The Lifted Melodies/Riffs/etc. Thread (singer, blues, dance, pop)

Rainard Jalen · 05-01-2008, 03:20 PM

I don't know if there was one of these already...but I thought it might be interesting to have a thread where people can post examples of well-known songs that have almost "verbatum" lifted certain melodies/riffs from much earlier songs.

Now, I don't mean the obvious ones that everybody knows about, but rather those suspicious things that people have personally come across in their own listening experience.

It's odd just how many of these types of things you find yourself coming across. Just today I came across a song called "The Queen Of My Nights" by The Blues Magoos, 1966. And the riff & progression is so strikingly similar, that it must have been lifted by those who wrote "Summer Nights" for the film Grease. Check it out, if you can.

mr dave · 05-01-2008, 04:02 PM

the one that always annoyed me the most was the offspring's 'get a job'. it's a straight lift of the beatles 'ob-la-di ob-la-da'.

mr dave · 05-01-2008, 04:50 PM

i remember an interview with frusciante where he spilled the beans on 'give it away' being a lift of black sabbath's 'sweet leaf'. he even kicks into the sabbath riff near the end.

sleepy jack · 05-01-2008, 05:01 PM

I also did songs that are blatantly a rip off of other songs.

The Strokes "Is This It" and Pixies "Where is My Mind?"
The Raconteurs "Steady As She Goes" and Joe Jackson "Is She Really Going Out With Him?
The Beatles "Sexy Sadie" and Jet "Look What You've Done" and My Chemical Romance "Cancer"
Meat Puppets "Plateau" and The Bravery "Believe"
Jet "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?" and Iggy Pop "Lust for Life"
Green Day "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and Oasis "Wonderwall"
Radiohead "Just" and Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Boston "More Than a Feeling"

Keep in mind with that last one it's seriously one of the most basic rock riffs ever.

sweet_nothing · 05-01-2008, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crowquill

I also did songs that are blatantly a rip off of other songs.
[LIST][*]The Strokes "Is This It" and Pixies "Where is My Mind?"

You sure? I know how to play both songs on guitar and they don't sound similar.

sleepy jack · 05-01-2008, 06:13 PM

The riffs are nearly identical and the songs themselves sound hella similar.

sweet_nothing · 05-01-2008, 06:37 PM

hmm i'll compare them....

EDIT: yes i see it now

Rainard Jalen · 05-03-2008, 04:40 PM

Check this out, peeps.

Blues Magoos, "We Ain't Got Nothing Yet": 1966

...

Deep Purple, "Black Night": 1970

The bleedin' cheek!

Seltzer · 05-03-2008, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rainard Jalen

Check this out, peeps.

Blues Magoos, "We Ain't Got Nothing Yet": 1966

Deep Purple, "Black Night": 1970

I discovered that one as well when I was in a big psychedelia phase.

sleepy jack · 05-03-2008, 09:12 PM

Thrasher by Neil Young reminds me of another song I can't think of.

05-01-2008, 03:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
Rainard Jalen Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,221	The Lifted Melodies/Riffs/etc. Thread I don't know if there was one of these already...but I thought it might be interesting to have a thread where people can post examples of well-known songs that have almost "verbatum" lifted certain melodies/riffs from much earlier songs. Now, I don't mean the obvious ones that everybody knows about, but rather those suspicious things that people have personally come across in their own listening experience. It's odd just how many of these types of things you find yourself coming across. Just today I came across a song called "The Queen Of My Nights" by The Blues Magoos, 1966. And the riff & progression is so strikingly similar, that it must have been lifted by those who wrote "Summer Nights" for the film Grease. Check it out, if you can.

05-01-2008, 06:37 PM	#7 (permalink)
sweet_nothing Da Hiphopopotamus Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: cloud cuckoo land Posts: 4,034	hmm i'll compare them.... EDIT: yes i see it now

05-03-2008, 04:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
Rainard Jalen Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,221	Check this out, peeps. Blues Magoos, "We Ain't Got Nothing Yet": 1966 ... Deep Purple, "Black Night": 1970 The bleedin' cheek!