Carson suffers from a serious case of melophilia. Geeking out on her favorite music artists is her guilty pleasure.

It turns out that many songwriters love animals just as much as music. Animals have taken center stage in countless songs, sharing the spotlight with some of the most popular artists of all time. References to our animal friends never get old, and what I like most about them is that they get me thinking. Songs with animals in the title aren't always meant to be taken literally. In most cases, they are references that convey a much deeper meaning. Still, you can find songs that mention everyday events such as cuddling with your furry companion.

Some songs take things up a notch by referencing mythical creatures. In my opinion, such songs highlight the storytelling prowess of the songwriter, much like how an author makes things come to life through the written word. You'll find some examples on this list along with plenty of other creative references to animals.

Best "Animal" Songs

1. “She Wolf” by Shakira

2. “Black dog” by Led Zeppelin

3. “Dog Eat Dog” by Ted Nugent

4. “Love Cats” by The Cure

5. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” by Gene Autry

6. “Cat Scratch Fever” by Ted Nugent

7. “Swine” by Lady Gaga

8. “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath

9. “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane

10. “The Fox (What Does The Fox Say?) by Yivis

11. “Blind Pig” by Emmi

12. “Shake me Like a Monkey” by Dave Matthews Band

13. “Shock the Monkey” by Peter Gabriel

14. “Black Swan” by Andrew Stockdale

15. “(How Much is) That Doggie in the Window? By Lita Roza

16. “Black Sheep” by Gin Wigmore

17. “Peace Frog” by The Doors

18. “Monkeys on my Back” by Aerosmith

19. “Bat Out of Hell” by Meat Loaf

20. “Roger Rabbit” by Sleeping With Sirens

21. “Have you fed the Fish?” by Badly Drawn Boy

22. “Hey Bulldog” by The Beatles

23. “Law dog” by Doobie Brothers

24. “Union of the Snake” by Duran Duran

25. “Crocodile Python” by Rick Ross

26. “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor

27. “Black Cow” by Steely Dan

28. “Monkeys Gone to Heaven” by The Pixies

29. “Crocodile Rock” by Elton John

30. “Little Red Rooster” by The Rolling Stones

31. “Orchestra of Wolves” by Gallows

32. “Cat Pack” by AJ Tracey

33. “Disco Duck” by Rick Dees & His Cast of Idiots

34. “I love my Dog” by Cat Stevens

35. “Fox on the run” by Sweet

36. “A Horse With no Name” by America

37. “Young Lion” by Vampire Weekend

38. “Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones

39. “Year of the cat” by Al Stewart

40. “Cat and Mouse” by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

41. “Bulls on Parade” by Rage Against the Machine

42. “Cats in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin

43. “When Doves cry” by Prince

44. “Seagull” by Bad Company

45. “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” by Genesis

46. “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

47. “I’m Like a Bird” by Nelly Furtado

48. “Dig a Pony” by The Beatles

49. “Buffalo Soldier” by Bob Marley

50. “Honky Cat” by Elton John

51. “March of the Crabs” by Anvil

52. “Oysters” by Tori Amos

53. “Scat cat” by Toby Keith

54. “Butterfly, How Long it Takes to Die” by The Flaming Lips

55. “Mama Lion” by Crosby & Nash

56. “Panda” by Desligner

57. “Dog and Butterfly” by Heart

58. “Dog Days are over” by Florence + The Machine

59. “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by Lebo M.

60. “Dancing With a Wolf” by All Time Low

61. “Mad Dog” by Black Lips

62. “Puppy Love” by Paul Anka

63. “Surfin’ Bird” by The Trashmen

64. “We are the Pigs” by Suede

65. “Rock Lobster” by The B52S

66. “How Does a Duck Know?”

67. “Cool for Cats” by Squeeze

68. “Rabbit Hole” by AVIVA

69. “Dance Monkey” by Magic!

70. “Birds” by Imagine Dragons

71. “Zebras and Airplanes” by Alicia Keys

72. “Walking With Elephants” by Ten Walls

73. “Three Lions” by Baddie, Skinner & Lightning Seeds

74. “Too Many Puppies” by Primus

75. “Only the Horses” by Scissor Sisters

76. “Slow Cheetah” by Red Hot Chili Peppers

77. “Big Bad Wolf” by Fifth Harmony

78. “My Pet Snakes” by Jenny and Johnny

79. “Karma Chameleon” by Culture Club

80. “True Men Don’t kill Coyotes” by Red Hot Chili Peppers

81. “Running Bear” by Johnny Preston

82. “And Dream of Sheep” by Kate Bush

83. “Monkey” by George Michael

84. “The Bull” by Kip Moore

85. “I am the Walrus” by The Beatles

86. “Octopus garden” by The Beatles

87. “Paper Tiger” by Beck

88. “The Elephant Riders” by Clutch

89. “Fishin’ in the Dark” by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

90. “Dark Horse” by Katy Perry

91. “Imma dog too” by Toni Romiti

92. “No Horses” by Garbage

93. “New Pony” by The Dead Weather

94. “Neon Tiger” by The Killers

95. “Poor Cow” by Donovan

96. “Rocky Raccoon” by The Beatles

97. “Run with the Wolves” by The Prodigy

98. “Very Ape” by Nirvana

99. “Cheetah Tongue” by The Wombats

100. “Anaconda” by Nicki Minaj

Comments

Liz Westwood from UK on April 30, 2020:

I didn't realise that there were so many.