OMG...My Head Is Going To Musically Explode

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OMG... this is just too funny.

I really have to wonder how anybody writes any music that's REALLY original
with all the songs that have been written in this world. I'm sure we can
listen to any one song and say, "Hey, that sounds like..."

We do it all the time, don't we? In fact, that might be a great segway for
this thread.

But anyway...I just finished this song and after I was done recording it,
I said to myself, "Hmm...this really sounds good."

And then I said to myself, "This also sounds like a bunch of other songs that
I just happened to combine in a rather odd way."

The songs I was able to find...

Louie Louie - The Kingsmen
Crackerbox Palace - George Harrison
I'm Your Daddy - Weezer

But the song I couldn't find, the one I thought was the main song I
essentially ripped off, doesn't even exist.

That's right. The song I thought I blatantly stole I can't find anywhere.

I could have sworn that Fleetwood Mac did a song called "Head Over
Heels" which is the title of my song. I didn't realize this when I wrote it
but after listening, I said to myself, "Didn't Fleetwood Mac do a song
called Head Over Heels and wasn't it on Rumors?"

Well, there's a song on Rumors called "Over My Head" but that's not it and
doesn't sound anything like my song.

But I swear to God, somewhere out there is a song that has the same
melody line as the chorus for the song I just wrote.

But I'll be damned if I can find it.

If this line really is original (Highly doubtful) then it is the best hook I've
ever written in my life. But I know THAT'S not possible because I've got
all the talent of a fruit fly.

Point is, when you've spent over 45 years listening to just about every
kind of music imaginable, how can you POSSIBLY write something that
hasn't come from something else?

So how bout we do this. Post 2 songs that sound alike at least in some
respect. I think we'll find that there is a lot of unintentional plagiarism
(and maybe some intentional as well) out there.

Of the top of my head (and I won't post these) My Sweet Lord and
He's So Fine. George Harrison actually got sued for that one and lost.

More recently there's Tom Petty's Learning To Fly and Foo Fighters
Wheels.

These are so blatant it's a wonder they got away with it.

And I am sure there are plenty more.

Now if only I can find the fricken song that I ripped off.

Edit - Now I'm mixing up my Fleetwood Mac albums. Over My Head
was on Fleetwood Mac, NOT Rumors.

Sheesh
  • Profile picture of the author Steve Ranger
    Quite a dilemma!

    I know what you're saying - you hear songs all year. Some stick in your head, some don't. You hear them whilst eating in a restaurant, whilst chatting in a lift. Songs can stick in your head and come back a few weeks later!

    The big studios must have some sort of system to make sure they never make this mistake surely! Perhaps the only way to find out is by releasing it and hoping for the best!

    And as for listening to every type of music imaginable... I'm not so sure about that claim.. have you ever listened to Minimal Techno? Or Dub Step?

    Good luck though Steve, I hope it's your tune - I'm interested in hearing it now as well!
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by Steve Ranger View Post

      And as for listening to every type of music imaginable... I'm not so sure about that claim.. have you ever listened to Minimal Techno? Or Dub Step?
      You obviously don't know a lot about me, but that's okay. Not a lot of
      people do.

      Let's just say that I've been studying music seriously for over 45 years. My
      record collection would blow most people away. I am sure I haven't heard
      every record ever made (nobody has) but my musical knowledge would
      impress you if I have to say so myself. Check out the rock and roll
      musical obscurity thread that I started. So far I've contributed about 250
      songs to it and I haven't even scratched the surface.

      As for your question, I have not heard the term minimal techno but
      techno has so many sub genres that it's possible I've heard what you're
      talking about and just don't know it. I am quite familiar with (and even
      have written some) techno music. I kind of got bored with it after the early
      90s though and don't do a lot of it anymore.

      As for Dub Step, which is just a sub genre of dance and electronic music
      here's an early pioneer in that sub genre.


      Now, do I like Dub Step? Not particularly, but I am familiar with it.

      Like I said, you don't know a lot about me. If we ever got together for
      an evening and talked music, I'm sure I'd blow your mind apart.

      I've heard of groups that, if I didn't have the vinyl records in my basement,
      you wouldn't believe they ever existed.

      If you think I'm kidding, ask KimW who I had a little trivia contest with
      a while back.

      Naturally, spending most of my life studying music, I didn't have much of
      a life outside of it.

      We pay a steep price for everything we obsess over.
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      • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
        Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

        You obviously don't know a lot about me, but that's okay. Not a lot of people do.
        If you hadn't responded to this, I was going to quote that reply and say "Dude, it's Steven Wagenheim. The answer is yes. Yes, he has."
        Signature
        "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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        • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
          Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

          If you hadn't responded to this, I was going to quote that reply and say "Dude, it's Steven Wagenheim. The answer is yes. Yes, he has."
          Yeah, well...sometimes I don't believe all I know.

          It's a miracle my head can hold anything else in it.
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      • Profile picture of the author Steve Ranger
        Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

        As for your question, I have not heard the term minimal techno but techno has so many sub genres that it's possible I've heard what you're talking about and just don't know it. I am quite familiar with (and even have written some) techno music. I kind of got bored with it after the early 90s though and don't do a lot of it anymore.
        I guess things are different what with you being in the States. Minimal techno is the main genre played in Ibiza. In Europe all the parties play Tech House - then there is fidget.. so many different styles. I spent the summer in Ibiza and minimal techno blew me away! I am a lot younger though.. 27.. there's always new trends etc..

        I'm not really a fan of dub step - was quite cool seeing you post such a nice example by the way

        Just 'house music' alone is a HUGE genre..

        'Deep house' is awesome.
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        • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
          Originally Posted by Steve Ranger View Post

          I guess things are different what with you being in the States. Minimal techno is the main genre played in Ibiza. In Europe all the parties play Tech House - then there is fidget.. so many different styles. I spent the summer in Ibiza and minimal techno blew me away! I am a lot younger though.. 27.. there's always new trends etc..

          I'm not really a fan of dub step - was quite cool seeing you post such a nice example by the way
          It sucks in the states. A lot of the records I bought as a kid, I had to get
          as imports. Some 45s cost me as much as $20 a pop. That was when 45s
          were about $1 normally.

          A lot of the stuff I heard was from what we call underground radio stations.

          These would usually be run by some college or some out in the sticks
          commercial station that maybe ran about 5,000 watts, if that.

          I'd ask people about certain groups (if they'd heard of them) and they'd
          look at me like, "You made that sh*t up didn't you." And then I'd have to
          bring them over to my apartment for dinner or something and watch
          their jaw drop to the floor when I proved that such and such existed.

          My all time favorite has to be The Chesapeak Jukebox Band from the
          early 70s. Surprisingly, there are now about 250,000 sites with a
          reference to them online. But not a lot of people know much about them.

          I had to travel to New York to get their album. Today, you can get
          a CD reprint from Amazon (I think) but it's not the same.

          Anyway, don't get me started. I could talk about this stuff forever without
          breaking a sweat.
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          • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
            Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

            Some 45s cost me as much as $20 a pop.
            Oh, I know that pain. I recall bidding $320 for an Australian CD single on Ebay once, and losing the auction. And last year I was outbid on a concert t-shirt when I was willing to go $450.

            The really sad thing is that since going full time IM, those amounts sound rather like my monthly income statements.
            Signature
            "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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            • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
              Mystery solved. Oh you're gonna love this.

              The main melody for the chorus actually came from an instrumental that
              I wrote in 1992 called "Dance Of The Mayflower"

              It was 18 years ago and suddenly, for whatever reason, that melody popped
              back into my head and, not knowing where it came from, I incorporated it
              into my latest tune.

              It still sounds like something I think Fleetwood Mac would have done with
              Christine doing lead vocals.

              Oh if only it was 1977 again.
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              • Profile picture of the author ThomM
                So you're saying you copied yourself:confused:
                Gotta love the creative mind
                Signature

                Life: Nature's way of keeping meat fresh
                Getting old ain't for sissy's
                As you are I was, as I am you will be
                You can't fix stupid, but you can always out smart it.

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  • Profile picture of the author Bill Farnham
    Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

    So how bout we do this. Post 2 songs that sound alike at least in some respect. I think we'll find that there is a lot of unintentional plagiarism (and maybe some intentional as well) out there.
    Steven,

    If I recall we already did a "sounds like" thread.

    Perhaps your problem is deeper than you thought...:p

    ~Bill
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Originally Posted by Bill Farnham View Post

      Steven,

      If I recall we already did a "sounds like" thread.

      Perhaps your problem is deeper than you thought...:p

      ~Bill
      Bill, I've got more problems than Carter has liver pills.

      But we won't get into that.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Ranger
    You're a true fan Steve

    $20 a pop is dedication!
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  • Profile picture of the author Pauline60
    Don't worry about it Steven - even Mozart used to take bits of other composer's work and improve on it.

    Pauline
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    • Profile picture of the author ThomM
      Signature

      Life: Nature's way of keeping meat fresh
      Getting old ain't for sissy's
      As you are I was, as I am you will be
      You can't fix stupid, but you can always out smart it.

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      • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
        Originally Posted by ThomM View Post

        Thom you're killing me.

        Two of my favorite songs from two of my favorite groups.

        Ah, Belinda Carlisle. I remember her well. When she went solo, I knew she'd
        have some big hits.

        And as far as ABBA goes, what can I say. I have their massive greatest
        hits collection and almost wore out the CD.

        But sadly, neither of these is the song I wrote today.
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        • Profile picture of the author ThomM
          Originally Posted by Steven Wagenheim View Post

          Thom you're killing me.

          Two of my favorite songs from two of my favorite groups.

          Ah, Belinda Carlisle. I remember her well. When she went solo, I knew she'd
          have some big hits.

          And as far as ABBA goes, what can I say. I have their massive greatest
          hits collection and almost wore out the CD.

          But sadly, neither of these is the song I wrote today.
          No that's a good thing Steve.
          You're still in the running for it being original
          Signature

          Life: Nature's way of keeping meat fresh
          Getting old ain't for sissy's
          As you are I was, as I am you will be
          You can't fix stupid, but you can always out smart it.

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  • Profile picture of the author musichub
    go steve keep it up
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  • Profile picture of the author Dale_Anthony
    Pump it up...Elvis Costello
    Wild, Wild West....Escape Club

    I didn't search for the videos, but How Escape club got away without being sued I'll never know


    .just keeping with the subject of the thread

    Oh and Heuy Lewis and the News....do You believe in love

    Sounds alot like a song from ELO (i think) but I can't remeber the name of it
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