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FOT Community => General Discussion => Topic started by: Matt on December 04, 2007, 03:58:15 PM

Title: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Matt on December 04, 2007, 03:58:15 PM
The Rolling Stones, "Who's Been Sleeping Here?"

Artist ripped off = Bob Dylan

Just listen to Jagger's "I wanna know!" at the end of every verse. It's uncanny. Good song, though, from one of the kings of co-option.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/n0oa9n (http://www.sendspace.com/file/n0oa9n)
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Vambo on December 04, 2007, 06:57:12 PM
The Buzzcocks "Harmony In My Head" lifted the guitars right outta Wire's "Champs",

and TV Smith's Explorers' "Tomahawk Cruise" and The Kinks' "Superman" are pretty much identical.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: John Junk on December 04, 2007, 07:00:36 PM
melody from Pavement's "Silent Kid" is just like that one Buddy Holly song.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Susannah on December 04, 2007, 07:42:13 PM
Pretty obvious, but the bassline in the Jam's "Town Called Malice" and "You Can't Hurry Love" by the Supremes...

Maybe I'm crazy, but the bassline in Superchunk's "Out on the Wing" (at the end) and the Jam's "In The City!"

Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: samir on December 04, 2007, 07:57:09 PM
Wire and Elastica, as mentioned by the Kid in the past. [5/30/06 -thanks Omar!]
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Ason on December 05, 2007, 12:45:04 AM
Led Zep's entire first album.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Sarah on December 05, 2007, 10:42:04 AM
As I noted in the chat a while back, ABBA's "Waterloo" sounds a lot like "Build Me Up, Buttercup," originally recorded by the Foundations and later covered by many another.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: dave from knoxville on December 05, 2007, 11:08:22 AM
Lucinda William's "What If" is a dead ringer for Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer", one of the greatest songs ever written, particularly as performed in its original studio version on Zuma, one of the greatest albums ever written.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: A.M. Thomas on December 05, 2007, 05:47:01 PM
That one Pavement song sounds a lot like that one Fall song.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: A.M. Thomas on December 05, 2007, 05:48:05 PM
As I noted in the chat a while back, ABBA's "Waterloo" sounds a lot like "Build Me Up, Buttercup," originally recorded by the Foundations and later covered by many another.

This song ("Build Me Up, Buttercup") is so good all around.  More groups should rip it off.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: John Junk on December 05, 2007, 06:25:59 PM
That one Pavement song sounds a lot like that one Fall song.

Spiral Stairs Kannberg is responsible for a lot of that, imho.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Ason on December 05, 2007, 09:47:19 PM
From the Howard Stern show
from March of this year
they blow thru a few

http://www.zshare.net/audio/5405156c477c83/

little bad language etc
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Ason on December 05, 2007, 09:50:31 PM
From the Howard Stern show
from March of this year
they blow thru a few

http://www.zshare.net/audio/5405156c477c83/

little bad language etc


There's a better segment where they specifically look at Led Zep
I gotta dig up
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: TVD on December 05, 2007, 10:13:12 PM
I know this is pretty well-known, Fight Test by Flaming Lips is pretty much just Father and Son by Cat Stevens.
And Green Day's Warning sounds exactly like the Kinks' Picture Book.
Oh, and that stupid song Stutter by Joe from about a decade back was note for note and word for word a ripoff of ONE LINE of Passin' Me By by the Pharcyde.  And they didn't give credit.  Blech.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: yesno on December 05, 2007, 10:31:46 PM
C'mon Everybody by Eddie Cochran & Suzy is a Headbanger by the Ramones.

Same riff.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: samir on December 05, 2007, 11:47:57 PM
This song ("Build Me Up, Buttercup") is so good all around.  More groups should rip it off.

Rhymefest's cover, with ODB, was fun as aw'hell.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Sarah on December 06, 2007, 08:47:08 AM
I shall always remember fondly the Cat's performance of it in Red Dwarf.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: moonshake on December 06, 2007, 10:01:44 AM
The Mummies - Come on Up = The Velvet Underground - Guess I'm Falling in Love
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Ason on December 06, 2007, 10:54:59 AM
Here is that Howard Stern clip from June of this year
where they focus in on the song stealing of Led Zepplin on their first record

http://www.zshare.net/audio/5417309e54fe93/
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: octopus volcano on December 06, 2007, 04:07:05 PM
"So It Goes" by Nick Lowe sounds a lot like "Reelin' in the Years" by you-know-who.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Gilly on December 06, 2007, 04:30:40 PM
The Donna's- "Take It Off" and Pretenders "Middle of the Road"
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: yesno on March 29, 2008, 07:45:19 PM
Listening to the 3/2/2004 archive where Tom is debating OCDJ about Smells Like Teen Spirit (about whether it is a ripoff of More Than a Feeling) during the Courtney Love record review.

Wikipedia backs up Tom:
Comparisons between the song have been made to Nirvana's 1991 hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain even noted the similarity. And during a live performance of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" at the Reading Festival in 1992, bassist Krist Novoselic sang the chorus of "More Than A Feeling" as a statement that the band were tired of playing it live.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More_Than_a_Feeling)
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: TL on March 29, 2008, 08:12:11 PM
"So It Goes" by Nick Lowe sounds a lot like "Reelin' in the Years" by you-know-who.

I see where you're coming from with the shuffle beat and the descending riff in the verse and all, but the vibe of each of those songs is SO different - the similarities never even occurred to me until you mentioned it just now.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Beth on March 29, 2008, 08:24:24 PM
Speaking of Nirvana, "Come As You Are" and Killing Joke's "Eighties" have the same guitar part. I think there was a lawsuit, actually.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: yesno on March 29, 2008, 08:35:15 PM
Speaking of Nirvana, "Come As You Are" and Killing Joke's "Eighties" have the same guitar part. I think there was a lawsuit, actually.

There was a lawsuit about George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" and "He's So Fine," recorded by the Chiffons.

http://abbeyrd.best.vwh.net/mysweet.htm

George Harrison lost.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Beth on March 29, 2008, 08:41:59 PM
I'm so glad he ripped that song off, though.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: scotttsss on March 29, 2008, 09:20:37 PM

Stereolab
[youtube]Lhz5BlqIUTU[/youtube]

Neu!
[youtube]ZbAWBElA6dA[/youtube]
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Matt on March 29, 2008, 11:51:09 PM
Neu!
[youtube]ZbAWBElA6dA[/youtube]

It's been said before, but that song sounds an awful lot like:

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=TuNP_rFu91I[/youtube]

I like Wilco, but that's straight up highway robbery.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: jane on March 30, 2008, 10:47:14 AM
Listening to the 3/2/2004 archive where Tom is debating OCDJ about Smells Like Teen Spirit (about whether it is a ripoff of More Than a Feeling) during the Courtney Love record review.

Wikipedia backs up Tom:
Comparisons between the song have been made to Nirvana's 1991 hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain even noted the similarity. And during a live performance of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" at the Reading Festival in 1992, bassist Krist Novoselic sang the chorus of "More Than A Feeling" as a statement that the band were tired of playing it live.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More_Than_a_Feeling)


It's all "Louie Louie"
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: KickTheBobo on March 30, 2008, 03:37:42 PM
alright, this has pissed me off for quite some time, so I think I better weigh in here. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" IS NOT the same chord progression as "More Than A Feeling". Here's how it breaks down (some minor music geekery lay ahead):

Teen Spirit, from what I have always known, if played in the key of F-Minor, with the famous riff using a I-IV-III-VI progression. Now, that key may have been transposed (I dunno, maybe they downtuned) but it is still that progression.

More Than A Feeling's famous riff can be played in the key of G Major, utilizing the chord progression I-IV-VI-V.

Even if they are played in the same key, they are different chords. I admit, there is a similar feeling to both parts, but I think that might have to do with the dynamics of the song (each is somewhat of a release of tension and quite anthemic).


Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: jane on March 30, 2008, 04:17:38 PM
I dunno, KTB, I hear it at the 51 second mark.  Yeah, the cords are slightly different, but they both serve the same function:  "heavy riff hook".  I repeat, both children or "Louie Louie".  :)

[youtube]lpDdNOB-GjQ[/youtube]
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: KickTheBobo on March 30, 2008, 04:53:39 PM
I dunno, KTB, I hear it at the 51 second mark.  Yeah, the cords are slightly different, but they both serve the same function:  "heavy riff hook".  I repeat, both children or "Louie Louie".  :)


well, if we are gonna get all reductionist here, Louie Louie is a simple I-IV-V-IV progression. I would wager to say that a good 85% of (Popular) Western music is based around that same (or minor deviations of) that pattern. Dem blues? all I-IV-V.

As far as More Than A Feeling goes: I cannot contest that it "kinda feels/ sounds like Teen Spirit". I was just pointing out that as far as theory is concerned, they are two different progressions, regardless of key. The "similar feeling" most likely has to do with the first tonic to sub-dominant (I - IV) chord change. This same chord change can also be heard in the popular tune "Here comes the Bride".
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: jane on March 30, 2008, 04:58:07 PM
ew boy.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Joe Rogaine on March 30, 2008, 05:32:14 PM
The piano part on Wilcos song "On and On" off Sky Blue Sky is a note for note ripp off of an old psychedelic song from the 60's. I just wish I could remember which one it was.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: ben on March 30, 2008, 05:40:44 PM
That one Pavement song sounds a lot like that one Fall song.

I hear this all the time, but have never really heard it in the music.  That story where Mark E. Smith is played 'Two States' and told it's an old b-side of his and believes it, that MUST be apocryphal? 

Does any one have any specific song comparisons so I can understand what this is all about?  I'm not a Fall completist by any stretch but I have four or five albums and a couple compilation, so I know a bit about them.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Rainer on March 30, 2008, 07:05:26 PM
I don't own "Bright Ideas" by Portastatic, but did listen to it a fair bit when it was streaming on the Merge Records site.  There is this one song on that album that has three descending power chords that sound exactly like a bit in a Chicago song (one of the hits -- it contained Peter Cetera singing "good times I remember").  When I hear the Portastatic song, I half expect to hear a blast of brass during that part.

Also, the stairstep melody in REM's "Fall on Me" -- where Stipe sings "feathers hit the ground before the weight can leave the air" -- always reminds me of Macca's "Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey"  -- "but there's no one left a home and I believe it's gonna ra-ain."

Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: dave from knoxville on March 30, 2008, 07:58:07 PM
While the chords are slightly different, the meters/rhythm patterns are identical.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: <<<<< on March 30, 2008, 08:14:08 PM
Speaking of Nirvana, "Come As You Are" and Killing Joke's "Eighties" have the same guitar part. I think there was a lawsuit, actually.

Good call.  The only way it could have been more obvious is if they'd literally sampled it.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: <<<<< on March 30, 2008, 08:42:36 PM
Heard this song "Halcyon Daze" by Local H the other day and felt it sounded like a total knockoff of Queens of the Stone Age's "Feel Good Hit of the Summer".

Just looked it up on wiki and it sounds like the two songs were flukes that happened concurrently:

In the linear notes, Lucas says that "Halcion Daze" was, quote: "all set to be the closing track to Here Comes the Zoo." While recording this album, however, Queens of the Stone Age released "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" on their 2000 album Rated R. Lucas felt the two songs were too similar (both musically and lyrically) and scrapped this idea. The song was later re-written into "Halcyon Days (Where Were You Then?)" as the closing track to Whatever Happened to P.J. Soles?.

Weird.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: benadian on March 30, 2008, 09:40:03 PM
Also, the stairstep melody in REM's "Fall on Me" -- where Stipe sings "feathers hit the ground before the weight can leave the air" -- always reminds me of Macca's "Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey"  -- "but there's no one left a home and I believe it's gonna ra-ain."

I never realized that before, but yes, it makes complete sense!  And then the chorus of "You" on Monster is kind of a rehash of that melody, again.

And continuing on the subject of REM, how about "Stand" and "La Bamba"?  The melody of "Stand in the place where you live," in particular, is the same as the guitar line at the beginning of t'other.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Matt on March 30, 2008, 09:48:44 PM
As long as we're talking similar melodies/instrumental passages, I'll note that the descending guitar in Elvis Costello's "Two Little Hitlers" (when he sings "I will return") is a "Rebel Rebel" knockoff.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Stupornaut on March 30, 2008, 09:54:46 PM
"The Jean Genie" vs. "Block Buster": FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Man Machine on March 31, 2008, 12:39:57 AM
Yo La Tengo's "Straight Down to the Bitter End" (Electr-O-Pura) references Eno's "St. Elmo's Fire" in the chorus.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Gilly on March 31, 2008, 03:21:08 AM
Vampire Weekend's Oxford Comma sounds like something straight out of Rent particularly Light My Candle.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: <<<<< on March 31, 2008, 07:46:54 AM
Also seem to recall that Chokebore had a song that was very similar to "Do ya think I'm sexy", almost like they were covering it, but not.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: TL on March 31, 2008, 09:05:18 AM
Also seem to recall that Chokebore had a song that was very similar to "Do ya think I'm sexy",


Which is itself a direct rip off of a Jorge Ben song.

Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Rainer on March 31, 2008, 09:34:17 AM
Quote
As long as we're talking similar melodies/instrumental passages, I'll note that the descending guitar in Elvis Costello's "Two Little Hitlers" (when he sings "I will return") is a "Rebel Rebel" knockoff.

Indeed.  And how about the "give you anything but time" refrain of EC's "Party Girl"?  I imagine Lennon in his panama suit playing that bit at the end of "Carry That Weight" right before "The End" begins.  EC also has a clever little sampling of the melody from a Shostakovic string quartets in "I Thought I'd Write to Juliet" (that album he did with The Brodsky Quartet):

"You know the rest...and it's no joke...Forgive me please as I quote..."

[the melody used for the following line is the lift from Shostakovic]:

"This is a letter of thanks, as I'm so bored here in I can't
say where."

Quote
Which is itself a direct rip off of a Jorge Ben song.

Taj Mahal. Great song.

Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Stupornaut on March 31, 2008, 10:19:25 AM

Quote
Which is itself a direct rip off of a Jorge Ben song.

Taj Mahal. Great song.



Somewhat lesser-known: it also rips off Bobby Womack's "If You Want My Love (Put Something Down on It)".
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: PatrickChew on March 31, 2008, 05:23:02 PM
I don't remember where I first heard about this one, but it's kind of mind blowing:

[youtube]nxpblnsJEWM[/youtube]

[youtube]FFG--wvb9Xo[/youtube]
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Joe Rogaine on March 31, 2008, 06:29:44 PM
The piano part on Wilcos song "On and On" off Sky Blue Sky is a note for note ripp off of an old psychedelic song from the 60's. I just wish I could remember which one it was.


Nothing? This has been killing me since that album came out.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Wes on March 31, 2008, 08:57:21 PM
The piano part on Wilcos song "On and On" off Sky Blue Sky is a note for note ripp off of an old psychedelic song from the 60's. I just wish I could remember which one it was.

Nothing? This has been killing me since that album came out.

Are you thinking of Procol Harum's "A Salty Dog" maybe? Sounds a little like Steely Dan's "Through With Buzz" to me, too.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Shaggy 2 Grote on March 31, 2008, 09:14:34 PM
Yo La Tengo's "Straight Down to the Bitter End" (Electr-O-Pura) references Eno's "St. Elmo's Fire" in the chorus.

Supposedly Ira Kaplan loved that movie.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: JonFromMaplewood on March 31, 2008, 09:46:45 PM
Speaking of Yo La Tengo, to me, the music in "Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind" sounds a lot like Liz Phair's "Supernova."
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Gilly on March 31, 2008, 09:54:29 PM
Also seem to recall that Chokebore had a song that was very similar to "Do ya think I'm sexy", almost like they were covering it, but not.


Which one is that?
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: <<<<< on April 01, 2008, 07:01:15 AM
Also seem to recall that Chokebore had a song that was very similar to "Do ya think I'm sexy", almost like they were covering it, but not.


Which one is that?

"Hit Me" off their first album.  Just dug it up and actually... it is a reinterpretation of the Rod Stewart song.  The lyrics of the verses are the same except that they replace the chorus with "Hit Me".  The music is not much like the original, though just enough so to help you "get it".

I guess it wouldn't technically qualify for what we're looking for in this thread.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Jan. on April 02, 2008, 09:56:15 PM
If I listen to "Hello, There" by John Cale, it reminds me of the Ghostbuster's Theme.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Rainer on April 09, 2008, 05:15:59 PM
No theft going on here, but whenever I hear Beck's Elevator Music (the last bit with the touch-tone sounds), I always here the closing of Out of The Blue by Matt Johnson. 

Beck: Elevator Music
3:15 [phone tones]
[youtube]S-QHWXFJTek[/youtube]

The The: Out of the Blue (Into the Fire)
3:55 "come my love with your desire ..."
[youtube]Okz5Ejb946U[/youtube]

Matt Johnson's "character" in his video seems like Jason agonizing over his composter :)

Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: yesno on April 10, 2008, 09:04:08 PM
Every Camper van Beethoven song....

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThQKlt45LrM[/youtube]

sounds like The Beatles, "Don't Pass Me By."

Written by Mr. Starkey.


Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Fig Neutron on April 11, 2008, 09:41:00 PM
The first song Tom played on this week's show (4/8).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1Cgqxq2zrs

I think this song is great, and doesn't count.  It sounds JUST like a great Brian Wilson song, but does sound like any particular song.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Fig Neutron on April 11, 2008, 10:48:33 PM
http://youtube.com/watch?v=01C4RPEinM4

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uuuDjOzXMX0

-------------------------------------------------

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Hq-W-4Izjwc

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8dHUfy_YBps
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: God Stewart on April 12, 2008, 08:56:18 AM
Everyone probably knows these two already. Modest Mouse's Blame It On the Tetons sounds a lot like Sonic Youth's Unwind.

Also the Billy Childish song Joe Strummers Grave uses the exact same riff as The Exploders' song My Country Brain— though I suppose they can both be considered parallel rip-offs of the Kinks.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Rainer on April 15, 2008, 02:14:25 PM
Quote
I think this song is great, and doesn't count.  It sounds JUST like a great Brian Wilson song, but does sound like any particular song.

I agree. For a brief moment -- just when the pounding piano starts -- I expected him to sing "Well, it's been building up inside of me for oh, I don't know how long" from "Don't Worry Baby", but before that impression can gain any traction, he descends the bass and makes the song his own.  It's another great "Jesus Christ" song, right up there with Big Star's version.

If I am hearing the lyrics correctly, and he is, in fact, singing "the clouds are nice, I tore them on my mind" then he wins.  But then again, I've always thought Robert Plant sang "One more, u-oo-nique LOVE!" in Whole Lotta Love.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Joe Rogaine on April 15, 2008, 06:16:36 PM
The piano part on Wilcos song "On and On" off Sky Blue Sky is a note for note ripp off of an old psychedelic song from the 60's. I just wish I could remember which one it was.

Nothing? This has been killing me since that album came out.

Are you thinking of Procol Harum's "A Salty Dog" maybe? Sounds a little like Steely Dan's "Through With Buzz" to me, too.


There is a show on XM called The Blacklight Room they play it on there every once and awhile.
Title: Re: Bands with songs that sound like other bands
Post by: Joe Rogaine on May 10, 2008, 12:53:38 AM
I finally figured it out listen to Wilcos On and On and Spirits Space Child next to each other.