Some More Fairy Tales

Here are the last of the songs that reference fairy tales. I will start with Taylor Swift so as to get her and her music out of the way. A ton of her songs include some sort of reference to fairy tales, and even if there isn't a reference, they take on a fairy tale kind of story line. Just due to the bulk of fairy tales songs from Taylor Swift, I'll embed one with an actual fairy tale reference and one that I feel is a modern fairy tale. (Oh, and Ms. Swift will be making one more appearance on this blog after this when I get around to posting songs that reference "Romeo & Juliet," but that should be all from her collection of songs.) Here's a source with all of Swift's lyrics, which have tons of fairy tale allusions - "White Horse" is a particular one.
"Today Was A Fairytale"

It's pretty clear from the title where this is going. The protagonist of the song refers to herself as a princess and the boy she loves as a prince. It goes on from there. Some modern stuff, like a mention of a T-shirt, but the references to fairy tales are obvious.

"You Belong With Me"


This song just screams "Cinderella" to me - the prince-type guy leaves the attractive but horrible girl for the girl who seemed mousy until she was able to show the guy her personality. I also think it's dumb in this video how Taylor Swift plays both the popular girl and the "geek" girl (though , just a hint, it takes a lot more than thick-rimmed glasses to be a geek). There's also the big reveal toward the end with the main girl who was all quiet coming to the dance in a fancy dress and blowing everyone away. A fairy tale for tween girls.

Let's move on from Taylor Swift, shall we?

"Desolation Row" - Bob Dylan


Here's a big chunk of lyrics that refers to not just fairy tales but "Romeo & Juliet" also:
Cinderella, she seems so easy
“It takes one to know one,” she smiles
And puts her hands in her back pockets
Bette Davis style
And in comes Romeo, he’s moaning
“You Belong to Me I Believe”
And someone says, “You’re in the wrong place my friend
You better leave”
And the only sound that’s left
After the ambulances go
Is Cinderella sweeping up
On Desolation Row
This is the original, but My Chemical Romance has also done a cover.


"The Hazards of Love 1" - The Decemberists




The story told in the song sounds like a fairy tale, though I don't notice an specific references. Here are some lyrics:
In white and green and gray
Past the pale of office wall
Where she was want to stray
And there she came upon
A white and wounded fawn

Singing
"Oh, oh
The hazards of love"
She, being full of charity,
A credit to her sex
Sought to right the fawn's hind legs
When here her plans were vexed
The taiga shifted strange
The beast began to change"

"Countin' on a Miracle" - Bruce Springsteen

This song references fairy tales in general. Here are some relevant lyrics:
It's a fairytale so tragic
There's no prince to break the spell
I don't believe in the magic
But for you I will, for you I will
If I'm a fool, I'll be a fool
Darlin' for you

"The Tinderbox" - Patrick Wolf

"The Tinderbox" tells a story that sounds like a fairy tale. Some lyrics that are reminiscent of fairy tales:

“Weary from the war as I stumbling into fortune

strike a deal with a witch and cut off her head

with pockets full of gold, boy, I journey into town

and trade my scuffed boots for bribes and Burberry.”

"Children's Story" - Slick Rick

Here's one we listened to in class. It's my favorite of this bunch. Slick Rick makes an account of the life of an urban young man into a fairy tale. The video is pretty silly too.

Well, that's it for fairy tale songs for now. And I have links saved for all of the videos for the songs I have in my list of allusions, so hopefully that will make it easier for me to post more frequently.