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Post by giannirubino on Feb 25, 2013 7:36:50 GMT -5
Another thread inspired this, bien sur.
How about sounding like someone ELSE's property? I mean, right off the top of my head I can come up with 1965's "Lies" by The Knickerbockers, which sounds like The Beatles to me, and 1985's #1 "Oh Sheila" by Ready For The World, which sounds like Prince (&TR) to me. What about the beat of Stevie Wonder's 1985 #1 "Part-Time Lover" borrowing from H&O's 1982/1983 #1 "Maneater?" Oh, there's 1986's #10 "Baby Love" by Regina, which sounds like Madonna to me, and 1989/1990's #2 "Rhythm Nation" by Janet Jackson which sounds like Sly & The Family Stone.
Does Billy Joel get a mention for his "An Innocent Man" LP?
Oh, dang, how could I forget Mariah Carey's 1991 #1 "Emotions" sounding like The Emotions' 1997 #1 "Best Of My Love."
Which leads me to songs where the writers fully admit to appropriating. I've heard that the songwriters of Cher's 1979 #8 "Take Me Home" wanted to have a Donna Summer "Last Dance" for her (1978 #3.) Michael Jackson's 1983 #1 "Billie Jean" bass line is similar to H&O's 1982 #1 "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do.)" Oh, and Van Halen's 1984 #1 "Jump" — the synth riff similar to H&O's 1981 #1 Kiss On My List" piano riff.
Finally, what do you think of Elton John's 1983 #12 "I'm Still Standing" sounding like it was done by H&O? I didn't hear it, but my friends at the time sure did.
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Post by dukelightning on Feb 25, 2013 8:31:08 GMT -5
At least a couple of those examples were intentional. Billy Joel intentionally tried to sound like the Four Tops and Four Seasons etc. on that album. And Mariah Carey was inspired by that Emotions song. That's why she titled it "Emotions".
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Post by vto66 on Feb 25, 2013 13:14:55 GMT -5
There was Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" which many, including YT, thought could pass for a lost Elvis Presley track, and Robbie Dupree's "Steal Away", which more-than-vaguely resembled Doobie Brothers' "What A Fool Believes". One more that comes to my mind is "Crush" by Jennifer Paige, which reminded me of some of Mariah Carey's material.
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Post by lasvegaskid on Feb 25, 2013 17:52:09 GMT -5
OTown: All Or Nothing At All >Backstreet Boys: Drowning
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Post by at40petebattistini on Feb 25, 2013 18:11:17 GMT -5
If we're outside the AT40 era, then add "Suspicion" by Terry Stafford, an Elvis dead ringer.
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Post by tpanther775 on Feb 25, 2013 18:15:56 GMT -5
There was Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" which many, including YT, thought could pass for a lost Elvis Presley track, and Robbie Dupree's "Steal Away", which more-than-vaguely resembled Doobie Brothers' "What A Fool Believes". One more that comes to my mind is "Crush" by Jennifer Paige, which reminded me of some of Mariah Carey's material. You mention Robbie Dupree's "Steal Away" sounding like "What a Fool Believes". Well Michael McDonald sings backup on "Steal Away". It might not be a concidence. |
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Post by tpanther775 on Feb 25, 2013 18:20:25 GMT -5
Michael McDonald was a busy man back in the early 80's. Singing for the Doobies. And backup for Robbie Dupree, Christopher Cross and Nicolette Larson. And i'm sure he probably did more. Thats just the ones I know.
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Post by rgmike on Feb 25, 2013 19:48:50 GMT -5
There was Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" which many, including YT, thought could pass for a lost Elvis Presley track, and Robbie Dupree's "Steal Away", which more-than-vaguely resembled Doobie Brothers' "What A Fool Believes". One more that comes to my mind is "Crush" by Jennifer Paige, which reminded me of some of Mariah Carey's material. You mention Robbie Dupree's "Steal Away" sounding like "What a Fool Believes". Well Michael McDonald sings backup on "Steal Away". It might not be a concidence. The Pointers' "He's So Shy" is also rather Doobie-ish; it was a popular sound to imitate at the time. And speaking of the Pointers, Elton's "I'm Still Standing" sounds a LOT like "I'm So Excited" |
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Post by davewollenberg on Feb 25, 2013 20:58:52 GMT -5
Stevie Woods' 'Just can't win 'em all'= Chris Cross' 'Ride like the wind'.
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Post by doomsdaymachine on Feb 25, 2013 21:19:02 GMT -5
I always thought Raydio's "Jack and Jill" (1978) sounded like Sly & The Family Stone circa "Family Affair."
Tavares' final Top 40 hit, "A Penny For Your Thoughts" (1982), reminds me of the Stylistics.
The Pointer Sisters' "Should I Do It?" (1982) is a dead ringer for the early '60s girl-group sound.
The Osmonds' "Yo-Yo" (1971) sounds like a white version of the Jackson 5.
Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods' "Who Do You Think You Are?" (1974) is reminiscent of the Buckinghams.
BTO's "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" (1974) sounds like The Who.
Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back In Town" (1976) evinces Bruce Springsteen.
LeAnn Rimes' "Blue" (1996) was written in the early '60s for Patsy Cline, which explains the similarity there.
And probably the most obvious example was First Class' 1974 Beach Boys' knock-off, "Beach Baby."
Now, from the pre-AT40 era:
"Bony Moronie," Larry Williams (Little Richard) - 1957
"Willie and the Hand Jive," Johnny Otis (Bo Diddley) - 1958
"Big Man," The Four Preps (The Four Lads) - 1958
"It's Only Make Believe," Conway Twitty (Elvis Presley) - 1958
"Love Potion No. 9," The Clovers (The Coasters) - 1959
"Greenfields," The Brothers Four (The Kingston Trio) - 1960
"The Twist," Chubby Checker (Hank Ballard & The Midnighters) - 1960
"Sheila," Tommy Roe (Buddy Holly) - 1962
"GTO," Ronny & The Daytonas (The Beach Boys) - 1964
"I Want Candy," The Strangeloves (Bo Diddley) - 1965
"Lies," The Knickerbockers (The Beatles) - 1965-66
"Black Is Black," Los Bravos (Gene Pitney) - 1966
"Get On Up," The Esquires (The Impressions) - 1967
"Lady Madonna," The Beatles (Fats Domino) - 1968
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Post by mga707 on Feb 25, 2013 21:29:22 GMT -5
Michael Jackson's 1983 #1 "Billie Jean" bass line is similar to H&O's 1982 #1 "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do.)" "Billie Jean"s bass line is similar enough to Steely Dan's "Do It Again" that club DJ's at the time regularly mixed the two songs together. Surprised no one's mentioned one of the most well-known 'sound alikes': When "Long Cool Woman" by the Hollies came out, many assumed it was a new CCR song. |
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Post by mkarns on Feb 25, 2013 22:59:38 GMT -5
There was Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" which many, including YT, thought could pass for a lost Elvis Presley track, and Robbie Dupree's "Steal Away", which more-than-vaguely resembled Doobie Brothers' "What A Fool Believes". One more that comes to my mind is "Crush" by Jennifer Paige, which reminded me of some of Mariah Carey's material. Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" has a bassline that closely resembles Chic's "Good Times", for good reason as Queen bassist John Deacon wrote the song after spending time with Chic in the studio. Ambrosia's "You're the Only Woman" was another of the several hits of the time (1980) that sounded a lot like the Doobie Brothers of the era. Player's "Baby Come Back" and Dan Hartman's "I Can Dream About You" could easily pass for Hall & Oates hits of their respective eras (1977-78 and 1984). BW Stevenson's "My Maria" is similar to Three Dog Night's "Shambala", for the very good reason that Stevenson co-wrote "Shambala" and charted with it, but 3DN had the bigger hit. |
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Post by canat40fan on Feb 25, 2013 23:11:36 GMT -5
When I was young, I always thought that Nilsson's "Eveybody's Talkin" was Glen Campbell. Even today, to me it still sounds like the Rhinestone Cowboy!
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Post by lasvegaskid on Feb 26, 2013 0:35:49 GMT -5
Foghat: Third Time Lucky> Little River Band: Lady
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Post by lasvegaskid on Feb 26, 2013 0:54:31 GMT -5
New Radicals: You Get What You Give >Santana: Game of Love
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