I've been sitting on this one for a long time. I have no idea if James Blunt has ever acknowledged the true source of his only hit's melody, but I know where he got it.
I submit for your comparing pleasure, "The Lonely Man Theme" from the 1980s television series, The Incredible Hulk and JB's sapfest, "You're Beautiful." Please note, the Hulk theme is a YouTube submission that has some Enya thrown in somewhere in the middle of the homemade montage, but you'll get the idea.
Hulk
James Blunt
The Ripoff Jukebox
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
Mayer vs. Winwood (vs. Petty)
John Mayer, "Say"
Steve Winwood, "Back in the High Life Again"
Tom Petty, "Free Fallin'"
I think I should preface this post by saying, I like musical ripoffs. I like when you can follow the melody, rhythm, spirit of a song from one artist's rendering to the next. I believe imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery. Of course, if you imitate only yourself (yes, I'm talking about you, Third Eye Blind) that's another story.
Today's ripoff comes to us from "Say," John Mayer's contribution to The Bucket List soundtrack. It sounds remarkably like Steve Winwood's "Back in the High Life Again." As was the case with the Matchbox 20 ripoff, there's a symmetry between the messages of each song. The Modern English song whispered hopefully, "I've seen the future, and it's getting better all the time," while Rob Thomas bemoaned, "I believe the world is coming to an end." In this pair, Steve Winwood is the voice of hope promising that "all the doors I closed one time will open up again." John Mayer counters with the warning to "say what you need to say," while there is still time to say it.
I like both messages. I like the idea of reclaiming a broken past and enjoying life to the fullest. But I also appreciate the warning not to take any days for granted. It's good to be hopeful for tomorrow. And it's good to express your feelings as if tomorrow might not happen.
And now I just can't get around adding this one.
Steve Winwood, "Back in the High Life Again"
Tom Petty, "Free Fallin'"
I think I should preface this post by saying, I like musical ripoffs. I like when you can follow the melody, rhythm, spirit of a song from one artist's rendering to the next. I believe imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery. Of course, if you imitate only yourself (yes, I'm talking about you, Third Eye Blind) that's another story.
Today's ripoff comes to us from "Say," John Mayer's contribution to The Bucket List soundtrack. It sounds remarkably like Steve Winwood's "Back in the High Life Again." As was the case with the Matchbox 20 ripoff, there's a symmetry between the messages of each song. The Modern English song whispered hopefully, "I've seen the future, and it's getting better all the time," while Rob Thomas bemoaned, "I believe the world is coming to an end." In this pair, Steve Winwood is the voice of hope promising that "all the doors I closed one time will open up again." John Mayer counters with the warning to "say what you need to say," while there is still time to say it.
I like both messages. I like the idea of reclaiming a broken past and enjoying life to the fullest. But I also appreciate the warning not to take any days for granted. It's good to be hopeful for tomorrow. And it's good to express your feelings as if tomorrow might not happen.
And now I just can't get around adding this one.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Matchbox 20 vs. Modern English
Matchbox 20, "How Far We've Come"
Modern English, "Melt with You"
Today Addison was doing one of the odd things that drive me crazy. Nothing bad, just . . . he sings songs, and I can't tell if he made them up or he heard them somewhere. The song tonight went like this: "SOMEDAY, I'll be a firefighter. SOMEDAY, I'll be a man." The tune was kind of catchy. It sounded real enough. But when I asked him where he heard it, he said he didn't know. When I asked him if he made it up, he said he didn't know. So neither of us know, but it bothers me alone.
But that got me thinking of a musical clone I noticed on the radio recently. The Mix 101.9 had Modern English and Matchbox 20 in their daily 15-song rotation, and the station was on all day in our house. But I had trouble distinguishing these two songs. Check 'em out.
Modern English, "Melt with You"
Today Addison was doing one of the odd things that drive me crazy. Nothing bad, just . . . he sings songs, and I can't tell if he made them up or he heard them somewhere. The song tonight went like this: "SOMEDAY, I'll be a firefighter. SOMEDAY, I'll be a man." The tune was kind of catchy. It sounded real enough. But when I asked him where he heard it, he said he didn't know. When I asked him if he made it up, he said he didn't know. So neither of us know, but it bothers me alone.
But that got me thinking of a musical clone I noticed on the radio recently. The Mix 101.9 had Modern English and Matchbox 20 in their daily 15-song rotation, and the station was on all day in our house. But I had trouble distinguishing these two songs. Check 'em out.
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