Right.. I'll bet I'm gonna be the only one here, but here goes.

Does it annoy you when you hear a song.. and KNOW the riffs or the idea or whatever have been stolen from somewhere else?

I was listening to the radio whilst doing the dishes today and a Papa Roach song came on called 'Between Angels & Insects' and I thought, man, this is really familiar. It's a total rip off from Iron Maiden's 'Prowler'.

Does anybody else hear this kind of thing regularly?

If I hadn't already slapped you with karma, you'd get it for this!! :)

Gwen Stephani's- Rich Girl  Ripped off of "If I Were a Rich Man."  Song from the Broadway show Fiddler On The Roof

Her latest piece of shhhe is a rip off of a song from The Sound Of Music

Run DMC pathetic song Mary, Mary a rip off of The Monkees song Mary Mary


Give me a while, I've got a feeling I'll think of more!!!

If I hadn't already slapped you with karma, you'd get it for this!! :)

Gwen Stephani's- Rich Girl  Ripped off of "If I Were a Rich Man."  Song from the Broadway show Fiddler On The Roof

Her latest piece of shhhe is a rip off of a song from The Sound Of Music

Run DMC pathetic song Mary, Mary a rip off of The Monkees song Mary Mary


Give me a while, I've got a feeling I'll think of more!!!


Ok,glad other people have picked up on some.

Let me think of more. There are loads of obvious ones, but some just aren't quite there and then BOOM it hits you.

Ok,glad other people have picked up on some.

Let me think of more. There are loads of obvious ones, but some just aren't quite there and then BOOM it hits you.


I've been waiting for this thread!!!  This should be interesting.

All though it would be considered a remake I beg to differ (It's too pathetic)  Smash Mouth's I'm A believer :P

I'm trying to think of the one that rips Happy Together by The Turtles.

If you (like me) are a fan of both Megadeth and Metallica.. you can totally see where Dave and James have blatently stolen things from one another.

Looking Down the cross and Ride the Lightning have the exact same riff.

Go to Hell and Enter Sandman are basically the same song.. what sucks about that is 'Go To Hell' is great and has received essentially no publicity, Sandman is ok.. and is heralded as the greatest piece of metal since Iron Man.

For the first 30 seconds, She-Wolf and Disposable Heroes sound almost identical.

If you (like me) are a fan of both Megadeth and Metallica.. you can totally see where Dave and James have blatently stolen things from one another.

Looking Down the cross and Ride the Lightning have the exact same riff.

Go to Hell and Enter Sandman are basically the same song.. what sucks about that is 'Go To Hell' is great and has received essentially no publicity, Sandman is ok.. and is heralded as the greatest piece of metal since Iron Man.

For the first 30 seconds, She-Wolf and Disposable Heroes sound almost identical.


I'll have to look into that.  I'm waiting for someone to start ripping off of 80's hair bands.  :P

I'm waiting for someone to start ripping off of 80's hair bands.  :P


The wait is over ...

In 1998, the popular British dance group N-Trance had a club hit with a cover of Guns 'N Roses' "Paradise City".  They sampled the guitar riff, added rap lyrics, and found a singer who sounds exactly like Axl Rose.  I am a big N-Trance fan, so I loved it, but true GnR fans might not.  LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vorC2tkoSHg

The wait is over ...

In 1998, the popular British dance group N-Trance had a club hit with a cover of Guns 'N Roses' "Paradise City".  They sampled the guitar riff, added rap lyrics, and found a singer who sounds exactly like Axl Rose.  I am a big N-Trance fan, so I loved it, but true GnR fans might not.  LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vorC2tkoSHg




That sucks more than anything that has ever sucked before.

That sucks more than anything that has ever sucked before.


What's worse is that they dressed up the way they did.

rip offs are one thing; samples are another.

if a person gets permission to use the tune or words, it's not a rip off.  it usually sucks, but it is not ripped off.

my idea of a triple rip off is
Everybody Hurts by REM is ripping off Bowies' Rock and Roll Suicide which rips off an old song by Jaques Brel nearly word for word in a few lines.
All three songs end the same way.

it's one thing ot be influenced by someone ...it's another to copy them.

rip offs are one thing; samples are another.

if a person gets permission to use the tune or words, it's not a rip off.  it usually sucks, but it is not ripped off.

my idea of a triple rip off is
Everybody Hurts by REM is ripping off Bowies' Rock and Roll Suicide which rips off an old song by Jaques Brel nearly word for word in a few lines.
All three songs end the same way.

it's one thing ot be influenced by someone ...it's another to copy them.


Correct. I have no problem with people covering, sampling and paying homage to other artsits. Hell, the first 3 Iced Earth albums were essentially a montage of prog-metal up to that point.

Another one that annoys me.... and it hurts to say this because I love them - Pantera. When Pantera started they were totally hair metal glam sh.it. No other way to describe them. Then all of a sudden, from nowhere, they release Cowboys From Hell. Total groove-power metal. Now, Cowboys was released in 1990 right..There was/is a band from New Orleans called Exhorder.. they released a couple EP's in the late 80's.. not that long before Cowboys was released.. totally the exact same style. Same riffs, same structures.. now, Pantera went and built on that and Exhorder released a couple crappy albums and went nowhere, but to be honest, there was a blatent rip off there.
One thing I'll say about that is.. they didn't bitch about it and the two bands eventually got together.. Kyle Thomas who was one of the key member of Exhorder was one of the loudest voices of outcry after Dime was taken away from us.

The Fugees rip off 'Boadicea', a track from Enya, and never creditted her on the number one selling song Ready Or Not.

The Fugees rip off 'Boadicea', a track from Enya, and never creditted her on the number one selling song Ready Or Not.


I know the song Ready or Not but I haven't heard Boadicea, what are the similarities?

Gwen Stefani seems to rip-off quite a bit. The beginning of No Doubt's " Don't Speak" sounds
just like the beginning of Supertramp's " Breakfast In America."

Aerosmith's " Sweet Emotion" sounds strangely like The Rolling Stones " We Love You."

Let's not forget Vanilla Ice saying "Ice, Ice, Baby" sounds nothing like Queen and David Bowie's " Under Pressure."

Aerosmith's " Sweet Emotion" sounds strangely like The Rolling Stones " We Love You."


Ooohhhh... true. Never noticed before.

Hehehe, I think it's accepted that Vanilla Ice never actually did anything even slightly new.

I know the song Ready or Not but I haven't heard Boadicea, what are the similarities?
The Fugees attached Enya as a backing track to their version of the song Ready Or Not without asking for her permission to use it.

The Fugees attached Enya as a backing track to their version of the song Ready Or Not without asking for her permission to use it.


One would imagine that was an offense worth bringing before a judge.

One would imagine that was an offense worth bringing before a judge.
"Ready or Not" which used a sample from Boadicea by Enya without her permission. This prompted a lawsuit resulting in a settlement where Enya was given credit and royalties for her sample. The Fugees have continuously thanked and praised Enya for her deep understanding of the situation, for example in the booklet for the album "The Score".

"Ready or Not" which used a sample from Boadicea by Enya without her permission. This prompted a lawsuit resulting in a settlement where Enya was given credit and royalties for her sample. The Fugees have continuously thanked and praised Enya for her deep understanding of the situation, for example in the booklet for the album "The Score".


Wrongs were righted then.

Wrongs were righted then.
Indeed, but at first Enya was furious.

Indeed, but at first Enya was furious.


I would be if such a sucky band had ripped off my music. It's a well known fact that The Fugees never were any good and the only reason they sold any records is that they all had rich philanthropist uncles who purchased their records.

Let's not forget Vanilla Ice saying "Ice, Ice, Baby" sounds nothing like Queen and David Bowie's " Under Pressure."


He figured by adding in an extra bassline, he wouldn't have to get permission or pay Queen any royalties  ::)

Just three (of many)...

'Prince Charming' (Adam & The Ants) sounds remarkably similar, if not note-for-note, to 'War Canoe' (Rolf Harris) - this was eventually settled out of court...

As was the celebrated case of 'My Sweet Lord' (George Harrison) and 'He's So Fine' (Chiffons), although it's not immediately apparent to the listener...

Best one of the lot goes to 'Black Night' (Deep Purple) whose riff was directly taken from '(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet' (Blues Magoos)...and that riff was taken from (wait for it!) 'Summertime' - a Ricky Nelson B-side!

Gwen Stefani seems to rip-off quite a bit. The beginning of No Doubt's " Don't Speak" sounds
just like the beginning of Supertramp's " Breakfast In America."

Aerosmith's " Sweet Emotion" sounds strangely like The Rolling Stones " We Love You."

Let's not forget Vanilla Ice saying "Ice, Ice, Baby" sounds nothing like Queen and David Bowie's " Under Pressure."



"Don't Speak" was written by Eric Stefani, not Gwen.

Here's one for Soft Rock fans ...

"Steal Away" by Robbie Dupree (1981) sounds almost identical to "What A Fool Believes" by the Doobie Brothers (1978).  I do like both songs, but I don't know which one I like more.  lol

"Don't Speak" was written by Eric Stefani, not Gwen.


Gwen was mentioned for a few other songs so I mentioned her because of "Guilt By Association,"
not because of who penned a song.

It seems to me that the U2 song "Numb", from their 1993 album of experimental electro-pop Zooropa, borrows heavily from "Warm Leatherette" by The Normal, a seminal electronic new wave song from the late 70s.  >:(

Oh, I just thought of another one. Shakira's song "Underneath Your Clothes" from 2002 has the exact same melody as "Eternal Flame" by the Bangles from 1989.

Gwen Stefani seems to rip-off quite a bit. The beginning of No Doubt's " Don't Speak" sounds
just like the beginning of Supertramp's " Breakfast In America."

Aerosmith's " Sweet Emotion" sounds strangely like The Rolling Stones " We Love You."

Let's not forget Vanilla Ice saying "Ice, Ice, Baby" sounds nothing like Queen and David Bowie's " Under Pressure."


"Cupid's Chokehold" by Gym Class Heroes also takes from "Breakfast In America".

Let's not forget Vanilla Ice saying "Ice, Ice, Baby" sounds nothing like Queen and David Bowie's " Under Pressure."

Well it does; that's because he sampled it. ::)




Oh, I just thought of another one. Shakira's song "Underneath Your Clothes" from 2002 has the exact same melody as "Eternal Flame" by the Bangles from 1989.

Well, the verses and instrumental break of the respective songs, it does sound oh so similar... but I won't hold that against her.

Tom Petty's new song, I don't know the name of it, sounds just like the beginning of George Thorogood's
song 1 Bourbon, 1 Scotch, 1 Beer. I think the beginning is called House Hunting Blues.

"Fergalicious" by Fergie sounds like "Supersonic" by JJ Fad.

The Glimmer Twins (Jagger & Richards) were hit with something a few years back and settled by adding credit to k.d. lang on the song with the corus (title) ...'has anyone seen my girl'  which has the same melody as the far superior Constant Craving by k.d.

Ghost Busters copied I Want a New Drug (Heuy Lewis)

Wild Wild West (late 80's hit) copied an Elvis Costello song that escapes me...man I'm old.

Surfin' USA copied Chuck Berry...but so did most white bands of the late fifties/early sixties.

Wild Wild West (late 80's hit) copied an Elvis Costello song that escapes me...man I'm old.

I don't know which Elvis Costello song you may be speaking of, but the band that sings 'Wild Wild West' is the Escape Club.



Surfin' USA copied Chuck Berry...but so did most white bands of the late fifties/early sixties.

I know that one very well. "Surfin USA" (Beach Boys) has the exact same tune as "Sweet Little Sixteen" (Chuck Berry)...although I never knew the latter until maybe ten years ago or so. :-\\ I was puzzled when I first heard it...and then i looked it up. Sure enough!

The chorus of Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved" sounds so much like the bridge of Cheap Trick's "The Flame".

To me, a rip-off is when you steal a portion of one song to make another, and make no attempt to mention where you got it from.  Just like Vanilla Ice did with Queen's "Under Pressure".  Sounding alike doesn't necessarily make it a rip-off.

To me, a rip-off is when you steal a portion of one song to make another, and make no attempt to mention where you got it from.  Just like Vanilla Ice did with Queen's "Under Pressure".  Sounding alike doesn't necessarily make it a rip-off.

You mean like sampling? There are soooo many cases of that.


In terms of a "rip off", I was just going by what others said on here. When songs sound alike by means other than sampling (ex: "Surfin USA" vs. "Sweet Little 16"), I don't know what else to call that.

You mean like sampling? There are soooo many cases of that.


In terms of a "rip off", I was just going by what others said on here. When songs sound alike by means other than sampling (ex: "Surfin USA" vs. "Sweet Little 16"), I don't know what else to call that.



No, I don't mean like sampling.  Notice I said "and make no attempt to mention where you got it from".  That's theft.  Sampling is when you ask for permission, get it, then use it.  Sampling is perfectly fine.  Stealing music and not crediting the original artists is not.  That's a rip-off. 

If two songs sound similar....it's a knock-off, if anything or an imitation.  Rip-off implies something ilicit.

No, I don't mean like sampling.  Notice I said "and make no attempt to mention where you got it from".  That's theft.  Sampling is when you ask for permission, get it, then use it.  Sampling is perfectly fine.  Stealing music and not crediting the original artists is not.  That's a rip-off. 

If two songs sound similar....it's a knock-off, if anything or an imitation.  Rip-off implies something ilicit.

Knock off? Okay, I'll make a note of that.

So uhm...Vanilla Ice stole Under Pressure from Queen/DB and didn't make any attempt to mention that he got it from there? He didn't get permission to use it?

So uhm...Vanilla Ice stole Under Pressure from Queen/DB and didn't make any attempt to mention that he got it from there? He didn't get permission to use it?



No he didn't.  That's what the issue was.  He claimed he put a little sound effect in the sample in order to differentiate the two, but you can't do that.  Even if you alter the sample, you still have to credit the artist who provided the sample and he didn't do that.  This was pretty common knowledge.

To me, a rip-off is when you steal a portion of one song to make another, and make no attempt to mention where you got it from.  Just like Vanilla Ice did with Queen's "Under Pressure".  Sounding alike doesn't necessarily make it a rip-off.


Yeah that's true, if somebody legally samples something, it's not a rip-off.

Yeah that's true, if somebody legally samples something, it's not a rip-off.

I understand.

I may have been a little bit confused earlier as to what a rip-off was.

Run DMC pathetic song Mary, Mary a rip off of The Monkees song Mary Mary

Naw, that's a cover. (not necessarily a great one, but not a "rip-off").

It seems to me that the U2 song "Numb", from their 1993 album of experimental electro-pop Zooropa, borrows heavily from "Warm Leatherette" by The Normal, a seminal electronic new wave song from the late 70s.  >:(


Huh? They sound NOTHING alike. :o ???

Ween "Japanese Cowboy"--->Vangelis "Chariots of Fire"

Flaming Lips "Fight Test"--->Cat Stevens "Father and Son"

Red Hot Chili Peppers "Dani California"---> "Tom Petty "Last Dance With Mary Jane"

Weird Al Yankovic "The Night Santa Went Crazy"--->Soul Asylum "Black Gold" :)

I don't know if anyone else in the U.K happened to catch TOTP2 on saturday. The played
Lil Chris - Gettin' Enough and then went straight into The Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen in Love With.
at the bottom of the screen the messages 'is there an echo in here?' and 'we're saying nothing' came up.  ;D
Apparently the record company are now admiting there is an uncanny similarity and it is his 'tribute' to The Buzzcocks. ::)

"Fergalicious" by Fergie sounds like "Supersonic" by JJ Fad.


Everytime I hear the beginning of this song I keep thinking Afro-Rican's "Give It All You Got" is kicking in then I get disappointed.

Everytime I hear the beginning of this song I keep thinking Afro-Rican's "Give It All You Got" is kicking in then I get disappointed.


Everytime I hear the melody, I think of Ciara's "One, Two Step"... Which says "Supersonic". It'a a far stretch, but that's creepyz.

I was just thinking, "Listen to Your Heart" by Roxette from 1988 sounds an awful lot like "What About Love" by Heart from 1985.

Another one just occurred to me... the melody of "Why Don't You Get a Job?" by the Offspring from 1998 borrows heavily from "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" by the Beatles from 1968.

Anal C-nt does a lot of stealing from Napalm Death, especially during the years around "40 More Reasons To Hate Us" and the very early years, before the full-length albums.)

Mellow Gold-era Beck and earlier steal a LOT from Ween.. the beeps in "Mutherfuker" are similar to those in "Reggaejunkiejew", the voice used in "Soul-Suckin' Jerk" is also very similar to the "Jew" voice from "Reggaejunkiejew".

Ween themself totally rip-off "Don't Fear The Reaper" in "The Stallion, Part 3", especially evident when they play it live. They even play the chords the same way, and use a similar effect and sound on the solo.

A lot of the releases are at similar times, but either Every Time I Die is ripping off a LOT of The Dillinger Escape Plan or vice-versa. Deli Creeps get ripped off a lot by The Number Twelve Looks Like You, too.. check out "Flesh for the Beast" and then "Jesus and Tori", the styles in some of the guitar-playing are very similar... Mathcore seems to do a LOT of off-ripping of other stuff.

Clap Your Hands and Say "Yeah" seem to rip-off Talking Heads a lot, but it might just be a similar sound or a big influence.

Anal C-nt does a lot of stealing from Napalm Death,
How can you tell the difference? ::) (j/k ;) )

Mellow Gold-era Beck and earlier steal a LOT from Ween.. the beeps in "Mutherfuker" are similar to those in "Reggaejunkiejew", the voice used in "Soul-Suckin' Jerk" is also very similar to the "Jew" voice from "Reggaejunkiejew".
Eh, lots of lo-fi kitchen sink artists of the time did the same thing.

Clap Your Hands and Say "Yeah" seem to rip-off Talking Heads a lot, but it might just be a similar sound or a big influence.
That annoying singer completely apes early David Byrne...other than that, I don't hear any similarity.

How can you tell the difference? ::) (j/k ;) )

Exactly.

But seriously, the only real difference is ND is less noise and more just abrasiveness, and there's more variation in the vocals.


That annoying singer completely apes early David Byrne...other than that, I don't hear any similarity.


That's the main thing I noticed too.. but there's some influence too.. "Details of the War" is where it's most evident.

The Glimmer Twins (Jagger & Richards) were hit with something a few years back and settled by adding credit to k.d. lang on the song with the corus (title) ...'has anyone seen my girl'  which has the same melody as the far superior Constant Craving by k.d.

Ghost Busters copied I Want a New Drug (Heuy Lewis)

Wild Wild West (late 80's hit) copied an Elvis Costello song that escapes me...man I'm old.

Surfin' USA copied Chuck Berry...but so did most white bands of the late fifties/early sixties.


Surfin USA was a note for note rip off of Chuck Berry's Sweet Little Sixteen. Brian Wilson may be called a musical genius, but this was a blatant rip off. At least George Harrison slowed down the music to He's So Fine. Still, not a shining moment for a former Beatle.

I also found that the guitar riff in Steve Miller's Abracadabra, and the one in The Romantics song Talking In Your Sleep sound an awful lot alike.

I also found that the guitar riff in Steve Miller's Abracadabra, and the one in The Romantics song Talking In Your Sleep sound an awful lot alike.


Wow!  Those do sound familiar now that you mention it.  Good call! O0

I also found that the guitar riff in Steve Miller's Abracadabra, and the one in The Romantics song Talking In Your Sleep sound an awful lot alike.

Now that I think about it, I do seem to detect a bit of similarity between them.

"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" by Culture Club sounds a little like "Here, There, and Everywhere" by the Beatles, at least at the beginning.

Nile's "Black Hand of Set" rips off Tool's "Prison Sex" quite a bit..

Of Montreal's "Forecast Fascist Future" rips off the opening riff of "Queen Bitch" by David Bowie quite a lot.. but then, everyone's always ripping off Bowie.

There is a definite similarity in the beginning riffs between Procol Harems "Whiter Shade Of Pale" and "Pretty Lady" by Canadian band Trooper.

There is a definite similarity in the beginning riffs between Procol Harems "Whiter Shade Of Pale" and "Pretty Lady" by Canadian band Trooper.


Again, another great observation.  I can see the similarities :)

btw, Trooper sang "Oh, Pretty Lady".  Lighthouse did "Pretty Lady" ;D ;)

Again, another great observation.  I can see the similarities :)

btw, Trooper sang "Oh, Pretty Lady".  Lighthouse did "Pretty Lady" ;D ;)

UR right again. My bad.

Nile's "Black Hand of Set" rips off Tool's "Prison Sex" quite a bit..

Of Montreal's "Forecast Fascist Future" rips off the opening riff of "Queen Bitch" by David Bowie quite a lot.. but then, everyone's always ripping off Bowie.


My dad thought FFF sounded like The Rolling Stones, but I don't really see how...

My dad thought FFF sounded like The Rolling Stones, but I don't really see how...


Yeah, I don't see that either..

Although I don't know all of the groups music, the first time I listened to "Subway Train" by the New York Dolls, I thought it was a Rolling Stones tune. Man, it sounded like David Johansen tried to outJagger Mick Jagger in that number, if that makes any sense?

Jeez louise, can't believed I missed this thread, and another reason to knock Jimmy Paige and his band of thieves. The estates of Sonny Boy Williamson, Robert Johnson, and Howling Wolf proved that in court. They had a penchant for putting their names on songs,and collecting the royalties for songs like Howling Wolfs "How Many More Years" changing it to "How Many More Times", and changing "Killing Floor"  to  "The Lemon Song" on their second album, Led Zeppelin II. They were later sued by Chess Records for plagiarism, and lost.

Jeez louise, can't believed I missed this thread, and another reason to knock Jimmy Paige and his band of thieves. The estates of Sonny Boy Williamson, Robert Johnson, and Howling Wolf proved that in court. They had a penchant for putting their names on songs,and collecting the royalties for songs like Howling Wolfs "How Many More Years" changing it to "How Many More Times", and changing "Killing Floor"  to  "The Lemon Song" on their second album, Led Zeppelin II. They were later sued by Chess Records for plagiarism, and lost.



Led Zeppelin were hardly the only blues-based rock band to be guilty of that.  In fact, ALL of rock and roll is a rip-off of blues artists and their work.......so singling them out just makes no sense.  You might as well list about every rock and roll act since about 1950 as guilty of doing that at some point.

Led Zeppelin were hardly the only blues-based rock band to be guilty of that.  In fact, ALL of rock and roll is a rip-off of blues artists and their work.......so singling them out just makes no sense.  You might as well list about every rock and roll act since about 1950 as guilty of doing that at some point.


Led  Zeppelin knowingly took the songs, put their names on them and collected the royalties. Most others were influenced by and  borrowed riffs, if they did whole songs they attributed the artists and paid the royalties.

Led  Zeppelin knowingly took the songs, put their names on them and collected the royalties. Most others were influenced by and  borrowed riffs, if they did whole songs they attributed the artists and paid the royalties.



Just when do you theorize all this occurred, because I can't see white artists in the 1950s paying royalties to black blues artists they were ripping off.  I can't see them acknowledging the whereabouts of the music they stole, either.  The only time these artists were giving money to the people they ripped off is when courts, many years later, made them pay to the estates.

Just when do you theorize all this occurred, because I can't see white artists in the 1950s paying royalties to black blues artists they were ripping off.  I can't see them acknowledging the whereabouts of the music they stole, either.  The only time these artists were giving money to the people they ripped off is when courts, many years later, made them pay to the estates.


Exactly.  Those who did it were brought to court and paid the price.  Led Zeppelin was one of these. They were brought to court by the estates of Sonny Boy Williamson, Robert Johnson, and Howling Wolf and they lost.  Last I heard the entire side one of the first album. The second side did not go to trial, they just settled. To the credit of English blues artists of the sixties, they, on the whole, did not act this way.

I do wonder sometimes when I get the responses I get about Led Zep, how many have actually listened to Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Son House, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Sleepy John Estes and all the old blues masters.  He!!, I wonder how many have even heard of them.  The point I am trying to make is the there are crossovers, influences, appreciation, remakes, etc.  What sets Zep apart is that they took songs and unlike their contemporaries such as Clapton and Beck, they put the songs forward as their own.  In the early pressings of Led Zep 1 and 2 you will note the the names of the song writers appear as Page/Plant.  If you pick up the newer pressings the names of the song writers have been changed, and the royalties are now sent to the estates of the people who actually penned the song.

I was going to mention how the riffs in John Mellencamp's song "R.O.C.K in the U.S.A" sound like the Romantics tune, "That's What I Like About You", but then I realized that the same riffs were used by Neil Diamond in "Cherry Cherry". Mellencamp's use of the riffs were probably intentional, due to the subject matter of that song, but maybe there's a reason why we don't hear any new music from the Romantic's anymore. They only had a couple of big hits that I heard of in North America, and both had similar riffs to other songs. Despite the old saying, there are more than 3 chords in rock and roll.

I always thought "Darlin" was The Four Seasons, but it is The Beach Boys.

Although I don't know all of the groups music, the first time I listened to "Subway Train" by the New York Dolls, I thought it was a Rolling Stones tune. Man, it sounded like David Johansen tried to outJagger Mick Jagger in that number, if that makes any sense?


The first time I ever saw a David Johanson music video (MTV in 1981), I thought it was Mick Jagger. ;D

ok heres one I just thought of...

Poison totally ripped off REO Speedwagon's "Take It On The Run" with their "Life Goes On"

Gwen Stefani seems to rip-off quite a bit. The beginning of No Doubt's " Don't Speak" sounds
just like the beginning of Supertramp's " Breakfast In America."

Oh yes, with the repeated riffs. The Supertramp song was later sampled in Gym Class Heroes' "Cupid's Chokehold", but that's another matter.

Apparently, Avril Lavigne rips off songs as well.


Girlfriend
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZxrMb4Cilw&feature=related

I Don't Have To Try (warning contains explicit lyrics (and stolen beats) which some people may find offensive)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0d2z-dWZmE&feature=related

Believe it or not, Madonna and Justin Timberlake's "4 Minutes To Save The World" rips off a section of Dragonforce's "Through The Fire And Flames." The main trumpet melody during the verses of 4 Minutes, when slowed down slightly and pitched lower, sounds almost identical to the melody of the "Wo-o-o, WO-O-O!" part of Through The Fire And Flames. I'll try to get the songs up here so you guys can hear it for yourself.

Anybody else notice how Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" is pretty much Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy?" If yer gonna rip off a song, shouldn't you at least wait a little more than a few years?

IMO it's definiately ripping off; not sampling. The artist who so called "samples" is too damn lazy to write his/her own music.

I agree, but Century's Lover Why is more similar to Breakfast in America, Don't speak has an acustic guitar intro.


Gwen Stefani seems to rip-off quite a bit. The beginning of No Doubt's " Don't Speak" sounds
just like the beginning of Supertramp's " Breakfast In America."

Aerosmith's " Sweet Emotion" sounds strangely like The Rolling Stones " We Love You."

Let's not forget Vanilla Ice saying "Ice, Ice, Baby" sounds nothing like Queen and David Bowie's " Under Pressure."

Anybody else notice how Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" is pretty much Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy?" If yer gonna rip off a song, shouldn't you at least wait a little more than a few years?

Oh yes, in the respective choruses of the songs!

The intro to "Haven't Met You Yet" by Michael Buble (2009) sounds a lot like that of "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles (2007), particularly in terms of tempo (and the chords are almost similar too).

Q19x4Ggiptk
2oyJtw7Ez0c

Not mentioned yet...

In "88 Lines About 44 Women" by The Nails (1984), the humming between verses sounds melodically similar (if not identical) to the first vocal line of "A Summer Song" by Chad & Jeremy (1964).

I always thought “Flying High Again” by Ozzy and “Nothing but a good time “ by Poison sounded pretty similar.

The chorus of "Tell It To My Heart" sounds very much like the first half of the verses of Glenn Frey's "The One You Love". That's not a game that I'd love to be involved in, even with a pumped up beat.

Sweet Talkin' Woman by ELO, written by Jeff Lynne.  A hit in 1978
Do You Believe in Love by Huey Lewis and the News, written by Mutt Lange.  A hit in 1982

Listen at 0:18
NNjrBUzXDJk

Listen at 0:12 and 0:29
cfYhG4Rd6jI

Sweet Talkin' Woman by ELO, written by Jeff Lynne.  A hit in 1978
Do You Believe in Love by Huey Lewis and the News, written by Mutt Lange.  A hit in 1982

Listen at 0:18
NNjrBUzXDJk

Listen at 0:12 and 0:29
cfYhG4Rd6jI


Most definitely, I’ve noticed that too. Then Huey Lewis sued Ray Parker Jr over the bass line to Ghostbusters, which to me was a fairly common beat. I say they ripped off ELO more.

Sweet Talkin' Woman by ELO, written by Jeff Lynne.  A hit in 1978
Do You Believe in Love by Huey Lewis and the News, written by Mutt Lange.  A hit in 1982

Listen at 0:18

Listen at 0:12 and 0:29



Most definitely, I’ve noticed that too. Then Huey Lewis sued Ray Parker Jr over the bass line to Ghostbusters, which to me was a fairly common beat. I say they ripped off ELO more.

I have also notice that.

As for "Ghostbusters", didn't that supposedly rip off "I Want A New Drug"?

A fairly recent song, "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd, sounds similar to "Young Turks" by Rod Stewart, particularly in the fast drumbeat and other aspects.

A fairly recent song, "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd, sounds similar to "Young Turks" by Rod Stewart, particularly in the fast drumbeat and other aspects.


I think it sounds more like Take On Me by Aha.

I have also notice that.

As for "Ghostbusters", didn't that supposedly rip off "I Want A New Drug"?


Yes that was the one.

I think it sounds more like Take On Me by Aha.

Well it reminds me very much of "Young Turks."