When Taylor Swift dropped the cover for her upcoming album “The Tortured Poets Department,” classic and silent films fans were swirling over the title of one song in particular: “Clara Bow.” Articles sprung up explaining who exactly Bow was (although many erroneously labeled her the original film flapper; that moniker belongs to Olive Thomas and Colleen Moore). It’s wonderful to see Bow’s legacy resurrected by one of the world’s biggest superstars, but Swift is far from the first contemporary musician to find inspiration in the early days of cinema.
Source: A (Not So) Brief History of Silent Film Influences on Pop Music | Features | Roger Ebert