46 replies to this topic

[Russell H]

Inspired by the cover versions thread. Some people will write a song that's heavily influenced by the work of another artist, or owes them a debt in some way.

Others will just copy stuff.


Paul Weller is known for being a fan of classic sixties music, especially The Beatles. Anyway, here's a song by The Jam with a great bassline.


And then there's this:



This is one of the all-time great intros. Remember that Paul Weller was a big fan of the Motown sound.


And then there's this:

[The Lorcan Nagle]

Can I just post the TED talk about remix culture that I put up in the gadget thread here then?

[Russell H]

Can I just post the TED talk about remix culture that I put up in the gadget thread here then?

I may do a thread for samples soon, it would probably be even more at home there.


Here's a classic from Primal Scream:


And here's a hit from U2 from a couple of years earlier:


And here's a song by George Michael from a year before that:


And here's a track by The Who from 1968... how far back does this tune go?


(TO BE CONTINUED...)

[The Lorcan Nagle]

I may do a thread for samples soon, it would probably be even more at home there.

While it's about remix culture, the guy talks at length about Bob Dylan's reuse of old folk tunes. It's pretty interesting.

Meanwhile:

[Russell H]

That's a good one. (I have another Nirvana one)

Meanwhile...

We go back to 1965...


Maybe 1961...


1957?


Try 1955.

[David Meadows]

I could post all of Led Zeppelin 1, but I'm too lazy to find all the videos...

[Russell H]

Yeah, Led Zeppelin weren't exactly known for their originality.

As I said, here's Nirvana:


Julian Cope...


Boston...


And The Kingsmen (and even this is a cover...)

[jamon g]

there was a stage there where every single song that came out had just taken the riff off another song and they put a back beat and wrote some generic lyrics. i think they ran out of pop riffs to steal after a couple of years. now they just use autotune.
to be honest most of the songs in this thread are more stylistically similar, like using the same sincopated beat or bass distortion rather than ripping off. to Nirvana's credit whenever they covered or ripped off another artist they always mentioned it when they played live or in interviews. Kurt wasn't going to release teen spirit because he thought he may have ripped of the Pixies.

[Russell H]

to be honest most of the songs in this thread are more stylistically similar, like using the same sincopated beat or bass distortion rather than ripping off.

OK, how about these?

A Beach Boys classic...


Or a Chuck Berry classic?


Not that Chuck Berry was innocent of "borrowing"...


...but he "borrowed" from someone he knew wouldn't mind:

[garjones]

Time for this video:

[Russell H]

I was going to look for that later. You've saved me the bother. Cheers!

This was fairly big a few years back:


That piano sound is essential for stadium "indie" anthems, isn't it?


That intro sounds a lot like...


...which owes a little to this:

[jamon g]

interestingly if you learn guitar there are a number of beatles songs that use the same chord configeration and chords but sound really different on their albums. A C Dm G, repeat etc. Three chord theory is a staple of rock, folk blues and pop. i couldn't believe when oasis put the strawberry fields pipe in one of their songs. i mean derivative or what!!

[Russell H]

interestingly if you learn guitar there are a number of beatles songs that use the same chord configeration and chords but sound really different on their albums. A C Dm G, repeat etc. Three chord theory is a staple of rock, folk blues and pop. i couldn't believe when oasis put the strawberry fields pipe in one of their songs. i mean derivative or what!!

Which one?

[The Lorcan Nagle]

A housemate of mine in college refused to accept that Oasis ripped off Imagine for the start of Don't Look back in Anger.

And on that note, do I even need to post Ice Ice Baby? Well, maybe an an excuse to also post Under Pressure

[David Meadows]

And on that note, do I even need to post Ice Ice Baby? Well, maybe an an excuse to also post Under Pressure

But that's a sample, surely?

[al-x]

Hello:

George Harrison's "My sweet Lord" and the song "He's so fine"...

There was also a Chicago song "250624" and a Zeppelin song
that had the same guitar thing.

Al...

[jamon g]

i dunno. i remember it was their 'latest single' so it must have been one of the first release after the wonderwall album. got a fair wack of airplay

[The Lorcan Nagle]

But that's a sample, surely?

According to Vanilla Ice, it's not. But then again, according to him it sounds nothing like the bass line from Under Pressure.

[jamon g]

According to Vanilla Ice, it's not. But then again, according to him it sounds nothing like the bass line from Under Pressure.

haha. he said he met up with some of the band and they thanked him for making them and bowie heaps more money than the original song.

[David Meadows]

There was also a Chicago song "250624" and a Zeppelin song
that had the same guitar thing.

I think you mean "25 or 6 to 4". And it does have a very similar riff to part of Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You.