Entertainment For Lively Minds
Homage or ...?
Thanks to TedLoaf for highlighting the Radio 4 programme with Guy Garvey talking about accidental plagiarism in music (available until Thursday - http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/the-honest-musicians-fear-accident...).
Got me wondering what surprising "homages" you've spotted in music.
My most gobsmacking moment (in so many ways) was hearing Trout Mask Replica for the first time a couple of years ago, and wondering how the hell I knew the lyrics to Frownland.
Took me several hours to peel away the Captain's "delivery" and rebuild it in my head to reveal - Aztec Camera's "Vertigo", from "Dreamland".
http://open.spotify.com/track/7F2y0uMRHE2xi5bQXd6N3U
I'd still love to know how this appeared in the middle of one of Roddy's "smooth period" songs.
Any others you've found?
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Have a listen to
Laughter In The Rain by Neil Sedaka and then Mr Davies's Waterloo Sunset.
Cock an ear to
Freedom by George Michael
then
Take Your Mama Out by Scissor Sisters
Jeez...
If you're going to steal stuff, surely you can do better than George bleeding Michael?
A New England
it was a few years before I discovered that Billy Bragg's opening couplet was in fact Paul Simon's. It's such a clear steal that Simon's lawyers must have stung up the bunting and popped the Champagne, but as far as I know he's never called Billy on it.
By the way, this is Simon's original:
I was 21 years when I wrote this song
I'm 22 now but I won't be for long
Time hurries on
And the leaves that are green turn to brown
How depressing is that, from a 22 year old? Honestly, Paul, get over yourself.
I heard BB interviewed
about this. He said he'd contacted Paul Simon about getting permission to use the lines and he described Simon as 'very gracious' about it.
I have two
(1) The really obvious one that everyone has heard of:
John Lennon nicked Chuck Berry's melody from "You Can't Catch Me" for "Come Together", including the entire line "Here come ol' flat-top, he comes movin' up slowly".
(2) The one nobody has ever picked up on and I am convinced I am right but nobody believes me:
The theme from Twin Peaks is Little Eva's "The Locomotion" slowed down (and changed a wee bit). No really, try it yourself: especially if you play a musical instrument. I like to think David Lynch included "The Locomotion" in Inland Empire as a little joke about this fact.
Kiko
Kiko and the Lavender Moon by Los Lobos
Best reworking of Three Blind Mice I've ever heard
For those who didn't listen to the Radio 4 programme
Good call - listening to to it now on Spotify.
Paul Heaton tells a good story about being accused of ripping off "All you need is love" when the Housemartins wrote "Five Get Over-excited" (you know, "Fun, Fun, Fun").
He pointed out they'd both ripped off Three Blind Mice.
Mister Blue Sky
I have always thought thought ELO's finest moment (IMHO), sounds like a homage to / extended version of PM's middle section of
'A day in the life'.
It also borrows quite heavily from...
Do You Remember Walter by The Kinks in my opinion.
Petty/Adams
Refugee (1980) and Run to You (1984).
Explain yourself, Adams.
Petty again
and the Chilli Peppers
Petty
Primal Scream's
Entire career
by the Gaia Hitmaker
Some people reckon they can hear a few hints of Bohemian Rhapsody in this
Van Morrison/Bee Gees
Marley Purt Drive off the Bee Gees' opus 'Odessa' may have been a subconscious influence on 'And It Stoned Me' by Van the Man.
Stones/VU
Stones - 'Hitch Hike'
Velvet Underground - 'There She Goes Again'
It's that riff!
And
There is a Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths.
Johnny Marr said he knew people would say it was The Velvets, but he knew he was listening to what The Velvets were listening to.
Wot No Motown!
Surely Marvin Gaye deserves a mention here?
And...
Thinking about it, The Beatles' 'You Can't Do That' has a ring of 'that' riff to it, too.
More HJH
Taxman
may have had some bearing on
Start by The Jam
The Thrills
at 2:28, the theme from 'Mork & Mindy' can be heard
Whatever Happened To Corey Haim
What ever happened to The Thrills?
?
Smiths / T. Rex