THIS song sound just like THAT song.

Cafe Society
1

As a music producer, I spend so much more time focusing on the instrumentation behind songs. I like to find the tiny little hidden sounds that you wouldn’t normally hear if you weren’t looking for them. As a result, I usually notice when songs sound really similar, even if they are 50-some years apart and in the back of my mind.

Most of my examples won’t be the classic rock you guys love, but I’ll start it off.

Suuns - Armed for Peace sounds just like a 2010s update of Marcy Playground - Sex and Candy

Chief Keef - Hate Bein’ Sober sounds just like Chief Keef - Love Sosa

(quick edit: as much as I’d love to have a “hunt for the sample” kind of thread, samples don’t count.)

2

Check out www.soundsjustlike.com.

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I remember there were two or more Offspring songs that had the same music. I can’t remember what the songs were though.

4

I can’t link to them from here, but What’s Up? (4 Non Blondes, 1992) is the same song as Don’t Worry, Be Happy (Bobby McFerrin, 1988).

I like the former but despise the latter.

5

The Offspring’s “Get a Job” and the Beatles “Obla-di Obla-da”?

6

The Strokes’ “Last Night” and Tom Petty’s “American Girl.”

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George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” and the Chiffons’ “He’s So Fine.”

8

I just noticed this yesterday, actually. Ray Charles’ “Look What They’ve Done To My Song” and ELO’s “Hold On Tight” are remarkably similar, right down to a 3rd verse in French.

9

“Young Girl” vs. “Woman Woman” vs. “Lady Willpower” by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap. As Lillian Roxon pointed out, it’s the same song sung sideways.

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Iron Butterfly’s Inna-gadda-da-vida and Cream’s Sunshine of Your Love.

Cole Porter’s My Heart Belongs to Daddy [Ella Fitzgerald version is the one I like] Some female singer had a rockish song out in the late 80s with the refrain of my heart belongs to you sung pretty much exactly like my heart belongs to daddy. Can’t find it in a quick run through youtube though.

11

George Strait Run and The Police Every Little Thing She Does is Magic. On the verses only.

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And the theme to the A Team. I frequently confuse the three when humming.

13

Be A Clown and Make 'Em Laugh. It’s a wonder Cole Porter didn’t sue.

Oh, and Gordon Lightfoot. Pick any two.

14

A few that prompted plagiarism lawsuits:

John Fogerty’s “The Old Man Down the Road” and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Run Through the Jungle.” Despite the fact that Fogerty wrote both songs, Saul Zaenz, the owner of Fogerty’s former record label, who also owned Fogerty’s copyrights on his Creedence songs, sued Fogerty for plagiarizing himself. The judge found in Fogerty’s favor, and in a precedent-setting decision, ordered Fantasy Records to pay the cost of his defense.

Huey Lewis and the News’ “I Want A New Drug” and Ray Parker, Jr.'s “Ghostbusters.” Lewis won a suit against Parker for plagiarism for an undisclosed sum.

“The Kookaburra Song” and “Down Under” by Men At Work. Larrikin Music, the owner of “Kookaburra” sued Men At Work, charging that Greg Ham lifted the flute part of “Down Under” from “Kookaburra.” Larrikin won a portion of the song’s royalties. Greg Ham is reported to have been despondent at the decision, saying that the lawsuit is the only thing he would be remembered for.

15

There was a singer in the 1970s whose name escapes me. She had a good-sized hit called “I’m Not Lisa,” and a couple of other minor hits with different lyrics but pretty much the same melody as “Lisa.”

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Jessi Colter.

And thanks for the earworm. :stuck_out_tongue:

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I don’t have a cite for it, but I remember hearing/reading that Alan Freed (who “wrote” Make 'Em Laugh) showed up at Cole Porter’s house with a checkbook in one hand and a job offer in the other, and that’s the reason Porter didn’t sue.

Warren Zevon’s Werewolf of London and Kid Rock’s All Summer Long.

18

Part of Bob Dylan’s “Girl from the North Country” borrows identical tune and words from “Scarborough Fair” sung by Simon and Garfunkel.

“She once was a true love of mine.”

Edited for clarity: I’m not sure if he borrowed it from them. But they adapted it from a nineteenth century English folk song.

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Ah, that was mine. Back to work. :wink:

20

Is this one a whoosh or did you make some mistake? I can’t find any similarity at all between those two songs. Care to give a hint? What sounds similar to you? BTW, I’m a professional musician, but, regardless, we both have ears. :slight_smile: