# Songs that scan to other songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 5, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-scan-to-other-songs/258523 "2004-08-05T22:50:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-scan-to-other-songs/258523/41 "2010-05-22T14:32:19Z")
There’s a tune for singing the alphabet to that I call the “Commonwealth Alphabet Song”, because it has the virtue of rhyming Z (“Zed”) with M, not V. The tune is basically “Polly Wolly Doodle” in 3/4 time and with fewer notes. You can also sing a wide variety of nursery rhymes to the same tune: Little Miss Muffet Jack and Jill Doctor Foster went to Gloucester Little Jack Horner Itsy Bitsy Spider Mary Mary Quite Contrary We have a game where we start off with an “alphabet” chorus and then see hom many nursery rhyme verses we can find till we run out of nursery rhymes. Actually, most of these could go with the “Amazing Grace” group if you’re willing to play as fast and loose with extra syllables as in the big long list above… ---
**Author:** ![25.1327\_Octopi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/ecb155/32.png) [@25.1327\_Octopi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/25.1327_Octopi)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-scan-to-other-songs/258523/42 "2010-05-22T15:11:35Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > The lyrics to the theme from “Green Acres” scan pretty well to “Purple Haze.” > > (“Green Haze?”) [As a matter of fact, yes.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FFgxJsjqkg) ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-scan-to-other-songs/258523/43 "2010-05-22T17:07:07Z")
Almost EVERYTHING scans to “House of the Rising Sun…” Go ahead…try it! ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-scan-to-other-songs/258523/44 "2010-05-22T22:21:58Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > Sing the following words to the tune of the _M_A_S_H\* theme song: > > _Just a good old boys, never meanin’ no harm, > Been in trouble with the law since the day they was born. > Makin’ their way, trappin’ their kill, > Someday the mountain might get 'em, but the law never wi-iiiiiiill_ > > It’s the Dukes of Mash! I’m not getting those into the tune of “Suicide Is Painless.” ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-scan-to-other-songs/258523/45 "2010-05-23T01:43:50Z")
Talk Dirty To Me by Poison works remarkably well with Smells Like Teen Spirit. Beau Hall (Hill?) does a version called “Smells Like Teen Poison”. It’s great. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-scan-to-other-songs/258523/46 "2010-05-23T02:09:49Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > “Waltzing Matilda” is not the Australian national anthem. “Advance Australia Fair” is. And is done much better in the manner [Adam Hills demonstrates](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiEycVMKoJo). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-scan-to-other-songs/258523/47 "2010-05-23T05:36:53Z")
> [@](#): > > And of course, everything scans to “Greensleaves” That’s what I was going to mention. I’ve yet to find a song that can’t be sung to the tune of Greensleeves. Alas, my love, you’ve done me hurt You’ve sewn green sleeves on my purple shirt. And, what’s worst of all You went and made me wear it. ---
**Author:** ![sco3tt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@sco3tt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sco3tt)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-scan-to-other-songs/258523/48 "2010-05-23T05:49:53Z")
The verses of “Pinball Wizard” fit nicely with the music of “Wabash Cannonball”. This struck me one day as I was struggling to remember the lyrics to the latter and found myself filling the gaps with lines from the former. Compare: > [@](#): > > From the great Atlantic Ocean > To the wide Pacific shore > From the green of glowing mountains > To the south belle by the shore > She’s mighty tall and handsome > And known quite well by all, > She’s the combination > On the Wabash Cannonball. with > [@](#): > > Ever since I was a young boy > I played the silver ball > From Soho down to Brighton > I must’ve played 'em all > But I ain’t seen nothing like him > In any amusement hall > That deaf, dumb and blind kid > Sure plays a mean pinball ---
**Author:** ![kidneyfailure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9f8e36/32.png) [@kidneyfailure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidneyfailure)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-scan-to-other-songs/258523/49 "2010-05-23T06:30:07Z")
There’s an entire neo-genre devoted to this very concept: the mash-up [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mashup\_(music)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mashup_(music)) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-scan-to-other-songs/258523.md?page=2)