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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

Songs that reference (without directly sampling) other songs or famous bits of music

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barnstormbarnstorm Frets: 557
in Music
YouTube suggested this for me – was obviously timed by the band to coincide with the release of the Mario film.


I'm always inordinately delighted by this sort of playfulness, even if the song isn't a masterpiece or my usual cup of tea, e.g. the Material Girl-type bassline in this:


For an elevated example, see this brilliant Steven Page song – stuffed with Beatles/Lennon/McCartney/Harrison references, plus a great joke about the Dead and Phish served up in Biblical wrapping.


Any songs you like that do this sort of thing?
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  • barnstormbarnstorm Frets: 557
    Adding for my own amusement as the shuffle function reminds me of other examples.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7zrnbVCNag
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  • BellycasterBellycaster Frets: 5750
    "Sorry boy, but I've been hit by Purple Rain" America - Ventura Highway 1972

    I think they had a prophecy of the Future Prince song  =)


    And they said that in our time, all that's good will fall from grace, even Saints would turn their face, in our time.
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  • Switch625Switch625 Frets: 560
    Travis singing “and what’s a Wonderwall anyway?” in Writing To Reach You. Apparently Fran Healey put it in there because it uses the same chords as Wonderwall
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  • vizviz Frets: 10211
    Eric Carmen’s All By Myself is a homage to Rachmaninov’s 2nd piano concerto
    Paul_C said: People never read the signature bit.
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  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 20197
    Black Sabbath quoting Devil Woman in Lady Evil.  2:55.


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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 13312
    The entire Rutles schtick comes to mind. Despite the pastiches receiving the approval of The Beatles, some bugger tried to sue Neil Innes' estate.

    The Dukes Of Stratosphear mini-albums ape the styles of numerous Sixties artistes and songs - even to the extent of Dave Gregory (he of XTC) using the correct vintage guitars and amplifiers to recreate the sounds.
    Be seeing you.
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  • richardhomerrichardhomer Frets: 24339
    Chinese Cafe by Joni Mitchell uses the tune and lyrics of Unchained Melody as part of the song. 
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  • barnstormbarnstorm Frets: 557
    Philly_Q said:
    Black Sabbath quoting Devil Woman in Lady Evil.  2:55.
    This one is super-fun!
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  • barnstormbarnstorm Frets: 557
    Bellycaster said:
    "Sorry boy, but I've been hit by Purple Rain" America - Ventura Highway 1972

    I think they had a prophecy of the Future Prince song  =)

    Apart from maybe Horse with No Name, I always think of that as their most enduring contribution to music!
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  • barnstormbarnstorm Frets: 557
    Funkfingers said:
    The entire Rutles schtick comes to mind. Despite the pastiches receiving the approval of The Beatles, some bugger tried to sue Neil Innes' estate.
    I missed that. I’m sure some would say it was ‘just business’ but the original action by ATV seemed very mean-spirited. Although I guess the defence that the songs were based on his memories of Beatles songs was also a bit hopeful…
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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4680
    Billy Squier's "Emotions In Motion" uses a Santana bass riff.
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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4680
    Switch625 said:
    Travis singing “and what’s a Wonderwall anyway?” in Writing To Reach You. Apparently Fran Healey put it in there because it uses the same chords as Wonderwall

    And Wonderwall itself, referencing Wonderwall Music.
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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4680
    The lyrics to Deep Purple's "Speed King" are a mash-up of rock'n'roll classics.
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  • EricTheWearyEricTheWeary Frets: 15603
    barnstorm said:
    Philly_Q said:
    Black Sabbath quoting Devil Woman in Lady Evil.  2:55.
    This one is super-fun!
    It is! 
    I’ll handle this Violet, you take your three hour break. 
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  • DontgiveupyourdayjobDontgiveupyourdayjob Frets: 3493
    My favourite recent one is "Forget About Georgia" by Lukas Nelson. References Ray Charles in a lovely way, and also subtly drops his own father (Willie Nelson) in there:



    Also, "Could It Be Magic" by Barry Manilow (and then Take That) was adapted from a Frederic Chopin Prélude. I remember learning the piece on the piano at school and thinking "Hey that sounds familiar," and lo and behold it was the early 90s when Take That were in the charts!
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  • NiteflyNitefly Frets: 4697
    Tom Petty in the Travelling Wilburys' End Of The Line sings

    "Maybe somewhere down the road when somebody plays Purple Haze"

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  • hollywoodroxhollywoodrox Frets: 3605
    Lots of classical ones 
      Gregg lake - I believe in Father Christmas  - Troika Prokofiev
      and is joybringer by manfred Mann , part of Holstz Planet Suite 
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  • RockerRocker Frets: 4843
    The band played ‘Waltzing Matilda’ as the ship pulled away from the quay......
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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  • VimFuegoVimFuego Frets: 14862
    I guess Lynard Skynard Sweet Home Alabama, when they reference Neil Young's Southern Man. 

    I'm not locked in here with you, you are locked in here with me.

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  • barnstormbarnstorm Frets: 557
    Nitefly said:
    Tom Petty in the Travelling Wilburys' End Of The Line sings

    "Maybe somewhere down the road when somebody plays Purple Haze"

    A name-check, though, rather than a lifting/twisting of something recognisable from the song.

    But speaking of Petty, Mary Chapin Carpenter gets just close enough, musically, to I Won't Back Down when she sings that line here to always make me smile:


    Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:
    Also, "Could It Be Magic" by Barry Manilow (and then Take That) was adapted from a Frederic Chopin Prélude.
    That's a 'Today I learned…' for me! Have lots of blind spots in classical music.
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  • digitalkettledigitalkettle Frets: 2587
    Self reference: Sting's "big enough umbrella" phrase, born on 'Every Little Thing...' turns up again on 'O My God' and again on 'Seven Days'!
    SoundCloud - Transcriptions - Trading Feedback
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  • RocknRollDaveRocknRollDave Frets: 6075
    The nod to Blue Moon in the solo in Sunshine of Your Love.

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  • digitalkettledigitalkettle Frets: 2587
    Foo's 'Something From Nothing' has to be a tongue-in-cheek reference to 'Holy Diver'.
    SoundCloud - Transcriptions - Trading Feedback
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  • barnstormbarnstorm Frets: 557
    More pastiche like the Rutles stuff than the sort of sly co-opting that I love, but it's very well observed:


    Was amused by Newman's clarification that he wouldn't have written it if he hated ELO 'like I hate some people'. He always makes me laugh. The Live in London record is like a stand-up show in places.
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  • GassageGassage Frets: 30192
    Peaceful Easy Feeling- 

    With a nod to Blowing in the Wind in solo.

    *An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.

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  • barnstormbarnstorm Frets: 557
    Gassage said:
    Peaceful Easy Feeling- 

    With a nod to Blowing in the Wind in solo.
    Good one!
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  • barnstormbarnstorm Frets: 557
    digitalkettle said:
    Foo's 'Something From Nothing' has to be a tongue-in-cheek reference to 'Holy Diver'.
    Hadn't heard that song until just now, but agree it must be a little tip of the cap to Dio.
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  • digitalkettledigitalkettle Frets: 2587
    Bit obscure...

    Sweet Billy Pilgrim's 'Get Back To What You Started' outro...here at 3'45:


    ...and the pre-chorus on Simple Minds' 'Alive & Kicking' at 0'56:


    Quote from the Pilgrims:
    "It became clear that we had perhaps absorbed more of the 80s into our bones than we realised when we played it to a close family member who was like “uh…guys?” A not-so-subtle borrowing that had us checking in with SM’s people, so as not to get in trouble!"

    ;)
    SoundCloud - Transcriptions - Trading Feedback
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  • MagicPigDetectiveMagicPigDetective Frets: 2863
    Alunah's 'The Earth Spins' is surely referencing Richie Blackmore's motif at the end of Catch the Rainbow.

    1:10:



    4:05:


    Trading feedback: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/131126/
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  • GassageGassage Frets: 30192
    Top of list

    Beatles and Glass Onion- which references Lady Madonna, Strawberry Fields Forever, The Fool On The Hill and I Am The Walrus.

    Also- RHCP- Californication says "Co    bain can you hear the spheres singing songs off station to station" which references David Bowie Station to Station;

    ELO Shangri-La references Hey Jude too.

    *An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.

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