Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Tribute / derivative / rip-off songs


Al Krow

Recommended Posts

Been listening to the bass line on Sympathy for the Devil (Stones) and it completely reminded me of a track we used to play by Bon Jovi...well turns out that I was closer to the truth than I had realised! 

What else have you guys come across where 'new original' songs have paid tribute to, been based on or simply ripped off another? And which did you prefer?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Another one bites the dust" resembles a lot "Good Times" by Chic although it's not plain plagiarism

 

2 hours ago, Baxlin said:

Many follow-ups to a debut hit? 

Now that is miserable 

Edited by oZZma
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Bilbo said:

I wonder how much of this is just coincidence. There are only 12 notes and a finite numbers of places to put them. Surely it is possible that two people happen upon the same sequence? 

Maybe, but the Courts have often taken a less benign (more realistic?) view! I guess most recently with Blurred Lines to the tune of $5.3M. Interestingly for me, as with the Bon Jovi / Stones, it was an iconic bass line that went to the heart of it.

Bass-players - we matter! :) 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

a lot of song writers are inspired by other people's songs, sometimes they just don't change them enough of them to hide that fact, Led Zepplin hardly tried, some of Paul Weller's songs seem very similar to other songs that have gone before, some of it's deliberate plagiarism and some accidental, they can play a riff and think "hey that Sounds really good" without realising it's sounds good because it's familiar. 

I once wrote a song round a bass line, and thought I must have copied that from somewhere, I asked the band and they said "no, can't think of anything" after we'd been knocking it about for a couple of months the singer suddenly said "Is Vic there", we still did the song though

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Bilbo said:

I wonder how much of this is just coincidence. There are only 12 notes and a finite numbers of places to put them. Surely it is possible that two people happen upon the same sequence? 

I'm sure I've found a few extra notes when I play upright bass, I just need the rest of the band to follow suit! 

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, PaulWarning said:

a lot of song writers are inspired by other people's songs, sometimes they just don't change them enough of them to hide that fact, Led Zepplin hardly tried, some of Paul Weller's songs seem very similar to other songs that have gone before, some of it's deliberate plagiarism and some accidental, they can play a riff and think "hey that Sounds really good" without realising it's sounds good because it's familiar. 

I once wrote a song round a bass line, and thought I must have copied that from somewhere, I asked the band and they said "no, can't think of anything" after we'd been knocking it about for a couple of months the singer suddenly said "Is Vic there", we still did the song though

Yes, he owned up to 'Start' being lifted from Taxman but not sure if he ever acknowledged 'Changing Man' being a rip of 10538 Overture.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, PaulWarning said:

a lot of song writers are inspired by other people's songs, sometimes they just don't change them enough of them to hide that fact, Led Zepplin hardly tried, some of Paul Weller's songs seem very similar to other songs that have gone before, some of it's deliberate plagiarism and some accidental, they can play a riff and think "hey that Sounds really good" without realising it's sounds good because it's familiar. 

I once wrote a song round a bass line, and thought I must have copied that from somewhere, I asked the band and they said "no, can't think of anything" after we'd been knocking it about for a couple of months the singer suddenly said "Is Vic there", we still did the song though

I am not a fan of Led Zep (mainly because of Plant's vocals and Page's lead work - his rhythm playing is sublime though), so other that a rarely-listened-to greatest hits album I have no real knowledge of their work. I have seen it mentioned that they ripped of work, and though I have no reason to doubt it, I don't know what they ripped off. Can someone post a list of a few songs they ripped off, and where from please?

On your second para, I am remined of a story about Paul McCartney when he was writing "Yesterday". Apparantly he woke up one morning with the entire song in his head but wanted to make sure he hadn't ripped it off from someone, so he was playing it to people for weeks replacing thelyrics with "scrambled eggs" , asking "have you heard this before", before Lennon told his to stop being stupid and get it written up and published.

Must be nice to have that kind of talent, where you can write something like "Yesterday" in your sleep!

Edited by Deanol
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Deanol said:

I am not a fan of Led Zep (mainly because of Plant's vocals and Page's lead work - his rhythm playing is sublime though), so other that a rarely-listened-to greatest hits album I have no real knowledge of their work. I have seen it mentioned that they ripped of work, and though I have no reason to doubt it, I don't know what they ripped off. Can someone post a list of a few songs they ripped off, and where from please?

On your second para, I am remined of a story about Paul McCartney when he was writing "Yesterday". Apparantly he woke up one morning with the entire song in his head but wanted to make sure he hadn't ripped it off from someone, so he was playing it to people for weeks replacing thelyrics with "scrambled eggs" , asking "have you heard this before", before Lennon told his to stop being stupid and get it written up and published.

Must be nice to have that kind of talent, where you can write something like "Yesterday" in your sleep!

plenty of examples on the internet https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/led-zeppelins-10-boldest-rip-offs-223419/

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good speech HK

I'm a fan too, and had the luxury of seeing LZ live at Ally Pally in London 1975  just after LZ 5 was released.  Great gig , great memory.

I was too young to know what songs they copied or plagiarised,  but i couldnt give a hoot, even now

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata is really covered by copyright anymore? 😄 

And John Lennon swapping the chord progression around and then mutating it into something else sounds like creating something entirely new. 'Because' it does! 😎 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, operative451 said:

That band everyone else likes but me, nicked everything they ever did... :D

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/beatles-5-boldest-rip-offs-54145/

so did almost every other songwiter, there's influences and there's plagiarism,.

I've listened to some of those and I wouldn't have said they sounded the same unless someone had pointed it out, which is where I draw the line between influences and plagiarism 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...