WELCOME TO VOL. 4 OF
"HEY, THAT SOUNDS JUST LIKE..."
This is the series that compares recordings that sound
similar or, in some cases, sound almost exactly alike.
Which do you prefer, the originals or the soundalikes?
similar or, in some cases, sound almost exactly alike.
Which do you prefer, the originals or the soundalikes?
Remember, ladies and gentlemen...
This is only an exhibition...
This is not a competition...
Please... no wagering.
This is not a competition...
Please... no wagering.
THE DOORS
In the summer of 1968 "Hello, I Love You
(Won't You Tell Me Your Name)" became
a chart topping hit for the L-A based
(Won't You Tell Me Your Name)" became
a chart topping hit for the L-A based
psychedelic rock band The Doors.
The song was developed from a poem
written by Jim Morrison after he and
keyboard player Ray Manzarek
spent an afternoon at the beach
written by Jim Morrison after he and
keyboard player Ray Manzarek
spent an afternoon at the beach
watchin' all the girls go by.
"Hello, I Love You" - The Doors
(Aug. 1968, highest chart pos. #1)
THE KINKS
Doors guitarist Robby Krieger insisted
that "Hello, I Love You" was inspired by
the Cream hit "Sunshine of Your Love."
that "Hello, I Love You" was inspired by
the Cream hit "Sunshine of Your Love."
Krieger dismissed allegations that a riff
was stolen from The Kinks' hit "All Day
And All Of The Night," a single released
4 years earlier. UK courts ruled in favor
was stolen from The Kinks' hit "All Day
And All Of The Night," a single released
4 years earlier. UK courts ruled in favor
of Ray Davies and The Kinks and, ever
since, royalties for The Doors song are
paid to band leader/songwriter Davies.
since, royalties for The Doors song are
paid to band leader/songwriter Davies.
"All Day And All Of The Night"
The Kinks (February 1965,
highest chart pos. #7)
The Kinks (February 1965,
highest chart pos. #7)
THE SHEEP
Now here are The Sheep, a four man rock
group produced by Feldman, Goldstein and Gottehrer, the New York songwriting
group produced by Feldman, Goldstein and Gottehrer, the New York songwriting
and producing team that made records as
The Strangeloves, a bogus trio of singing Australian brothers who owned a sheep
ranch in The Outback. Early in 1966,
ranch in The Outback. Early in 1966,
The Sheep released a cover of "Hide
And Go Seek," originally recorded by
R&B and gospel singer Bunker Hill,
a single that reached the top 40 in the
summer of 1962 and was featured in
the 1988 film Hairspray. On their
1966 remake, The Sheep sheared
the title down to "Hide & Seek."
summer of 1962 and was featured in
the 1988 film Hairspray. On their
1966 remake, The Sheep sheared
the title down to "Hide & Seek."
"Hide & Seek" - The Sheep
(Jan. 1966, uncharted)
U.S. BONDS
Go back and listen to that Sheep record
from the 22 second mark. Shady's ears
think "Hide And Seek" by The Sheep
is shear bliss. It samples and sounds
like"Wooly Bully" "New Orleans,"
the song that was a top 5 crossover
hit for Gary "U.S." Bonds in late
1960 and early 1961.
from the 22 second mark. Shady's ears
think "Hide And Seek" by The Sheep
is shear bliss. It samples and sounds
like
the song that was a top 5 crossover
hit for Gary "U.S." Bonds in late
1960 and early 1961.
"New Orleans" - U.S. Bonds
(Nov./Dec. 1960, highest cht. pos.
#5 R&B/#5 Cash Box/#6 Hot 100)
MADONNA
Soon to be dubbed The Queen of Pop,
Madonna scored her first U.S. hit with
"Holiday," a single that rode the chart
at the end of 1983 and the early weeks
of 1984. "Holiday" topped the Dance
chart and brought The Material Girl
one step closer to reaching her goal
of conquering the music world.
"Holiday" - Madonna
(Dec. 1983 thru Feb. 1984,
highest chart pos. #1 Hot Dance
Club/#12 Cash Box/#16 Hot 100)
M.C. MIKER "G"
& DEEJAY SVEN
& DEEJAY SVEN
In 1986, M.C. Miker "G" And Deejay Sven,
a hip hop duo in The Netherlands,
sampled Madonna's hit and gained
an international smash of their own
with "Holiday Rap," a single that
reached #1 on the charts in 34
countries. I'd like to hear how they do
"Holiday" in Holland... wooden shoe?
"Holiday Rap" - M.C. Miker "G" And Deejay Sven
(Sept. 1986, highest chart pos. #1 in 34 countries,
(Sept. 1986, highest chart pos. #1 in 34 countries,
unreleased in U.S.)
IS IT LIVE...
OR IS IT MEMOREX?
THE ORIGINAL, A COVER...
A FLATTERING IMITATION...
OR A BLATANT RIP-OFF?
Stick around. I've got more cool copycats
for your listening pressure pleasure
coming soon in Vol. 5.
for your listening
coming soon in Vol. 5.
Have a Shady day!
I knew all but the last one. Didn't realize I knew the Sheep until I played it though. And didn't realize that Kinks song was so old. They were around for many years, weren't they?
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex!
DeleteThanks for being the early bird again this week, good buddy!
I'm pleasantly surprised you know the melody of Bunker Hill's "Hide And Go Seek" covered as "Hide & Seek" by The Sheep. I don't even remember that one from my youth. I was introduced to it when I saw the film Hairspray.
Yes, Davies and The Kinks have been at it a long time - active from 1964 to 1996. I remember the exact moment I first heard The Kinks on the radio. It was this month, November, in 1964. I was riding in my parents' car when their first U.S hit single "You Really Got Me" came on. The fresh sound of this British Invasion band blew me away and I have been a fan ever since.
Thanks again for coming, good buddy Alex!
I've always said there are only so many ways that a limited number of musical notes can be put together to form a tune, and there are bound to be repetitions. Now, it appears that final pairing was meant to be a remake of it in rap form, right? But yeah, the Doors and Kinks numbers definitely draw from the same melody.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kelly!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thanks for coming over for a look and a listen as I present the latest edition of Hey, That Sounds Just Like!
Over the years I have occasionally tried to compose a song, but I can't think of a melody that is completely original. Everything I come up with is borrowed from an existing recording.
Yessum, "Holiday Rap" sticks closely to the original melody and arrangement of Madonna's hit, but the words are different, turning it into a rap duet by this Dutch duo. Although "Holiday Rap" was an international smash, I honestly don't remember it.
Thanks for weighing in on the Doors - Kinks controversy. Sometimes a songwriter subconsciously steals from another song. In this case I doubt it since "Hello, I Love You" is a rather obvious soundalike.
Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend Kelly, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Nice to see the Madonna video. No matter how outrageous she's been, I've got to give her credit - she is an excellent singer! Enjoy your week, Tom!
ReplyDeleteHi, Sherry!
DeleteThanks for dropping in, dear friend!
I'm glad you took a peek at the post and enjoyed this vintage performance by Madonna. Throughout her career, The Material Girl has been smart to have with her on stage, a pair of hip looking young dancers, adding to the excitement and to her street cred.
Thanks again for coming, dear friend Sherry, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Original or copy, I don't really care, friend Shady. If I like, I like, and if not, not :) My favourites in your post are Jim and Madonna. Greetings from snowy Alberta. Love, cat. PS: Wishing you a speedy and uneventful recovery :)
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteThanks for coming down from snowy Alberta, dear friend!
I'm delighted that you were able to pick a couple of musical favorites in this post, namely Jim Morrison and The Doors and Madonna, the Queen of Pop. I was thrilled to find pristine videos of both acts to use in this post.
Thank you for the well wishes regarding my eye, dearie. I just returned from my post-op doctor exam and everything checked out AOK. My vision is blurry and will remain so in the coming week because I need to wear a protective plastic shield over the eye that underwent surgery.
Thanks again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend cat!
Hi Shady!
ReplyDeletePardon my slippin’ and slidin’, please. Time has not been on my side of late, though it has remained the same here ; -)
Interestingly, I recently watched a sobering documentary on Jim Morrison. He’s much more subdued in this video of a song I well remember. It’s embarrassing, but I thought the Doors did the “All Day” song as well. Ha! I learned something new.
I don’t recall ever hearing the “Hide & Seek” song, though just the other day I was thinking of the “One potato, two potato” jingle.
That song by Gary Bonds did sound like “Wooly Bully”. It’s amazing how people used to dress to go dancing.
Great Madonna video! She sure had a lot of energy.
I enjoyed the entertaining pairings, my friend!
Hi, diedre!
DeleteI'm excited to see you, dear friend. Thanks for coming by!
I trust you are referring to the state of Arizona not having to fiddle with the clocks twice a year. That must be nice. Turning the clock back the other day has my body clock messed up. Mrs. Shady and I both awake and arise at 4-something now.
You and I might be watching the same Jim Morrison documentary. I just started watching it and am eager to finish. Jim does look strangely subdued in that lip sync video performance recorded in Romer Square in Frankfurt, West Germany, and broadcast in September, 1968, on a German music TV show called "4-3-2-1 Hot & Sweet." The Doors were touring with Jefferson Airplane at the time.
Thanks for reminding us that the Irish counting song for children "One Potato, Two Potato" is also borrowed (or stolen) for use in "Hide & SeeK." It's awesome to watch that early Madonna video and know the super stardom that was soon to be hers.
Thanks again for coming over, dear friend diedre. I hope to see you tomorrow on IWSG Day!
It is interesting to hear the songs back to back because you can definitely tell the similarities. I often wonder how any new music is made since there has to be a finite number of ways to put together the notes in a song. I used to have fun with my kids when they would show me a "new" song and I could show them the 'original" which usually sounded much better!
ReplyDeleteJanet’s Smiles
Hi, Janet!
DeleteThanks for coming, dear friend! Occasionally close similarities between pairs of recordings result in lawsuits, as was the case in The Doors vs The Kinks, John Fogerty vs. Fantasy Records and other examples included in this series. In the 21st century it is common for recordings to sample the songs of yesteryear, and I doubt all parties involved in the original productions are compensated. The recycled riffs and lyrics we hear in so many new songs make me appreciate all the more a recording that is genuinely original. I'm glad you are teaching your kids to trace the origins of modern songs back to their roots.
Thanks again for dropping in, dear friend Janet, and enjoy the rest of your week!
What's that saying..Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? Well, there's a ton of flattery going on here! Fun to listen to and hear the tunes together. I can see why a lawsuit could be in order! I don't mind Madonna's music and I always loved the movie "Desperately Seeking Susan" but I still think she always looks like she needs a bath! Ha! Have a great rest of the week Shady! Our weather is just a few days away until the "s" word appears...seriously, this year has flown!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteThanks a lot for dropping by, dear friend! I'm glad you appreciated the three sets of comparisons in this latest installment of my musical series Hey, That Sounds Just Like.
I don't know if Madonna needs a bath but, in that video, I spotted some lint in her belly button. :) I think she'll be okay once she gets over her shyness and comes out of her shell. :)
WHAT? Snow in the Ohio forecast? Well at least you had a pretty good autumn this year for a change. I hope you will be careful on the highways and byways once the snow starts flying. Everyone I connect with is remarking how quickly the year has passed.
Thanks again for your visit and cheery comment, dear friend YaYa!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteYou did a fab job with your 'Hey, It Sounds Like' newest edition. The first and the last two pairs of songs definitely sound like their take-offs accidentally borrowed or not. There are times when I hear a song that reminds me of another song but I can't put my finger on it and I know what I'm listening to isn't the song that it reminds me of, so I'm sure a lot of this goes on that we're just not picking up on.
I'm glad you're home recouping from eye surgery and I hope you're experiencing no pain. Will you have to have the other eye worked on anytime soon? You've been in our thoughts and prayers, dear friend. Take it easy and thanks for visiting this morning!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks for joining the fun as we pick a pair of platters that sound alike times three. The debate rages on all these years later between die hard fans of The Doors and die hard fans of The Kinks and the lawsuit over "Hello, I Love You." I certainly agree the riff sounds the same, but the rest of the Doors' ditty is different. How about that Dutch duo rapping to the Madonna hit? It reached #1 on the charts in 34 countries and made the top 10 in a dozen other countries - truly a worldwide smash - yet I don't remember it. They followed up with another rap cover, "Celebration Rap," which combined the Kool & the Gang hit "Celebration" and the Sister Sledge hit "We Are Family." That single was less successful.
Thank you very much for the thoughts and prayers. I haven't experienced any pain so far and it appears all is well. I hope to be back to 100% next week.
Thank you again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend Cathy!
Shady Shady Shady!! Oh how I missed you and your posts. This is wonderful to come back to because I LOVE the Doors, The Kinks and big fan of Madonna. Lola is my favorite Kinks song though.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that you had to have an eye procedure but sounds like you're recuperating well. Take care!!!
Hi, Holli!
DeleteI am overjoyed to see you here at Shady's Place, dear friend. Welcome back!
I'm delighted that you enjoyed this post comparing soundalike songs. I was fortunate to found nicely restored clips of The Doors, The Kinks, Madonna and that rap duo from The Netherlands that sampled The Material Girl's "Holiday" and achieved their own club classic.
Yessum, I had pretty bad cataracts in my left eye and needed to have a surgical procedure two days ago. Seems like I am on the road to recovery. Thank you very much for your concern and for showing up here today. The fastest way to lift your spirits is to do something nice and lift somebody else's. :)
Take care until I see you again, dear friend Holli!
Glad to see that you're up and about, back in true form, Shady. What would we do for our musical fix without you?
ReplyDeleteI'm a "love the original best" kind of listener, so if I did not follow the advice at the beginning, I'd wager on those who did it first.
Hi, Cheryl-Lee!
DeleteWelcome back to Shady's Place, dear friend!
Occasionally I like a cover version or a recording that samples another as much or more than the original. Sometimes there are three or more great versions of a particular song. Most of the time, however, I prefer the original even if a cover performed better on the chart.
Caution: if you wager on the outcome of this exhibition match, I will be forced to make a citizen's arrest. :)
Thanks again for joining the platter party, dear friend Cheryl-Lee, and have a terrific November and T-giving!
Though I've known the Doors song and the Kinks song for what seems like all my life, I was unaware of one being accused of plagiarizing the other, and I never thought the two songs sounded alike UNTIL JUST NOW when I heard them played side by side. Now I'm asking myself, why didn't I notice that before? Maybe it's because Jim Morrison's singing made the one version sound a little different.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kirk!
DeleteThanks for coming by, good buddy! Please... no wagering. :)
I was a teenager when both recordings you mentioned were hot on the radio and on my turntable. It never occurred to me that The Doors record sounded like The Kinks earlier hit. It was only in recent years that I learned of the controversy and the suit. Some regarded it as frivolous.
I'd love to be a Dutch rapper someday, wooden shoe? Maybe there's still time for both of us to try our hand at it (as a duo).
Thanks again for joining the fun, good buddy Kirk, and enjoy the rest of your week!
I didn't realize The Doors ripped off from the Kinks. I love both tunes and I wonder where The Doors were. I know they were in Germany but wondering if it was Munich?? The Kinks video decided to do the Bathing beauties from the 1910's. I was wondering where Gloria Swanson was:) The middle 2 were fun to listen to and love the twisting of the men and women. They were dressed so nice back then. I heard that piece more than once and wonder if I heard it from a song from Sweet Charity because I thought of Shirley Maclaine and Bob Fosse. The last 2 was definitely an homage to Madonna. This was when she was just breaking through and everyone wanted to look like her. That rap homage was actually fun and I am not into rap at all. Wishing you a beautiful day. It is blah weather here and even saw some snow flakes
ReplyDeleteHi, Unknown! Are you Birgit blogging incognito? :) It certainly seems like your type of comment. Whoever you are, thanks for coming!
DeleteTo answer your question, the info provided with a different YouTube upload of this same clip states that The Doors were touring with Jefferson Airplane in 1968 and that this performance of "Hello, I Love You" took place in Romer Square in Frankfurt, West Germany. It was broadcast in September, 1968, on a little known German music TV show called "4-3-2-1 Hot & Sweet." Quite a name for a music show, huh?
Yessum, you get to see some adults (jet setters?) twisting to U.S. Bonds in that "New Orleans" video. It is simply one of those sync edits on YouTube that takes a studio recording and "marries" it to vintage footage. I am sure those people were actually dancing to a twist record and not the Gary Bonds record. That's the real Madonna in that 1984 clip. She was on the verge of conquering the music world and her confidence shows. I'm glad you enjoyed the rappers from Holland. Their "Holiday Rap" single is their biggest claim to fame, an international megahit at the time.
Thanks again for reporting in, dear friend BB, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Hi Shady! Has your Florida heat subsided any yet? We've had drizzle and rain for several days, and now our temp has dropped from 64 this morning to a sizzling 43 with a wind chill of 27!
ReplyDeleteSo, they say the Doors sneaked a riff or two from the Kinks! Shame on them for sure...I love the Kinks and their "All Day and All of the Night". They had such a rough, and cool sound, and great musicians. "Hello I Love You" was one of the very few songs I liked by the Doors, so that would be a "Kinks" kudos for me!
I never heard of The Sheep. "Hide & Seek was a pretty good song, though, with a good bear drinkin' beat, haha! I'll take U.S. Bonds any day, his stuff was great. The video is funny-I know...it's a dance club or troop! They were too clean, and I could tell that a few of them could really step out and show us a thing or two!
"Holiday Rap" is okay, until they start singing, haha! And it looks like they did have fun on stage, but of course, I prefer Madonna's "Holiday" any day. She is always so "out there", but it paid off for her. She does have a great voice, and a stage presence that keeps you entertained.
Well, Shady, this is a fun series, you picked some good ones this time. I apologize for being...what? 2 days late! There have been some hiccups and rough bumps around here lately. Scootie has a musical program at school tonight. They are doing an American Tribute and he actually has a part as a soldier in the production. His speaking part is "Ma'am, yes ma'am!I can't wait
to see it!
Thank you for this fun post, and have a great weekend, dear Shady!♫
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteI'm excited to see you, dear friend! Thanks for coming over and listening to these originals, covers, soundalikes and samplers.
Yessum, the temperature has dropped a few degrees here, making it a bit more comfortable, at least for now. I doubt the heat and humidity are gone for good, but knowing the cooler weather of winter is coming lifts my spirits. I wouldn't mind feeling your 27 degree wind chill because I have cabin fever from being cooped up indoors most of the year.
I'm glad you like The Kinks so much and don't mind that Morrison and company borrowed the riff from the British band for one of their own hit singles of the 60s. I'm happy to know you counted The Sheep among your likes and that you are a fan of R&B great U.S. Bonds. I wish I knew where that clip came from that shows a rather square looking group of adults doing the twist. That video of the Holland rap artists is taken from Top Of The Pops. Here again, the original studio sound is synced with existing show footage, a very common practice on YouTube nowadays. I was a bachelor and hanging out in clubs during that single's peak of worldwide popularity, but I don't remember it. As I remarked to someone else, Madonna boosted her street cred by having sets of hip looking professional dancers doing choreographed moves with her as she performed. It was a smart strategy.
I'm sorry to learn that you've been having a rough couple of days, Suzanne. I hope things are getting back to normal by now. I am still recovering from Monday's eye surgery, have a black, bloodshot eye and need to wear a large plastic shield over it until next Monday. I can see just well enough to type this reply, but my vision is nowhere near normal yet. I hope Scootie has fun playing a soldier in his musical school play. Let me know how it went.
Thanks again for making time for a visit and for your generous comment, dear friend Suzanne. My next post is coming up this Sunday, the 10th, and I hope you enjoy it. See you soon!
Hi Shady,
ReplyDeleteI love both the Doors and the Kinks; I also love both songs and they are true originals.
For the next two sets, the originals hands down. I like the beat, rhythm and messages of the originals.
Have a great Thankful Thursday, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThanks so much for swinging by, dear friend!
I'll bet your dad knows a few of these tunes as well. I believe most people think The Doors song was mostly an original composition and not theft of The Kinks song. I'm glad you like the hit singles by U.S. Bonds and Madonna. An ear pleasing melody or riff often inspires imitators, and that's what seems to have happened in each of those cases.
Happy Thankful Thursday to you as well, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
ReplyDeleteI think you're right on all counts! It still happens today because I know I constantly hear songs and think they are other songs. I know a lot of rap artists copy old metal songs, I know one rapper used Ozzy's Crazy Train and Eminem once used Aerosmith's Sing For the Moment, but he made his own remake of Sing For the Moment.
I'm going to have to listen to the Doors and Kinks now. Thanks for putting me into that mood. :)
Have a great Friday, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI haven't been following current trends in popular music, but it seems like a high percentage of hip hop releases contain samples of past hits by other genre artists. It's become standard practice to "beg, borrow and steal" from others in the industry. I wasn't aware that old metal songs are sampled in modern rap. Thanks for letting me know.
Thanks for returning to follow our thread. I wish you a safe and happy weekend, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteI can't remember the artist, but he sure did sample "Crazy Train." I was shocked and I didn't think it was a particularly good song.
Also, Flo Rida sampled "You Spin Me Right Round" and created his own song around that. Flo Rida's song isn't bad, but I still love Dope's cover of that song.
Have a safe and happy weekend too, dear friend. :)
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI remember Flo Rida'S "Right Round" and like it. I might even have posted it on SDMM years ago. Truth be told, I don't like Ozzy's original of "Crazy Train" very much, and therefore covers and songs that sample it are of little interest.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteHmmm... I might have to go back to old stomping grounds and find that post. :)
That's one of the songs that got me into Izzy when I was a teen, but now I find it over played. I much prefer Sabbath and I do like Zakk Wilde's Black Label Society, though it's been years since I've listened.
Have a great Saturday evening!