# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Schoaff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Schoaff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schoaff)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/21 "2011-04-11T20:26:53Z")
Paul Simon’s “American Tune” has the same melody as the hymn “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded” ---
**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, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/22 "2011-04-11T20:28:14Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > It’s also the tune of “Baa Baa Black Sheep.” Mentioned by **TruCelt** in Post #9. ---
**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, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/23 "2011-04-11T20:53:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > 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:** ![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, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/24 "2011-04-11T20:58:43Z")
There’s a song called “The Riddle Song” (_I gave my love a cherry without a stone/I gave my love a chicken without a bone_) that shares a melody with _The Twelfth of Never_, as popularized by Johnny Mathis. Ooh! Also _O Tannenbaum_ and _O Christmas Tree_! 😉 ---
**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, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/25 "2011-04-11T21:08:20Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Ooh! Also _O Tannenbaum_ and _O Christmas Tree_! > > 😉 If you go that route, the Maryland state song (‘Maryland, My Maryland’) has the same melody as ‘O Tannenbaum.’ 🙂 ---
**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, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/26 "2011-04-11T21:33:47Z")
The German anthem “Deutschland, Uber Alles” was set to an old melody from a Haydn string quartet. The Columbia University alma mater uses that same melody. With all the Jewish faculty and students at Columbia, I’m a bit surprised that wasn’t changed a long time ago (even though, obviously, Haydn wrote the tune LONG before the rise of the Nazis). ---
**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, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/27 "2011-04-11T21:35:36Z")
The “SpongeBob SquarePants” theme song uses the melody of the old sea chanty “Blow the Man Down.” ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/28 "2011-04-11T21:38:24Z")
[4 Chords](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpB_40hYjXU&feature=related) 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/29 "2011-04-11T21:48:25Z")
Lady Antebellum - “Need You Now” and Alan Parsons Project - “Eye in the Sky” sound like the same song to me. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/30 "2011-04-11T21:49:14Z")
Part of the melody of Elvis’ [Can’t Help Falling in Love](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFSfdL5lPoY) was lifted from the French song [Plaisir d’Amour](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU2yiR5DTyk). The melody of Country Joe’s [Feelin’ Like I’m Fixin’ to Die Rag](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbBCfeM964s) was copied from Kid Ory’s [Muskrat Ramble](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-e_qHR6xhY). The riff from [In the Mood](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR3K5uB-wMA) (made famous by Glenn Miller) is pretty much the same as that from an earlier tune by Wingy Manone called [Tar Paper Stomp](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gfjZhy_T_c) (sorry, I couldn’t find the original Wingy recording on line). ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/31 "2011-04-11T22:06:58Z")
“Turkey In The Straw” and “Old Zip Coon” both use the same melody, also used to call herds of children to feed on ice cream. ---
**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, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/32 "2011-04-11T22:11:53Z")
Okay, the _Vasectomy Song_ from Family Guy is sung to the tune of _Coney Island Washboard_. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/33 "2011-04-11T22:24:50Z")
Creedence Clearwater Revival’s _Run Through The Jungle_ and John Fogerty’s\* The Old Man Down The Road\*. At least that’s what Fantasy Records claimed when they sued Fogerty for[plagiarizing himself](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fogerty_v._Fantasy)… ---
**Author:** ![pythonzzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9e8a1a/32.png) [@pythonzzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pythonzzz)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/34 "2011-04-11T23:24:01Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > [4 Chords](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpB_40hYjXU&feature=related) 🆒 You took mine! Try this other video version of the song: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7uUE1WczKk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7uUE1WczKk) ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/35 "2011-04-12T01:38:33Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Elvis’ “Love Me Tender”’ has the same melody as the Civil War song “Aura Lee.” > [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > That reminds me: “It’s Now or Never” = “O Sole Mio.” > [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Part of the melody of Elvis’ [Can’t Help Falling in Love](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFSfdL5lPoY) was lifted from the French song [Plaisir d’Amour](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU2yiR5DTyk). And \*Wooden Heart \*comes from a German [folk tune](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPWH5-nm9ZM&feature=related). I’ve often thought that \*Da Do Ron Ron \*is a rip-off of Habenera from Carmen. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/36 "2011-04-12T01:44:06Z")
The Rhodesian national anthem - _Rise, O Voices Of Rhodesia_ - is set to the melody of _Ode to Joy._ I never could understand why they didn’t try to compose a new melody. I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/37 "2011-04-12T02:00:57Z")
The guitars in the chorus of **Boston’s More Than a Feeling** are clearly playing **Louie Louie**. Then on a slightly different note (!) \*\*Music of the Night \*\*from Phantom of the Opera –to me- sounds an awful lot like the classic novelty song “ **Fish Heads** ”. Such that, “_Fish heads, fish heads, rolly polly fish heads_” can be sung note for note in place of each of the opening lines of the main stanzas. Why Barnes and Barnes, the writers of “Fish Heads” didn’t sue the pants off old Andrew Lloyd, I’ll never know. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/38 "2011-04-12T02:10:59Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > The “SpongeBob SquarePants” theme song uses the melody of the old sea chanty “Blow the Man Down.” Only partially. The ‘Spongebob Squarepants’ response doesn’t scan to the ‘way hey, blow the man down’ or ‘give me some time to blow the man down’ lines. But the pirate’s questions do scan to the first and third line of each verse. ---
**Author:** ![pinguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pinguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinguin)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/39 "2011-04-12T02:13:02Z")
the chorus of Bob Marley’s **Buffalo Soldiers** is the same melody of Banana Splits **Tra-La-La** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp7Rn8d9lmg&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp7Rn8d9lmg&feature=related) ---
**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 12, 2011, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/40 "2011-04-12T03:13:14Z")
“Full Moon and Empty Arms” is the main theme of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto #2, 3rd Movement. “Tonight We Love” is the main theme of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto #1, 1st Movement. Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” is very similar to Bach’s Air on a G String. And of course all the songs from the show “Kismet” were based on music by Borodin. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981.md?page=3)