# First song to ''sample'' another song
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-song-to-sample-another-song/109757
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 18, 2002, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-song-to-sample-another-song/109757 "2002-05-18T23:34:28Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2002, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-song-to-sample-another-song/109757/1 "2002-05-18T23:34:28Z")
In the early 80’s, sampling became both big and controversial. What was the first well-known song to sample another well-known song? I remember the 1982 song, “Planet Rock”, by Afrika Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force using a chunk of Kraftwerk’s “Trans Europe Express” as a back beat.
Any earlier?
---
### Author:  [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2002, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-song-to-sample-another-song/109757/2 "2002-05-19T00:14:32Z")
Google is [indeed](http://www.techtv.com/audiofile/features/story/0,23008,3346080,00.html) your friend. 😉
(“music sampling history” Google)
---
### Author:  [@grendel72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grendel72)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2002, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-song-to-sample-another-song/109757/3 "2002-05-19T00:38:11Z")
As **beagledave** ’s link mentioned, the **Sugar Hill Gang** scratched recordings of a house band playing the songs. If you are refering to recorded music, I believe the **Residents** were doing a crude form of sampling in the 70’s, although the samples were pretty much unrecognizeable. If you are including live music, **Grandmaster Flash** was sampling in the 70’s, although he didn’t record until later. I am pretty sure **John Cage** experimented with music playback even earlier.
---
### Author:  [@DPWhite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPWhite)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2002, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-song-to-sample-another-song/109757/4 "2002-05-19T01:31:20Z")
Revolution Number 9 used as its main riff a test sound of a man saying Number 9, over and over. This was a pre-recorded sound system test tape. On The Beatles “White Album”. It had not previously been a hit.
Various pre-recorded sound effects had been used for years over and over again for various reasons.