References in Lemmings level names

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

1 Lemmings
2 Oh No! More Lemmings
3 Lemmings 2: The Tribes
4 Holiday Lemmings 91-94
5 Lemmings (PSP remake)
6 Notes and references

[edit] Lemmings

Fun
- Level 13: We all fall down: a lyric from the nursery rhyme Ring around the rosey. 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, or perhaps an allusion to Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species, or "Origins and Endings."
- 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 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 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.
- 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.
- 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 28: 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".^[1]
- Level 29: Rainbow Island: reference to the Taito game Rainbow Islands.

Taxing
- Level 1: If at first you don't succeed...: part of the phrase ending "...try again."
- Level 3: Heaven can wait (we hope!!!): reference to Heaven Can Wait, a song by Meatloaf from the album Bat Out Of Hell in 1977. 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 (think 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 Commodore 64 game Bomb Uzal.
- 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.

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 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....: refers to And Then There Were None, an Agatha Christie novel, and a 1945 film by René Clair.
- Level 20: No added colours or Lemmings: ironic pun on the phrase "no added colours or preservatives"; the level is a repeat, and this one has 40 more lemmings.
- Level 21: With a twist of Lemming please: 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.

[edit] Oh No! More Lemmings

Tame
- Level 6: Intsy-Wintsy...Lemming?, refers to the popular nursery rhyme Incy Wincy Spider.
- 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 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 5: 24 Hour Lemathon, refers 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, there is a sixth film in the series currently in production).
- 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 12: Snow Joke, pun on the phrase "[It]'s no joke".
- 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.
- Level 18: Dr Lemminggood, refers to Dr Feelgood.

Wicked
- Level 2: Introducing SuperLemming, refers to Superman.
- 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, refers to Monty Python.
- Level 16: Five Alive, refers to the level, where it is only possible to save 5 out of 6 lemmings. Also references: Five Alive a brand of carton fruit juice drinks, popular in the early '90s.

Havoc
- Level 1: Tubular Lemming, reference to the 1973 Mike Oldfield album, Tubular Bells
- Level 5: There's Madness in the Method, reversal of the phrase "there's method in the madness".
- Level 15: Have an Ice Day, pun on phrase "Have a nice day".
- Level 17: Where Lemmings Dare, reference to Where Eagles Dare, 1968.

[edit] 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 chain of pubs in England.

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: a line from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- 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 Audex 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.

[edit] Holiday Lemmings 91-94

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 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 European 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.
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.

[edit] Lemmings (PSP remake)

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".