March 15th is a weird day for a birthday, but it’s a great day for a betrayal. Most of us know the drill: Caesar walks into the Senate, gets a dozen or so surprise piercings from his "friends," and Shakespeare writes a banger line about being wary.
But music? Music has a weird, obsessive relationship with this date.
Whenever you search for ides of march songs, you’re basically opening a door to two very different rooms. In one room, there’s a guy in a blue sedan singing about being your "vehicle." In the other, there’s a British metal band wearing leather and screaming about ancient Rome. It’s a strange mix. Honestly, the way songwriters lean into the "beware" vibe tells us a lot about how we handle the idea of being stabbed in the back—metaphorically or otherwise.
The Band That Took the Name (and the Car)
You can't talk about this topic without starting in Berwyn, Illinois. In 1964, a group of high schoolers called the Shon-Dels decided they needed a cooler name. Bob Bergland, the bassist, was reading Julius Caesar in English class and suggested "The Ides of March."
It stuck.
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They weren't exactly a bunch of brooding assassins, though. They were a horn-rock powerhouse. Their biggest hit, "Vehicle," is probably the most famous song associated with the name, even if it has absolutely nothing to do with Roman history. Jim Peterik, the frontman who later gave us Survivor’s "Eye of the Tiger," wrote it as a tongue-in-cheek joke.
Basically, he had a girl he liked. She kept asking him for rides in his 1964 Plymouth Valiant. He realized he was just her "vehicle" to get to modeling school. He went home, wrote the song, and suddenly the band had the fastest-selling single in Warner Bros. history.
It’s a fun fact that people often miss: the guy who warns you to "beware the Ides of March" on the radio is the same guy who eventually wrote the ultimate gym anthem for Rocky Balboa.
Iron Maiden and the Heavy Metal Connection
If the Illinois band brings the funk, Iron Maiden brings the actual history. Or at least the atmosphere.
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Opening their 1981 album Killers, the track "The Ides of March" is a brief, 1:46 instrumental. It’s the shortest song they’ve ever done. Steve Harris wrote it—well, there’s some debate about Barry "Thunderstick" Purkis having a hand in it too—to set a specific mood.
It’s meant to feel like a military march. The drums mimic the stomp of Roman legions, and the guitars have this urgent, building tension. It’s not a song you dance to; it’s a song that sounds like someone is about to get caught in a dark alley with a group of angry senators.
Most fans hear it and immediately wait for the transition into "Wrathchild." It’s almost like a Pavlovian response at this point. If you’re looking for ides of march songs that actually capture the dread of the date, this is the gold standard.
Other Notable Mentions in the "March 15" Playlist
- Myles Kennedy: In 2021, Kennedy released a track called "The Ides of March" that’s surprisingly vulnerable. He wrote it during the 2020 lockdowns. For him, the phrase wasn't just about Caesar; it was about that feeling of the world shifting under your feet. He uses the line "Cool heads prevail in times of change" as a mantra. It’s a more modern, philosophical take on the "beware" warning.
- Silverstein: If you were into the post-hardcore scene in the mid-2000s, you know this one. Their track isn't a history lesson, but it uses the imagery of the date to talk about personal betrayal. It’s raw, it’s loud, and it captures that feeling of realizing someone you trusted is holding a knife.
- Steel Prophet: For the power metal nerds, this band went full-concept. Their "Ides of March" is much more literal about the conspiracy, the blades, and the fall of a leader.
Why Does This Date Still Resonate in Lyrics?
Honestly, "The Ides of March" is just cool branding.
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"The Fifteenth of March" sounds like a tax deadline. "The Ides" sounds like a curse. Songwriters love a bit of drama, and the idea of a fixed point in time where everything changes is a perfect metaphor for breakups, political shifts, or just a bad vibe.
There’s also the E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) factor of the history itself. When a songwriter references the Ides, they are tapping into 2,000 years of collective cultural memory. You don't have to explain the plot; everyone knows someone is getting betrayed.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Playlist
If you’re putting together a themed set for March 15th, don't just stick to the obvious.
- Balance the energy: Start with Iron Maiden’s instrumental to set the "dread" mood, then pivot to The Ides of March’s "Vehicle" to keep people from getting too depressed.
- Look for "Backstabber" themes: If you run out of literal songs, tracks like The O'Jays' "Back Stabbers" or AC/DC's "All Hail Caesar" fit the spirit of the day perfectly.
- Check the lyrics: Sometimes the reference is subtle. Listen for mentions of "Et tu" or "23 stabs"—that’s how you know the writer did their homework.
The Ides aren't just a date on a calendar anymore. They've become a musical shorthand for the moment the rug gets pulled out. Whether you’re listening to 70s horn rock or 80s heavy metal, the message is usually the same: keep your eyes open and maybe don't go to the Senate today.
Next time you hear that "Vehicle" riff on the classic rock station, just remember it started with an English teacher and a girl who needed a ride to modeling school. History is weird like that.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Listen to the "Killers" intro: Check out the transition from Iron Maiden's "The Ides of March" into "Wrathchild" to hear how a musical "warning" actually works.
- Compare the "Ides" bands: Play the 1966 garage rock version of "You Wouldn't Listen" alongside the 1970 hit "Vehicle" to see how the band The Ides of March evolved from folk-rock into their signature horn-heavy sound.