Top responses that were written as response to other songs

Songs as a response

In music history, artists have often talked to each other through songs. Sometimes, one song is made as a response to another. These answer songs can share a new opinion, argue with the first song, or keep the story going. Some are friendly, but others give a message about society.

These types of songs have been around for many years and show up in many styles like country, rock, pop, and hip-hop. Each answer song adds something new to the first one’s story. This list shows 16 big examples of songs made as direct or indirect responses.

Lydia Murdock – “Superstar”

Lydia Murdock’s song “Superstar” came out in 1983 and is a famous answer song. She wrote it as a reply to Michael Jackson’s hit “Billie Jean.” In “Superstar,” Murdock pretends to be Billie Jean. She shares her side of the story and is angry that she was left alone with a baby.

The song starts with the words, “I’m Billie Jean and I’m mad as hell, I’m a woman with a story to tell…” The music sounds a lot like “Billie Jean,” so it’s easy to see the connection. “Superstar” did well, hitting #14 in the UK and charting in Canada and the US.

MC Shan – “Kill That Noise”

MC Shan’s 1987 song “Kill That Noise” is a classic hip-hop response. It was made to answer Boogie Down Productions’ song “South Bronx.” This battle was part of the famous “Bridge Wars,” a feud between Queensbridge, where MC Shan was from, and the South Bronx.

In “Kill That Noise,” Shan stands up for Queensbridge and himself. He says he never claimed that hip-hop started in Queens and throws insults at KRS-One and Scott La Rock. The song is known as one of the best diss tracks ever made.

Cam – “Diane”

Cam’s 2017 song “Diane” is a modern answer to Dolly Parton’s classic song “Jolene.” Cam said she wrote “Diane” to give the kind of apology many wives never get. In the song, Cam sings as the “other woman” who finds out the man she’s seeing is married.

She tells the truth to his wife, Diane, to be honest and respectful. This flips the story from “Jolene,” where the wife begs the other woman. Cam co-wrote “Diane” with Jeff Bhasker and Tyler Johnson.

Warren Zevon – “Play It All Night Long”

Warren Zevon’s 1980 song “Play It All Night Long” is a sharp and funny response to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama.” In the chorus, Zevon says, “Play that dead band’s song,” talking about Skynyrd’s hit.

But instead of showing the South as a happy place, Zevon sings about the hard parts of Southern life like family problems, sickness, and sadness. His song does not celebrate the South but it shows a darker picture.

Kelly Clarkson – “Piece by Piece” (2015)

Kelly Clarkson’s 2015 song “Piece by Piece” is not a response to another artist’s song, but it is like a sequel to her hit “Because of You.” She wrote it after thinking about how her dad left her and how her then-husband’s love helped her believe in family again.

The song compares her sad childhood with the healing she felt later in life. It gives a “happy ending” to the story started in “Because of You.” Even though people call it a follow-up to her earlier song, “Piece by Piece” is not a top response to someone else’s song.

Louis Innis – “(You’re My) Hound Dog” and Charlie Gore – “Hound Dog”

In 1953, Louis Innis and Charlie Gore made a song called “(You Ain’t Nothin’ But a Female) Hound Dog.” It was an answer to Big Mama Thornton’s hit song “Hound Dog.” Their version flipped the story and talked back to the “hound dog” from a different point of view.

The song was written by Innis, Johnny Otis, and Lois Mann, a fake name used by King Records owner Syd Nathan. Even though Rufus Thomas’s “Bear Cat” is the most famous answer to “Hound Dog,” this track was also a big part of the trend of reply songs in the early 1950s.

Wally Jump Jr. & The Criminal Element – “Ain’t Gonna Pay You One Red Cent”

In 1986, Wally Jump Jr. & The Criminal Element released a song called “Ain’t Gonna Pay One Red Cent.” It was made as an answer to Gwen Guthrie’s hit, “Ain’t Nothin’ Goin’ On But the Rent.” The song flips the message by sharing a man’s side.

It was produced by Arthur Baker and came out on Criminal Records. The song uses electronic, garage house, and breakbeat sounds. Even though it’s not as famous, it’s a strong example of an answer song from the 1980s dance scene that replies to another artist’s track.

Kitty Wells – “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels”

Kitty Wells’ song “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” came out in 1952 and is one of the most famous answer songs in country music. J.D.

“Jay” Miller wrote it as a reply to Hank Thompson’s hit “The Wild Side of Life,” which said women were to blame for cheating and heartbreak. Kitty’s song turned that around and said it was unfaithful men who caused women to become “honky tonk angels.”

It became the first No. 1 Billboard country hit by a solo female artist. This song helped break big barriers for women in country music.

Rufus Thomas – “Bear Cat”

Rufus Thomas’ song “Bear Cat” came out in 1953 on Sun Records as a direct answer to Big Mama Thornton’s hit “Hound Dog.” Sam Phillips, who owned Sun Records, rewrote the lyrics from a man’s point of view but kept the tune almost the same.

That made “Bear Cat” a “virtual copy” of “Hound Dog.” It became Sun Records’ first national hit, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard R&B chart. The song led to a big copyright lawsuit, and the court ruled in favor of the “Hound Dog” publishers.

Alicia Keys – “Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down”

Alicia Keys’ song “Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down” came out in 2009 as a response to Jay-Z’s hit “Empire State of Mind,” where she sang the chorus. After the original song became a big hit, Alicia made her solo version to share her personal view of New York City.

Alicia said in interviews that she wanted a version she could perform by herself. The song became a big hit, especially in the UK, and is known as a strong modern answer song in pop music.

Carole King – “Oh Neil!”

Carole King’s song “Oh Neil!” came out in 1959 as a fun answer to Neil Sedaka’s hit “Oh! Carol,” which he wrote about her. Carole, whose real name was Carol Klein, was Sedaka’s high school friend and also a songwriter.

She worked on “Oh Neil!” with her husband Gerry Goffin and even got help from Sedaka himself.

The lyrics playfully reply to his song, like a musical conversation between friends. Even though “Oh Neil!” didn’t become a big hit, it’s still remembered as one of the early and classic examples of an answer song in pop music history.

The Mountain Goats – “No Children”

The Mountain Goats’ song “No Children” came out in 2002 and was written as a reply to Lee Ann Womack’s hit “I Hope You Dance.” John Darnielle, the band’s songwriter, didn’t like the happy, feel-good message in that song.

While driving, he started joking by saying “I hope you die” instead of “I hope you dance.” He later turned that idea into a full song using the same “I hope…” style, but with a dark and angry twist. Darnielle has said it is “essentially an answer record.”

Jody Miller – “Queen of the House”

Jody Miller’s “Queen of the House” came out in 1965 as a fun answer to Roger Miller’s hit “King of the Road” from 1964. It used the same melody and style, but the lyrics told the story of a busy housewife instead of a traveling man.

The words were written by Mary Taylor. The song was a big hit, reaching No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 5 on the country chart, and No. 4 on the adult contemporary chart. Jody Miller won a Grammy in 1966 for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

Paul McCartney – “Too Many People”

Paul McCartney’s song “Too Many People” came out in 1971 on his album Ram. He wrote it as a response to John Lennon and Yoko Ono after the Beatles broke up.

In interviews, McCartney said the lyrics like “Too many people preaching practices” were aimed at Lennon, who he thought was telling others how to live. The message was hidden but clear. L

ennon later fired back with his song, “How Do You Sleep?”, a musical clash that could easily find a place in any discussion of famous stars’ biggest flops since the 2000s, considering how public feuds sometimes overshadow the music itself.

Neneh Cherry – “Woman”

Neneh Cherry’s song “Woman” came out in 1996 and was written as a direct response to James Brown’s famous song “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” Cherry and her team made the music sound like Brown’s song, but the message was different.

Instead of focusing on men, she sang about the struggles and strength of women much like some of the top country songs of January 2025 that show powerful stories.

This made “Woman” an empowering song and a clear answer to Brown’s. It’s one of the best examples of a response song in modern pop music.

If you remember other great songs written as comebacks, drop them in the comments!

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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.