# 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:** 5
**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 18, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/81 "2011-04-18T18:21:37Z")
> [@Sam\_A.Robrin](#): > > I’ve been keeping a list ever since sci–fi fans tried finding a melody for “The Green Hills of Earth”: > > SONGS THAT CAN BE SUNG TO THE TUNE OF “THE BALLAD OF GILLIGAN’S ISLAND” > > \ > > Poems that apply: > > Jabberwocky > > Little Miss Muffet > Jack and Jill > Doctor Foster went to Gloucester > Little Jack Horner > Itsy Bitsy Spider > Mary Mary Quite Contrary > > Anything by Emily Dickinson Add Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” to that list. Robert Frost’s “Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening” can be sung to the tune of “O Tannenbaum.” “O Little Town of Bethlehem” can be sung to the tune of “House of the Rising Sun.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/J39c9hZdlqQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Singing Snowman") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J39c9hZdlqQ) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/82 "2011-04-18T19:03:12Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Huh, and all this time I had thought that “Child in a Manger” was to the tune of “Morning has Broken”, not the other way around. I thought Cat Stevens _wrote_ “Morning Has Broken.” I had to edit my post when I read it was published in 1931. “Child in a Manger” is from the 19th Century. ---
**Author:** ![DirkGntly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DirkGntly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DirkGntly)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/83 "2011-04-18T21:39:40Z")
> [@missred](#): > > In classic country/mountain music, _The Great Speckled Bird_ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jzlOI-8J\_4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jzlOI-8J_4), _Wild Side of Life_ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5y5jWv2xQw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5y5jWv2xQw), _It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels_ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKleTa94dC8](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKleTa94dC8) and _I’m Thinking Tonight of my Blue Eyes_ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4tBmpRdZ94](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4tBmpRdZ94). > > I guess they’ve always known about reuse/recycle in the hills. 😛 FYI: “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” was written as a female’s response to “Wild Side of Life” later, so naturally used the same tune. Ican’t speak to the genesis of the other songs. ---
**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, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/84 "2011-04-18T22:58:24Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > The Lone Ranger theme sounds just like the third part of the William Tell Overture. Only if “sounds just like” = “is” > [@cochrane](#): > > Robert Frost’s “Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening” can be sung to the tune of “O Tannenbaum.” Or better yet . . . “Hernando’s Hideaway.” ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/85 "2011-04-19T03:18:55Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > [Heh heh heh](http://youtu.be/vmEfFlbqbbY) (I’m sure you’ve already seen this.) I love that version, but dear God the years were not kind to that band. > [@TruCelt](#): > > Alphabet song, twinkle twinkle, and also Baa Baa Black sheep At my daughters last birthday party they played a game where the girls would quack a song and the rest would have to guess what song they were doing. After about 10 mins I cracked and had to explain that _they were all the same tune!_ ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/86 "2011-04-19T14:26:26Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > “What Child Is This?” and “Greensleeves” Also [A Home in the Meadow](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDrV-oWLas0) from the movie “How The West Was Won” ---
**Author:** ![phughes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c77e96/32.png) [@phughes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phughes)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/87 "2012-04-02T20:34:46Z")
The Eydie Gorme recording “Blame It on the Bossa Nova” showed up decades later as “A Night Like This” by Caro Emerald and others. The 1954 hit “Till We Two Are One” is really a slowed-up version of “Jimmy Crack Corn.” In fact, slow it down still further and it sorta resembles “Ebb Tide.” Far out. Shows you the possibilities inherent in merely altering the speed of a composition. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/88 "2012-04-02T21:11:57Z")
“When This Ruddy War Is Over” is sung to the melody of “What A Friend I Have In Jesus”. ---
**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 2, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/89 "2012-04-02T21:17:00Z")
> [@phughes](#): > > Shows you the possibilities inherent in merely altering the speed of a composition. Tempo and rhythm are surprisingly important. Years ago my mom, a piano teacher, attended a workshop/conference for music teachers and saw a demonstration of this. The “speaker” sat at the piano and played the correct sequence of notes that comprise the melody of “The Star Spangled Banner”, but completely changed the rhythm. _Nobody_ could identify the tune until … she played the _correct_ rhythm, but using only a single note. Then everybody immediately identified the song. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/90 "2012-04-03T13:27:14Z")
I’m pretty sure Slapshot’s _Shoot Charlton Heston_ uses the exact same riffs as Marduk’s _Panzer Division Marduk_. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/91 "2012-04-03T16:46:57Z")
“Sittin’ on Top of the World” = “Come On in My Kitchen” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/92 "2012-04-03T17:28:42Z")
Half of Chuck Berry’s music sounds eerily like the other half of Chuck Berry’s Music. Fortunately, both halves are great. ---
**Author:** ![DearestDane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@DearestDane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DearestDane)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/93 "2012-04-04T07:49:39Z")
> [@Schoaff](#): > > Paul Simon’s “American Tune” has the same melody as the hymn “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded” I believe it began life as a tune that **Hans Leo Hassler** composed for a love song: _Mein G’müt ist mir verwirret_. It was later recycled in several different psalms. Its most famous use may be in **Bach** ’s _St. Matthew Passion_. ---
**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 4, 2012, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/94 "2012-04-04T10:28:24Z")
I’m not gonna re-read this entire thread, so this has possibly been already mentioned: Tom Lehrer’s “Elements Song” is the same melody as “I am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General,” from Gilbert & Sullivan’s _The Pirates of Penzance._ And there have been many other parodies and pastiches as well, like the “Boy Scout Merit Badge Song.” ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/95 "2012-04-04T14:28:19Z")
Don’t know if this fits exactly, but on a recent Old 97’s album, songwriter Rhett Miller took Bob Dylan’s “Desolation Row” and wrote completely new lyrics, calling the song “Champaign Illinois”. Dylan agreed to the use of his old song in return for co-writer credit on the new song. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/96 "2012-04-04T21:50:36Z")
> [@Schoaff](#): > > Paul Simon’s “American Tune” has the same melody as the hymn “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded” > [@DearestDane](#): > > I believe it began life as a tune that **Hans Leo Hassler** composed for a love song: _Mein G’müt ist mir verwirret_. > > It was later recycled in several different psalms. Its most famous use may be in **Bach** ’s _St. Matthew Passion_. Yes, correct. It was later adapted as the folk song “Because All Men Are Brothers” by Tom Glazer and was well-know to folkies. This is where Paul Simon picked it up. ---
**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 4, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/97 "2012-04-04T23:24:21Z")
I found my idea had been ninja’ed a year ago … by me. Oh, well. One I’ve never really understood, The Animaniac’s _Countries of the World_ is supposedly _The Mexican Hat Dance_, but with different notes. I don’t know how it could be the same tune if it has different notes, but people a lot more expert at music than I am have tried to convince that it’s true. ---
**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 5, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/98 "2012-04-05T02:12:46Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > The Animaniac’s _Countries of the World_ is supposedly _The Mexican Hat Dance_, but with different notes. I just listened to it. I don’t think it’s a straight copy of _The Mexican Hat Dance_, but there are four places where it clearly quotes the main theme: Costa Rica through Guam, Syria through Spain, Tunisia through Ghana and Ethiopia through the end. ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/99 "2012-04-05T13:44:06Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > As Astorian points out Irish folk songs often share melodies. Another example is [The Moorlough Shore](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne5Yw2CfJ3c) is often sung to the same air as [Foggy Dew](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b605qq7xBzM)(the 1916 ballad). Patrick Kavanagh used the air of The Dawning Of The Day/Fáinne Geal An Lae for On Raglan Road too. I went to a concert of sorts many years ago where a ‘supergroup’ of folksingers did their thing. I wondered if they knew more than 2 songs as that’s all they seemed to sing all night! Westlife took the tune from [Rainbow Zephyr](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv8KSTnB51c) for their (released around the same time IIRC) [Hey Whatever](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V644AyWt3M&ob=av2e) ---
**Author:** ![prettykq7156](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b5a626/32.png) [@prettykq7156](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prettykq7156)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981/100 "2012-06-11T04:06:05Z")
All I Want Is You- Barry Louis Polisar and Countdown- Beyonce 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/different-songs-same-melody/577981.md?page=6)