One song definitely, and another song arguably, based on the science fiction works of Frank Herbert (Dune and “Gambling Device,” respectively):
260. Iron Maiden, “To Tame a Land” (1983):
(Also: back in 1977, a David Matthews released a Dune-themed concept album, which I picked up at the time, having just read the novel shortly before my 13th birthday; it has no lyrics, so it doesn’t really fit into this SongFest, but you can listen to it here. It’s not my conception of what Dune-themed music should sound like; but then, neither is Iron Maiden – or Toto.)
Two songs about invading alien viruses, plus one about invading aliens destined to be defeated by terrestrial viruses (or bacteria, whatever – yeah, I know they’re not the same thing):
257. Laurie Anderson, “Language Is a Virus (From Outer Space)” (1986):
Inspired by a line from William Burroughs:
258. Rick Springfield, “Alien Virus” (2004):
“Monkeys are talking to a black monolith” is an obvious reference to Barry Lyndon:
259. Jeff Wayne and Richard Burton, “Eve of the War” (“War of the Worlds,” 1978):
239. Leslie Fish, “Grandma Went Out With A Bang” (date unknown):
240. Frank Zappa, “Token of My Extreme” (1979):
I can’t imagine what this song is parodying:
241. They Might Be Giants, “The Ballad of Davy Crockett (In Outer Space)” (2009):
242. Dave Doré, “New Crew in Town” (2004):
A comparison of the original and reimagined versions of Battlestar Galactica:
243. David Seville, “My Friend the Witch Doctor” (1958):
Arguably fantasy rather than science fiction – but maybe the Witch Doctor is a technomage, and these are the “fourteen words to make someone fall in love with you forever.”
244. ZZ Top, “TV Dinners” (1983):
Here it’s the video that’s science fiction, not the lyrics:
Well, I don’t think any of that’s quite going to work out. But here are three songs about the life submarinous:
236. The Beatles, “Yellow Submarine” (1966):
This song was presumably the inspiration for Hagbard Celine’s golden submarine in the Illuminatus books.
When I was in college, a parody song (not by me!) was in circulation, about students studying in the Cabot Science Library: Calc in A, and Chem in D / in the Cabot Library / We all live in the Cabot Library / Cabot Library, Cabot Library ….
237. The Beatles, “Octopus’s Garden” (1969):
I first heard this song as a kid as part of the soundtrack for an underwater nature film at San Diego’s Reuben H. Fleet Science Theatre:
I’m ethically opposed to revenge, but aesthetically I often find it pleasing:
Plus an animated video:
And another:
And another:
And another:
And another:
And another:
And a partial other:
And a live-action cover version:
(The lead in this last oddly reminds me of Cary Elwes in The Princess Bride. The age gap between the two men looks a bit more than fifteen years, but ….)
(Clarificatory Edit: By “the two men” I don’t mean Cary Elwes and this guy; I mean this guy and his intracetaceous companion.)
