school mirrored the writer's own uncertain sense of self during adolescence. Robert Smith's dizzying vocals and uneasy bass provided strange comfort, confirming that growing up often feels like an otherworldly journey. Discovering the band recorded the track exactly ten years before the writer's birth added a cosmic link to this literary awakening.
Oscar Wilde via The Smiths
Inspired by Morrissey's mention in Cemetry Gates, a young fan bought Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray to impress a Morrissey obsessive in Hull. Alongside Alan Sillitoe's Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, referenced in another Smiths song, this literary pursuit was part of a bid to embody a Yorkshire Mozzer aesthetic. Though the romance fizzled after the band's split, the books remain cherished, and the friendship endures on social media.
Joe Orton via Adam Ant
During university, a dissertation on Joe Orton traced back to Adam Ant's frequent praises of the playwright. As a devoted ten-year-old fan, the writer filed Orton's name away, later discovering his diaries and plays. These works, still adored decades later, offer humor and shock value that can lift any grim mood. This forty-year passion stands as a testament to Adam Ant's unexpected literary influence.
John Berryman via Nick Cave
While initially drawn to Charles Bukowski, discomfort with his personal flaws led to Nick Cave's recommendation of John Berryman. Cave's dismissal of Bukowski as a jerk in We Call Upon the Author prompted exploration of Berryman's 77 Dream Songs. This collection revealed a beautiful, dreamlike whirlwind of words that captured pain and darkness, offering a compelling alternative for young literary seekers.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge via Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden's thirteen-minute epic Powerslave, which retells Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, helped a writer ace their English A-level. At fourteen, the album's grandeur soothed anxiety and sparked a lifelong obsession. Studying the song's marching verses and hallucinatory lyrics prepared them for the college curriculum, leading to exam success with minimal class attendance.
Grace Paley via The National
Through The National's Matt Berninger, known for his literary tastes, writers discovered authors like Joan Didion and Richard Yates. Berninger's mention of Grace Paley's Enormous Changes at the Last Minute introduced a collection of interconnected stories about working-class New Yorkers. Paley's vernacular and hilarious prose offered a refreshing departure from melancholic strains, inspiring deep admiration.
Saul Bellow via Fionn Regan
Fionn Regan's debut single Put a Penny in the Slot, which name-drops book titles, led a university student to Saul Bellow's The Adventures of Augie March. Despite initial skepticism about literary references in music, the song's wry charm and lovely folk melody encouraged exploration. Bellow's novel served as a great entry point into his masterful prose, though the other recommended book, Paul Auster's Timbuktu, remains unread.
Antonio Gramsci via Scritti Politti
Scritti Politti's early EP, with its scratchy sound and oblique lyrics, introduced radical politics through references to Antonio Gramsci. Songs like Hegemony framed dominant culture and sparked an interest in continental philosophy, eventually leading to an MA. Green Gartside's intellectual signposts to thinkers like Derrida and Foucault helped shape a writer's academic path, with many fans crediting his records for similar inspirations.
These stories highlight the powerful, often unexpected, connections between pop music and literature, demonstrating how artists can gateway readers to timeless works.
