# Classical music melodies in contemporary popular songs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 17, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770 "2011-04-17T23:56:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/21 "2011-04-18T14:39:02Z")
I don’t know its name, but there’s a song based on the beginning of the 3rd movement of Rachmaninoff’s Symphony #2, before the clarinet solo. ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/22 "2011-04-18T14:43:19Z")
Stretching the world “pop” but [No Other Love](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjDqMftHbKI) as recorded by Jo Stafford is based on Chopin’s Etude in E major, Op. 10. It’s a very lovely melody which also turns up in this Argentine [tango](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06y_jwDxWwo). ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/23 "2011-04-18T15:36:37Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > ELO’s “Roll Over Beethoven” quoted extensively from his Fifth Symphony. Ooh that reminds me that Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony was the basis for “A Fifth of Beethoven,” by Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band. … which was heavily sampled by Robin Thicke in “When I Get You Alone.” > [@Stratocaster](#): > > “O Sole Mio” was the blueprint for Elvis’s “It’s Now or Never.” Elvis (or his songwriters, anyway) did this a couple of times. There’s also “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” which is based on the French art song “Plaisir d’Amour,” and “Today, Tomorrow and Forever” based on Liszt’s gorgeous piano piece, _Liebestraum_. > [@salinqmind](#): > > “Full Moon and Empty Arms” (Frank Sinatra) is based on Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Going back to the fifties, “Stranger in Paradise” was a big hit for Tony Bennett, from the musical _Kismet_ – and was based on Alexander Borodin’s _Polovetsian Dances_ from _Prince Igor._ (All of _Kismet_ was based on Borodin’s music.) ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/24 "2011-04-18T15:58:11Z")
Back in the 50s, Peter Sellers borrowed Clarke’s “Trumpet Voluntary” for the newish medium of rock and roll, creating [“Trumpet Volunteer”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXxMvu8Bl_w#t=3m58s). It may be a novelty song, but it’s quite catchy. ---
**Author:** ![Headrush042](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Headrush042](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headrush042)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/25 "2011-04-18T16:13:16Z")
Rob Dougan (electronic) uses Chopin’s [Prelude in E minor (op 28 no 4)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef-4Bv5Ng0w) as the foundation for [Clubbed to Death 2](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQwUkFCr6Lw). Bliss N Eso (Australian hip hop) use Tchaikovsky’s [Swan Lake ballet suite](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S76CGGPqI3s) as a basis for [Destiny Lane](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y60fWoip344). ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/26 "2011-04-18T16:35:45Z")
So many of the melodies of well-known popular songs were actually written by the great masters. Like [these](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIMFhPyNKDs) familiar themes. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/27 "2011-04-18T16:41:23Z")
> [@choie](#): > > And Sting used a snippet from _Lieutenant Kije_ Suite by Prokofiev for the instrumental sections of “Russians.” Emerson, Lake and Palmer also used an instrumental chunk of _Lieutenant Kije_ (“Troika”) for their song “I Believe in Father Christmas”. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/28 "2011-04-18T16:44:23Z")
> [@choie](#): > > Well, Billy Joel used Beethoven’s _Pathetique_ piano sonata for the chorus of “This Night.” This is what I came in here to say. At least he gave credit where credit is due… in the liner notes for the album, it says “verse by Billy Joel, chorus by L.v. Beethoven”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/29 "2011-04-18T19:56:56Z")
Oh oh, we forgot a very obvious one: [Warren G and Sissel (Prince Igor by Borodin)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41_Pf5oul1w&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/30 "2011-04-18T20:28:36Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I don’t know its name, but there’s a song based on the beginning of the 3rd movement of Rachmaninoff’s Symphony #2, before the clarinet solo. [Never Gonna Fall In Love Again](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOQvUSrIrcE) -Eric Carmen ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/31 "2011-04-18T23:06:23Z")
> [@enomaj](#): > > [Never Gonna Fall In Love Again](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOQvUSrIrcE) -Eric Carmen Jesus, did he write _any_ songs that weren’t based on Rachmaninoff? ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/32 "2011-04-18T23:18:35Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/h_ctJX8qmfM/hqdefault.jpg "Jackie Wilson - Night (1960)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_ctJX8qmfM) Jackie Wilson’s “Night” from the 1960s. Taken NOTE FOR NOTE from an Aria by Camille Saint Saens’ “Samson and Delilah.” One of the few classical robberies I don’t mind. I actually like it _almost_ as much as the original. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9piRiiZ0C4Q](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9piRiiZ0C4Q) (Skip to 1:25 for the comparison) ALMOST. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/33 "2011-04-18T23:21:57Z")
> [@The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](#): > > Second, as a hack songwriter, I’d like to jumpstart my (so-called) creative process by riffing on some of these old-school, public-domain melodies and themes, just like the famous rip-off artists described above. Who are some catchy, melodic composers who might be good to take a look at? Franz Lehar’s up for grabs in…10 years or so? I don’t remember how long copyright law is good for, he died in '48. I’d listen to a Taylor Swift cover of his Vilja aria from the Merry Widow! ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/34 "2011-04-19T06:01:54Z")
I was thinking of this thread earlier when I remembered Pitbull’s “[Hey Baby](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LefQdEMJP1I)” quotes Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King.” He tends to quote or sample other people’s compositions in his songs. Though this isn’t classical, I just wanted to mention it - he used a sample in his song “[Bon Bon](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O72RLP5fF4)” from Yolanda Be Cool & D Cup’s “[We No Speak Americano](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgFE5OQbt_g),” which itself sampled Renato Carosone’s “[Tu Vuo’ Fa’ L’Americano](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqlJwMFtMCs&feature=related).” ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/35 "2011-04-19T07:21:21Z")
Oh, and the Beatles’ “Because” is supposed to be “Moonlight Sonata” played backwards–though I’ve listened to it in reverse, and I don’t hear it, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/36 "2011-04-19T09:48:56Z")
> [@Lucky\_13](#): > > I was thinking of this thread earlier when I remembered Pitbull’s “[Hey Baby](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LefQdEMJP1I)” quotes Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King.” Blue Oyster Cult throw in a quick snippet of that in “Joan Crawford” as well. (Of course, Apocalyptica just play the [whole damn thing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf2aIVKp1OY)but that’s another thread entirely.) ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770/37 "2011-04-19T09:52:22Z")
> [@choie](#): > > There’s also “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” which is based on the French art song “Plaisir d’Amour,” No way, the tunes are completely different. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classical-music-melodies-in-contemporary-popular-songs/578770.md?page=1)