# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/121 "2003-11-11T13:33:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beelzebubba \* > \*\*The opening of some No Doubt sond sounds like Aerosmiths **Dream On** \*\* Actually, I thought No Doubt’s song sounded more like the beginning to Supertramp’s “Breakfast in America.” I do understand the similarity to Aerosmith’s “Dream On”, though. “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and “The Alphabet” song is probably one of the oldest examples around. Louie Armstong’s “What a Wonderful World” also has some similarities to these. The opening to Bon Jovi’s “Let it Rock” sounds like it was taken from Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.” ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/122 "2003-11-12T04:43:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lilacs \* > \*\*The Offspring had a song which sounded almost exactly like Simon and Garfunkel’s Cecilia. I proved it to a friend by singing S&G’s lyrics…can’t remember the other song name though. \*\* That’d be the aforementioned Why Don’t You Get a Job (and I’m glad I’m not the only one who hears it!) > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Don Roberto \* > \*\*\*\*My Country 'Tis of Thee (America) \*\* sounds just like **God Save the Queen**! \*\* Hail To The Chief, not America. I was going to mention Constant Craving/Has Anybody Seen My Baby, but was beaten to it. PuffyAmiYumi has several songs that sound like other songs. Jet Keisatsu’s opening sounds like the Who’s Won’t Be Fooled Again. Asia no Junshin sounds like Don’t Bring Me Down by…whoever it was by. The opening of Ai no Shirushi - Captain Funk’s Puffy no Samba mix sounds for all the world like the George of the Jungle theme (I SWEAR). ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/123 "2003-11-12T06:31:49Z")
What the hell do you mean ‘sampling’ does not count? Sampling is an honored tradition in music. A snippet at the beginnging of the Overture of Mozart’s _Don Goivanni_ becomes Chopin’s famous ‘Funeral March’. Hungarian dance music inundate Brahms’ work, like Czech dances does in Bartok’s. Ives is infamous for sampling patriotic songs. So don’t tell me that sampling is some ‘scourge’ exclusive of rap music. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/124 "2003-11-12T06:36:50Z")
The “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” ditty came from the French song “Ah! Vous dirai-je, Maman”, or “Ah, let me tell you, mamma”. Mozart used the melody for piano variation. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/125 "2003-11-12T06:43:27Z")
I think sampling doesn’t count because it’s easy. Of COURSE a sampled song sounds like the song it’s sampling - that’s the point. This thread, I gather, is intended more to be about plaigerism (Accidental or otherwise) (eg: Has Anybody Seen My Baby/Constant Craving), complete coincidence (eg: Why Don’t You Get a Job/Cecelia), or just ‘every song by this performer is the same’ (eg: Chuck Berry). ---
**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:** [November 12, 2003, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/126 "2003-11-12T09:06:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tengu \* > \*\*That’d be the aforementioned Why Don’t You Get a Job (and I’m glad I’m not the only one who hears it!) \*\* Sounds like Cecilia, yes, but sounds more like Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. Which it should, being a parody of the Beatles’ wankiest hit. ---
**Author:** ![Roberta\_Plant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c89c15/32.png) [@Roberta\_Plant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roberta_Plant)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/127 "2003-11-12T18:29:56Z")
Escalator of Life by Robert Hazard and Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson ---
**Author:** ![RaysDaughter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@RaysDaughter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaysDaughter)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/128 "2015-04-04T19:32:36Z")
[COLOR=“black”][COLOR=“SlateGray”] > [@](#): > [/COLOR][/COLOR] Wow! This is an oldie! I was searching for a specific connection between two songs and came across this thread . . . 12 years after the last post on his topic!!! I think it’s time to revive it NOW, it’s a great topic. SO - i googled it but saw nobody else posted these two: hasn’t anyone ever noticed the samenessbetween The Beachboys “God Only Knows” and “If I Only Had A Brain” from the original Wizard of Oz? Omg! I happened to notice it just today as i listened to a radio documentary about some oldies music. Anyone else notice that? ---
**Author:** ![RaysDaughter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@RaysDaughter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaysDaughter)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/129 "2015-04-04T19:36:18Z")
Wow! This is an oldie! I was searching for a specific connection between two songs and came across this thread . . . 12 years after the last post on his topic!!! I think it’s time to revive it NOW, it’s a great topic. SO - i googled it but saw nobody else posted these two: hasn’t anyone ever noticed the samenessbetween The Beachboys “God Only Knows” and “If I Only Had A Brain” from the original Wizard of Oz? Omg! I happened to notice it just today as i listened to a radio documentary about some oldies music. Anyone else notice that? ---
**Author:** ![RaysDaughter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@RaysDaughter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaysDaughter)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/130 "2015-04-04T19:43:06Z")
See next post ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/131 "2015-04-04T20:54:53Z")
Nothing to see here! Move along, now! ---
**Author:** ![RaysDaughter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a698b9/32.png) [@RaysDaughter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaysDaughter)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2015, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/132 "2015-04-05T03:11:43Z")
Is that because u have nothing to offer? ---
**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:** [April 5, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/133 "2015-04-05T20:02:37Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5pidokakU4I/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHuBIAC4AKKAgwIABABGHwgIyh_MA8=&rs=AOn4CLBTWBQ7OCsntnT61Pl-AftCyWmotw "Axis of Awesome - 4 Four Chord Song (with song titles)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pidokakU4I) MiM ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/134 "2015-04-05T22:24:42Z")
Would have preferred a rickroll to that tedium. ---
**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:** [April 5, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/135 "2015-04-05T23:55:44Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Would have preferred a rickroll to that tedium. If your reply is in reply to my link, you know you can press stop before ‘dull’ becomes ‘boring’ before leading to ‘tedium’? I thought the video demonstrated the shallow pool of popular songwriting well, and funnily; ymmv. MiM ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2015, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/136 "2015-04-07T04:11:16Z")
> [@RaysDaughter](#): > > Is that because u have nothing to offer? You have obviously reviewed my posting history. Well played! 😃 Welcome to The Dope! And since you called me out, I’ll add that Chrissie Hynde (using the name **The Pretenders,** _Oh The Irony_!) put out the exact same song as the freakin’ Miami Sound Machine. I hate both and won’t name them, but you all know what I’m talkin’ bout! ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2015, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/137 "2015-04-07T04:14:44Z")
I always thought Bad Company’s **Can’t Get Enough of Your Love** was similar to **Some Kind of Wonderful** , so I merged the lyrics: Well I take - a whole lotsa money I don’t need - I want you You give me something a man can want Now tell me - what I can ask for Now come on, come on and run around I don’t have to stay out and - do whatcha do I can’t get a wonderful love I can’t get a wonderful - lo-o-ove I can’t get a wonderful love When I hold you - I want love Love sets my soul on fire Yeaah, hang me up in your door way Gonna hang me up and down my spine Well my baby - she’s all, “come on dude” I said “baby, I’m clean out of do whatcha do” I can’t get a wonderful love I can’t get a wonderful - lo-o-ove I can’t get a wonderful love But can I get a witness? etc. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2015, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/138 "2015-04-07T11:49:03Z")
To include a song that didn’t yet exist at the time this thread began, the Decemberists’ “Down By the Water” is a dead ringer for REM’s “The One I Love”. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2015, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/139 "2015-04-09T21:40:27Z")
“She Will Be Loved” Maroon 5 and “Spooky” Classics 5. Heck both groups have a “5” at the end of their names. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2015, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089/140 "2015-04-09T22:26:09Z")
“Spooky” by the Classics 5 and “Stormy” by the Classics 5 have exactly the same groove. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-just-like-other-songs-sampling-doesnt-count/159089.md?page=8)