List of Mario references in music
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- This article is about references to the Mario games in music. For official music of the Mario franchise, see List of albums.
Due to the popularity of the Mario franchise, the games have been referenced numerous times in popular songs.
A$AP Ferg
Perfume
A$AP Ferg's debut mixtape includes this song, with the line, "And I click like Donkey Kong when I hit this long".
A$AP Mob
Young Nigga Living
The instrumental to this track from their debut album incorporates a sound clip of Yoshi dying from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.
Alex Day
I Hate Mario Kart Wii
From Alex Day's 117% Complete single, Alex Day describes his hatred for Mario Kart Wii and explains what happens as the race he is playing is progressing. The song can be listened to here.
Allison
Super Mario Bros.
A remake of the Super Mario Bros. 3 theme by Taller Para Niños.
Apathy
Can't Leave Rap Alone
This song, by underground rapper, Apathy, features the line "I'm like Donkey Kong, I got you niggas dodgin' my barrels".
Asther Roth
Lark On My Go-Kart
Asther Roth raps, "Mario Kart skills are outrageous," in this song from his second album.
Bad Meets Evil
I'm On Everything
The song, by hip-hop duo, Bad Meets Evil (composed of Eminem and Royce da 5'9"), references Mario in the line "Me and visions on 'shrooms, call us the Mario Brothers".
Big Sean
Ashley
On the song featuring singer Miguel, Big Sean in the second says the following lines: "It's been weird since I went out west and did an album with no I.D and ain't came back since". This was followed by Mario grunting from Super Mario 64.
Jump Out the Window
Big Sean has a line in the first verse in the song in which he recalls, "Remember when you used to though and hit the Mario Kart / And you always picked the princess."
Blood On The Dance Floor
It's On Like Donkey Kong
The song title mentions Donkey Kong's name, and the phrase itself is repeated throughout the chorus.
Buckner & Garcia
Do the Donkey Kong
The song debuted in the 1982 album Pac-Man Fever. The song was later released as a single in May 1982, though it was not as successful as the album nor the "Pac-Man Fever" single release. The song is based the Donkey Kong arcade game and features many of the game's sound effects as well as some of the in-game music.
Caps & Jones
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah
Later in the song, the New Super Mario Bros. theme can be heard.
Cardi B.
I Like It
During one of the verses, Cardi sings "'Bout my coins like Mario!"
Chamillionaire
Rapper Chamillionaire's nick name is Koopa or King Koopa, and occasionally in songs he introduces himself as such.
Game Gonna Cost a Fee
In Chamillionaire's "Game Gonna Cost a Fee" it is mentioned that "I ride with bananas and shells like Mario and Luigi", "bananas" and "shells" referring (respectively) to banana clips and shotgun shells.
Childish Gambino
American Royalty
Gambino has a line in this song that goes, "balls like Bowser".
Eat Your Vegetables
The instrumental to this song samples "Aquatic Ambience," the music for the underwater levels in Donkey Kong Country.
Children of Seraph
Rainbow Road
This song is named after the iconic race track featured in every Mario Kart. It describes the difficulty and frustration of racing through Rainbow Road.
Chris Webby
Roll
This rap song features the line "Donkey Kong in the flesh like the ape loose".
Das Racist
Rainbow in the Dark
Kool A.D.'s verse includes the line, "Like Don King playing Donkey Kong Country at his cousin’s house".
deadmau5
On his performance during The Game Awards 2015, the Canadian artist included remixed versions of The Evil King Bowser and Haunted House BGM from Super Mario World.
Denzel Curry
Envy Me
Florida rapper includes the line "I'm shroomed out my mental like Mario Bros." in this song.
Drake
6 God
The instrumental to this song samples the "Haunted Chase" track from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest.
D.R.A.M.
Cha Cha
This song's instrumental samples the Star Road theme from Super Mario World, and uses the staple coin effects throughout.
Eminem
Despicable (Freestyle)
In "Despicable" (Freestyle) rap by Eminem (which was originally a song by Drake), Eminem mentions the lines "the game I just about conquered it like Donkey Kong".
Rap God
In the official music video, a scene displays a TV screen playing the original Super Mario Bros..
ERB
Epic Rap Battles of History
A rap battle with Mario and Luigi as the main rappers, and the Wright Bros. Princess Peach and Donkey Kong are mentioned once each, with a line going Your princess is in our castle now, yeah she's gone, cause stayed up all night playing Donkey Kong.
Far East Movement
Rocketeer
One line in the middle of "Rocketeer" is "We're on some next level, Super Mario."
Flatbush Zombies
The Results Are In
This song contains a sample of Yoshi saying his name, after the line "No chain on, gold teeth, blowing Yoshi".
Freezepop
I Am Not Your Gameboy
The song is told from a Game Boy's point of view asking the listener not to insert games such as Tetris, Donkey Kong, Super Mario and other Game Boy games.
He Is Legend
The Seduction
Towards the end, there is the line "I've got to find the princess, she's in another castle".
Horse the Band
Birdo
"Birdo" is loosely based off the Nintendo Character Birdo. The song uses electronic 8-bit sounds with electric guitar. It is in Horse the Band's 3rd album The Mechanical Hand. The song is mostly about the vocalists distaste for eggs and traumatic childhood.
Ice Cube
Now I Gotta Wet 'Cha
The first line of the song is "It's on like Donkey Kong."[1]
J. Cole
Daddy's Little Girl
Artist J. Cole says, in the song, "You lost to lookin' for a savior, I ain't Mario".
Trouble
In this song, he says the lines, "I'm Koopa, I never been the Mario type / No saving hoes."
Jay Rock
ES Tales
The song's instrumental has a Super Mario Bros. coin sound effect used throughout.
Jellyfish
Ignorance is Bliss
- Main article: Ignorance is Bliss
From the album White Knuckle Scorin', the song is narrated by Bowser, speaking to Princess Toadstool.
Jennifer Lopez
On the Floor
One of the lines said by rapper Pitbull is "And watch a chick get Donkey Konged."
Kero Kero Bonito
Sick Beat
The song's backing track is based around a sample of the "Star Select" jingle from Super Mario 64.
Kids See Ghosts
Reborn
On the Kid Cudi and Kanye West collaboration project, Kanye West includes the line in this song, "All of you Mario, it's all a game."
Kim Hyun-Joong
Lucky Guy
A song by South Korean singer Kim Hyun Joong, his songs often contain various sound effects from the Super Mario series, including Jumping, Coins, and even 1-Up sound.
KJ-52
Video Games
KJ-52's Christian-themed rap song contains various game references and sound effects. KJ-52 raps about how "I was down to one life and I didn't have another / but now I'm super like the Mario Brothers."
Leaders of the New School
Syntax Era
One of the lyrics is "I'm Donkey Kong, fat freak the notes".
Lights
Timing is Everything
One of the first lines of track 7 on Canadian musician Lights' 2011 album "Siberia" is "In the interim, the princess was in another castle."
Lil Dicky
Lemme Freak
The song's instrumental includes a sample of a Koopa Shell being kicked from the original Super Mario Bros.
Lil Wayne
No Worries
On this smash hit, in the second verse: "Let me see that Donkey Kong".
Lil Uzi Vert
Push Me To The Edge
Specifically in the remix of "Push Me To The Edge," the coin sound effect from Super Mario Bros. is played three times.
Lil Yachty
RunRunning
On his debut mixtape, this particular song from rapper Lil Yachty features the instrumental to the Super Mario 64 file select screen, with coin sound effects edited in throughout.
Logan Whitehurst & The Junior Science Club
What It's Like in Japan
"What It's Like in Japan" featured on the album "Very Tiny Songs", describes Japan (from where Mario was created) in a manner clearly modeled after a typical Super Mario Bros. level, featuring sound effects from the game and having its last line (That's what it's like when you go to Japan). The end is sung to the tune of Super Mario Bros.'s Game Over theme.
Logic
Super Mario World
The song's title is the same as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System game Super Mario World.
The Lonely Island
I Don't Give A Honk
Andy Samberg claims "We all know we're born with one hundred honks," to which Jorma Taccone adds, "But people throw them away like they were Donkey Konks."
Ludacris
Spur of the Movement
One of the lines is "We play Mario Brothers, we eat the 'shroom and get power."[1]
Major Lazer
Aerosol Can
One of the lines on the middle of the song is "Make yourself bigger like mushroom, Mario Kart."
NESkimos
NESkimos is a band that plays metal versions of music from Nintendo games, including Super Mario Bros. 3.
Mac Miller
Blue Slide Park
This track from rapper Mac Miller's debut album of the same name includes the line: "We just tryna go bananas like it's Donkey Kong".
MF Doom
Hoe Cakes
The song includes the following line: "Own his own throne, the boss like King Koopa".
Patent Pending
Hey Mario
From the 2013 album "Brighter", the songs talks about why Mario should stop rescuing Princess Peach. Games and sub-series like Mario Kart, Dr. Mario and Super Mario Galaxy are mentioned as well. The coin sound effect is also used in some lines.
Resonant Sun
Video Game
The song describes Super Mario Bros..
Roxette
Almost Unreal
"Almost Unreal" was featured in the Super Mario Bros. film as the first song in the credits. There are two versions of the music video, one with references to the film and one without. The former includes images from the film and several minor references, including one of the king's Mushrooms and several warnings of de-evolution. The video ends with the main character being De-Evolved into a lizard, which crawls out of his clothes. The scene of the lizard is cut out of the later version of the video, along with the De-Evolution warning. In both videos the main character plays a video game, progressing through levels as the video continues.
Schoolboy Q
Break the Bank
The beat to this song is produced by DJ "The Alchemist", who included a sample of Toad screaming from Mario Kart 64, slowed and faded, and played throughout the song.
Ski Mask the Slump God
Bowser
Ski Mask the Slump God has a song titled "Bowser", featuring deceased rapper XXXTentacion, from the mixtape "Members Only, Vol. 3". The song features various pop culture references, including video games and television cartoons, but features no additional references to Mario outside from the song name.
Nuketown
The song "Nuketown" from the album "STOKELEY" contains the line, "Ate a Mario mushroom quick, uh-huh".
Snoop Dogg
The Bidness
One of the lyrics is "Half dog, half gorilla, bitch Donkey Kong".[1]
Supah Mario
Supah Mario is the stage name for DeMario Priester, a hip hop music producer who has produced instrumentals to tracks for big name artists including Drake, Young Thug, 2 Chainz, and others.
Taller Para Niños
Super Mario Bros. 3
A song by the Mexican group, only the last line in the song actually refers to Super Mario Bros. 3.
The Mountain Goats & Kaki King
Thank You Mario But Our Princess in Another Castle
The song is sung from the perspective of Toad after being rescued by Mario. Inspired by the infamous line that is the song's title, Toad sings about the horrible time he had while being kidnapped.
The Preachers
Better Than It Ever Could Be
The song contains some notes from the ending theme of Super Mario Bros. 2.
Trace Adkins
Honky Tonk Badonkadonk
The country song makes a reference to Donkey Kong when Trace Adkins says "She's got it goin' on like Donkey Kong."
Tyga
Hijack
The gangsta-like criminal song makes a reference to Bowser when the rapper says "Motherfucking beast bitch call me King Koopa."
Waka Flocka Flame
Karma
This song from Waka Flocka Flame's debut album, "Flockaveli" contains the line, "Ran up on his car, had him eating shells like Mario Go-Kart".
Yung Lean
Yung Lean is a Swedish rapper whose lyrics frequently reference video games. His music video to Hurt features video game related graphics and footage, such as including gameplay from Super Smash Bros. Melee. Some of his songs reference Mario, and two songs directly reference Mario in the title: "Yoshi City" and another titled "Princess Daisy".
Mario related references in his songs include the following:
- "In Tokyo, playing Mario" from Hurt
- "I'm Wario, when I'm in Mario Kart" in Kyoto
- "Super Mario everyday" in 5th Element
