# Songs that sound just like other songs (sampling doesn't count) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 4, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089 "2003-03-04T21:30:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/61 "2003-03-06T03:28:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hampshire \* > \*\*Sing these two phrases to the same jingle: > > God rest ye merry gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay. > Remeber Christ our Savior, was born on Christmas day. > > So join us here each week my friend your sure to get a smile. > By seven stranded cast aways who are here on Gilligans isle. \*\* You can also sing these lyrics to the above jingle: _Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see_ ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/62 "2003-03-06T03:31:38Z")
The Doors’ “Hello, I Love You” sort of ripped off the Kinks’ “All Day and All of the Night.” Am I the only one who thinks that the bassline to Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire” sounds a lot like “Cool Jerk” by the Capitols? ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Macphisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Ms\_Macphisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Macphisto)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/63 "2003-03-06T05:35:10Z")
The guitar in “Pounding” by Doves is almost identical to U2’s “Ultra Violet (Light My Way)” ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Roberto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Don\_Roberto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Roberto)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/64 "2003-03-06T05:41:01Z")
\*\*My Country 'Tis of Thee (America) \*\* sounds just like **God Save the Queen**! ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/65 "2003-03-06T06:08:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beelzebubba \* > \*\*The opening of some No Doubt sonnd sounds like Aerosmiths **Dream On** \*\* I’m a huge geek of both these groups, and I’ve heard both of these songs live, and _I forget this one?!_ The No Doubt song is “Don’t Speak.” ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/66 "2003-03-06T07:23:05Z")
Santana’s **Jingo** from their first (1969) album and **Painter** , a cut from Deep Purple’s 1969 self-titled second album, are eerily alike, and can easily be mixed together. By the way, AMG has some nice things to say about that particular Deep Purple album > [@](#): > > …in early 1969, the group managed to create an LP that combined heavy metal’s early, raw excitement, intensity, and boldness with progressive rock’s complexity and intellectual scope, and virtuosity on both levels. On “The Painter,” “Why Didn’t Rosemary,” and, especially, “Bird Has Blown,” they strike a spellbinding balance between all of those elements… ---
**Author:** ![the\_O-man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9f8e36/32.png) [@the\_O-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_O-man)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/67 "2003-03-06T15:40:48Z")
The musical break in the middle of the Knack’s **“My Sharona”** always sounded to me like the DJ made a seamless transition into John Cougar Mellencamp’s **“I Need a Lover.”** It took me some time to realize that it was all part of the same song. The beginning of Tom Petty’s **“Free Falling”** sounds exactly like the beginning of another song. I had a friend who loved Tom Petty, and I used to turn up the radio when I thought it was that song starting and it turned out to be the other. I can’t think of what it is now. Steve Windwood? Arggh, can’t remember… ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/68 "2003-03-06T16:30:11Z")
ZZ Tops’s “Cheap Sunglasses” seems to borrow a lot of guitar from Edgar Winter’s instrumental “Frankenstein”. Another poster in this forum, several months ago, pointed out that Dan Fogelberg’s “Same Old Lang Syne” is the same melody as “The 1812 Overture” (exploding-golf-course music in _Caddyshack_), but played at a slower tempo. IIRC, Fogelberg has confirmed this publicly. ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/69 "2003-03-06T17:45:58Z")
“Jet boy Jet Girl” by the Damned and “Ca Plane Pour Moi” by Plastic Bertrand are the exact same song. ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/70 "2003-03-06T20:35:36Z")
I’m surprised nobody’s yet mentioned Pearl Jam’s “Given to Fly” and Led Zeppelin’s “Going to California.” It’s such a blatant rip that I’m even more surprised there was never much fuss over it. Parts of Alanis Morissette’s “Perfect” have sounded like Tori Amos’ “China” to my ears, as well. And I seem to recall some rock critic complaining that the Pumpkins’ “1979” ripped off Husker Du’s “What’s Going On,” as well. ---
**Author:** ![PaulYeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e36b37/32.png) [@PaulYeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulYeah)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/71 "2003-03-06T20:53:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tblue \* > \*\*Beautiful Day (U2), and the Sun Always Shines on TV (a-ha). > > Especially the chorus!! \*\* OMG!!! I figured I was the only person in the UNIVERSE that noticed that! Here’s my contribution: Heaven is a Place on Earth (Belinda Carlisle)/Livin’ on a Prayer (Bon Jovi) The bassline in the chorus is virtually identical, note-for-note. I Got a Girl (Tripping Daisy)/She #$%^# Hates Me (Puddle of Mudd) What a mindlessly derivitive song… PaulYeah ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/72 "2003-03-06T21:20:48Z")
C’est La Lie on Shania Twain’s new album is exactly like Abba’s Dancing Queen. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/73 "2003-03-06T21:48:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RawkStah \* > \*\*That was for CCR’s “Bad Moon Rising” and Fogerty’s “Old Man Down The Road”. \*\* Weren’t the two songs “Run Through The Jungle” and “Old Man Down The Road”? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/74 "2003-03-06T21:50:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElwoodCuse \* > \*\*“Louie Louie” by the Kingsmen and “More Than A Feeling” (the chords during the chorus) by Boston \*\* Louie Louie is the chicken of rock and roll - everything seems to sound like it. That Boston song did win the “Most Subtle Use of Louie Louie” in the New Book of Rock Lists, though. I’d disagree with whoever it was that all Offspring songs sound the same - that’s Creed, and all _their_ songs sound like Jeremy by Pearl Jam - but Why Don’t You Get A Job? is most definitely a pisstake of Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/75 "2003-03-06T21:59:44Z")
I think Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” has some subtle “Louie Louie” nuances in it, perhaps more subtle than Boston’s “More Than A Feeling.” ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/76 "2003-03-06T22:08:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dwc1970 \* > \*\*I think Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” has some subtle “Louie Louie” nuances in it, perhaps more subtle than Boston’s “More Than A Feeling.” \*\* The NBoRL was published in 1993, before Smells Like Teen Spirit. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/77 "2003-03-06T22:27:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gundy \* > \*\*Nirvana’s “Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam” on their Unplugged album. \*\* AKA The Vaselines’ “Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam” ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/78 "2003-03-06T23:59:04Z")
“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”, “Baa-Baa Black Sheep”, and the alphabet song all sound alike. Someone should sue 😛 The opening of John Fogerty’s “Rock and Roll Girls” sounds very similar to the opening of The Cars’ “My Best Friend’s Girl”. Just insert handclaps. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/79 "2003-03-07T00:50:00Z")
Just remembered another sound-alike pair. Shakira’s “Whenever, Wherever” and Men at Work’s “Down Under”. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/80 "2003-03-07T00:59:55Z")
I would swear that whenever I hear a new **Sum 41** song it sounds basically the same as the one before it, for everone of their songs. Probably something to do with them being a complete shit band and a rip off of **blink 182** which is a rip off of good punk music. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089.md?page=5)