User:JIP/References in Lemmings level names

The Lemmings games by Psygnosis included many levels whose names contained references to other works. Note that many are puns involving the word "lemming".

Fun

 * Level 13: We all fall down: a lyric from the nursery rhyme Ring a Ring O'Roses. This level is repeated, with no changes except for more lemmings, at each difficulty level.
 * Level 14: Origins and Lemmings: a pun on the nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons.
 * Level 18: Let's block and blow: a pun on the military phrase "lock and load".
 * Level 20: We are now at LEMCON ONE: a pun on DEFCON.
 * Level 21: You Live and Lem: a pun on the proverb "you live and learn".
 * Level 22: A Beast of a Level: reference to Psygnosis's earlier game Shadow of the Beast. The level features graphics and music from that game.
 * Level 23: I've lost that Lemming feeling: reference to the song "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling", by the Righteous Brothers.
 * Level 24: Konbanwa Lemming san: Japanese for "Good evening, Mr. Lemming".
 * Level 25: Lemmings Lemmings everywhere: reference to a line from the poem Rime of the Ancient Mariner, "Water water everywhere...".
 * Level 26: Nightmare on Lem street: anagram of the film series Nightmare on Elm Street.
 * Level 27: Let's be careful out there!: reference to a catchphrase from Hill Street Blues.
 * Level 29: worra lorra lemmings: parody of Cilla Black's catchphrase.

Tricky

 * Level 2: We all fall down: See Fun - Level 13 above.
 * Level 4: Here's one I prepared earlier: catchphrase from Blue Peter.
 * Level 5: Careless clicking costs lives: reference to the World War II-era poster slogan "careless talk costs lives".
 * Level 6: Lemmingology: faux-neologism meaning "the study of Lemmings."
 * Level 11: Lemmings in the attic: a pun on the phrase Toys in the Attic, meaning "insane". Might also be a reference to the film Flowers in the Attic, or simply to the layout of the level.
 * Level 12: Bitter Lemming: pun on bitter lemon, the drink.
 * Level 13: Lemming Drops: pun on lemon drops, the sweets. Also refers to the level layout.
 * Level 14: MENACING !!: reference to Psygnosis's earlier game Menace, featuring graphics from that game.
 * Level 16: Luvly Jubly: Del Trotter's catchphrase from Only Fools and Horses.
 * Level 17: Diet Lemmingaid: pun on the drink "diet lemonade" and Drinking the Kool-Aid. It is "diet" since there are only two bombers, and "aid" because the lemmings must be helped (saved).
 * Level 18: It's Lemmingentry Watson: refers to "Elementary, [my dear] Watson", a phrase attributed to Sherlock Holmes.
 * Level 21 (PC, Amiga, Archimedes and PSP only) All the 6's ........: Refers to the mark of the beast as found in Revelation chapter 13. Also how a bingo caller would announce the number "66". Almost every number in the level is a 6 (e.g. 66% of Lemmings must be rescued.)
 * Level 22: Turn around young Lemmings!: reference to Buster Keaton's film Go West, but also a hint on how to complete the level.
 * Level 23: From the boundary line: possible sports reference.
 * Level 26: I have a cunning plan: Baldrick's catchphrase from the Blackadder TV show.
 * Level 27: The Island of the Wicker people: a reference to a line spoken by the journalist Knox, in the 1989 film Batman - "this must be the King of the Wicker people".
 * Level 29: Rainbow Island: reference to the Taito game Rainbow Islands.

Taxing

 * Level 1: If at first you don't succeed...: part of a proverb, which finishes: "...try, try again."
 * Level 3: Heaven can wait (we hope!!!): reference to the song "Heaven Can Wait", performed by Meat Loaf from the 1977 album Bat out of Hell. Also a film made in 1978, by Warren Beatty and Buck Henry.
 * Level 7: Every Lemming for Himself!!!: spinoff on phrase "Every man for himself!". The level design looks a little like a ship broken in half, akin to a sinking ship.
 * Level 10: Izzie Wizzie lemmings get busy: reference to a catchphrase from Sooty and Sweep.
 * Level 12: Livin' on the edge: A phrase that describes an adventurous person, also a hint on how to beat the level. This is not a reference to the Aerosmith song of the same name which was released in 1993, two years after Lemmings.
 * Level 14: Hunt the Nessy....: The terrain is shaped like the Loch Ness monster. The lemmings must tunnel through the "neck" of the Nessy.
 * Level 15: What an AWESOME level: reference to Psygnosis's earlier game Awesome, featuring graphics from that game.
 * Level 16: Mary Poppins' land: Mary Poppins, the fictional magical nanny, flies using an umbrella, rather like the many Floaters used in this level.
 * Level 17: X marks the spot: common phrase found on fictional treasure maps.
 * Level 18: Tribute to M.C.Escher: direct reference to M.C. Escher, 20th century artist.
 * Level 19: Bomboozal: pun on bamboozle, meaning to fool, confuse, or trick. Also a reference to the Commodore 64 game Bombuzal. The "bomber" skill is the only one which can be used in this level.
 * Level 23: King of the Castle: an allusion to the common children's chant, "I'm king of the castle, and you're a dirty rascal".
 * Level 27: Call in the bomb squad: refers to the bomb squad, or the Government's bomb disposal system.
 * Level 30: We all fall down: See Fun - Level 13 above.

Mayhem

 * Level 8: Last one out is a rotten egg!: reference to the old saying.
 * Level 10: Pillars of Hercules: draws a parallel between the level design and the Pillars of Hercules.
 * Level 11: We all fall down: See Fun - Level 13 above.
 * Level 12: The Far Side: possible reference to Gary Larson's The Far Side, or maybe the "far side" of the moon. The level involves guiding the lemmings to the other side of a metal wall.
 * Level 16: Just a Minute...: wordplay on the expression, as the level has a one-minute time limit.
 * Level 18: And then there were four....: a phrase from Ten Little Indians, which inspired And Then There Were None, an Agatha Christie novel, and a 1945 film by René Clair. The number four is used specifically because the Lemmings can be dropped in from one of four separate entrances.
 * Level 20: No added colours or Lemmings: pun on the phrase "no added colours or preservatives"; you have to use every single ability you have been given. The level's terrain is exactly like Fun Level 4, but with 40 more lemmings.
 * Level 21: With a twist of Lemming please: from a Monty Python sketch 'Revolting Cocktails', pun on the phrase "twist of lemon".
 * Level 22: A BeastII of a level: reference to Psygnosis's earlier game Shadow of the Beast II.
 * Level 26: The Steel Mines of Kessel: reference to the planet Kessel in Star Wars.
 * Level 28: Mind the step...: reference to a lyric from "Yankee Doodle", "mind the music and the step".

Tame

 * Level 6: Intsy-Wintsy...Lemming?, refers to the popular nursery rhyme Incy Wincy Spider.
 * Level 7: Who's That Lemming, refers to Who's That Girl.
 * Level 10: New Lemmings On The Block, refers to the pop band New Kids on the Block.
 * Level 12: Citizen Lemming, refers to the movie Citizen Kane.
 * Level 13: Thunder-Lemmings Are GO!, refers to the TV show Thunderbirds.
 * Level 15: Not Just a Pretty Lemming, pun on the phrase "Not just a pretty face".
 * Level 16: Gone With The Lemming, refers to Gone with the Wind.
 * Level 17: Honey, I Saved The Lemmings, refers to the movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.

Crazy

 * Level 2: Dolly Dimple, possible reference to Dolly Dimples.
 * Level 3: Many Lemmings make level work, reference to the proverb, "Many hands make light work".
 * Level 5: 24 Hour Lemathon, pun on the phrase "24-hour marathon" (also, maybe a reference to the 24 Hours of Le Mans)
 * Level 8: KEEP ON TRUCKING, refers to Robert Crumb.
 * Level 10: ROCKY VI, refers to the Rocky movies (incidentally, as of 2006, there is already a sixth film in the series released). It's also a reference to the level scenery.
 * Level 11: No Problemming!, pun on the phrase "No problem!" (Crazy 18 is actually entitled "NO PROBLEM".)
 * Level 14: Time Waits For No Lemming, refers to the proverb "time waits for no man".
 * Level 19: DON'T PANIC, refers to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.
 * Level 20: Ice Ice Lemming, refers to the rap song Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice.

Wild

 * Level 2: Lemming Hotel, refers to the song Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley.
 * Level 5: Lemming Head, pun on Lemonheads (the candy) and The Lemonheads (a musical group).
 * Level 7: You Take the High Road: a lyric from the chorus of the famous Scottish Hymn, The Bonnie Banks O' Loch Lomond.
 * Level 9: Ice Station Lemming, refers to Ice Station Zebra.
 * Level 11: Mutiny on the Bounty, refers to the Mutiny on the Bounty incident.
 * Level 12: SNOW JOKE, pun on the phrase "[It]'s no joke".
 * Level 14: ICE SPY, refers to I Spy.
 * Level 15: THE SILENCE OF THE LEMMINGS: refers to the horror movie The Silence of the Lambs.
 * Level 17: The Chain with No Name: refers to the song A Horse with No Name, by the rock band America, but the original phrase was changed to refer to part of the level scenery.
 * Level 18: Dr Lemminggood, refers to Dr. Feelgood.
 * Level 19: Lemmingdelica, pun on the term psychedelica.

Wicked

 * Level 2: Inroducing SUPERLEMMING [sic], refers to Superman, the level features a single lemming moving much faster than standard lemmings. The "t" is also absent in the word "introducing", presumably a typo.
 * Level 7: Last Lemming to LemmingCentral, refers to the song Last Train to Trancentral by acid house duo The KLF.
 * Level 11: ROCKY ROAD, refers to the ice-cream flavor Rocky road, and the level design.
 * Level 15: SPAM,SPAM,SPAM,EGG AND LEMMING [sic], refers to Monty Python's "Spam" sketch.
 * Level 16: Five Alive, refers to Five Alive a brand of carton fruit juice drinks, popular in the early '90s. It also refers to the level, where it is only possible to save 5 out of 6 lemmings.

Havoc

 * Level 1: Tubular Lemming, reference to the 1973 Mike Oldfield album, Tubular Bells
 * Level 5: There's Madness in the Method, an almost-exact reversal of the phrase "there's a method to the madness".
 * Level 7: Creature Discomforts, the name of a book by Susan Conant, and a play on the name of the show, Creature Comforts.
 * Level 8: Lemming About Town, pun on the phrase "Man about town".
 * Level 14: Synchronized Lemming, refers to synchronized swimming.
 * Level 15: Have an Ice Day, pun on the phrase "Have a nice day". (There was actually a level entitled Have a nice day! in the original game, rated Mayhem.)
 * Level 17: Where Lemmings Dare, reference to Where Eagles Dare, 1968.

Lemmings 2: The Tribes
Many of the level names for this sequel are either hints or simple descriptions of the layout of the level.

Beach

 * Level 2: The Barley Mow: a common pub name in the UK.

Outdoor

 * Level 4: Deliverance?: direct reference to the movie Deliverance, which also featured canoes.
 * Level 7: Natural Selection: reference to Charles Darwin

Medieval

 * Level 1: LEMMING OF NOTTINGHAM: pun on Sheriff of Nottingham.
 * Level 9: LEMMING IN DISTRESS!!: pun on phrase "damsel in distress", reference to the archetypical story of the medieval knight saving the princess from the dragon. The level design has a dragon right next to and facing the goal which is a castle.

Classic

 * Level 1: Do you remember?: meant to refresh memory of the original Lemmings.
 * Level 2: Mr Lemmy Lives Next Door: reference to the short film Mr Jolly Lives Next Door from The Comic Strip Presents.
 * Level 3: LEMTRIS: reference to the computer game Tetris. This level features obstacles in the shape of Tetris pieces.
 * Level 4: Tension Sheet, Good Idea: reference to the Tension Sheet, a fictional invention from Red Dwarf.
 * Level 5: The Magnificent Severn: reference to the movie The Magnificent Seven. The River Severn is a reference to John Milton's Comus.
 * Level 6: The Starry Threshold: the first line of Comus.
 * Level 8: The Secret Of LEMH: reference to the movie The Secret of NIMH.
 * Level 9: Flying The Mad Pursuit: another line from Comus.

Egyptian

 * Level 1: Two's Company: reference to the proverb, "Two's company, three's a crowd", possibly also to the sitcom Three's Company. The level is so-called because there are two entrances.

Circus

 * Level 8: PLAY THAT FUNKY LEMMING: reference to the song Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry.

Highland

 * Level 5: DONALD WHARS YER LEMMING: reference to the Scottish song Donald, whars yer troosers?
 * Level 6: Brigadoom!: pun on the musical Brigadoon
 * Level 8: The White Heather Club: a Scottish TV show.

Polar

 * Level 2: Ice Ice Lemy: reference to the song Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice.
 * Level 3: Snow More Lems: pun on the phrase "[There]'s no more lem[ming]s".

Space

 * Level 1: HIT THE SPACE BAR: refers to the key on the computer keyboard, also a pun.
 * Level 5: The Stainless Steel Lemm: reference to the sci-fi novel The Stainless Steel Rat.
 * Level 7: GoSh It'S fUlL oF lEmMs: reference to a line spoken by astronaut Dave Bowman in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, "My God, it's full of stars".
 * Level 8: Odyssey: reference to the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. Might also refers to Homer's epic poem The Odyssey, based on the roundabout route the lemmings take to get to the goal.
 * Also, the music used for all levels in the Space Tribe, By the Beautiful Blue Danube, is a reference to the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, which also features the same music in its opening and ending scenes.

Cave

 * Level 1: Audex Powder: reference to the song Audax Powder by Polygon Window, mixed with Audex, the hearing-aid company.
 * Level 3: Mortal men doomed to die: reference to the opening of The Lord of the Rings.
 * Level 8: Wilma!: reference to The Flintstones.

Shadow

 * Level 1: Land of OZ!: reference to the Wizard of Oz, and level design.
 * Level 3: Twin Bleeps: reference to Twin Peaks, and level design.
 * Level 5: Swingadingding: reference to the swinging rope in the level; also a possible reference to the song Jesus Built My Hotrod by Ministry.

Sports

 * Level 1: Ceci n'est pas une pipe.: reference to painting of same name by René Magritte.
 * Level 3: The Octathalon!: a (hypothetical) sporting competition with eight events. Contrast triathlon, pentathlon, and decathlon.
 * Level 4: RRRACKETEERZ!: refers to level layout, and possibly a pun on Musketeers. Also might refer to racketeering.

Xmas (1992)

 * Level 1: Jingle Lemming: refers to Jingle Bells, the carol.
 * Level 4: The North Poles: refers to the level layout, and the North Pole, where St. Nick is said to reside.

Frost

 * Level 1: Chains of Command: apparent reference to chain of command, even though that's inapplicable here.
 * Level 8: Division Bell: refers to the British Division Bell. (Or possibly the Pink Floyd album of the same name)
 * Level 9: Quest for Kieran: a tribute to Kieran, who received this level as part of a get-well greeting.
 * Level 11: Maybe not such a doddle: refers to Tricky level 1, "This should be a doddle!" of the original Lemmings.
 * Level 12: It's Boxing Day!: refers to Boxing Day, a Commonwealth of Nations holiday on 26 December.
 * Level 16: Up on the Rooftops: refers to "Up on the Housetop", the Santa Claus song.

Hail

 * Level 4: Lemmintaschen?: pun on Homentashn, a cookie associated with the Jewish holiday of Purim, although the level actually has a Hanukkah theme.
 * Level 8: Sir Edmund Hilemming: refers to Sir Edmund Hillary, first person to scale Mount Everest.
 * Level 9: Up, up and away!: refers to Superman
 * Level 11: Emmings! (No L): a pun on The First Noël, a Christmas Carol.
 * Level 14: Rendezvous II: refers to "Rendezvous at the Mountain", the very last level of the original game.

Flurry

 * Level 5: Christmas South of the Equator: The level has no snow, because in the southern hemisphere, Christmas is in the summertime.
 * Level 10: 32 Lemmings Below Zero: possible reference to the fact that water freezes at 32 degrees Farenheit above zero.

Blitz/Blizzard
(Note: The last half of these levels allude to Star Trek in some way.)
 * Level 3: Check Your Hints!: refers the player to the manual, which is supposed to point out the correct exit.
 * Level 5: It Came Upon a Lemnight Clear: refers to It Came Upon A Midnight Clear, the Christmas hymn.
 * Level 9: Lemmings...The Motion Picture: refers to Star Trek: The Motion Picture, 1979.
 * Level 10: The Wrath of Lem: allusion to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, 1982.
 * Level 11: The Search for Lem: refers to Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, 1984.
 * Level 12: The Voyage Home: reference to Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, 1986.
 * Level 13: The Final Frontier: refers to Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, 1989.
 * Level 14: The Undiscovered Country: besides the obvious meaning (the level's exit is hidden), refers to Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, 1991. The film's title is a reference to a Shakespeare line from Hamlet that describes the future as "the undiscovered country".
 * Level 15: The Needs of the Many: allusion to a line in The Search for Spock.
 * Level 16: The Next Lemeration: refers to the series, Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Special

 * Level 9: Pillar Talking: pun on the phrase pillow talk.
 * Level 10: Just 17: reference to Team17, developers of the remake, as well as the fact that the target number of Lemmings to save on this level is 17. Possibly also a reference to 'Just 17' (now J17), a UK magazine aimed at teenage girls.
 * Level 11: Down the line: reference to commonly used phrase meaning "in the future".
 * Level 12: A to B: summary of a journey from one point to another. Also named after level design.
 * Level 13: Chain Reaction: Scientific terminology, possible reference to the song of the same name.
 * Level 14: Tunnel vision: reference to medical condition.
 * Level 17: Release is the word: play on the song "Grease (is the word)" from the movie musical Grease.
 * Level 18: The run around: Commonly used English phrase - to give someone "the run around" is to lead them on.
 * Level 24: ...with a little help from my Lem: A reference to The Beatles' song "With a Little Help from My Friends".
 * Level 26: Back of the net: A common football phrase, referring to a powerful kick that scores a goal. The level comprises a large net.


 * Level 29: A Bridge Over Lemming Slaughter: Pun on the song title "Bridge Over Troubled Water".