Influence, rip off, coincidence

[Canuck21]

The other day, I was trying to spot the guitar riff of "Run" which John Denver claimed was ripped off from "Leaving on a Jet Plane". No matter how many time I listen to both, I couldn't spot it. I don't have very musical ears so I'm not good at pointing out riff similarities, but others can hear them quite easily.

That got me thinking, it'll be interesting if we name songs that we think sound similar or have music parts that are almost rip offs if not simply rip offs. I'm not good at this, but I know a few songs that others have pointed out similitudes. Having the year of release would be quite informative.

Joy Division/New Order and The Cure started at the same time and have played at the same gig. They started as punk and evolved into post-punk and found their niche. Both bands have distinct strong bass so it's a given they'll often sound similar and influence each other.

Joy Division's "Warsaw" (1978) vs. The Cure's "Killing an Arab" (1979) - Main riff
Joy Division's "Atrocity Exhibition" (1980) vs. The Cure's "Pornography" (1982) - The tribal drums and chaotic guitar are pretty obvious
New Order's "Everything's Gone Green" (1981) vs. The Cure's "In Between Days" (1985) - I don't hear it, but according to many, this Cure song sounds like many New Order songs
New Order's "Blue Monday" (1983) vs. The Cure's "The Walk" (1983) - Bass line
The Cure's "A Forest" (1980) vs. New Order's "This Time of Night" (1985) - Bass line
The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" (1987) vs. New Order's "All the Way" (1989) - Even I can hear the similarity in the bass, again

New Order's "Sunrise" (1985) vs. The Charlatans' "You Cross my Path" (2008) - The sound and structure
New Order's "Waiting for the Sirens' Call" (2005) vs. The Charlatans' "Oh Vanity" (2008) - OK, this is just too similar, I'll even dare call this a rip off.
U2's "With Or Without You" (1987) vs. Linkin Park's "Shadow of the Day" (2007) - Need I say more?
Pavement's "Here" (1992) vs. Coldplay's "Yellow" (2000)

That's it for now.

[KeongJai]

if you're talking ripoffs then look no further than noel gallagher. Most of Oasis's songs have parts that are ripped of the beatles.

[Azn Dude]

That Linkin Park and U2, I have to say I had the urge to sing with or without you over the Linkin Park.

Most musicians unconsciously rip off other musicians before them. We do it without knowing it most of the time and unintentionally, well most of us.
The thing is, most songs, especially pop songs follow a very familar chord progression and its all been done before. Especially guitar riffs, its all be done before, we guitarist think we're clever for coming up with "new riffs" but I'm sure its all been done before.
The chord progerssion to watch out for is C-G-Am-F, there's like a billion song with that and Am-F-C-G. Here is an example of an Am-F-C-G progression. The Offsprings - Self Esteem vs Eagle Eye Cherry - Save Tonight. A little tricky but you can hear it, the Offspring just play the F an octave higher that is all.

But here is the most famous rip off all time, Ice Ice Baby ripped off Under Pressure.

Here are more guitar riff rip offs!!
Iron Maiden vs Papa Roach
Eurythmics vs Alice Cooper
Chicago vs Green Day
Metallica vs Audioslave


I personally rip off John Coltrane.

[Azn Dude]

if you're talking ripoffs then look no further than noel gallagher. Most of Oasis's songs have parts that are ripped of the beatles.

They also ripped off a Pink Floyd song. Pink Floyd's Vera, at the end the "Feel the way I do", is the same as Wonderwall's "Feel the way I do" part.
I'm sure it was intentional and no harm meant.

[beansprouts]

Rip offs, I am not sure if this counts but dozens and dozens of songs have the same chords as Pachelbel's Canon in D.
It is one of those things I learn while watching Youtube.

I don't think people are really intentionally ripping off other musicians, I guess there are so many chords that sounds nice together, it's inevitable after centuries of music, songs start sounding like each other.

[pemberly]

if you're talking ripoffs then look no further than noel gallagher. Most of Oasis's songs have parts that are ripped of the beatles.

really? examples, please. -_-

i think there's a difference between intentional rip offs and being influenced by a certain sound the beatles had.

[KeongJai]

Well, there's the intro to "don't look back in anger" for example. It's a blatant ripoff of john lennon's "imagine" chord progession. Noel Gallagher is famous for openly "nicking" riffs here and there. He's admitted it in interviews before.

[Canuck21]

Well, there's the intro to "don't look back in anger" for example. It's a blatant ripoff of john lennon's "imagine" chord progession. Noel Gallagher is famous for openly "nicking" riffs here and there. He's admitted it in interviews before.

I think that everyone does that, but few will admit it.

[Ken Cheng]

How about George Harrison's infamous getting sued for "My Sweet Lord" sounding too much like the Chiffons' "He's So Fine?" Harrison lost that case in the courts, but got his sweet revenge when, years later, he bought the rights to "He's So Fine."

[Canuck21]

Ok, this is not a cover, nor a mash-up, is probably a real rip-off. There's no mention of the other song anywhere. It does sound very good though.

[redfirefly124]

Lots of SHE's earlier songs. Lian ren wei man-->Brown Eyes for example.

[Canuck21]

"See You Again" by Miley Cyrus sounds like Corey Hart's "Sunglasses At Night".

[patricia n]

Rip offs, I am not sure if this counts but dozens and dozens of songs have the same chords as Pachelbel's Canon in D.
It is one of those things I learn while watching Youtube.

I don't think people are really intentionally ripping off other musicians, I guess there are so many chords that sounds nice together, it's inevitable after centuries of music, songs start sounding like each other.

thanks for sharing...that was a hilarious video. i love canon in D, which explains why i like so many of the popular song now.

why do i feel as though clumsy by fergie is a rip off? oh yeah, because it is.

[PJ]

why do i feel as though clumsy by fergie is a rip off? oh yeah, because it is.

Ripoff of what?

[patricia n]

Ripoff of what?

from wikipedia:

"Clumsy" is a song written by Fergie and Will.i.am, sampling Little Richard's "The Girl Can't Help It" and Dee-Lite's "Who Was that",

actually, sampling's someone's song is also an example of ripoff in my book.

[pemberly]

"See You Again" by Miley Cyrus sounds like Corey Hart's "Sunglasses At Night".

i think the same thing everytime i hear that song on the radio! when they do the intro, i am very tempted to sing along..."i wear my sunglasses at night"... *dance break*

[Guo Xiang ( :]

Some of the lyrics of The Eurythmic's Sweet Dreams are suspiciously like Squeeze's Take Me I'm Yours.

SD:Travel the world and the seven seas
TMIY: Ive come across the desert

SD: Sweet dreams are made of this
TMIY: Because dreams are made of this

[Canuck21]

In the late '70s, punk rock was sweeping the UK and every studio wanted a piece of this new wave popularity. A promoter from RCA Records knew of this punk band named Warsaw, later known as Joy Division, and asked them to do a cover version of a Northern Soul record Keep On Keeping On by Nolan Porter. The RCA people suggested Ian Curtis to sing like James Brown. The punk band just couldn't do it, it was just not right but they took the guitar riff and made it their own by writing and song based on that riff and it became Interzone, one of my favourite songs. As Warsaw, their first recording with RCA had Ian growling like a dog. This RCA version sounds raw and little produced. Warsaw soon later changed their name to Joy Division and by then were part of a new independent record company, the legendary Factory Records. With producer Martin Hannett, the band rerecorded Interzone and the album version is a little more subdued and sounds more atmospheric. When performing the song live, it is more explosive and fast. I never get tired of this song for its energy and like all versions. This is a good example of taking a piece of another song and then creating something quite different and totally awesome... well to my ears anyway.

[Suet Seung]

Lady Gaga vs Roisin Murphy
http://new.ca.music.yahoo.com/blogs/...erence/?page=2

[Ken Cheng]

Recently, Sam Smith got busted by the copyright gods because his hit "Stay With Me" sounds like Tom Petty's 1989 song "I Won't Back Down."