# Songs that "sound" like covers of another band or group, but aren't **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [April 17, 2020, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982 "2020-04-17T15:11:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/81 "2021-03-24T13:04:13Z")
And of course, the Stones song _is_ a cover, just not of ZZ Top. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6HbgxVrn7tg/maxresdefault.jpg "Shake Your Hips") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HbgxVrn7tg) One that always used to get me when I heard it on the radio was George Harrison’s “What Is Life”. When I heard that opening guitar riff, I always thought it was a Bachman Turner Overdrive song, until he started singing. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/82 "2021-03-24T13:11:05Z")
Pilot’s _Magic_ (recently revived in Commercial Land as "oh oh oh Ozempic!) sounds like ELO. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/83 "2021-03-25T00:50:06Z")
> [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](#): > > “Lies” by The Knickerbockers was a fairly good sound-alike for the Fab Four era Beatles. I think Western civilization peaked with the British Invasion, so I’m always up for seeing some of those bands, even fifty years past their prime. Caught a set by [the Buckinghams](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOIyk8ULxpc), who were laughing about people thinking they were secretly a British band (Gerry & The Pacemakers? Or the Kinks? Or just neighbors of theirs?). They were telling how when they played [one of those lip-sync shows… maybe Hullabaloo?] the TV producers wanted them to wear British flags. They said “Lookie here, guv’nor, we’re just five nobs… FROM CHICAGO!” Producers said, okay, wear your own outfits. But then [look at how they dressed the set…](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9YamMiqQ0I) Union Jack, Union Jack, sort of half a Union Jack, sort of the other half… nothing but weirdly proportioned Union Jacks! ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/84 "2021-03-25T02:46:59Z")
“Walk on the Ocean” by Toad the Wet Sprocket sounds so much like a Billy Joel song that Howard Stern played it for Joel to get his reaction. Turns out Billy had never heard it. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/12bM1CqHoBY/maxresdefault.jpg "Toad The Wet Sprocket - Walk On The Ocean (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12bM1CqHoBY) ---
**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:** [March 25, 2021, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/85 "2021-03-25T03:17:27Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > [Lunatic Fringe](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqUa_G1h3pw) by Red Rider sounds like a Fleetwood Mac song. Myself, I thought for years that it was a Pink Floyd song, or perhaps a David Gilmour solo track. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/86 "2021-03-25T04:04:44Z")
How to win a free beer in a bar. Play [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYsMjEeEg4g) and bet the person that they can’t name the band. When they say Green Day say, “Nope, Harvey Danger.” and order your beer. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2021, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/87 "2021-03-25T12:30:39Z")
That’s so funny… I actually thought Magic _was_ done by ELO. Ignorance fought. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2021, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/88 "2021-03-25T14:29:38Z")
John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band are apparently not Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYDAF6NbgKc) ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/89 "2021-03-26T09:57:51Z")
Hmm. I have to part ways with Mr. Stern on this one. I don’t hear any resemblance to Billy Joel at all in “Walk on the Ocean”. ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/90 "2021-03-26T10:01:37Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Myself, I thought for years that (Lunatic Fringe) was a Pink Floyd song, or perhaps a David Gilmour solo track. Yeah, that long slide guitar section in the middle sounds like something Gilmour would play. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/91 "2021-03-26T19:07:19Z")
[Wayne Hancock - Best to be Alone](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4j2iDh_dW8) not only sounds like Hank Williams, but it sounds just like [Lost Highway](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1DDrMp3npM). ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/92 "2021-03-26T20:40:35Z")
> [@post:16](#): > > 1st & 4th verses mention no bands. 2nd is tribute to Mamas & Papas. 3rd is Donovan and Beatles, a couplet each. BTW on the PP&M IN CONCERT album, Paul calls rock-n-roll “children’s music” but I DIG R&R was their biggest hit. Go figure. And, in a tiny zombie nitpick, I’ll mention that **I Dig Rock and Roll** was not Peter, Paul and Mary’s biggest hit. It trails **Leaving On Jet Plane** , **Puff** , and **Blowing In the Wind**. [(Except in Australia.)](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter,_Paul_and_Mary) ---
**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:** [March 26, 2021, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/93 "2021-03-26T22:12:05Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > How to win a free beer in a bar. You would owe me a beer. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2021, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/94 "2021-03-26T22:31:33Z")
Ah, remember when a song would come out and you heard it many times before you heard a DJ reveal the singer’s name? We sure thought this was Neil Diamond singing. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9ym3RlvVR9M/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgWyhYMA8=&rs=AOn4CLDmd_7cnVN37IKwjfRGvkjMOOP3VA "Andy Kim - Rock Me Gently") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ym3RlvVR9M) I don’t know who the lead singer of Shocking Blue reminded me of—I couldn’t tell if the singer was male or female from the voice. [Video for “Venus.”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LhkyyCvUHk) ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2021, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/95 "2021-03-30T02:37:47Z")
A relative thought “Give Me All Your Love Tonight” by Whitesnake was originally a Led Zeppelin song. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2021, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/96 "2021-03-30T15:57:04Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > There was a song in the 80s, I sure wish I could remember, I think a one hit wonder. Anyway, it sounded exactly like what the Beatles would sound like, if they has stayed together and cut an album at the time. I hope it comes to me. Almost a year. I knew it was in my head, somewhere. Doesn’t this sound like nu wave I Am the Walrus, or maybe Strawberry Fields Forever? [![](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) ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2021, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/97 "2021-03-30T16:10:40Z")
I was convinced Old County Song by Jake Bugg must be cover of Woody Guthrie or some old folk artist, but its not: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FPl84y_zorM/maxresdefault.jpg "Jake Bugg - Country Song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPl84y_zorM) ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2021, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/98 "2021-03-30T16:11:46Z")
I can kind of see that. Especially the lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2021, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/99 "2021-03-30T17:16:48Z")
Sure though that Springsteen had a new song out when I first heard “On the Dark Side”. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EWQ-6IAS1cc/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGIgYihiMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCUvijNiMzesnaWPg-XjlE0isfNtA "On The Dark Side - Eddie And The Cruisers 80's") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQ-6IAS1cc) ---
**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:** [April 1, 2021, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982/100 "2021-04-01T00:49:35Z")
OK, I was wondering if I was the only one. There’s a good number here I don’t hear much of a resemblance between, but the Billy Joel - Toad the Wet Sprocket one really had my head scratching. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-sound-like-covers-of-another-band-or-group-but-arent/851982.md?page=6)