# Wait a second--those are the same song! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 9, 2014, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685 "2014-07-09T02:16:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/21 "2014-07-10T01:27:02Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Actually, the title Allan Sherman gave the song was “A Letter from Camp.” > > I don’t know if this counts for the thread, but for years, I insisted to anyone who would listen that parts of “Eleanor Rigby” sounded strangely like the theme to _Psycho_. People told me I was crazy. Apparently not, though, thanks to the internet. I’ve seen the music side by side, and someone who did arrangements for the Beatles finally said that yes, he was influenced by Bernard Hermann’s music score for _Psycho_. IIRC, George Martin, _the_ person who did arrangements for the Beatles said this, in a Paul McCartney biography. The defining feature was that the string instruments were very “upfront”, with no reverb. To take this thread even further away, Hermann’s score for “North by Northwest” _rules!_ ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/22 "2014-07-10T03:11:57Z")
Years ago I bought En Vogue’s _Funky Divas_ CD, and it had this song called [“Yesterday.”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItESeU_4wOk&feature=kp) I wasn’t as familiar with the Beatles’ body of work as I am now, but still… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/23 "2014-07-10T03:35:04Z")
Every Spin Doctors song? ---
**Author:** ![MsKaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@MsKaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsKaren)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/24 "2014-07-10T03:52:35Z")
The Four Tops " I Can’t Help Myself " (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) is really the same song as their " Same Old Song ". Despite actually calling it " Same Old Song " no one noticed. :smack: A love song becomes the sad “It’s the same old song but a different meaning since you’ve been gone.” ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/25 "2014-07-10T04:48:18Z")
> [@MsKaren](#): > > The Four Tops " I Can’t Help Myself " (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) is really the same song as their " Same Old Song ". Actually, I’d say that “Where Did Our Love Go” is closer to being the same song as “I Can’t Help Myself” than “It’s the Same Old Song” is. ---
**Author:** ![MsKaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@MsKaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsKaren)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/26 "2014-07-10T05:26:54Z")
Berry Gordy ordered that a new Four Tops single had to be released within a day’s time. At 3-o’clock PM that afternoon, the Holland brothers and Lamont Dozier penned “It’s the Same Old Song”. Four Tops tenor Abdul “Duke” Fakir recalled: “ Songwriter, Lamont Dozier and I were both a little tipsy and he was changing the channels on the radio. He said, ‘It sounds like the same old song.’ And then he said, “Wait a minute.” So he took “I Can’t Help Myself” and reversed it using the same chord changes." ” The next day, we went to the studio and recorded it, and then they put it on acetate and released to radio stations across the country." from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It’s\_the\_Same\_Old\_Song](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It's_the_Same_Old_Song) Although LOTS of the fabulous Four Tops songs do sound alike. So do Chuck Berry’s. Still love 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/27 "2014-07-10T11:34:06Z")
In the car one day we turned to [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuqXvIoxpQc) not quite at the beginning. I actually said to hubby, “He should throw in a ‘can’t get next to you, babe’ in there”. Imagine my surprise when he came to the chorus and did exactly that! [The Temptation’s original version for comparison.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RfGe6MvY84) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/28 "2014-07-10T12:56:30Z")
The Doors’ “[Hello, I Love You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzM71scYw0M),” is cribbed badly from the Kinks’ “[All Day and All of the Night](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4DV-5d6a5g).” ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/29 "2014-07-10T13:23:00Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The Doors’ “[Hello, I Love You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzM71scYw0M),” is cribbed badly from the Kinks’ “[All Day and All of the Night](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4DV-5d6a5g).” Which in turn is cribbed from the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me.” ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/30 "2014-07-10T13:23:29Z")
The Blues is an entire genre of essentially the same song. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/31 "2014-07-10T15:04:56Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > [Julie London’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXg6UB9Qk0o&feature=kp) and [Joe Cocker’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKNJj6MsGfI) versions of “Cry Me a River” are like two different songs. London is sad and moody; Cocker is rocking and upbeat. Joe Cocker personally provides numerous examples. His version of “The Letter” sounds nothing at all like the original by the Box Tops. His “With a Little Help From My Friends” bears little resemblance to the original by the Beatles. In both cases, he practically rewrote the song and came up with something that (in my opinion, at least) was a lot better than the original. ---
**Author:** ![Nom\_de\_Plume](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/85f322/32.png) [@Nom\_de\_Plume](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nom_de_Plume)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/32 "2014-07-10T15:20:05Z")
I heard The Jam’s “A Town Called Malice” yesterday on Sirius XM. Great song, but I can’t believe I never noticed the keyboard player playing Booker T’s “Green Onion” before. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/33 "2014-07-10T15:32:12Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The Doors’ “[Hello, I Love You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzM71scYw0M),” is cribbed badly from the Kinks’ “[All Day and All of the Night](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4DV-5d6a5g).” > [@Ponch8](#): > > Which in turn is cribbed from the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me.” Not really. They both feature the same crunchy guitar sound, but the chord progressions and the rhythm they’re played with differ substantially. “You Really Got Me” is a fine song, and did introduce a revolutionary sound to rock ‘n’ roll. But it’s always cheesed me off that it gets more notice than “All Day and All of the Night” simply because it came first. “All Day and All of the Night” is in every way a far superior song…heavier, more energetic, and with way more impact than “You Really Got Me.” I don’t believe in ranking greatness, but if you put a gun to my head, I would name it as one of my three favorite songs of all time. I never, ever tire of hearing it (or playing and singing it). What is true is that “Hello I Love You” borrowed a great deal from “All Day and All of the Night.” IIRC, Ray Davies successfully sued The Doors for their theft. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/34 "2014-07-10T15:36:15Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > The Blues is an entire genre of essentially the same song. Wow! Every once in a while, you see a statement that’s simply breathtaking in its ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/35 "2014-07-10T15:47:53Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > Wow! Every once in a while, you see a statement that’s simply breathtaking in its ignorance. Blues is easy, they just make it up as they go along. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/36 "2014-07-10T15:55:42Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > Wow! Every once in a while, you see a statement that’s simply breathtaking in its ignorance. Spare me your sanctimony. I love the blues. I play the blues. I’ve met, I am friends with, and I have been friends with hundreds of blues artists, some well known, most not. The fact is, in terms of theme, structure, chord progression, phrasing, rhythm, and pace, the vast majority of all blues songs are essentially identical. What makes The Blues great, and in turn what makes a blues artist great, is that each artist must take this format and make it his or her own. The format is limited, but not restrictive, and because of this it takes a tremendously greater amount of skill and creativity to be a great blues artist than it is to be a great musician in any other genre, IMO. But that still doesn’t mean it ain’t all the same damn song. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/37 "2014-07-10T15:57:08Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > Wow! Every once in a while, you see a statement that’s simply breathtaking in its ignorance. Of all people, you should have understood that DC was referring to the 12-bar I-IV-V chord sequence. In that sense, he’s absolutely right – it is quite unusual to have an entire genre of music which uses just a few variations on a single chord sequence. (Some genres are based on variations on a single rhythm, and others on a single instrumental arrangement – salsa is basically both of these, for example – but a single chord sequence? You know how odd that is. It makes the creative range of blues music, which you alluded to, all the more impressive.) ETA: DC beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/38 "2014-07-10T19:09:22Z")
I’m quite familiar with the I-IV-V chord sequence, and realize that it is employed a great deal in blues songs (though by no means exclusively). DC’s statement was simple and unambiguous, and made no reference to the I-IV-V chord progression: “The Blues is an entire genre of essentially the same song.” He has now repeated that statement in a subsequent post. Of course I recognize the commonalities in a great number of blues songs. Nevertheless, the statement is not only a foolish attempt to sound knowing and hip…it’s bullshit. Calling me “sanctimonious” for pointing this out and trotting out one’s alleged blues credentials doesn’t change the truth of my last sentence in the slightest. > [@JKellyMap](#): > > Of all people, you should have understood that DC was referring to the 12-bar I-IV-V chord sequence. In that sense, he’s absolutely right – it is quite unusual to have an entire genre of music which uses just a few variations on a single chord sequence. (Some genres are based on variations on a single rhythm, and others on a single instrumental arrangement – salsa is basically both of these, for example – but a single chord sequence? You know how odd that is. It makes the creative range of blues music, which you alluded to, all the more impressive.) ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2014, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/39 "2014-07-10T20:54:20Z")
No Nickelback jokes yet? ---
**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:** [July 10, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685/40 "2014-07-10T22:54:59Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > > [@RealityChuck](#): > > > > The Doors’ “[Hello, I Love You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzM71scYw0M),” is cribbed badly from the Kinks’ “[All Day and All of the Night](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4DV-5d6a5g).” > > Which in turn is cribbed from the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me.” It has been pointed out that You Really Got Me and All Day and All of the Night don’t share much beyond the guitar sound but the Kinks did rip off All Day and All of the night (and Lola a bit) to make [Destroyer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WJ6FbcWYRU&feature=kp) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-a-second-those-are-the-same-song/692685.md?page=3)