# Different songs, same melody **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 11, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981 "2011-04-11T18:27:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/1 "2011-04-11T18:27:06Z")
I realized many years ago that Barney the Dinosaur’s _I Love You_ song is the same melody as _This Old Man_. The alphabet song is really _Twinkle Twinkle Little Star_. And I just realized that _Mary Had a Little Lamb_ is really _London Bridge_. There must be hundred of these. What else? ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/2 "2011-04-11T18:29:11Z")
The Battle Hymn of the Republic uses the same melody as John Brown’s Body ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/3 "2011-04-11T18:34:29Z")
“My Country, 'Tis of Thee” and “God Save the Queen”. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/4 "2011-04-11T18:36:46Z")
Weird Al Yankovic’s _I Want a New Duck_ has the same melody as Huey Lewis’s _I Want a New Drug_… And _Mary Had a Little Lamb_ (mi re do re mi mi mi, re re re, mi sol sol) is not the same melody as _London Bridge is Falling Down_ (sol la sol fa mi fa sol, re mi fa, mi fa sol). If you want to go with “really close”, then _Jolly Old Saint Nicholas_ as almost the same melody as the Pachelbel _Canon in D Major_. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/5 "2011-04-11T18:38:00Z")
“What Child Is This?” and “Greensleeves” ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/6 "2011-04-11T18:40:39Z")
And as far as chord changes go, if you play the chords from Gershwin’s _I Got Rhythm_, you can sing the theme to _The Flintstones_. And _What Child is This?_ uses the same melody as _Greensleeves_. ETA: Damn you, **Tim R. Mortiss**! ---
**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 11, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/7 "2011-04-11T19:03:46Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > The alphabet song is really _Twinkle Twinkle Little Star_. . . . which is from the French song “Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman.” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/8 "2011-04-11T19:12:08Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > And _Mary Had a Little Lamb_ (mi re do re mi mi mi, re re re, mi sol sol) is not the same melody as _London Bridge is Falling Down_ (sol la sol fa mi fa sol, re mi fa, mi fa sol). You’re right. My bad. The words could be interchangeable, except for the end of the chorus. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/9 "2011-04-11T19:14:16Z")
Alphabet song, twinkle twinkle, and also Baa Baa Black sheep ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/10 "2011-04-11T19:27:57Z")
“The Red Flag” and “O Tannenbaum.” In live performance, the Mothers of Invention’s “Plastic People” was sung to the tune of “Louie, Louie.” For the studio recording, however, the song was given an elaborate arrangement that twisted the “Louie, Louie” melody beyond recognition. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/11 "2011-04-11T19:31:40Z")
Elvis’ “Love Me Tender”’ has the same melody as the Civil War song “Aura Lee.” Brian Wilson is notorious for borrowing melodies. “Surfin’ U.S.A.” sounded so much like Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen,” that Berry sued for royalties and was awarded co-authorship of “Surfin’ U.S.A.” and “Surfer Girl” borrowed heavily from “When You Wish Upon A Star” from Disney’s “Pinocchio.” Also, “My Sweet Lord” by George Harrison was involved in a suit alleging that Harrison stole the melody of “He’s So Fine” by the Chiffons. He was ordered to surrender the majority of royalties from “My Sweet Lord” and partial royalties from “All Things Must Pass,” the album which contained the single. Harrison, eventually had the last laugh, however. He ended up buying the rights to “He’s So Fine.” ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/12 "2011-04-11T19:50:02Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Elvis’ “Love Me Tender”’ has the same melody as the Civil War song “Aura Lee.” That reminds me: “It’s Now or Never” = “O Sole Mio.” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/13 "2011-04-11T19:51:58Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Elvis’ “Love Me Tender”’ has the same melody as the Civil War song “Aura Lee.” Good catch! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/14 "2011-04-11T19:52:58Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > If you want to go with “really close”, then _Jolly Old Saint Nicholas_ as almost the same melody as the Pachelbel _Canon in D Major_. [Pachelbel rant (in D)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM) ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/15 "2011-04-11T19:54:58Z")
“I’m Always Chasing Rainbows” comes from Chopin’s “Fantasie Impromptu”. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/16 "2011-04-11T19:55:47Z")
> [@](#): > > If you want to go with “really close”, then Jolly Old Saint Nicholas as almost the same melody as the Pachelbel Canon in D Major. That’s just because [_everything_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM) is almost the same melody as Pachelbel’s Canon. EDIT: Curse you, **Bo**! ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/17 "2011-04-11T20:08:35Z")
John Lennon’s copied the melody for “Happy Christmas/War Is Over” from “Stewball,” an old folk song about a racehorse (you can find “Stewball” on Peter, Paul & Mary’s greatest hits album). Numerous popular Irish folk songs use the same familiar melodies. The tune that many people know as “The Wearing of the Green” also goes with the song “The Rising of the Moon,” while “Young Roddy McCorley” has the same tune as “Sean South of Garryowen.” ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/18 "2011-04-11T20:09:55Z")
[QUOTE=tdn;] The alphabet song is really _Twinkle Twinkle Little Star_. [/QUOTE] It’s also the tune of “Baa Baa Black Sheep.” ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/19 "2011-04-11T20:15:08Z")
The vocal line on the Toys’ ‘Lover’s Concerto’ is the same melody as Bach’s _Menuet in G_. Parts of ‘Rock Around the Clock’s’ vocal melody is taken directly from Hank Williams’ ‘Move it on Over.’ ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/20 "2011-04-11T20:23:05Z")
Like 90% of all true, hard blues is essentially the same song. Does that count? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981.md?page=2)