Songs that Sound Like other Songs (part 2 of 300)

Happy Friday! First of all, I'd like to apologize for the brief sabbatical this week. Without a working computer that was built in the past 10 years, it's very difficult to write a blog post. Yeah, you heard it here first: computers are necessary for online journals. Who knew?

Well, I think it's safe to say that my crusade against musicians ripping off other musicians has thrown me down a rabbit hole. Through the looking glass, if you will. Once I decided to take up the cross of pointing out shit that bothers me to people who probably could not care less, I have been consumed.

Plus, it has spurned debate with some of my more musically inclined friends, some of whom have even attended conservatories of music. So, it's really great to have them in the braintrust. How does it help? Well...hmm...They can all sight sing. So, there's that. And they may know what fixed-do is. Not as relevant, perhaps. And, they can probably tell the difference between 6/8 and 3/4. That's something I put on every job application I fill out, so I can't see how it wouldn't help here.

Basically, the debate falls into two categories:

• People who have their own list of songs that bother them, and they are eager to share these examples with me. And I am only too happy to give them a shoulder to cry on.
  

• People who think that I need to get over it, after all, there are only so many notes and melodies to be written, yo!
  

Maybe I should get over it--maybe this is just another example of a failed musicians' bitter rage at people who are more talented and who have HAPPENED to have written a song that has blatantly ripped off the intellectual property of another person. Probably some truth to that.

You know what, though? Totally okay with my motivation. We're all just crabs in a barrel I guess--bringing other folks down just when they are about to get over.

On the other hand--Go screw.

Today's example has bothered me for years, and it involves my heroes, Rush. This is hardly groundbreaking stuff, but it just goes to show that even geniuses fail to adequately cite their source material.

Song 1: La Villa Strangiato--Rush. Parts V (Monsters!) and X (Monsters! (reprise)). Listen to this masterpiece beginning at the 7:50 mark:

vs.

Song 2: The Looney Tunes Factory Music, Carl Stalling.

Yeah, I know. It's the exact same melody, and the rhythm is right on top of it as well. And, if the boys had decided to credit that passage, or had not decided to title each movement, I would not be mentioning it. But, they didn't. So, it sticks in my craw. Can't explain why. It just does. And I know I'm being petty, but if you knew me, you would know that I am all about the big petty.

Have a great weekend!