5 Rock Songs Inspired By Greek Myths

Greek mythology has been woven into much European and Western literature and art over the centuries, even inspiring several rock songs from the late 20th century. After rock ‘n’ roll matured in the 1960s and 1970s and its practitioners attempted to make music more cerebral and emotionally deep, many rock musicians looked to antiquity for ideas. And what better than the fertile grounds of ancient Greek civilization, which loomed over the Europe of yore, with its pantheon of gods, goddesses, heroes, monsters, stories, and legends across the known world.

The epic poems of Greek chronicler Homer, such as the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey,” and other traditional stories continued to occupy the minds of artists well into the 20th century and beyond. From odes to the travels of Odysseus to the cautionary tale of Icarus, the lyrical content of these five rock songs is derived from those long-surviving and utterly fascinating mythological tales of gods and warriors from ancient Greece.

Toto, a band that can trace its name to an old Latin word, followed up its 1978 radio-friendly debut album with 1979’s ambitious “Hydra.” This LP contained songs inspired by historical legend and Greek mythology, namely the medieval-based “St. George and the Dragon” and the monstrous opening title track. Also known as the Lernaean Hydra, named for the Lerna-adjacent swamps in which it was believed to reside, the Hydra is a ferocious and fearsome multi-headed water serpent. Offspring of the sea gods Typhon and Echidna, it not only had toxic blood and breath, but if one head were to be lopped off, two would replace it. Its legend was sealed when it factored into one of the fabled 12 labors of heroic warrior Heracles, aka Hercules.

In “Hydra,” Toto incorporates the mythological beast into a tale of a modern-day Hercules-like figure who goes out looking for his ideal and idealized woman in a modern city, only to discover that a dragon has enchanted and captured such an individual underneath Hell’s Kitchen. And in the third verse of the epic tale, “the brave young man” and “the dragon lord” engage in a violent struggle.

Never a band that shied away from old material when it came to enriching its blues metal with rich imagery, characters, and themes, Led Zeppelin often mixed the literary and fantastical into its rock epics. For example, “Ramble On,” “Misty Mountain Hop,” and “The Battle of Evermore” all heavily allude to J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” while “Achilles Last Stand” applied ancient Greek mythological references to autobiographical reflections.

In the mid-1970s, Led Zeppelin took a touring hiatus during which its members traveled around the world, unable to return home to the U.K. for a period of time without setting themselves up for heavy taxation on their substantial recent earnings. At one point, singer Robert Plant damaged his ankle in a car accident the way that mythological warrior Achilles was felled by an enemy arrow to his lower leg. “Achilles Last Stand,” which starts off the 1976 LP “Presence,” melds the two stories. Atlas, the Greek god and Titan responsible for holding up the Earth upon his shoulders, is mentioned in the song, too.

A legendary group that started as somebody else’s backup band, Steely Dan carved out a small and unique niche in the 1970s. Formed by duo Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, the masses appreciated Steely Dan’s brainy, informed jazz-rock, and the group’s sixth album, 1977’s “Aja,” is by far their top-selling LP, having moved over 2 million copies. Among the record’s hits, including “Peg,” “Deacon Blues,” and “Josie,” sits “Home at Last,” an uncommonly earnest Steely Dan tune that weaves in references to “The Odyssey.” 

That epic poem is the story of Odysseus (also known as Ulysses), a descendant of the god Hermes and the king of Ithaca who, after the lengthy Trojan War, sets off to go back home to his family. However, the voyage ends up taking 10 years, during which he endures one challenge after another. In “Home at Last,” the narrator notes that “danger on the rocks is surely past,” referring to both the narrator’s life troubles and any number of the seafaring obstacles faced by Odysseus. And similar to how Odysseus never gives up due to the deep desire to see his wife again, the character in “Home at Last” finds similar relief and finality with the object of their affection.

Not every story from ancient Greek mythology revolves around gods. Some stories feature mortals who act poorly and pay dearly. One of the most famous is the saga of Icarus, which forms the inspiration for Kansas’ “Borne on Wings of Steel.” In the Greek myth, Icarus absconds from his imprisonment on Crete with the aid of wings built by his father, Daedalus, from wax and bird feathers. Ignoring Daedalus’ advice to fly low lest the sun melt the wax, Icarus flew higher and higher until his wings disintegrated, causing him to fall to his death.

Perfecting a sound that combined deep, dark, vulnerable, and thoughtful lyrics with folk, hard rock, and progressive rock, classic rock band Kansas sold millions of records but never had a No. 1 hit. Best known for later ’70s hits like “Dust in the Wind” and “Carry On Wayward Son,” Kansas issued the LP “Masque” in 1975, which featured “Icarus – Borne on Wings of Steel.” Therein, Kansas presents the story of Icarus as a first-person account and with a happy ending — or at least an unresolved one. This time, it seems, Icarus uses wings of hearty metal, which keep him flying through the sky indefinitely, which is where he finally attains his “freedom flying high.”

Quirky and funny, XTC was one of the more far-reaching bands of the new wave era. In 1982, they issued one of their most complicated works, “English Settlement.” In addition to the unpredictable hit single “Senses Working Overtime,” the LP included “Jason and the Argonauts,” a song explicitly concerned with the legendary warriors of ancient Greek mythology. After XTC singer-songwriter Andy Partridge developed a guitar riff, it reminded him of the sound of a boat on water, which in turn made him think of the sea-based voyages of Jason and the Argonauts and their search for the Golden Fleece. Partridge’s memory of the ancient Greek myth was derived from the 1963 adventure film “Jason and the Argonauts,” a childhood favorite.

In Greek mythology, upon which the film is loosely based, the Golden Fleece is the fur of a golden ram located in the distant region of Colchis, which the mighty Jason was instructed by a king to retrieve. The lyrics combine the tale with XTC’s touring experiences. “It is about journeying around the world, but it’s also about growing up and journeying through life, and the stuff you see while doing it,” Partridge told journalist Todd Bernhardt in 2007.