I’m aware of the novelty tune from the '50s, “The Flying Saucer Parts 1 & 2” by Dickie Goodman and Bill Buchanan. This contained a string of samples from hits of the day but isn’t much of a song, more a 4 minute gag track. What was the first hit song in the US or the UK that contained a recognisable sample of another song? I know prior to recorded music existing that composers often “sampled” refrains from others but I’m talking about a sample being used from an actual previous record.
The Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” was backed by a band playing Chic’s “Good Times” but it’s rumored that it was actually sampled. It came out in 1979.
The Sugarhill Gang definitely sampled The Incredible Bongo Band’s version (1973) of Apache; that was in 1981.
In the early 1940s Glenn Miller recorded several versions of **Juke Box Saturday Night ** which “samples” other big bands of the period including Harry James, The Ink Spots, etc.
After re-reading the OP, I think I may have misunderstood the word “samples” in my first response. Glenn Miller’s **Jukebox Saturday Night **did not actually use the music of the groups mentioned, they were imitated by his band members.
I was recently introduced to Serge Gainsbourg’s Bonnie and Clyde from 1967, and wondered if the howling in the background was a sample.
I came in to add Tone Loc - Wild Thing sampled Van Halen but finding out that was 1989, could have sworn it was much earlier…
Wikipedia says the Beatles used sampling in Yellow Submarine. But I think that was using spoken dialogue, not other people’s music tracks.
It’s possible that The Jackson Five used a sample in there 1970 hit, “ABC” taken from The Temptations 1969 hit, “I Can’t Get Next to You”. It’s that little part that goes, “Aaaaaah yah!”
Or maybe they just copied the bit from their older Motown peers. Sounds the same though.
Revolution Number 9? They use a number of orchestral samples I think…
Although it almost certainly doesn’t qualify as a hit song, the first composition to feature a recording of another sound was Ottorini Respighi’s Pini di Roma, which premiered in 1924.
IIRC Louis Prima used a sample from sputnik on “Beep Beep.” Can’t seem to find a cite though.
1961 Collage no.1 and 2
It sampled Blue Suede Shoes by Elvis. It was by James Tenner.
1812 Overture
“Sampling” is hardly new.
(Yes, I know that wasn’t “a sample being used from an actual previous record” but they didn;t have records back then. )
It sure didn’t sound like it.
Thanks, but I was specifically looking for the first hit song with a recorded sample rather than a replayed part or riff.