# Artists who followed up a big hit with a very similar sounding song. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 23, 2007, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164 "2007-03-23T13:52:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/1 "2007-03-23T13:52:20Z")
I just heard for the first time “Saturday Night at the Movies” by the Drifters and thought ‘wow- that sounds almost exactly like Under the Boardwalk, both musically and lyrically’, and then found that it was released a few months after “Boardwalk”. Does anyone have other examples of this? In another thread I was asked \*\*why \*\* I wanted to know the question I asked, so to prevent that here I will say I find the idea interesting and would like to hear other examples. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/2 "2007-03-23T14:09:06Z")
I’m not sure what song they released _before_ “Once Bitten, Twice Shy”, but from just overhearing it on a badly-amped car speaker as it was driving past our school while I was in the classroom, I could tell that it was Great White due to its similarities to their first released song. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/3 "2007-03-23T14:11:10Z")
Also: Soul II Soul’s single versions of their two breakthrough songs had the same ubiquitous early-90s drumbeat. (“Keep on movin’” and the one after that, whatever it is.) However, on the album the second song was _a capella_ till the very end. ---
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/4 "2007-03-23T14:15:56Z")
The Kinks. Although both great songs in their own right, “All Day and All of the Night” is practically a carbon copy of “You Really Got Me.” Or the related phenomenon: Bands that abruptly changed their sound after a song way outside their normal style became a huge hit. Examples: Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/5 "2007-03-23T14:21:18Z")
Nickelback. How you remind me, and that other song that was the same, only slightly worse. ---
**Author:** ![STEVEHOLT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@STEVEHOLT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/STEVEHOLT)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/6 "2007-03-23T14:24:02Z")
It always takes me a while to determine if it’s “Give me Three Steps” or “That Smell” but pretty much all Skynyrd is pretty similar. Didn’t John Fogerty get sued by his old record label after making a song that sounded too similar to “John Fogerty”? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/7 "2007-03-23T14:45:30Z")
[QUOTE=mr. jp] Nickelback. How you remind me, and that other song that was the same, only slightly worse. [/QUOTE] As none of their songs sound different, they shouldn’t count (see: ZZ Top :)) ---
**Author:** ![2pelo\_honey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/ecb155/32.png) [@2pelo\_honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2pelo_honey)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/8 "2007-03-23T14:46:06Z")
[QUOTE=STEVEHOLT!!!] It always takes me a while to determine if it’s “Give me Three Steps” or “That Smell” but pretty much all Skynyrd is pretty similar. Didn’t John Fogerty get sued by his old record label after making a song that sounded too similar to “John Fogerty”? [/QUOTE] Yep, they said “Old Man Down The Road” sounded exactly like “Run Through The Jungle.” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/9 "2007-03-23T14:47:25Z")
[QUOTE=mr. jp] Nickelback. How you remind me, and that other song that was the same, only slightly worse. [/QUOTE] Time for the obligatory link to the Nickelback song overlap website: [http://www.thewebshite.net/nickelback.htm](http://www.thewebshite.net/nickelback.htm) Damn, do I hate that band. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/10 "2007-03-23T14:51:24Z")
I know they’ve had other hits but don’t Weazer’s “Sweater” song and “Beverly Hills” song sound so close that you could actually make a mix of the songs. _Beverly Hills. That’s where I want to be, if you want to destroy my sweater!_ ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/11 "2007-03-23T14:53:43Z")
Pick any two by Boston and you’ve got it nailed. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/12 "2007-03-23T15:02:31Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] I know they’ve had other hits but don’t Weazer’s “Sweater” song and “Beverly Hills” song sound so close that you could actually make a mix of the songs. _Beverly Hills. That’s where I want to be, if you want to destroy my sweater!_ [/QUOTE] I don’t hear it. Undone (The Sweater song) is more low key with churning guitars, and intervening conversation sequences. Beverly hills is built up around the rock “da-da-dum”, and even has large parts that are void of guitars. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/13 "2007-03-23T15:15:02Z")
Almost all of Chuck Berry’s stuff is so similar that it might as well be one long song ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/14 "2007-03-23T15:33:41Z")
[QUOTE=longhair75] Almost all of Chuck Berry’s stuff is so similar that it might as well be one long song [/QUOTE] What about my ding-a-ling? 🙂 No particular Place To Go, and School Days, is an excellent example, though. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/15 "2007-03-23T15:47:57Z")
[QUOTE=mr. jp] Beverly hills is built up around the rock “da-da-dum”, and even has large parts that are void of guitars. [/QUOTE] The music in “Beverly Hills” is almost identical to “The Joker” by the Steve Miller Band. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/16 "2007-03-23T15:51:52Z")
[QUOTE=mr. jp] Nickelback. How you remind me, and that other song that was the same, only slightly worse. [/QUOTE] [Literally](http://www.thewebshite.net/nickelback.htm) the same. :dubious: edit - someone beat me to it. Awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/17 "2007-03-23T15:59:51Z")
I forgot the most blatant example- “It’s the Same Old Song” by the Four Tops IS the same song as its predecessor “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch”. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/18 "2007-03-23T16:03:47Z")
Blues Traveler had a big hit with “Runaround” and then they had that other song that sounded just like it, only I can’t think of the name because now I have “Runaround” stuck in my head. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/19 "2007-03-23T16:09:22Z")
This is not meant as a put down since he is probably my favorite of all time. Stevie Ray Vaughn’s _The Sky is Crying_ and \*Texas Flood \* are pretty much the same song. I love both of them. Chubby Checker : _The Twist_, _Lets Twist Again_, \*C’mon You Can Twist a Little More \* and _I Haven’t Squeezed Enough Money Out of You With This Twist Thing._ ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164/20 "2007-03-23T16:09:25Z")
I’m not a big fan if Nickelback myself, but I don’t find that all their songs sound the same, except for singer Chad Croaker’s oh so angst ridden vocals. It seems to me the Red Hot Chili Peppers have been rereleasing the same song for about 15 years now, though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artists-who-followed-up-a-big-hit-with-a-very-similar-sounding-song/397164.md?page=2)