# Song-melding **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 22, 2018, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177 "2018-01-22T03:23:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/61 "2018-01-26T02:24:21Z")
Every time I hear ZZ Top’s “La Grange” come on, I find myself singing the lyrics to “Spirit in the Sky” over it, though faster than normal of course. And sometimes the reverse as well! ---
**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:** [January 27, 2018, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/62 "2018-01-27T10:02:09Z")
The Mark E. Smith thread just now reminded me of The Stooges’ [“I Wanna Be Your Dog”](https://youtu.be/BJIqnXTqg8I?t=14) riff, which melds right into The Fall’s [“Elves”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYrhq53SkRQ&list=PLX3-1WjsUYw_iLYY2vSjReY3AFLoekxo2&index=4) riff. Would this be a very basic Andalusian\* cadence, then? \*And all this time I was spelling it _And"u"-l-"a"sian_, basically getting the second “a” and the “u” reversed, which, in turn, misled me to think that there was somehow some ancient Asian connection of some sort that I probably could’ve thought through a little more as to such plausibility. Oh well - ignorance fought!🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/63 "2018-01-27T14:55:27Z")
Whilst Christmas shopping for my wife (I bought her a black shawl - not lingerie!) I found myself singing ‘Gonna dress you up in my love, Remember what makes you happy’ I realised later the second line is from George Benson’s Never Give Up On A Good Thing MiM ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/64 "2018-01-27T18:45:06Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > No one’s mentioned “All Summer Long” being an amalgam of “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Werewolves of London” yet? Yes! I can’r believe that song became a hit, because it just seems ludicrous to combine those two songs! ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/65 "2018-01-27T18:51:22Z")
I do this all the time, but I don’t remember any now. Part of this comes from the fact that I am one half of a Celtic folk duo, and many Celtic songs are very, very similar. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/66 "2018-01-27T19:01:08Z")
> [@CelticKnot](#): > > I do this all the time, but I don’t remember any now. > > Part of this comes from the fact that I am one half of a Celtic folk duo, and many Celtic songs are very, very similar. Wait a minute. I’m a member of a celtic folk duo too. Is that you moishe? ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/67 "2018-01-27T19:13:33Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Wait a minute. I’m a member of a celtic folk duo too. Is that you moishe? :dubious: ---
**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:** [January 27, 2018, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/68 "2018-01-27T23:27:40Z")
Actually appearing in many songs, this basic strumming pattern can meld between [Heart - “Barracuda”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdOkQ6THDVw), [Nazareth’s cover of Joni Mitchell’s “This Flight Tonight”](https://youtu.be/ylW6sC6NNhY?t=23), [“Immigration Song”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lslAhBnVk7o) (which, admittedly, is a bit choppier than the previous two, with much different accents, but I felt was still close enough in the neighbourhood), [SCTV’s David Thomas’s brother Ian - “Liars”](https://youtu.be/Cq27fNsFOtM?t=40), [UFO - “Lights Out”](https://youtu.be/z-uFp0m2xNs?t=57). Gotta say I’ve always _loved_ that dirty, almost menacing-sounding pickin’, like it’s building suspense, chuggin along. Awesome if anyone can find more of that particular example! Love it! Heap that shit on! I’m sure that little Dio\* rascal or someone of his ilk might have something up their rascally sleeve. \*yes I’m aware he’s not a guitarist. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/69 "2018-01-28T00:06:24Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Actually appearing in many songs, this basic strumming pattern can meld between [Heart - “Barracuda”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdOkQ6THDVw), [Nazareth’s cover of Joni Mitchell’s “This Flight Tonight”](https://youtu.be/ylW6sC6NNhY?t=23), [“Immigration Song”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lslAhBnVk7o) (which, admittedly, is a bit choppier than the previous two, with much different accents, but I felt was still close enough in the neighbourhood), [SCTV’s David Thomas’s brother Ian - “Liars”](https://youtu.be/Cq27fNsFOtM?t=40), [UFO - “Lights Out”](https://youtu.be/z-uFp0m2xNs?t=57). > Gotta say I’ve always _loved_ that dirty, almost menacing-sounding pickin’, like it’s building suspense, chuggin along. Awesome if anyone can find more of that particular example! Love it! Heap that shit on! I’m sure that little Dio\* rascal or someone of his ilk might have something up their rascally sleeve. > > \*yes I’m aware he’s not a guitarist. That feel is “martial” I have one that isn’t so macho, or overdriven. Tell me if it’s a hit. The Decemberists - The Infanta [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/nFlTBJdpy5A/maxresdefault.jpg "The Decemberists - The Infanta (from Picaresque)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFlTBJdpy5A) ---
**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:** [January 28, 2018, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/70 "2018-01-28T01:29:50Z")
[quote=“drad\_dog, post:69, topic:807177”] That feel is “martial” I have one that isn’t so macho, or overdriven. Tell me if it’s a hit. The Decemberists - The Infanta [/QUOTE] Oh I guess this emasculated offering will do. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2018, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/71 "2018-01-28T03:39:43Z")
When I hear “Funk 49” by the James Gang, it’s tempting to sing “Footloose, footloose, kick off your Sunday shoes…” ---
**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:** [January 28, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/72 "2018-01-28T18:36:12Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > When I hear “Funk 49” by the James Gang, it’s tempting to sing “Footloose, footloose, kick off your Sunday shoes…” This made me make up a new verb: George Benson-voxing. (given that he’s the most well-known guitarist to melodically match up his scat-vox with his playing) Here, Loggins is George Benson-voxing Walsh. This one might be a little painful, but mercifully brief - some 70’s britpop band called [Middle of the Road](https://youtu.be/HSNSTerj2Kc?list=RDRLI1GCcxS7M&t=25) shitskiddin’ into fellow druids [Slade.](https://youtu.be/Qu_ozjAu_vM?t=51) ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/73 "2018-01-29T01:53:55Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Oh I guess this emasculated offering will do. It may be that but the sarcastic bitchy snark in it and the fact that it has an actual enemy goes in it’s favor for a cris de guerre. ---
**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:** [January 29, 2018, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/74 "2018-01-29T03:27:52Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > It may be that but the sarcastic bitchy snark in it and the fact that it has an actual enemy goes in it’s favor for a cris de guerre. Indeed, yes - very martial. ---
**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:** [January 29, 2018, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/75 "2018-01-29T08:18:25Z")
[Art Pepper](https://youtu.be/NFjmWI-d6d4?t=26) sashaying into [Steely Dan.](https://youtu.be/zv-tjDsdduc?t=25) ---
**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:** [January 29, 2018, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/76 "2018-01-29T22:56:19Z")
Today’s driving around with the radio on reminded me of another Beatles-related one: Offspring’s awful [Why Don’t You Get a Job](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH-i8IvYIcg). (Ob-la-di being the song I want to sing, of course. How they managed not to get sued for that, I don’t know, given how tangential similarities can get you in trouble these days. That one is blatant, IMHO.) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/77 "2018-01-29T23:51:10Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > …That one is blatant, IMHO.) Really? I don’t hear it myself. Maybe a 10% similarity. But I ain’t no musician. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2018, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/78 "2018-01-30T00:32:12Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Really? I don’t hear it myself. > > Maybe a 10% similarity. But I ain’t no musician. You don’t hear it in the chorus? Hmm… Seems blatant to me. Much more so than the “Blurred Lines” lawsuit of a few years back which really was just suing on the feel of the song, so far as I can tell. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2018, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/79 "2018-01-30T00:35:43Z")
I mean [listen here to them side by side](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EPkYAei9wM). 10% similarity? ---
**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:** [January 30, 2018, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177/80 "2018-01-30T00:55:54Z")
Certainly the songs’ loping tempos was the first similarity that jumped out at me, and an overall “sound” (for lack of a better way pf putting it) linking the two, but I myself probably wouldn’t have made a connection between the two to begin with. YMMV. Heh, if anything, the similarity that jumped out at me was when (ok pardon the irrelevant editorializing - but manoman I _soooooooo_ cannot stand that vocalist) Offspring dipshit goes, in the chorus, “No way-ay-ay-ay”, which I immediately melded (and dead on, I thought) into “You’re breaking my heart” from G&F’s _Cecilia_. I guess I wasn’t much help, there. :o [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-melding/807177.md?page=5)