Songs that Sound Similar

[Eric D.]

Either it's a swipe, - homage, influence, or coincidence, - but a wide range of songs that are oddly/brilliantly similar can be found :

here are some examples

Can - "Mushroom"
The Flaming Lips - "Take Meta Mars"
Gorillaz - "Last Living Soul"


also

Velvet Underground -"Sister Ray"
The Modern Lovers - "Road Runner"


anyone out there with any other examples?

[DKR]

blink-182- Adam's Song and 30 Seconds to Mars- R-Evolve

There are more, but I'm too tired to think of them.

[brotherfury]

the melody of Time of your life from greenday and the old song punk rock girl..I'm not certain who sang it, but listen to it, and then listen to greendays song... time of your life sounds the same but slowed down..or at least the melody.

[twilight]

"Boys Keep Swinging" and "Fantastic Voyage" by David Bowie.

Nyuk nyuk nyuk.

-Twi

[Slackjaws_ate_my_brain]

"Punk Rock Girl" was by The Dead Milkmen

2 examples spring to mind :

2 Nickelback songs that are near identical, and helps to build a case of just what hacks they are :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvujgcbaCF8

and Coldplay ripping off joe satriani (and their version got praise out the ass)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb49QuPLuHg

[The Black Guardian]

Don Henley's "End of the Innocence" and Bruce Hornsby's "That's Just the Way It Is"

Just about every Nickelback song.

Just about every Linkin Park song.

[Eric D.]

"Boys Keep Swinging" and "Fantastic Voyage" by David Bowie.

Nyuk nyuk nyuk.

-Twi

for that matter -

Blur - "M.O.R" which borrows heavily from both Boys Keep Swinging" and "Fantastic Voyage"

[Ilash]

Well, The Kinks did try and remake You Really Got Me a few times and quite a few of their b-sides and album tracks in the early days sound very familiar.

Also, I Can't Explain was Pete Townshend's take on You Really Got Me but rather than sounding all that familiar, it landed up being the prototype for what the Who would do in the 60s.

On the other hand, Fragments from "The Who's" latest album is very, very reminiscent of Baba O'Reilly.

Also has anyone ever heard Walk On by U2? It is pretty much the exact same song as Eclipse from Dark Side of the Moon. Only U2 could get away with ripping off the final track from one of the biggest, best selling albums of all time.

I'm sure I'll think of more but obviously I'm not going to include easy targets like Nickleback because, hey, what's the point.

[DKR]

Jane's Addiction- Mountain Song
The Offspring- Bad Habit

Fall Out Boy- Sugar, We're Goin' Down
Alter Bridge- Open Your Eyes

POD- Youth of the Nation
Cold- Suffocate

Nickelback- How You Remind Me
The Exies- Ugly

[DubipR]

"La Bamba"- Ritche Valens
"Twist & Shot"- The Beatles

Same fricking chords

[Ziggy Stardust]

Don Henley's "End of the Innocence" and Bruce Hornsby's "That's Just the Way It Is"



IIRC, Bruce Hornsby played piano on both, and his piano playing often sounds the same, IMO.

[RBishop]

"Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice sounds eerily similar to "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie.

[SlightlyMad]

"Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice sounds eerily similar to "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie.

There's a difference between "similar" and shamelessly ripped-off! :mad:

[RBishop]

There's a difference between "similar" and shamelessly ripped-off! :mad:
So, so true...

On a more-serious note, I know it's an easy target, but most Ramones songs sound the same.

[DKR]

Third Eye Blind- Semi-Charmed Life
Spin Doctors- Two Princes

[parrish]

The Beatles "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" and The Offspring "Why Don't You Get a Job?"

[RobotKeaton]

Every time I hear 'Float On' by Modest Mouse I think it's Franz Ferdinand's 'Take Me Out,' and vice versa.

[Romero]

Kelly Clarkson has this new single that kind of reminds of that Beyonce song "Halo" at least at the beginning.

[Romero]

"Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice sounds eerily similar to "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie.

That clip from back in the day where he tries to explain how they are actually different still makes me laugh.

[brianmaru]

Love this thread. Love it.

[DKR]

U2- Sunday Bloody Sunday
Modest Mouse- Float On

[SlightlyMad]

I was playing my iPod in my friend's car yesterday & when "Little Bitch" by The Specials came on, he thought it was "Bohemian Like You" by The Dandy Warhols.

[Ilash]

Oh also, Flight Test by the Flaming Lips has a veeeery similar melody to Cat Stevens' Father and Son.

[Eric D.]

Oh also, Flight Test by the Flaming Lips has a veeeery similar melody to Cat Stevens' Father and Son.

good call, - i forgot about that one. --"Fight Test" most certainly does sound like "Father and Son"...so similar in fact that the results of a lawsuit had The Flaming Lips dividing half of the royalties w/ Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)

[Michael P]

"La Bamba"- Ritche Valens
"Twist & Shot"- The Beatles

Same fricking chords

Them and about a hundred other rock songs.

[Eric D.]

The Chiffons - "He's So Fine"
&
George Harrison - "My Sweet Lord"

[Eric D.]

check out the bass line on Hall & Oates - "Man Eater" and Stevie Wonder's "Part-Time Lover" ...suspiciously similar.

[Eric D.]

one i'd forgotten about..

The Charlatans (U.K) "Here Comes A Soul Saver" bears more than a passing resemblance to Pink Floyd's "Fearless"

[DKR]

Kid Rock's "All Summer Long" and "Sweet Home Alabama." Pretty obvious since the song is referenced.

The Offspring's "Come Out and Play" and The Munsters Theme. Come on, you know parts of it sound similar.:tongue:

[Ziggy Stardust]

"Sad But True" by Metallica and "American Badass" by Kid Rock sound

That's 'cause Kid Crock ripped off the riff.

[the_coldest_sun]

Every time I hear 'Float On' by Modest Mouse I think it's Franz Ferdinand's 'Take Me Out,' and vice versa.

OMG! This happens to me all the time with those two songs.

Kid Rock's "All Summer Long" and "Sweet Home Alabama." Pretty obvious since the song is referenced.

Not just "Sweet Home Alabama" (there's some similarities in the piano solo and lead guitar work), but the entire song is a rip of "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon. Check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MRu8N2K0NY

[Elmira Nancy]

Sometimes I compose music [instrumental], but lately not so much because of all the music I've been listening to. I'm afraid any music I try to make will sound too much like something I know already. So my question is, to what degree can a song sound like others? I've been avoiding some of the nice patterns I've been hearing in songs [so as not to feel like a thief], but it's not easy to make something completely new.

[Danvh3]

Christmas in Hollis by RunDMC
Cowboy by Kid Rock

I just caught this the other day. Does that hack hillbilly ever do anything original?

[DKR]

Sum 41- In Too Deep
Lifehouse- Halfway Gone

[Imaginos666]

Warsaw by Joy Division sounds more than a little like Hot Rails to Hell by Blue Oyster Cult.

[Eric D.]

Warsaw by Joy Division sounds more than a little like Hot Rails to Hell by Blue Oyster Cult.


good one, ...and agreed.

[Buried Alien]

Pink Floyd - "Comfortably Numb" and Queensryche - "Silent Lucidity" (at least in some parts)

Also, Bonnie Raitt's "Something To Talk About" has almost the same notes in its chorus as does Janet Jackson's "Escapade."

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[jessecuster3]

Greenday - Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Oasis - Wonderwall
Travis - Writing To Reach You

[DKR]

Greenday - Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Oasis - Wonderwall

I've heard that before but I just don't see similarities between them.

[jesse_custer]

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by The Beatles, "Babe, I'm Never Gonna Leave You" by Led Zeppelin," "25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago, and "Brain Stew" by Green Day--and God knows what else--all feature a similar riff.

For music nerds with a guitar, start on the low E string. The notes follow (if I remember correctly): A, G#, G, F#, and open E. You can hear this pattern on the aforementioned songs with slight variations. For example, Green Day uses power chords with the root notes.

[jdwrocks]

The riff from "Steady as she goes" by the Raconteurs reminds me of "Is she really going out with him" by Joe Jackson.

[Kirayoshi]

Gary Puckett's "Woman(Have You Got Cheating On Your Mind?)", "Young Girl" and "Lady Willpower". Apart from the lyrics, they're practically the same song.

Same with the Rivington's "The Bird is the Word" and "Papa Oom Mow Mow". The Trashmens' "Surfin' Bird" is essentially a mash-up of the two.

Next time you listen to Boston's "More Than a Feeling", check out the guitar riff during the chorus. It's "Louie Louie". I'm not kidding!

[jessecuster3]

I've heard that before but I just don't see similarities between them.

Listen to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES2NGj_fYjs

[DKR]

Listen to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES2NGj_fYjs

I'll agree on the opening guitar but this was just a mash-up.

[jessecuster3]

I'll agree on the opening guitar but this was just a mash-up.

But the mashup works because all 3 songs have the same melody.

[DKR]

Third Eye Blind- Jumper
Simple Plan- Welcome to My Life

Neurotica- Ride of Your Life
Godsmack- Whiskey Hangover

[DKR]

30 Seconds to Mars- This is War
Taking Back Sunday- MakeDamnSure

[elbobbo]

Rockin' the in the Free World by Neil Young and Everything Zen by Bush
the banana splits theme song and Buffalo Solider by Bob Marley, seriously
Twinkle twinkle little star and the ABC's song
Are you gonna be my girl by Jet (?) and Lust for Life by Iggy Pop

[Kirayoshi]

In a more classical vein,

"Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here" and the chorus of "With Catlike Tread" from Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance." Here are the words to the chorus;

"Come, friends, who plow the sea,
Truce to navigation,
Take another station,
Let's vary piracy
With a little burglary!"

[PaddyN]

"I Was Made for Lovin' You" by KISS & "Outlaw Pete" by Bruce Springsteen.

"Outlaw Pete" has a similar riff to "I was Made for Lovin' You" after the verses.

Outlaw Pete: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDqrniE3Uy8


I Was Made For Lovin' You: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNGNLo8K6Fk


Mash Up:http://www.wikio.co.uk/video/790872

[Jared]

I'm a bad music fan. I only just realized that Smells like Teen Spirit has almost the same riff as Boston's "More Than a Feeling."

I know the Gallagers were pissed about the Green Day thing. But then, they're pissed about everything.

Jet's "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" and Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life"

Godsmack (who I like) only has two or (maybe) three different songs. Korn only seems to have one.

[jerrymcl89]

AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" and Free's "All Right Now" are essentially the same song.

[4thHorseman]

blink-182- Adam's Song and 30 Seconds to Mars- R-Evolve

What I caught, and what I've heard online, is that Adam's Song is pretty much Metallica's "One" backwards.

And to stick with Metallica, although they say that Fade to Black is somewhat inspired musically by Rainbow, the main riff sounds almost identical to part of the riff in Pink Floyd's "Goodbye Blue Sky"

[DKR]

Buckcherry- Don't Go Away
Stone Temple Pilots- Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart

Kings of Leon- Use Somebody
Bush- Glycerine

[DKR]

Stabbing Westward- What Do I Have to Do?
Filter- Nice Shot

[TheRealOblivion]

Danzig - Snakes Of Christ
Metallica - Thorn Within

[DKR]

3 Doors Down- Be Like That
Everlast- What It's Like

[DKR]

Blink-182- Feeling This
311- Down

All Time Low- Damned If I Do Ya
Anarbor- You and I

[Eric D.]

here's one...

"American Girl" by Tom Petty
and
"Last Night" by The Strokes

[Eric D.]

Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade Of Pale
and
Johann Sebastian Bach - Air (aus der Orchestersuite Nr. 3, D-Dur)

[Ziggy Stardust]

Christmas in Hollis by RunDMC
Cowboy by Kid Rock

I just caught this the other day. Does that hack hillbilly ever do anything original?

No.

Yet some idiots keep buying his music.

[DKR]

The Academy Is...- About A Girl
A-Ha- Take On Me

[DKR]

Staind- It's Been Awhile
Green Day- Last Night on Earth

[jessecuster3]

Buckcherry- Don't Go Away
Stone Temple Pilots- Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart

Kings of Leon- Use Somebody
Bush- Glycerine

I don't hear these two, at all.

[DKR]

I don't hear these two, at all.

On the first one, there's kind of a guitar riff that's similar. The second one I see more as in a song structure since.

[DKR]

Godsmack- Serenity
Taproot- Calling

[jessecuster3]

On the first one, there's kind of a guitar riff that's similar. The second one I see more as in a song structure since.

I think you are reaching. If I knew more of your references I would guess they are reaching as well.

[Bear]

Comparison:

Star Wars "Imperial March"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bzWSJG93P8&feature=related

with (slide to 1:40 into the piece)

Prokofiev's "Montagues and Capulets"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RFq7cOVDF0&feature=related


Well, it sounds like it might have been inspiration to me at least.

[Brandon McKinnis]

All American Rejects - Swing Swing
Green Day - When I Come Around
Bush - Glycerine

The guitar all sounds the same to me. Maybe it's the same chords but slightly different progression.

[DKR]

All American Rejects - Swing Swing
Green Day - When I Come Around
Bush - Glycerine

The guitar all sounds the same to me. Maybe it's the same chords but slightly different progression.

Haven't heard the first one, but going over the last two in my head, you're right.

[mailedbypostman1]

Dragonforce songs.

[Eric D.]

U2- Sunday Bloody Sunday
Modest Mouse- Float On


um...no, - not really at all.

[Eric D.]

The Kinks - 'All Day and All of the Night'
The Doors - 'Hello, I Love You"

[bert]

Pure Prairie League -- "Aime"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4xp2lgiAjY


and

Eric Clapton -- "Lay Down Sally"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EivR78mrRFE


I ALWAYS get these mixed up. . especially if you catch it mid song (they don't start out the same, but once they get going, you can totally sing Aime along to Clapton).

[Spike-X]

Tales Of Brave Ulysses by Cream sounds an awful lot like White Room by...er...Cream.


And they both kick the arse of anything Clapton ever did solo.

[Spike-X]

Axis Of Awesome (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErtzR5m1mjM) FTW.

Proving that every song ever is a ripoff of Don't Stop Believing.

[Eric D.]

The intro for
Neu - "Hallogallo" (1972)
and
Smashing Pumpkins - "Cherub Rock"

identical!

[Eric D.]

Killing Joke -"Change"
Ministry - "Thieves"

oddly similar.

[DKR]

Sum 41- In Too Deep
Lifehouse- Halfway Gone

I said that one too.

[Eric D.]

it'd be really nice if we didn't continue the trend of listing songs by the same two or more crappy bands like : creed and sum 41.

or even worse, - wild-ass stretches -when you have two songs that don't even remotely share anything.



i was thinking more in the vein of a "nod" from one band to another influential band, - not blatant rip-offs.

[jessecuster3]

Axis Of Awesome (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErtzR5m1mjM) FTW.

Proving that every song ever is a ripoff of Don't Stop Believing.

That is impossible, they are all ripped off of Pachelbel's Canon. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM)

[Eric D.]

Pixies - Where Is My Mind
Toadies - Tyler

[Eric D.]

Axis Of Awesome (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErtzR5m1mjM) FTW.

Proving that every song ever is a ripoff of Don't Stop Believing.

love it. that was awesome.

[FanboyStranger]

Back in the USSR-- The Beatles

I Can't Stand it Anymore-- Lou Reed

The guitar intros are nearly identical. They differ when the singing starts, but the underlying music sound very similar.

[jesse_custer]

i was thinking more in the vein of a "nod" from one band to another influential band, - not blatant rip-offs.

That's not all that your original post covered, though.

[DKR]

I think the beginnings to Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Blur's "Song 2" are a little similar.

Another one:
Nickelback- How You Remind Me
The Exies- Ugly

[Athena Bast]

Britney Spears' Baby One More Time/ Oops I Did It Again (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWpLwkNQ160)

Same songs with better comparison (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQXhzycu9no&feature=related)

[Eric D.]

That's not all that your original post covered, though.


yeah...I know.

[Eric D.]

The Charlatans - "Here Comes a Soul Saver"

sounds an awful lot like:

Pink Floy - "Fearless"

[P-Man]

The Megadeth song "Youthanasia" leans pretty heavily on the Sabbath sound "Snowblind". Different enough to not be a ripoff, so I dunno if it's unintentional or a subtle homage.

[Shan Bruce Lee]

I'll agree on the opening guitar but this was just a mash-up.

A mash-up of both songs playing perfectly together.

[DKR]

Breaking Benjamin- Give Me A Sign
Manchester Orchestra- I’ve Got Friends

Nirvana- Breed
Yellowcard- Lights and Sounds

Nirvana- Smells Like Teen Spirit
Blur- Song 2
(at the least the beginnings are similar)

Seether- Fake It
Three Days Grace- The Good Life

[DKR]

In another case of similar beginnings:
Seether- Gasoline
Default- Count on Me

[hugh45]

Björk-Violently Happy

Madonna - Bedtime Story (The beat sounds exactly the same)

[hugh45]

[QUOTE=DKR;10043090]Jane's Addiction- Mountain Song
The Offspring- Bad Habit

Fall Out Boy- Sugar, We're Goin' Down
Alter Bridge- Open Your Eyes

POD- Youth of the Nation
Cold- Suffocate

I think POD rips off more from Rage Against the Machine than anybody else.

[hugh45]

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by The Beatles, "Babe, I'm Never Gonna Leave You" by Led Zeppelin," "25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago, and "Brain Stew" by Green Day--and God knows what else--all feature a similar riff.

For music nerds with a guitar, start on the low E string. The notes follow (if I remember correctly): A, G#, G, F#, and open E. You can hear this pattern on the aforementioned songs with slight variations. For example, Green Day uses power chords with the root notes.

Is Aerosmith "Dream On" a rip off from one of Led Zeppelin's song?

[hugh45]

I'm a bad music fan. I only just realized that Smells like Teen Spirit has almost the same riff as Boston's "More Than a Feeling."

I have both songs, I can't hear it. Maybe I'm getting old. :smile:

[Eric D.]

Björk-Violently Happy

Madonna - Bedtime Story (The beat sounds exactly the same)

are you saying the BPM is the same? - because if that's so, I'd say that hardly warrants them to be similar sounding songs.

[jesse_custer]

Is Aerosmith "Dream On" a rip off from one of Led Zeppelin's song?

I'm not sure. Nothing from Led Zeppelin reminds me of "Dream On," but I haven't heard every Zeppelin song.

"Don't Speak" by No Doubt sounds like "Dream On," though.

[Ziggy Stardust]

The lead guitar solo in No Rain by Blind Melon reminds me of the guitar in Reeling In The Years by Steely Dan for some reason.

[hugh45]

are you saying the BPM is the same? - because if that's so, I'd say that hardly warrants them to be similar sounding songs.

Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSaFgAwnRSc

http://www.kewego.com/video/iLyROoaftLwf.html

[Sentry76]

The main riffs from AC/DC's 'Night Of The Long Knives' and Poison's 'Unskinny Bop'

That's bugged me for years :tongue:

[DKR]

Live- Lakini's Juice
Linkin Park- Given Up

[bert]

Skimmed the thread and didn't see these (surprising, because they are fairly well known).

Oasis -- "Cigarettes and Alcohol"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaeLKhRnkhQ

is a (to put it politely) homage to

T-Rex -- "Bang a Gong"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBin9qC5dKg




BuckCherry -- "Lit Up"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw5JGv9YdV0

lifts the guitar riff from

KISS -- "Cold Gin"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDb7BOLpbAI&feature=related

[Brandon McKinnis]

Pearl Jam's "Given To Fly"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-C2NiI4I4VE

and

Led Zeppelin's "Going To California"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpVLlnQ08OA