Is it just me, or is the guitar riff from "Picture Book" by the Kinks (from "village green..") the same as or similar to the one from "Warning" by Green Day?
I think some of it is just that some styles of music (particularly punk) play with such simplicity that overlap is inevitable. For The Kinks to get upset over something as generic as the guitar on "Picture Book" would be silly. The guitar line for "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" has been ripped off at least three times I can think of: by Zeppelin, Chicago, and (again) Green Day.
Originally posted by Duncan Black: Nirvana were famously sued by Killing Joke over the main riff to 'Come as you are' - Killing Joke lost the case, but it's undeniably thieved.
I'm glad someone mentioned this. If you haven't heard Killing Joke's "Eighties" back-to-back with Nirvana's "Come As You Are", you're missing out. There's no doubt in my mind that Kurt Cobain was trying to steal that riff. Even the effect on the guitar is identical.
Other famous rip-offs:
George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" << "He's So Fine"
The Flaming Lips' "Fight Test << Cat Stevens' "Father & Son"
----- We were wasps with new wings, now we're bugs in the jar.
I'm sure I'm not the first person to recognize this, but these songs are really similar. The chord sequences are exactly the same and so is the slow tone. Even the violin (guitar?) solo from "Innocence Kindly Awaits" and Will Scheff's wailing solo are pretty similar in feel. I posted something about this on the Okkervil River forum and someone told me that on the "For Real" single (which includes a live version of "For the Enemy"), Okkervil included a note thanking Centro-matic for something or other, probably that "Innocence Kindly Awaits" was the inspiration for "For the Enemy."
-------------------------------------------------- Anatomy to me is a homesick stomach and a broken heart
A famous one is Ray Parker Jr. getting sued by Huey Lewis who accused him of ripping off "I Want a New Drug" for his hit "Ghostbusters."
One that I've noticed lately is the opener on the new Bloc Party "Song for Clay (Disappear Here)" being very similar to "Jacqueline" the opener on Franz Ferndinand's s/t debut. Both start similarly with a quiet singing over gently strummed guitars before busting into almost identical guitar riffs with a quick drum beat.
When I first heard the single from the John Mayer album last year, Waiting for the World to Change, or whatever, I kind of cringed.
He took the chord progression, etc. directly from People Get Ready by The Impressions. Which is fine by me, but when he talks influences for the album, he never mentions Curtis Mayfield or The Impressions -- just other soul and r&b groups from that era. That kind of bothers me. Also, if you're going to write a "protest" song, it's probably not the best idea to put yourself up for comparison to the best one in history .
The Flaming Lips' "Fight Test << Cat Stevens' "Father & Son"
Bingo! I just realized this one over the weekend. When I discovered this thread, I scrolled through to see if somebody beat me to it. It seemed fairly obvious to me but, seeing somebody else state it somewhat validates my point.
The Flaming Lips' "Fight Test << Cat Stevens' "Father & Son"
Bingo! I just realized this one over the weekend. When I discovered this thread, I scrolled through to see if somebody beat me to it. It seemed fairly obvious to me but, seeing somebody else state it somewhat validates my point.
I thought that one was common knowledge. The Lips settled with Stevens (Yusaf Islam) before it went to court, but he actually receives royalties from "Fight Test" now.
----- We were wasps with new wings, now we're bugs in the jar.
Oh lord, my wife always says things are "common knowledge" that are definitely not. One day she mentioned something about Adult Swim's headquarters being on Williams Street in Atlanta. According to her that was "common knowledge". To who?
Anyway, I just thought it was funny eric. Not meaning to give you a hard time. The fact that the Lips ripped off Stevens might be well known among music nerds, but I wouldn't exactly call it common knowledge.
Say what you want about the tenants of National Socialism, dude, at least it's an ethos
From the greatest movie of all time!!
I noticed it on first listen, but I also read a reviewer also mention that the melody of the chorus on the Strokes "Razorblade" was straight up "Mandy" from, ahem, Barry Manilow.
Next on my list - The Flaming Lips. I've tried them before and I realize they have studied their Floyd so, why not give ‘em another go?
The Lips are relatively new to me and I never heard about the settlement with Stevens. I guess I caught what everyone else did when they first heard the rip-off. Either way, it's pretty blatant. I just listened to them both in the car a few minutes ago to confirm and get a few laughs. I guess I can understand it being common knowledge in the Indie music community; it’s just a community that I wasn't involved with until I found these forums.
"(Marie's the Name of) His Latest Flame", sung by Elvis Presley, was "recycled" as "Rusholme Ruffians" by the Smiths.
I believe that The Stones recycled "(I Can't Get No) Satisfatction" into "Jumpin' Jack Flash", and there are quite a few other songs they "remade" with new lyrics, etc.
"Naked Woman, Naked Man Where did you get that nice sun tan?"
Dinosaur Jr were so impressed with the first 20 seconds of "Get Me", track 6 off Where You Been that they decided to rip themselves off on the very next track, "Drawerings". Same tune/beat; insert new lyrics. Well done Mr. Mascis.
