"We Watched Titanic And It Didn't Make Us Sad" — 13 Times Singers Name Dropped Movies In Their Lyrics

"I want your psycho, your vertigo schtick"

It's no secret that musicians use other forms of art — whether that be TV shows, books, movies — as influences...

But after I came across this X user's thread on Sza's references in her music, I decided to round up other times that singers have name dropped a movie in their lyrics:

An extensive look at every time SZA references film in her discography: A Thread 🎞️ pic.twitter.com/dSWVwznxm1

— ✧✶ ★･ˎˊ˗ (@CELESTlALY) February 28, 2024

Twitter: @CELESTlALY

1. Sza — "Kill Bill"

Top Dawg / RCA

It's no surprise that Sza's 2022 single "Kill Bill" is inspired (and named after) Quentin Tarantino's 2003 film of the same name. The music video is also themed around scenes from the film. In an interview with Glamour, Sza commented: "If you think about the relationship with Bill and how The Bride loved him... They were getting married, and he turned on her and became a stranger and a villain. She had to do what she needed to do to free herself for her completion."

2. Lady Gaga — "Bad Romance"

Interscope

In her 2008 single "Bad Romance", Lady Gaga references three Alfred Hitchcock films in the lyric: "I want your psycho, your vertigo schtick, Want you in my rear window", with Psycho, Vertigo, and Rear Window all being Hitchcock classics. During a 2015 interview on The Tonight Show, the singer comments: "I imagine I would have been one of Hitchcock’s groupies. I just love [horror] so much. I find it so interesting, you know, the dichotomy between sex and horror at the same time – there’s something really fascinating about that" before adding that Hitchcock's films also provided inspiration for her character in American Horror Story: Hotel.

3. Blink 182 — "I Miss You"

Geffen / Island

In their 2004 single, the lyrics reference Tim Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas: "We can live like Jack and Sally / And we'll have Halloween on Christmas". Apparently this was at the request of their drummer, Travis Barker, who wanted to include the lyrics for his then-wife Shanna Moakler.

4. Weezer — "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To"

Geffen

From the lead single in their seventh studio album, the lyrics "The rest of the summer was the best we’ve ever had / We watched Titanic and it didn’t make us sad" are of course in reference to the 1997 film, Titanic.

5. Billy Joel — "We Didn't Start The Fire"

Columbia

Now, this song has over 100 references to historical events that happened between 1949 and 1989, but don't worry, I'll just list the movies it references:

Peter Pan, Lawrence of Arabia, Psycho, Ben-Hur, The Bridge on the River Kwai.

Fall Out Boy did an updated version with pop culture moments from 1989-2023. The references included: Harry Potter, Twilight, Avatar, Iron Man.

6. Sza — "Gone Girl"

Christopher Polk / Variety via Getty Images

Sza's 2022 hit "Gone Girl"  references the 2014 movie with the same name. The lyrics represent the themes of love and abandonment that are present in the movie: "Shift eyes, they tell me you lyin' / Don't care, just lay here beside me", these lyrics could relate to how in the movie Amy knows her husband cheats on her but she doesn't seem to care as long as he remains under her control.

7. Arctic Monkeys — "Arabella"

Domino

In their 2013 hit, Arctic Monkeys reference the 1968 film Barbarella with the lyric: "She's got a Barbarella silver swimsuit". Jane Fonda became a sex symbol after starring in Barbarella, and so this reference could mean that "Arabella" has the same appeal.

8. Queen — "Bicycle Race"

EMI

The lyrics for this 1978 hit are heavily influenced by social, political, and pop cultural references at the time, including: "Jaws was never my scene / And I don't like Star Wars", highlighting two of the biggest movies from that time, Jaws and Star Wars. 

9. Deep Blue Something — "Breakfast at Tiffany's"

Interscope

Judging by the title, it's clear to see that 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's heavily influenced this track. The song is from the perspective of a man whose girlfriend is close to breaking up with him as they have nothing in common, this is until he mentions the film: "And I said, 'What about Breakfast at Tiffany's?' / She said, 'I think I remember the film' / And as I recall I think we both kinda liked it / And I said, 'Well, that's the one thing we've got'." 

10. Ashnikko — "WEEDKILLER"

Parlophone

Ashnikko's 2023 song features a lyric referencing 2008 action thriller, Taken: "I go Liam Neeson in the movie Taken, ah", possibly referencing the theme of the album being to "eliminate" the enemy.

11. Sza — "Prom"

Johnny Nunez / Getty Images for The Recording Academy

From Sza's debut studio album Ctrl, the song "Prom" features the lyrics: "Hoppin through poppy fields / Dodging evil witches / These houses keep dropping everywhere" which is a reference to the 1939 classic, The Wizard of Oz. The film follows Dorothy trying to get back home, which reflects the themes found in "Prom" where Sza expresses her insecurities with regard to trying to navigate growing up: "Promise to get a little better as I get older".

12. Arctic Monkeys — "Knee Socks"

Samir Hussein / Samir Hussein / WireImage

Coming from the same album as "Arabella", this hit also features a movie reference: "Like the beginning of Mean Streets / You could be my baby". Mean Streets is a 1973 film from Martin Scorsese, where the opening scene contains the song "Be My Baby" by The Ronettes, hence the lyrics.

13. Drake — "Tuscan Leather"

Prince Williams / WireImage

In his 2013 hit, Drake uses the lyrics: "Lately I've been feelin' like Guy Pearce in Memento" referencing the 2000 movie Memento where Guy Pearce's character struggles with a form of amnesia where he can't store new memories. Perhaps this is a comment from Drake that he's still the same as before.

Do you have any others to add? Let me know in the comments below!

Additional thumbnail credits: Getty Images / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer