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'When Doves Cry' - Prince -

A worldwide hit for Prince in 1984, 'When Doves Cry' appears on the singer's seminal album 'Purple Rain.' The track also features in the movie of the same name. It's said that when a dove cries it symbolizes new beginnings, and serves as a prophecy of things to come.

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'Hound Dog' - Elvis Presley -

Released in 1956, Elvis Presley's version of 'Hound Dog' was originally recorded in 1953 by R&B singer Big Mama Thornton. To promote his effort, Presley actually sang to an amazingly obedient top hat-wearing Basset Hound on 'The Steve Allen Show.'

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'Buffalo Soldier' - Bob Marley and the Wailers -

Bob Marley co-wrote 'Buffalo Soldier' with King Sporty in 1978, but the song made its first appearance on the 1983 album 'Confrontation,' released posthumously two years after Marley's death. The Buffalo Soldiers incidentally were African Americans who served in the US military during the Civil War and in later conflicts.

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'Crocodile Rock' - Elton John -

'Crocodile Rock' was Elton John's first US no. 1 single, hitting the top spot on February 3, 1973. The track appears on the album 'Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player.'

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'Bat Out of Hell' - Meat Loaf -

'Bat Out of Hell' is the title track of the album of the same name—one of the best-selling albums of all time, with US sales alone achieving 14 million copies. 'Bat Out of Hell' was the 1977 debut album of Meat Loaf (Marvin Lee Aday) and composer Jim Steinman.

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'Free Bird' - Lynyrd Skynyrd -

'Free Bird' appeared on Lynyrd Skynyrd's debut album in 1973. It is the band's signature song and often played out as a prolonged finale during live performances in tribute to those members of the group who perished in an air crash in 1977.

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'Hungry Like the Wolf' - Duran Duran -

British new wave band Duran Duran were one of the hottest acts of the 1980s. Already big in the UK, the band broke into the American market with 'Hungry Like the Wolf' in the summer of 1982.

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'Dark Horse' - Katy Perry -

Katy Perry teamed up with rapper Juicy J to record 'Dark Horse,' a commercial success in several countries, including the United States. The track is included on her 2013 album 'Prism.'

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'Eye of the Tiger' - Survivor -

The theme song to the 1982 movie 'Rocky III' starring Sylvester Stallone, 'Eye of the Tiger' topped charts worldwide and remains a perennial favorite with marathon runners, weightlifters, and just about anyone facing a challenge.

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'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' - The Tokens -

Covered internationally by numerous bands and artists, 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' was originally written and recorded by South African singer-songwriter Solomon Linda as 'Mbube.' One of the best-known versions of the song is that by American doo-wop band the Tokens, released in 1961. The pop group Tight Fit had a number one hit in the UK with the song in 1982. More recently, a cover of the Tokens' hit was included on the 2019 film soundtrack to 'The Lion King.'

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'Anaconda' - Nicki Minaj -

'Anaconda' was released to iTunes in August 2014, taken from Minaj's third studio album, 'The Pinkprint.' The video accompanying the track broke a record by garnering over 19.6 million views on VEVO.

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'Karma Chameleon' - Culture Club -

Released in 1983 and taken from their album 'Colour by Numbers,' Culture Club's 'Karma Chameleon' climbed to the top of the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. The band's androgynous lead vocalist Boy George is still active as a singer-songwriter, DJ, fashion designer, photographer, and record producer.

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'Puppy Love' - Donny Osmond -

Written in 1960 by Paul Anka, 'Puppy Love' was later covered by Donny Osmond, who took his version to the top of the UK singles chart in 1972.

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'Slow Cheetah' - Red Hot Chili Peppers -

'Slow Cheetah' is a rarity among the Peppers' cannon in that it's decidedly more mellow in delivery and features an acoustic guitar. The track appears on the band's 2006 album 'Stadium Arcadium.'

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'Monkey' - George Michael -

George Michael's 'Monkey,' taken from the 1988 album 'Faith,' climbed all the way to the top of the US Billboard Hot 100. It was also a massive dance club hit.

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'I Am the Walrus' - The Beatles -

'I Am the Walrus' was performed as a set piece number in the Beatles' 1967 television film 'Magical Mystery Tour.' But was John Lennon really the walrus, or was it Paul?

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'White Rabbit' - Jefferson Airplane -

One of the defining songs of the late 1960s, 'White Rabbit' was written by Grace Slick and recorded by Jefferson Airplane in November 1966. The lyrics draw on imagery from the Lewis Carroll books 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' and 'Through the Looking-Glass.'

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'Zebras and Airplanes' - Alicia Keys -

Alicia Keys wrote 'Zebras and Airplanes' in the late 2000s, but it only saw the light of day in 2014, when she shared the dreamlike composition on her website, The Vault.

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'Oysters' - Tori Amos -

A piano ballad featured on her 2014 album 'Unrepentant Geraldines,' 'Oysters' alludes to Amos coming to terms with haunting memories and self-doubt.

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'Very Ape' - Nirvana -

'Very Ape' appears on 'In Utero,' the final Nirvana album before Kurt Cobain took his own life in April 1994.

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'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway' - Genesis -

'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway' is the sixth studio album by British prog rock band Genesis, and the last to feature original front man Peter Gabriel. The titular track was released as a single in the US but didn't chart. The album has since gained cult status.

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'She Wolf' - Shakira -

A huge dance club hit for Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira in 2009, 'She Wolf' was the lead single taken from the album of the same name. A Spanish-language translation of the song called 'Loba' also reached the top spots in several countries.

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'I Love My Dog' - Cat Stevens -

'I Love My Dog' was the first single released by British singer-songwriter Cat Stevens, in 1971. The song appeared the following year on his debut album 'Matthew and Son.' Stevens is today known as Yusuf Islam.

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'Wild Horses' - The Rolling Stones -

Taken from their 1971 album 'Sticky Fingers,' 'Wild Horses' was actually recorded in 1969. Musician and singer-songwriter Gram Parsons had a hand in creating the ballad, which remains one of the Stones' best-loved songs.

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'Little Lion Man' - Mumford & Sons -

The first single taken from Mumford & Sons' 2009 debut album 'Sigh No More,' 'Little Lion Man' was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song, among other nods.

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'Hey Bulldog' - Fanny -

One of the first all-female rock bands, Fanny—made up of drummer Alice de Buhr, keyboard player Nickey Barclay, guitarist June Millington and her sister, bassist Jean Millington—were active in the early to mid-1970s and pioneered the way for subsequent all-female musical outfits. Their cover of the Beatles' 'Hey Bulldog' is unusual in that they requested permission from John Lennon and Paul McCartney to add an extra verse into the existing song, and were given the Fab Four's blessing. The track appears on the 1972 album 'Fanny Hill.'

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'A Horse with No Name' - America -

'A Horse with No Name' was nearly released as 'Desert Song' before singer-songwriter Dewey Bunnell decided on the former. Together with Dan Peek and Gerry Beckley, the trio known as America galloped their 'Horse' to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1972.

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'Cool for Cats' - Squeeze -

Released by British new wave group Squeeze in 1979, 'Cool for Cats' was one of the band's biggest hits. Keyboard player Jools Holland found further fame as an in-demand session musician and host of the highly respected music-based television show 'Later... with Jools Holland.'

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'Fox on the Run' - Sweet -

British glam rock band Sweet rose to prominence in the early 1970s. 'Fox on the Run' was written by all four members of the band—Brian Connolly, Steve Priest, Andy Scott , and Mick Tucker.

Sources: (Paste Magazine) (Far Out Magazine) (Songfacts) 

See also: Creatures that feature on songs

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