# Similar Sounding Songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [July 21, 2021, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986 "2021-07-21T16:22:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [July 22, 2021, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/21 "2021-07-22T16:39:10Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/r4G40jNZABI/maxresdefault.jpg "I Saw Your Mommy...") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4G40jNZABI) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BYE4CVhVkhw/maxresdefault.jpg "Puddle Of Mudd - She Hates Me (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYE4CVhVkhw) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2021, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/22 "2021-07-22T16:50:05Z")
Heck you can do within Berry’s catalog: School Daze/No Particular Place to Go. In the same vein, the other day I heard for the first time The McCoys’ “I Got to Go Back” when I said to myself, “hey, isn’t this Hang on Sloopy?” Yep, same band did Sloopy and didn’t really change all that much about it. It’s not as self-plagiarizing as the Berry songs, but it’s just a rehash of Sloopy. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2021, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/23 "2021-07-22T17:24:28Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Heck you can do within Berry’s catalog: School Daze/No Particular Place to Go. > > In the same vein, the other day I heard for the first time The McCoys’ “I Got to Go Back” when I said to myself, “hey, isn’t this Hang on Sloopy?” Yep, same band did Sloopy and didn’t really change all that much about it. It’s not as self-plagiarizing as the Berry songs, but it’s just a rehash of Sloopy. The best example for the case of an artists plagiarizing himself is the trifecta by Big Joe Turner of “Shake, Rattle And Roll”, “Flip, Flop And Fly” and “The Chicken And The Hawk (Up, Up And Away)”. They’re all basically the same song. (and sorry to nitpick you, @pulykamell , you’re one of the most knowledgeable and valuable posters when it comes to music, but the Chuck Berry song is called “School Days”.) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Y9wTQsAgktg/hqdefault.jpg "JOE TURNER Shake, Rattle and Roll 78 rpm 1954") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9wTQsAgktg) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aNpvOUmXglM/hqdefault.jpg "Big Joe Turner Flip Flop & Fly") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNpvOUmXglM) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AbkudafYyUc/hqdefault.jpg "Big Joe Turner The Chicken & The Hawk") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbkudafYyUc) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2021, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/24 "2021-07-22T17:39:51Z")
> [@Reeses\_Monkey](#): > > Obladi, oblada, na na, why don’t you get a job? That’s hilarious. They kind of had to know, right? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2021, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/25 "2021-07-22T17:41:48Z")
When U2 released Songs of Innocence, the song Raised by Wolves was noticed to be similar to a pre-existing Raised by Wolves song from a more obscure band. Anyone remember this? And anyone have a link to older version? I believe it was just a massive coincidence since the other band was really small-time. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2021, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/26 "2021-07-22T17:58:00Z")
One would think somebody noticed. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2021, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/27 "2021-07-22T18:03:38Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > but the Chuck Berry song is called “School Days” Heh. I paused there, but didn’t bother looking it up. I think I was just flashing back to Spike Lee’s film. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2021, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/28 "2021-07-22T19:09:21Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Y_V6y1ZCg_8/maxresdefault.jpg "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_V6y1ZCg_8) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7wSIboHqtXY/maxresdefault.jpg "Bob Dylan - Fourth Time Around (Official Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wSIboHqtXY) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2021, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/29 "2021-07-22T19:18:07Z")
Of course “Fourth Time Around” was an obvious parody of “Norwegian Wood”. Lennon was stunned, baffled and shattered by it. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2021, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/30 "2021-07-22T19:37:57Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > There is a Pretenders song (ironic band name at that point) that sounds almost exactly like some piece of crap song by Miami Sound Machine. And another whose first sixteen bars are exactly like Shakira’s “Estoy Aquí” ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2021, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/31 "2021-07-22T20:20:35Z")
The Kingsman (of “Louie, Louie” fame) doing “Killer Joe” and the McCoys singing " Hang on, Sloopy" [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BAUwCuppyQk/maxresdefault.jpg "Killer Joe") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAUwCuppyQk) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Nuw8GJbqx94/maxresdefault.jpg "Hang On Sloopy") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nuw8GJbqx94) ---
**Author:** ![Franklymydear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a6a055/32.png) [@Franklymydear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Franklymydear)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2021, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/32 "2021-07-22T22:09:34Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BaNA7cbCHEc/hqdefault.jpg "A Fly Girl - The Boogie Boys (1985)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaNA7cbCHEc) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/X-tYprm1WRo/maxresdefault.jpg "Sly Fox Let's Go All The Way ORIGINAL PROMO VIDEO") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-tYprm1WRo) This were out almost at the same time. I don’t if there were any lawsuits. Maybe they both just sampled the same song. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/33 "2021-07-23T00:55:40Z")
I am surprised no one has mentioned the similarities between Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Boston’s “More than a Feeling”. Nirvana has even acknowledged it: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/U7ba2A3mtVU/hqdefault.jpg "Nirvana - More than A Feeling / Teen Spirit") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7ba2A3mtVU) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/34 "2021-07-23T01:44:44Z")
Yeah, Kurt has said that but to me it sounds hardly alike. More than a Feeling is G-C-Em-D – a typical “four chords of pop” song with a I-IV-vi-V sequence. Smells Like Teen Spirit, if we transposed it to G, would be Gm-C-Bb-Eb, so i-IV-bIII-bVI, hardly the same. The rhythm is reminiscent, I suppose, and I have no doubt he’s telling the truth that he was influenced by it, but it doesn’t sound to my ears like Smells Like Teen Spirit. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/35 "2021-07-23T01:45:59Z")
> [@digs](#): > > (I first saw Pacino and DeNiro on the big screen at the same theater, in the same week! Of course I get confused). For me it was way easier to mistake Pacino for Andy Garcia. Back to song stuff - The opening riff of Chicago’s [“25 Or 6 To 4”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUAYeN3Rp2E) and Page’s guitar in the chorus of Zep’s [“Baby I’m Gonna Leave You”.](https://youtu.be/zX_wwlIZ6ko?t=139) The notes are more similar than the phrasing and the speed, and very similar descending progression. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/36 "2021-07-23T02:41:46Z")
Here’s a current one that’s pretty obvious: [Olivia Rodrigo, “good 4 u”](https://youtu.be/gNi_6U5Pm_o) [Paramore, “Misery Business”](https://youtu.be/aCyGvGEtOwc) ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/37 "2021-07-23T03:23:50Z")
Listen to these two and tell me they aren’t basically the same song, aside from lyrics: Beck - Jack-ass [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2HMhfdfxR98/hqdefault.jpg "Beck - Jack-Ass") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HMhfdfxR98) And Insane Clown Posse - Another Love Song [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qs8V8xln0tc/hqdefault.jpg "Another love song- ICP") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs8V8xln0tc) If I could find a weirder juxtaposition of artist and genre I’d be fairly surprised. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/38 "2021-07-23T15:58:09Z")
Just thought of another: The Soundtrack Of Our Lives stole shamelessly from the Kinks’ “Waterloo Sunset” for “Bendover Babies”: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cSP1cwPLy7M/hqdefault.jpg "The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Bendover Babies") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSP1cwPLy7M) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/N_MqfF0WBsU/maxresdefault.jpg "The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset (Official Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_MqfF0WBsU) ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/39 "2021-07-23T16:03:09Z")
Am I the only one who hears similarities between [Trans Siberian Orchestra’s “Wizards in Winter”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gj77EZ3cX8) and [Weird Al Yankovic’s “Virus Alert”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvfD5rnkTws)? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2021, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986/40 "2021-07-24T07:28:22Z")
It’s intentional. The second is a parody of the first (according to Wikipedia). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-sounding-songs/946986.md?page=3)