Does anyone know of any pop songs that have borrowed from Classical music?

The intro to Barry Manilow's 'Could It Be Magic' is from a classical work (which escapes me -- anyone remember?)
The melody of 'Til the End of Time' is taken from a Chopin piece...

'A Fifth of Beethoven' uses Beethoven's Symphony No. 5
'Lover's Concerto' uses a Bach Minuet

Others...  ?

Does anyone know of any pop songs that have borrowed from Classical music?

The intro to Barry Manilow's 'Could It Be Magic' is from a classical work (which escapes me -- anyone remember?)
The melody of 'Til the End of Time' is taken from a Chopin piece...

There must be others...  ?


A Fifth of Beethoven.  From Beethoven's Fifth.

The actual song(s) elude me...but there is a scene in "Mr. Holland's Opus" where he is trying to convince the class that classical music is okay.  He plays a record for them...it is a top 40 hit from the 60s (when the scene is taking place) and they all love that song.

He then turns around and plays it on the piano...and explains to them that the music is a piece from a classical composer. 

DAMMIT, Leo...now I'm going to have to look it up...or I won't sleep tonight.

A Fifth of Beethoven.  From Beethoven's Fifth.


Oh...  I always thought 'Beethoven' was a brand of cheap whiskey.

The actual song(s) elude me...but there is a scene in "Mr. Holland's Opus" where he is trying to convince the class that classical music is okay.  He plays a record for them...it is a top 40 hit from the 60s (when the scene is taking place) and they all love that song.

He then turns around and plays it on the piano...and explains to them that the music is a piece from a classical composer. 

darnit, Leo...now I'm going to have to look it up...or I won't sleep tonight.


Apparently, it's 'Lover's Concerto' (gotta love the messageboards on imdb.com...).

Title doesn't ring a bell -- I'll have to find a midi... *finds cheezy midi*

Oh yeah, that one...  Bach.

I know these two, which were hugely popular in the Netherlands:

William Orbit - Barber's Adagio for strings (2000)
Apotheosis - O Fortuna (1992)

The first has recently also been recorded by DJ Tiesto, but I think that one isn't as good.

The second song was/is based on 'Carmina Burana' by Carl Orff. It's banned, because the relatives of the deceased composer still own/ed the rights to the original work.

THis Night-Billy Joel takes from Beethoven (I forget which...I beleive the 4th)

Road to joy-Bright Eyes -Beethovens...9th I think

Blinded by the light-Manfred Mann version-Chopsticks

There's another 60's song that takes part of "Air on a G String" as the intro.  But I can't remember which song it is.  It might be Nights in White Satin.  But then again it might not.


MTA: isn't Google wonderful!  Looked up "Air on a G String" +lyrics and found that's it's Procul Harem's Whiter Shade of Pale

A few more:

The Elegants: "Little Star"
Eric Carmen: the verses of "All By Myself"
Allen Sherman: "Hello Muddah Hello Faddah"

You figure out the classical origins.

xoxox
Spaff

Sting's "Russians" is based on Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kije Suite, Op. 60....I impress myself sometimes.  ;)

The intro to Barry Manilow's 'Could It Be Magic' is from a classical work (which escapes me -- anyone remember?)


I believe it's  Chopin's Prelude in C Minor...good lord, I'm good!!!

yes, very good Kristof  *coughshow-offcough*

my turn...

check out "The Rhapsody" or "The Rhapsody Overture"  which has contributions from LL Cool J and others mixed up against well-known classical pieces - one of my favourite albums

I googled it and got this description/review...

"Prince Igor" by composer Borodin, featuring rapper Warren G. and singer Sissel (the Norwegian who provided the haunting vocals on the Titanic soundtrack) is hands down the best track on the cd, and also the most beautiful. Surprisingly, L.L. Cool J.’s take on Delibes’ "Lakme", "Dear Mallika" proves captivating. Mobb Deep and Pucinni blend well in "Nessun Dorma". For a harder edge, give Onyx's "Vissi D'Arte" by Puccini a whirl on the laser merry-go-round. These pearls are amidst a few not so precious gems on the cd, but intriguing nonetheless.

I believe it's  Chopin's Prelude in C Minor...good lord, I'm good!!!


And modest with it!!

And modest with it!!



nah, he's just making it up...

My wife, my brother, and I attended a University of Massachusetts Folk Festival a few years ago at which Roger McGuinn, former lead vocalist/guitarist for The Byrds, was one of the headlining acts (along with Richie Havens and Steeleye Span).

During his set, Roger told the story of how The Byrds came to record Bob Dylan's song "Mr. Tambourine Man".  Roger said that they altered Dylan's version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" by adding a guitar instrumental based on Bach's baroque fugues, played to what Roger has referred to as "...a Beatle beat". 

Listen carefully to the guitar instrumental that opens "Mr. Tambourine Man" and that recurs throughout the song, and tell me if you can't imagine it being played on a harpsichord by a powdered-wig-wearing Roger McGuinn back in the days of Bach!

What about Tocatta (or Toccata?) En Fugue by Sky.  Never sure if that was a classical piece (i.e. by someon like Bach or whoever) or a contemporary piece written in a classical style

yes, very good Kristof  *coughshow-offcough*

my turn...

check out "The Rhapsody" or "The Rhapsody Overture"  which has contributions from LL Cool J and others mixed up against well-known classical pieces - one of my favourite albums

I googled it and got this description/review...

"Prince Igor" by composer Borodin, featuring rapper Warren G. and singer Sissel (the Norwegian who provided the haunting vocals on the Titanic soundtrack) is hands down the best track on the cd, and also the most beautiful. Surprisingly, L.L. Cool J.’s take on Delibes’ "Lakme", "Dear Mallika" proves captivating. Mobb Deep and Pucinni blend well in "Nessun Dorma". For a harder edge, give Onyx's "Vissi D'Arte" by Puccini a whirl on the laser merry-go-round. These pearls are amidst a few not so precious gems on the cd, but intriguing nonetheless.




*sniff*  *sniff* ah ahhh ahhhh...Smartarze!!!! Sorry, got a bit of hayfever.... ;)

Emerson Lake & Palmer frequently "borrowed" from classical music for their hits. "Hoedown",  "Pictures At An Exhibiton" and "Toccata" of course are among some of their outright covers (and they covered B Bumble & The Stingers' "Nut Rocker"), but they also lifted wholesale riffs without crediting the composers for "I Believe In Father Christmas", "Knife Edge", "The Barbarian" and (Emerson Lake & Powell's) "Touch & Go".

(no time to look up and list the sources, sorry)

BTW, the riff mentioned earlier about Procol Harum and "Whiter Shade of Pale" is NOT from Bach's "Air for the G String" (nor "Wachet Auf" as popularly noted). It sounds like it, but it isn't.

BTW, the riff mentioned earlier about Procol Harum and "Whiter Shade of Pale" is NOT from Bach's "Air for the G String" (nor "Wachet Auf" as popularly noted). It sounds like it, but it isn't.


According to this site it is based on it though it isn't exactly the same

http://www.procolharum.com/99/awsop_repeat.htm

It's a transcription of an interview with some of the members of Procol Harum

Malcolm McLaren 'did' "Un bel di vedremo" from "Madama Butterfly", an opera by Giacomo Puccini.

*sniff*  *sniff* ah ahhh ahhhh...Smartarze!!!! Sorry, got a bit of hayfever.... ;)


hope you get better soon, KbRaIsStTaOrFd   :D

hope you get better soon, KbRaIsStTaOrFd   :D





Brilliant! 'Kbraissttaorfd' is now the new swear word!

"Get the kbraissttaorfd out of my face!"
"You lousy son-of-a-kbraissttaorfd!"
"Kbraissttaorfd you!"

"New-age" type albums frequently borrow classical themes. Enigma famously borrowed Gregorian chants for hits like "Sadeness, Part 1". This series of albums located here, http://www.aria-music.net/, is also notable.