Famous, "stolen" songs???

[smirky]

You know McFerrin's "Don't worry, be happy"? and "What's going on" (4Non Blondes)? Well, compare the melody of the verses...
And isn't the verse-melody of "1999" from Prince similar to the one from "Manic Monday"?
What do you think?

[Emeric]

I think prince wrote manic monday for the bangles, not positive though.

I remember some controversy between Huey Lewis "I want a new drug" and the ghostbusters theme.

There is some similiarity between the 4nonblondes song and MCFerrin one.. good call.

[migo]

My Sweet Lord (vs) She's So Fine.

George Harrison was found guilty for copyright infringement. Personally, that one's a close call.

On The Outside (vs) Play Me

Not so famous. I remember hearing the song "On The Outside" by a Canadian songwriter called Rock Voisin. The verse music sounded like the verse music from Neil Diamond's "Play Me". I don't know whether any action was taken on Neil Diamond's behalf, though.

[gibs]

The judgement against Harrison was stupid as shit..the Chiffons or who whoever the fuck they were needed some quick easy bucks and found a tricky lawyer and a dumbass idiot judge..."He's So Fine", the gist of the song as well as the three syllables and notes that were regarded as stolen were not even the same timing, and certainly didn't have a supporting counter melody going either...if three notes are considered stealing, then there's not a writer out there that couldn't be in trouble...think louie louie, hang on sloopy, la bamba, as just three songs that could be construed as stealing WAY more than "My Sweet Lord".......gibs

[CMiller]

Ever listen to Van Halen's "Best of Both Worlds" and "Celebrate" by I think it's Kool and the Gang? Identical. You know the song..."Cel-e-brate good times, C'mon"

[Ray J]

Steve Miller's Rockin me Baby=Free's Alright Now

Steve Miller's-The Stake(steak whatever)=Rocky Mountain Way by Joe Walsh

Also The Hardest Thing I'll Ever Have to Do by one of the boy bands=Brittany Spears From the Bottom of My Broken Heart, don't really know who's came out first and don't care. But the Chorus's are interchangable.

[dragonworks]

Did anyone see George Harrison on Saturday night live right after the Shes so Fine farce where he did This Song (title?) I was doing about 4 hits of sunshine and it was one
of the best musical skits I ever saw (I think). How about that latest Blues Travelers
tune (dont know the name, i think its the latest.)If that isnt Rosaletta by Springsteen
I dont know what is.

[virtual.ray]

S.A.C.E.M.,the French equivalent of ASCAP,has a computer program they run new melodies through and if more than 8 notes in a row line up with a song that's already in the database,they'll give you the option of changing it or else you can't register the song with them!

[smirky]

a friend told me that there's some law about how much a new song can be equal to an existing one (about 4 measures can be similar or equal, I dunno!). Are there any specific laws, if yes, up to which grade is it legal to "borrow" some notes???

[Coda - Co]

They just banned Napster, what makes you think they can't ban a D chord.........

[Kelly Holdridge]

Yeah. For more on this, think about the Ray Parker Jr. vs. Huey Lewis case.

I Wanna New Drug=Ghostbusters.

The judge found for Huey Lewis, siding with the idea that music is limited enough to allow for two similar ideas at the same time (even though listening to the bass line suggests otherwise).

The case set precedent. Chord progressions (themselves) cannot be copyrighted.

It's a shame, too. Drstawl's stuff is worthy of copyright.

[Kelly Holdridge]

just noticed that someone already noted that. oooooops.

[Kelly Holdridge]

Stairway to Heaven = Let it Flow

[CMiller]

How about pop musicians ripping off classical masters? For instatance:

Proco Harem "Lighter Shade of Pale"=Bach's "Aire on a G String"

Blues Traveller's "The Hook"=Pacabell's "Canon"

There are tons of those.

[Coda - Co]

The first vocal verse melody in..... Shania Twain's-- Man I feel like a women and Aerosmith's -- Uncle Salty...

[This message has been edited by Coda - Co (edited 07-27-2000).]

[MikeDog]

TLC's "Waterfalls" and Paul McCartney's "Waterfalls." Anyone else notice the similarities...(seriously, this time)

MikeDog

[migo]

Correct me if I'm wrong, cause I have neither of these songs and I only heard them on Much Music in Canada a while back, but the beginning melody of that song "Waterfall" by TLC (are they the writers of that song?) sounds like the beginning of a Kim Mitchel song called "Go For Soda": "Don't go chasing waterfalls..." (Against) "Might as well go for a soda..."

[BrettB]

I always wondered why nobody heared that Save Tonight from Eagle Eye Cherry= The Passenger from iggy pop

[Top Jimmy]

What about Sammy Haggar's "Maas Tequila" and that Gary Glitter tune?

[MikeDog]

You mean Sammy Hagar's song WASN'T a re-write of Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part 2?" Gary should sue, just to get the cash to cover his current legal bills...

MikeDog

[Buck62]

"Runaround" by Blues Traveler is exactly the same song as that Sister Hazel song... "Hard To Say"
Same chords, same tempo.

"Can't You See" by the Marshall Tucker Band and "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Yeah... this could go on forever

[Brahmb]

Billy Joel copied the 2nd movement of Beethoven's Piano Sonata in C minor (Pathetique) for his chorus "This Night".
Phil Collins remake of "Groovy Kind of Love" (can't remember the original performers) takes it theme right from the Rondo section of a Sonatina (49) by Kohler.
There are many examples, but I think it's a cool way for people to remember the past (though I think I'd better stay away from that topic....it's well covered in The Beatle's thread)

[Pirateking]

"Runaround" also has the same chords as "NFB (dallabnikufecin)" by Anthrax, though played about twice as fast. How do I know? I was actually in a band that played the silliest Anthrax song ever.
And actually, I think Procol Harum made it pretty clear that "Whiter Shade of Pale" had classical music in it, so I think that might be more borrowed than stolen.

[CMiller]

So the difference between stealing a melody and borrowing one is what exactly? Fessing up to it?

[T-nm]

Byonce Knowles - Crazy In Love.

The main beat in the back reminds me of some tune in the 70's. Can't remember what tune exactly, does someone knows?