The 10 Best Classic Rock Songs About Cheese
Cheese and classic rock are both beloved by millions of people all around the world. Although they initially seem to be completely unrelated, one might be surprised to learn that countless rock musicians have written heart-felt tributes to their favorite dairy products, many of these songs even becoming huge hits on the radio. Here is a run-down of the ten most notable collisions between the wonderful worlds of cheese and rock n’ roll.
“Smoke on the Cheddar” by Deep Purple (1972)
About the Song: Containing perhaps the most famous guitar riff of all time, “Smoke on the Cheddar” is an anthemic salute to a burger topped with a beautiful aged cheddar that then-Deep Purple singer Ian Gillain ate in Switzerland during their 1971 European Tour. Despite being a proud Brit, Gillain has stated multiple times that no cuisine, British or otherwise, has been able to match the meal he ate that evening. Legend has it that on that very same night, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore had a similar experience during a separate supper of mac and cheese that inspired him to write the iconic guitar line. When the two musicians met the morning after, they excitedly discussed the exquisite dinners that they had just eaten and were so inspired by each other’s experiences that they wrote the whole song in only 20 minutes.
Key Quote:
“Smoke on the cheddar
And ketchup on the fries”
“Stella Bleu Cheese” by The Grateful Dead (1973)
About the Song: While not as famous as “Smoke on the Cheddar,” this classic ballad written by guitarist Jerry Garcia is still hailed as one of the greatest songs ever written by the psychedelic rock pioneers. Garcia, a man of both immense talent and girth, was an avid lover of all things cheesy, and bleu cheese was especially important to him. In addition to him finding the food delicious, he found that the cheese possessed something extra, something mystical. As he once said in 1974, “Man that stuff [blue cheese] is just far out, man. Really, really, crazy. You know, the whole reason I started the band is because I was eating hot wings and bleu cheese one day? I looked into the dip and saw a bolt, the same bolt we use in our logo now! That night I had a dream where I was the singer of a rock n’ roll band, the bolt was behind my head, and I was standing in a pool of bleu cheese. The crowd was chanting ‘GRATEFUL DEAD! GRATEFUL DEAD!’ and once I woke up, I immediately called Bob [Weir] and we started the band. I owe all my success to cheese!”
Key Quote:
“All the cheese combines
It melts into a cream
A delicious spreading falls
From a jar”
“Don’t Stop Cheesin’” by Journey (1981)
About the Song: Played in every bar, football stadium, and prom across the country, “Don’t Stop Cheesin” is a timeless anthem with a powerful message: never stop eating cheese. Written after singer Steve Perry was tragically diagnosed with lactose intolerance, the band created the song as an encouragement to Perry to not let his body stop him from consuming what he loves. Perry took his bandmates’ advice to heart and continues to eat cheese to this very day, a fact highlighted by the song’s uplifting chorus.
Key Quote:
“Working hard to get my swiss
A dairy treat I’ll never miss
Payin’ anything to get a fix
Just one more time…”
“Another Brie in the Wall, Part 2” by Pink Floyd (1979)
About the Song: The hit single from the group’s critically acclaimed double LP, The Wall, “Another Brie in the Wall, Part 2” is a protest song lambasting the British government’s outrageous taxes on foreign cheese. Due to high tariffs imposed on French imports in 1979, Britain’s supply of brie reached record lows, an effect deeply felt by the entire country. Pink Floyd’s explosive response climbed to the top of the charts as the rage displayed by the song struck a chord with the public. Perhaps the track even helped the repeal of the tax hikes in 1980, a year after the tune’s initial release.
Key Quote:
“We don’t need no cheese control
A dairy shortage in the market
These taxes need to leave my brie alone
HEY! LISTEN! LEAVE MY BRIE ALONE”
“Gouda After Midnight” by Judas Priest (1980)
About the Song: Inspired by a raucous night of partying, “Gouda After Midnight” became the first major hit for the now legendary British heavy metal band in 1980. While most other metal groups at the time were singing about Satan, drugs, and sex, Priest took a risk by choosing the dairy themed “Gouda” as the first single from their album, British Steel. A first-person account of the raging cheese scene in Birmingham, England, the song takes the point-of-view of a man party hopping from one cheese tasting to the next, not stopping until the sun comes up. The left-field subject matter paid off for the young band, as “Gouda After Midnight” was embraced by the young cheese lovers in the U.K, went on to become a Top 20 rock hit in both Britain and America, and set up Judas Priest to become one of the most popular heavy metal bands of the 80s.
Key Quote:
“Gouda after midnight
cheddar to the dawn
Colby to the mornin’
And then I’m gone, I’m gone”
“Another One Bites The Crust” by Queen (1980)
About the Song: Easily the most popular song on this list, “Another One Bites the Crust” was released in 1980 and by the end of the year had broken into fifteen different countries’ Top 10 charts. Propelled by a pulsating bass groove, “Crust” was danceable enough to be adored by disco buffs yet contained enough guitar showmanship to be well received by the band’s core fans. The lyrics were also internationally applicable, as they described the universal joy of eating pizza with friends. The iconic chorus is actually a direct quote from singer Freddie Mercury that he shouted in a moment of ecstasy while eating deep dish pizza with his bandmates. As Mercury saw the delight in guitarist Brian May’s face as he bit into the final part of his slice, the singer screamed in joy “another one bites the crust! Another one’s done, and another one’s done, and another one bites the crust!” an outburst that is presented word-or-word in their smash hit.
Key Quote:
“Are you ready, hey, are you ready for this?
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?
Out of the box comes a fat deep slice
That will knock you right off of your feet!
Another one bites the crust!”
“Brie, I’m Gonna Eat You” by Led Zeppelin (1969)
About the Song: This classic Led Zeppelin track comes off their debut record and is considered by many critics to be the crowning achievement of the album. Despite being best known as a Zeppelin song, the tender ballad was actually first written by folk singer Anne Bredon in the late 1950s. Similar to everyone else on this list, Bredon was an experienced consumer of all things cheese and wrote “I’m Gonna Eat You” as a tribute to her favorite soft cheese, brie. Although Bredon was the first to perform this beautiful song, the powerful electric version by Led Zeppelin is moving enough to be considered a truly essential performance for any folk or rock fan.
Key Quote:
“Brie, brie, brie, I’m gonna eat you
I said, brie, you know I’m gonna eat you
I’ll eat you when the summertime
Eat you when the summertime comes a-rolling
Eat you when the summer comes along”
“Colby Jack and Diane” by John Cougar Mellencamp (1982)
About the Song: Another loving ode to a favorite cheese, “Colby Jack and Diane” is a song describing the infatuation a small-town girl has for colby jack. Mellencamp claims that the song is an actual description of his first love and high school sweetheart, Diane Giordano, a romance that was, sadly, doomed to fail. In an interview from 1983, Mellencamp states “I really did love Diane, but we were too different. The only cheese she would ever eat was that damn colby jack. Now don’t get me wrong, I love that stuff too, but I’m in no way a one cheese man! I love all kinds and she just could not get with it. Any time I’d snack on some muenster or swiss, she’d literally gag just from watching me eat it! She was a great girl, and I did love her, but at some point, you need to accept that a man’s gotta have a cheese fix.” A tragic story but luckily it did inspire Mellencamp to write this wonderful song.
Key Quote:
“A little ditty ‘bout colby jack and Diane
An American girl and her top cheese stranded in the heart land
Now jack was falling all on her crackers and subs
But one cheese for her little boyfriend just wasn’t enough”
“Mozzarella In A Bottle” by The Police (1979)
About the Song: Just one in a string of insanely popular hits from this powerhouse English rock group, “Mozzarella In A Bottle” from The Police’s second album Ricotta de Blanc is an ode to the fresh mozzarella that singer/bassist Sting loved to put on his homemade pizzas. The song is a straight forward description of the simple beauty of a mason jar filled with the succulent cheese and the groove is infectious enough to convert even the most lactose intolerant listener. Unfortunately, the band only stayed together for seven short years after “Bottle’s” release, but the five records they did manage to create as a group stand up as some of the best music of the 1980s.
Key Quote:
“Walked out to the market
Don’t believe what I saw
A hundred million bottles
Filled with mozzarella and more
Seems I can make
the pies of my dreams
As many pizzas as I want,
Fill my stomach ‘till it’s bursting at the seams”
“Sweet Cheese” by Black Sabbath
About the Song: We conclude the list by looking at one of Black Sabbath’s best tunes, “Sweet Cheese.” Although the heavy metal pioneers are most well known for their crushing songs and dark subject matter, this 1971 jam takes a considerably lighter tone and addresses the beautiful combination of soft cheese, crackers, and dried fruit. Guitarist Tony Iommi’s catchy riff opens the song and leads the listener into a splendid five-minute journey containing some of singer Ozzy Osbourne’s most poetic lyrics, dairy related or otherwise. Absolutely crucial for any Sabbath fan or connoisseur of cheese plates.
Key Quote:
“When I first met you, didn’t realize
I can’t forget you, for your surprise
You introduced me, to my mind
And left me wanting, you and your kind, oh yeah
I love you, sweet cheese, you and your kind”
(All images of courtesy of Ben Snively)