The Birdy Song: The episode's title comes from a song by The Flamingos, a rhythm and blues group famous for tight harmonies. It's the song that James and Grace are dancing to, recreating the events of 1955. The only trouble is that the song wasn't recorded until 1958, and wasn't released until 1959, when it became a top 20 hit.

Splendid: As well as the Flamingoes track, this episode also features the tracks Charge and Have You Got a Name For It by Splendid. Splendid are the band playing at The Bronze at the start of the episode.

The Exorcist: When Willow suggests an exorcism, Cordelia replies "Are you crazy? I saw that movie: even the priests died!", referring to the notorious 1973 movie The Exorcist. The film was banned in the UK for more than fifteen years.

The Simpsons: "You just went O.J. on your girlfriend" is a reference to former American Football superstar O.J. Simpson, who was tried for killing his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, in June 1994. After a lengthy, racially devisive and very public trial, the "not guilty" verdict in October 1995 divided pubic opinion in the US. In February 1997 Simpson was found liable for the murders, in a civil trial brought by Goldman's relatives.

Something Wicca this way comes: This episode can be seen as the beginning of Willow's interest in witchcraft. There were signs before this, but in this episode Willow has started to explore "paganism and magic and stuff" websites, and says it's "really interesting".

Snyder Insider: After a few previous hints, (notably in School Hard), it's revealed that Principal Snyder knows that the school is on the Hellmouth, and is in collusion with the mayor and the authorities.

The Birdy Song: The episode's title comes from a song by The Flamingos, a rhythm and blues group famous for tight harmonies. It's the song that James and Grace are dancing to, recreating the events of 1955. The only trouble is that the song wasn't recorded until 1958, and wasn't released until 1959, when it became a top 20 hit.

Public Service Buffy: When the episode was originally screened in America, it was followed by a public service announcement about teen suicide. The announcement, co-sponsored by Cedars Sinai Medical Center's TeenLine and the American Association of Suicidology, was voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar.