Songs That Sound Suspiciously Similar- Page 4

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 5:27pm

Oh, "Up in the Garret". I dunno. Maybe slightly, rhythmically as you mentioned, but that's about it.

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 5:28pm

"Stick to the Status Quo" from High School Musical is VAGUELY reminiscent of "You Can't Stop the Beat" from Hairspray"

Agreed, I always cringe when I hear the exact "You Can't Stop the Beat" drum groove, organ and guitar riffs" on Disney Channel.

The funny thing about it is that Marc Shaiman seemed to deliberately lift exact chord progressions and grooves from various 60's hits for his Hairspray score, yet he still created completely new and original pieces. (This isn't stealing, it's being a f**ing genius) Examples:: "Nicest Kids in Town" = "Johnny Be Goode" "It Takes Two"= "Sea of Love" "I Know Where I've Been" = "Georgia". If you've ever heard an orchestra rehearsal for Hairspray you could easily sing the 60s melodies and lyrics over the orchestrations.

An example of this sort of thing that I wasn't as impressed with was "The Heat is on in Saigon" which is the exact rhythm track from Three Dog Night's "Mama Told Me Not to Come".

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 5:33pm

The funny thing about it is that Marc Shaiman seemed to deliberately lift exact chord progressions and grooves from various 60's hits for his Hairspray score, yet he still created completely new and original pieces. (This isn't stealing, it's being a f**ing genius)

Oooo... strongly disagree on that one.

[Jamie Pierce]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 5:35pm

I've heard "We Need A Little Christmas" compared to several songs here but I've always thought it sounded exactly like "I Love To Cry At Weddings" from Sweet Charity. Same year, too!

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 5:43pm

"Oooo... strongly disagree on that one."

Just curious - do you disagree with me about the 1960s chord progressions and grooves being "borrowed" for the Hairspray score? It is just my observation, not something I could prove.

On the other hand, Marc Shaiman being a f**ing genius is an indisputable fact.

[Mythus]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 5:48pm

I remember noticing the "No One is Alone/"Candyman" thing.

Years ago, I was convinced that Andrew Lloyd Webber stole the melody for the line "the keys to the vaults of heaven" from the line "a dream is a wish your heart makes" (from Cinderella). The melodies aren't really the same, but they were similar enough to make me wonder.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 5:52pm

Actually, he was sued or something because the song sounded too similar to the theme from Jurassic Park! (But yeah, there's a reason why I said in the first post that nothing by ALW counted!)

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 5:55pm

On the other hand, Marc Shaiman being a f**ing genius is an indisputable fact.

I think "borrowing" is stealing and I don't think he's a genius. Just because he posts here doesn't mean I have to kiss ass like everyone else. Just not a fan.

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 6:00pm

"I think "borrowing" is stealing and I don't think he's a genius"

You are of course welcome to your opinion.

I'm not "kissing ass" because he posts here, I just think Shaiman is one of the only composers creating actual musical theatre scores currently, and Hairspray is a masterpiece.

Updated On: 1/5/09 at 06:00 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 6:02pm

How can you claim it to be an actual musical theatre score when you're admitting that it's all borrowed?

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 7:16pm

I don't think I'm the only one who considers Hairspray to be a great score.

Yes, some of the grooves and chord progressions are remarkably similar to various 1960s hits. Guess what - lots of popular music uses similar chord progressions and grooves - that doesn't mean that anything has been stolen. I consider Hairspray's songs to be great theater writing, both melodically and lyrically, regardless of how familiar the chord progressions might be.

What's difficult to explain is that I feel that the way "Stick to What You Know" exactly copied the groove and styling of "You Can't Stop the Beat" was really lame, while I think it's amazing that Shaiman was able to create "I Know Where I've Been", a beautiful song that just happens to have a similar harmonic structure to "Georgia".

[americanboy99]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 9:38pm

"Part of Your World" from THE LITTLE MERMAID and "Legally Blonde" from LEGALLY BLONDE sounds way too much alike.

[RachelO]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 10:16pm

'Comfort And Joy'-Bat Boy and part of the dance break in 'Saturday Night In The City'-Wedding Singer.

[Alfred Califano]

Posted: 1/5/09 at 10:24pm

I always think of "come to me bend to me" from Brigadoon when I hear "Music of the Night" from phantom.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 1/7/09 at 7:03pm

Okay, I was proven totally wrong on my last one, but... there's one bit in "Wheels of A Dream" from Ragtime that sounds like "Being Alive" from Company.

"Oh, Sarah, it's more than promises/ Sarah, it must be true" = "Somebody hold me too close/Somebody hurt me too deep."

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/7/09 at 7:50pm

I know it's Webber, but still a fun video. Adding, of course, to Annas' prior contribution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkx4ia6Th1A

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 1/7/09 at 8:11pm

CATSNYrevival: Well said (regarding Marc Shaiman and people's fear of criticizing his work on this board).

[iamchanging9]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 8:13am

everybody says don't from anyone can whistle and don't rain on my parade from funny girl have the same chord progression...

Updated On: 1/8/09 at 08:13 AM

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 4:35pm

there was something i noticed a long time ago from "its your wedding day" sounding EXACTLY like something in rent but i listened to it again and can not for the life of me remember what it was

[overthemoonboy]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 5:26pm

I've ALWAYS realized this but I've been too afraid to call out Charles Strouse...

The opening line (notes) from "New Deal for Christmas" from Annie is EXACTLY THE SAME as the opening line from the 101 Dalmations song "Dalmation Plantation."

I KNOW THE DEPRESSION'S DEPRESSING...

WE'LL HAVE A DALMATION PLANTATION...

It's the same!

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 5:40pm

Dude, how did I never notice that before!

[luke-h***]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 5:54pm

The Letter from Billy Elliot and One Day More
'Missed you stomping and your shouting...'
'One more day all on my own...'

That's all I've got at the moment. More will come to me though, I know. Bear with me! :)

[luke-h***]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 5:58pm

From what I've heard, title song from In The Heights and Raise the Roof from The Wild Party are quite similar, orchestration-wise. As well as some very similar phrases.

Also part of Lost in the Wilderness in from Children of Eden sounds incredibly like it's been dragged from Miss Saigon.
'Is it God's will or have we all been conned? *PLINKPLINKPLINK*'
The PLINKPLINKPLINK I mean. Hehehe!

[overthemoonboy]

Posted: 1/9/09 at 1:48am

Forgot to mention that "Those Canaan Days" from Joseph also sounds a lot like Dalmation Plantation.

Do you remember the good years in Canaan...
We'll have a dalmation plantation...

Webber again, lol.

[UglyBetty]

Posted: 1/9/09 at 12:34pm

The begining of La Vie Boheme (RENT) is clearly the same underschoring as Your Fault from Into The Woods. Given the fact that Larson notoriously "borrowed" from many sources and being a huge Sondheim fan- I'm not surprised.

Its the "no please no not tonight" part.