I was shocked (somewhat) to learn recently that Coolio’s “Gangsta Paradise” was a rip-off of a Stevie Wonder song, “Pastime Paradise.” Then I discover “Oops I did it again” by the lovely Ms. Spears was a rip-off of a Barbra Streisand song (the title escapes me…something about “Woman”). Eminem has the chorus of Dido’s “Thank You” in his “Stan” song. What other songs are rip-offs of earlier/unknown songs?
Took awhile for me to learn that Guns N Roses didn’t really write (actually not at all), “Live and Let Die.”
And that Man Who Sold the World was originally by David Bowie…
One of those diva-soul groups did “Free Your Mind,” a ripoff of a song by Funkadelic (or P-Funk, not sure which)which said “Free your mind, and your ass will follow.” People laugh when I say this, as if I’m trying to be funny.
I just remembered another one–my wife was surprised to learn that Faith Hill was not the first to sing “Take Another Piece of My Heart.”
I think that the OP wasn’t talking about cover songs, but about songs that take the tune from some other song. In that light, do folks remember Vanilla Ice? His one hit (Ice, Ice Baby) was based upon Queen & David Bowie’s Under Pressure.
Will Smith sampled the rhythm for “Men in Black” from another song, from the 70’s, I believe.
Two words…Puff Daddy.
I think every song he’s recorded, produced, or been within 30 miles of when it was written was sampled
“Forget-Me-Nots”, but I can’t remember who sang it.
“U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer = “Superfreak” by Rick James.
I didn’t know that Holiday In Cambodia was originally a Dead Kennedy’s song.