An allusion is a direct or indirect reference to a familiar figure, place or event from history, literature, mythology or from the Bible. Most allusions expand or develop a significant idea, impression or mood.
"We Didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel.
This song uses allusions to events of the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties to reveal theme. Click the link below for the lyrics and an excellent explanation of the allusions.
"We Didn't Start the Fire" - an explanation of the allusions.
"White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane
This song about drug use in the sixties is build around an extended allusion. The Alice in the song is a reference to Lewis Carol's "Alice in Wonderland" which he supposedly wrote (though some scholars now dispute this fact) while addicted to opium. The song was also the title song for the movie adaptation of "Go Ask Alice" a diary about a teenage addict. Recently there have been two other versions of the song recorded Avril Levigne's "Alice" and "Her Name is Alice" by Shindedown which is part of the soundtrack for the video game Alice the Madness Returns. Both videos follow the Jefferson Airplane / Disney version
White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane video
One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you
Don't do anything at all
Go ask Alice
When she's ten feet tall
And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you're going to fall
Tell 'em a hookah smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call
Recall Alice
When she was just small
When men on the chessboard
Get up and tell you where to go
And you've just had some kind of mushroom
And your mind is moving slow
Go ask Alice
I think she'll know
When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen's "off with her head!"
Remember what the dormouse said;
"FEED YOUR HEAD
White Rabbit by Shakespeare's Sister
White Rabbit [live] by Jefferson Airplane
"Her Name is Alice" - Shinedown (Alice Madness Returns Version)
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