Top 120 Songs with Animals in the Title

Animals take center stage in a lot of people’s lives. And why not. They have also been at the center of some of the most memorable music we have. Songs with animals in the title sometimes get you thinking about your relationship with them.

They can be used metaphorically, or they can be literal. Likewise, they can convey deep meaning, or they can just be about cuddling up. There are even sometimes mythical creatures brought to life by the skill of the songwriter.

I have included songs about birds, reptiles, and other creatures as they also make up the animal kingdom. So let’s make a start. There is a lot to go through.

Top 120 Songs with Animals in the Title

1

Crocodile Rock by Elton John

This is a song he recorded in 1972 to be included on his forthcoming album, Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player.

Elton John had recorded his album, Honky Chateau, at a Château studio in France in 1972. They went back there to record their next album, Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player. This was a single that was taken from the album and released at the end of 1972 as a taster for the album, which would come out in early 1973.

It is a song that is designed to be nostalgic, and Taupin’s lyrics convey that message. Elton John adds some neo-Rock n Roll rhythm to the music to encourage the atmosphere of the words. What it does do is convey the youthful innocence of a time.

Law Suits

In some countries, that is all they seem to do – find something to sue someone about. Perhaps they are bored. But, this piece of musical fun took a hit when they said it was like a song from the 50s, “Speedy Gonzales.” This is because of the high falsetto that he used in the vocal.

So, anyone using any of the notes in a scale used before in a related order can be sued? Music has just ended. Pathetic people.

A Bit Of Fun

That is what the song is about, nostalgic fun. It was never meant to be taken seriously and isn’t a favorite of Bernie Taupin’s. Elton John has to include it in his stage set because the audience wants it. Otherwise, he probably wouldn’t.

2

Cat’s In The Cradle by Harry Chapin

This was taken originally from the album, Verities & Balderdash, released in 1974. I Have chosen to take it from the album Greatest Stories – Live. There is a reason for that.

Harry Chapin became one of my favorite singer-songwriters. His songs had meaning, and some were so real in terms of the experiences many people had. But, what came across most of all was his love firstly of music, and then of people.

Easily relatable…

This album was my first real experience of him and included some of his greatest work. “Cat’s in the Cradle” being one. A story that just typifies our lives and a lack of priority that, for some, has become a profession.

For many, this is one of his greatest works. But then, in such a short time, he gave us so many. And this is one of the most well known songs with an animal in the title.

3

Rocky Raccoon by The Beatles

This is a song with an interesting history that has too much detail to go into here. It was included on The Beatles’ White Album.

The song is a bit of a spoof of the folk singer, enforced by the rather weak McCartney American accent used at times. It was written by Paul McCartney with some lines added by John Lennon and British folk singer Donovan. 

Having some fun…

Predominantly a McCartney, the composition takes from a poem called ‘The Shooting of Dan McGrew.’ Most of it was written during their sojourn in India. In the studio, Sir George Martin added the honky tonk piano, and John added the harmonica.

It is a song about a love triangle that goes a bit wrong for Rocky. Not the greatest work by them, but it is, after all, just a bit of fun. What the song does show is the variety and versatility in what they were able to produce as a band.

And, all told, it’s one of the most popular songs with an animal in the title.

4

Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran

Usually, this is an expression that is used to describe someone more than just hungry. It usually refers to food, of course, but it is also used to describe wanting something desperately.

Duran Duran was part of the “New Wave” movement popular in the early 1980s. This was the fifth single from their album, Rio. This song, though, is not about being hungry for food. They use the expression to describe being hungry for someone else’s love.

Of course, others suggest the title refers to something more dubious. Some have even claimed that it’s code for illegal activities. I won’t comment on that. Just know it is another of those engaging songs with animals in the title.

Old Fashioned Songs with Animal Themes

Okay, let’s get in the DeLorean and go back in time a little bit. They were writing songs that included animals in those days as well.

5

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Gene Autry

This character first appeared in 1939. Initially, just a short story made for a coloring book given away at Christmas time. However, it did a little better than that. It made its first appearance on the screen in 1948, and the song was written in 1949. 

It was recorded by Gene Autry, went to #1, and sold over two million in the first year. Perhaps the best-known version is the 1964 TV animated film, and it culminated in the 1998 film.

It is still as popular a song today as it has always been.

6

How Much Is That Doggie In The Window? by Lita Roza

A song that is indelibly printed on my mind. It was bought for my sister around 1955 when I was still very young. She played it to death, and I can still remember it. This song was written by Bob Merrill and originally recorded by Patti Page in America, and released in 1953. 

In those days, record companies weren’t so good at distribution, so it didn’t arrive in the UK. The version we had was by Lita Roza, which reached #1 on the UK chart in 1953. It was one of the first songs sung by a woman to go #1 in the UK.

Jazz Singer

She sang with the Ted Heath Jazz Band, so we don’t have to think too hard about what she thought of the song. She later said she refused to do more than one take in the studio. 

And, even though it was a big success, she refused to sing it to a live audience or anyone else. We can safely say she didn’t like it much. And not just her.

End of an Era…

In many respects, this song about an animal is what marked the beginning of a revolution. The Rock n Roll kind. Many younger folks, myself included, were through with music of this type and craved something more. Something with energy and edge.

Unsurprisingly, just one year later, “That’s Alright Mama” by Elvis Presley and Rock n Roll would take the world by storm. No doubt driven by the utter disdain much of the youth had towards the “puppy dog” style of their parent’s generation.

But enough pontificating. Back to more modern songs with animals in the title.

7

I Love My Dog by Cat Stevens

From the album Matthew & Son. Very few songwriters can wrap a deep message into a pretty tune. Cat Stevens was one of those. You can either just sit and listen to this as just a nice tune, or you can delve a little deeper.

He is talking to his partner, explaining how his dog’s love is unconditional, as a dog’s love is. And that he knows it will always be there. He then goes on to say her love might not be as committed as the dog.

Harsh?

It can sound a little harsh, but it depends on the context and how you take it. He could be emphasizing his love for his dog. Or, he could be saying that unconditional love is what I expect from you. A great song from a talented writer and a springboard for some great work that was to come.

8

Fox On The Run by Sweet

Time for a bit of Glam Rock. Although, that is a bit unfair with this lot. They were a lot better than that; well, two of them were. They were like a couple of other bands at the time, doing well with their rock-based style. 

Like them, Sweet was hijacked to a certain extent for the sake of a record company jumping on the glam bandwagon. They agreed, but drummer Mick Tucker always knew they were a lot better than this. Still, a catchy little pop tune, and the first they were ‘allowed’ to write themselves.

The other kind of fox…

The song was not about a fox at all, well, at least not the animal. “A fox” is slang for an attractive woman, which is what the song is all about, and was included on a 1974 album, Desolation Boulevard.

Gradually, over their existence, the original band reverted to the ‘Who-like’ style they had created before they went “bubblegum.” ‘Foxy’ reached #2 in the UK and #5 in America.

9

A Horse with No Name by America

They sound like some Californian kids trying to copy Crosby Stills and Nash. In reality, their music was honed, and a lot of it, like this track, was written and recorded in West London. We were quite aware of them in the late 60s and early 70s. 

Arthur Brown of the “The Crazy World of Arthur Brown” was helping them along the road in those early days with advice and demo time.

Their fathers were all stationed at the American base in South Ruislip, West London. We lived a mile or so away and had seen them play some early gigs. And, although we would nod in recognition when our paths crossed, that was all.

They Were Developing A Sound

They went to an international school in Bushey, ten miles away, so didn’t get involved with the local music crowd. But, even then, those harmonies were developing and, at the time, sounded great. Most people were very impressed. They sound just as good today.

The song was the first of a string of big records, and this comes from the album America Homecoming. Did I say they were trying to copy Crosby and crew? It should have been the other way round. In my view, they were better than Crosby and his crowd of egos.

That said, it is a very memorable song with the name of an animal in the title.

Running Out Of Space

As usual, I suppose, and so many still to include. Let’s just list a few I would have included before we go to the last two songs to finish.

• Dig A Pony by The Beatles.
• Honky Cat by Elton John.
• Black Dog by Led Zeppelin.
• Little Red Rooster by The Rolling Stones.

I am sure you could name a dozen more. But, let’s finish this list out in style.

10

I Am The Walrus by The Beatles

Composed by John Lennon, this was a song that was written for the TV film “Magical Mystery Tour.” It was also included on the 1967 Magical Mystery Tour EP.

John was partly influenced by Lewis Carroll’s 19th Century poem, “The Walrus and the Carpenter.” The other part was his amusement at all the ‘intellectual’ attention given to the lyrics of Beatles songs. Can’t write here what he called those people.

Work This One Out Then

His idea was then that if they want to start ‘intellectualizing’ the lyrics of songs, he’d give them something to work on. No doubt, they all sat down to work out what it all meant without realizing the joke was on them.

It probably should be mentioned that John, at this time, was taking LSD occasionally, which might have had an effect. So, that might be why it is one of the strangest animal songs ever written.

A Unique Distinction

This is the only song to hold the #1 and #2 spot at the same time in a recognized chart. How? It was the B-side of “Hello, Goodbye.” That went to #1, and the Magical Mystery Tour EP, including this song, was #2 at the same time.

11

Seagull by Bad Company

And so to the last, and in my opinion, best of them all. This was taken from Bad Company’s first album, Bad Company.

This was the first album Paul Rodgers made following the tragic split of Free. It became increasingly obvious that without Paul Kossoff, who was very ill, and Andy Fraser, who had fallen out with Paul Rodgers, Free was finished. 

Bad Company partly filled the void for Paul. But, the music could be very pop-rock-oriented and a long way from the heights that Free reached. However, some very good songs came from this period, and “Seagull” was one of them. 

Love Of Animals and Humanity

It is not widely known that Paul Rodgers is a very serious animal conservationist and humanitarian. His home is usually full of cats and dogs, and he also runs and funds animal sanctuaries. 

I know what he thinks about ‘people,’ not his word to describe them, who kill animals for fun. And, I dread to think of what he is saying about what is going on in the world at the moment. But, that is Paul, and he is not afraid to make his point. We need more like him.

“Seagull” was written while sitting on a beach and watching the seagulls glide over the water in the wind. It remains one of my favorite tracks of anything he sang on. 

It is just an acoustic guitar and ‘that’ voice. The bass comes in at the end with a little gentle percussion but is not played by Boz Burrell.

A Poignant End To The Song?

• Here is a man asking the question.
• Is this really the end of the world?
• Seagull, you must have known for a long time.
• The shape of things to come.
• Now you fly, through the sky, never asking why.
• And you fly all around ’til somebody. 
• Shoots you down.

12

Blackbird by The Beatles

13

Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon

14

Octopus’s Garden by The Beatles

15

Eye of the Tiger by Survivor

16

Monkey Wrench by Foo Fighters

17

The Lion Sleeps Tonight by The Tokens

18

Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine

19

Rock Lobster by The B-52’s

20

Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones

21

Tusk by Fleetwood Mac

22

Black Cat by Janet Jackson

23

Bear Necessities by Phil Harris and Bruce Reitherman

24

Rat in Mi Kitchen by UB40

25

Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley & The Wailers

26

Runaway Horses by Belinda Carlisle

27

Walkin’ the Dog by Rufus Thomas

28

Eye of the Hurricane by The Alarm

29

The Love Cats by The Cure

30

Little Red Corvette by Prince

31

Monkey Man by Toots and the Maytals

32

Birdland by Weather Report

33

Walkin’ the Cow by Daniel Johnston

34

Cat Scratch Fever by Ted Nugent

35

Fishin’ in the Dark by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

36

Blue Jay Way by The Beatles

37

Mr. Bojangles by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

38

I Wanna Be Your Dog by The Stooges

39

Butterflies by Kacey Musgraves

40

Silver Stallion by The Highwaymen

41

Rockin’ Robin by Bobby Day

42

Elephant Love Medley by Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor

43

Cat People (Putting Out Fire) by David Bowie

44

Fly Like an Eagle by Steve Miller Band

45

The Wolf by Mumford & Sons

46

Crawling King Snake by John Lee Hooker

47

I Am The Bullgod by Kid Rock

48

The Lion and the Lamb by Big Daddy Weave

49

Black Horse and the Cherry Tree by KT Tunstall

50

Big Bad Wolf by In This Moment

More 70 Songs With Animals In The Title

51. 51. 51. Chicken Fried by Zac Brown Band
        52. Barracuda by Heart
        53. Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle
        54. Love Is Like a Butterfly by Dolly Parton
        55. I Am The Elephant by The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
        56. Old Turkey Buzzard by José Feliciano
        57. Fuzzy Little Hippy Girl by Seals & Crofts
        58. Crying Like a Wolf by Godley & Creme
        59. Run Like Hell by Pink Floyd
        60. Great White Buffalo by Ted Nugent
        61. Bullfrog Blues by Rory Gallagher
        62. Gorilla by Bruno Mars
        63. Black Swan Song by Athlete
        64. Badger by The Weepies
        65. Cheetah Sisters by The Cheetah Girls
        66. Butterfly by Crazy Town
        67. Bluebird by Paul McCartney and Wings
        68. Alligator by Of Monsters and Men
        69. Octopus’s Garden by The Beatles
        70. Gazelle by The Swell Season
        71. Year of the Cat by Al Stewart
        72. Cows With Guns by Dana Lyons
        73. Year of the Horse by Neil Young
        74. Snakes on a Plane (Bring It) by Cobra Starship ft. William Beckett
        75. A Wolf At The Door by Radiohead
        76. Wolves by Selena Gomez and Marshmello
        77. Hound Dog by Elvis Presley
        78. Pigs (Three Different Ones) by Pink Floyd
        79. Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of…) by Lou Bega
        80. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
        81. Songbird by Fleetwood Mac
        82. Black Sheep by Metric
        83. The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) by Ylvis
        84. The Hummingbird by Seals & Crofts
        85. Mad Hatter by Melanie Martinez
        86. Ants Marching by Dave Matthews Band
        87. Brass Monkey by Beastie Boys
        88. Goldfish by JJ Heller
        89. Bulldog by The Beatles
        90. The Bear by Randy Newman
        91. The Monkey Time by Major Lance
        92. Ride the Tiger by Jefferson Starship
        93. Killer Queen by Queen
        94. The Cat Came Back by Fred Penner
        95. The Lion’s Roar by First Aid Kit
        96. Black Swan by Thom Yorke
        97. Jackrabbit by San Fermin
        98. The Elephant Song by The Meters
        99. Kitten Moon by Deerhoof
        100. Snake Eyes by Mumford & Sons
        101. The Snake by Al Wilson
        102. I’m Like A Bird by Nelly Furtado
        103. Scorpions by Send Me An Angel
        104. Wolf Like Me by TV On The Radio
        105. Buffalo Stance by Neneh Cherry
        106. The Lion And The Wolf by Thrice
        107. Mosquito by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
        108. The Greatest by Cat Power
        109. White Horse by Taylor Swift
        110. Coyotes by Don Edwards
        111. Antelope by The Low Anthem
        112. The Unicorn Song by Shel Silverstein
        113. Silver Fox by Michael Franks
        114. The Fishin’ Hole by Andy Griffith
    51. The Butterfly by Celtic Woman
    52. The Badger by The Consortium of Genius
    53. The Crane Wife 3 by The Decemberists
    54. The Sparrow and the Medicine by The Tallest Man on Earth
    55. The Whale by Electric Light Orchestra
    56. The Horses by Daryl Braith

Searching for More Great Music?

We can help with that. Take a look at our detailed articles on the Best Songs About Heroes, the Best Songs about Friday, the Best Songs About Ice Cream, the Best Songs About the Sun and Sunshine, and the Best Songs About Friendship for more great song selections.

Songs With Animals In The Title – Final Thoughts

That was a journey through some wonderful music. A subject that, at first, you might think of as being quite ordinary. But, it takes you on a journey through emotions and metaphors. And it reminds us just how important animals are. All of them.

Until next time, happy listening.