Dan26030 Posted August 25, 2004 Report Posted August 25, 2004 I'm compiling a list of classical music themes that were 'borrowed' by pop/rock music writers. The obvious ones are All By Myself (Eric Carmen, Celine Dion) --> Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2 Annie's Song (John Denver) --> Tchaikowski's First Symphony This Night (Billy Joel) -->Beethoven "Pathetique" Sonata Any others?
Uncle Joe Posted August 25, 2004 Report Posted August 25, 2004 The Toys "Lover's Concerto"...but I can't recall the Clssical composer. Rockaria by ELO. Rollover Beethoven by ELO. Wish I could be of more help. I'll think on it. Good thread!!
Elvish Posted August 25, 2004 Report Posted August 25, 2004 Queensyrche uses Brahm's Lullaby at the end of "Silent Lucidity."
Joel17592 Posted August 25, 2004 Report Posted August 25, 2004 How about "Am I Evil" by Diamond Head and later covered by Metallica which definitely borrows from "Mars the Bringer of War" by Holst.
Eggplant Posted August 25, 2004 Report Posted August 25, 2004 The music for Sting's "Russians" is based on a piece by Sergei Prokofiev.
Crazy Don Posted August 25, 2004 Report Posted August 25, 2004 The Toys "Lover's Concerto"...but I can't recall the Clssical composer. It was Johann Sebastian Bach. I don't remember the name of the piece it was based on, though?
XXX Posted August 26, 2004 Report Posted August 26, 2004 Janet Hackson also borrowed Erik Satie's "Gymnopedie" for one of her songs. Ugh!
skook Posted August 28, 2004 Report Posted August 28, 2004 Procol Harum's Whiter Shade of Pale is said to be Bach's "Air On The G String" filtered through Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves A Woman" The song "Groovy Kind Of Love" Sounds a lot like Clementi's "Sonata Rondo" Joni Mitchell references a lot of classical pieces in her work.
Aunt_Acid Posted August 28, 2004 Report Posted August 28, 2004 Deep Purple sounds like what classical music would be if Bach and them had electric guitars and basses and drum kits.
skook Posted August 28, 2004 Report Posted August 28, 2004 Don't forget the guy in Spinal Tap whose music is a cross between Bach and Beethoven, Mach music.
skook Posted August 28, 2004 Report Posted August 28, 2004 Oops, I meant Bach and Mozart. Dreadfully sorry.
Aunt_Acid Posted August 28, 2004 Report Posted August 28, 2004 That's what I figrued. I vaguely remember it. There was so much funny stuff in that movie I can't remember half of it.
CaptainMikeRS Posted August 29, 2004 Report Posted August 29, 2004 Dire Straits uses the Carasel Waltz as the intro to Tunnel of Love.
EdL Posted September 6, 2004 Report Posted September 6, 2004 Nutrocker by B.Bumble and The Stingers in 1962, based on Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite." Also recorded by Emerson, Lake & Palmer in 1972. Lot's of other things by Emerson, Lake & Palmer such as Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition", Sibelius" "Karelia Suite", Tchaikovsky's "Pathetique Symphony (#6)".
Lambchop Flansburgh Posted September 8, 2004 Report Posted September 8, 2004 Both Elvis Costello ("Accidents Will Happen") and Blues Traveler ("Hook") use the infamous "Canon in D Major" chord progression written by Johann Pachelbel. It's a pretty funny reference in "Hook" because the song is about writing a song with a "hook" in it that will stick in the listener's head. Anyone who has heard Pachelbel's Canon has probably gotten it stuck in their head for at least a few minutes!
Ragnus Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 procol harum's whiter shade of pale was based not on air on G but on bach's "sleepers awake."
Dav Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 And of course there's "A Fifth of Beethoven" from the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack, (based on Beethoven's 5th symphony). And then, extended from that is Thicke's "When I Get You Alone", which is based on "A Fifth Of Beethoven", which in turn is based on Beethoven's 5th. Also, Barry Manilow's "Could It Be Magic" starts with a snippet of Chopin's Prelude in C Minor. There you go. Two more for the list! Jude
superuninvited Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 In the early and mid-seventies, there have been several German bands, especially EAST-German bands, which used classic tunes in their music. Bands like "Electra" and "Stern Meissen" adapted (is this the right word?) works from Mozart, Rachmaninov, Bach, Borodin etc. I guess that the blueprint for this was a Dutch band called "Ekseption".
edna Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 "Ball and Chain" by Janis Joplin with Bigbrother & the Holdin Co perform some Bach at the beginning of "Ball and Chain" on "Cheap Thrills"
Kane Posted September 9, 2004 Report Posted September 9, 2004 Not sure if this would be considered borrowing or just redoing but anything by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra ::
ImThatGuyToo Posted September 24, 2004 Report Posted September 24, 2004 The Beatles' Because was written when John was listening to Yoko play Beethoven's Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia (Moonlight Sonata)on the piano. He asked her to go back and forth with the chord progression and he used it to write Because for Abbey Road.
XXX Posted September 24, 2004 Report Posted September 24, 2004 Cabaret Voltaire sampled something by Chopin for "Do The Mussolini (Headkick)," but I don't know what that song is
Carl Posted September 24, 2004 Report Posted September 24, 2004 "Fallin'" by Alicia Keys has a great piano open that I believe is Chopin. I've always wondered if the open to Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach" is based on a classical piece, or if it's original.
Ace27519 Posted September 27, 2004 Report Posted September 27, 2004 FYI...A Fifth Of Beethoven was performed by Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band....Also, WM&TBAB performed a disco version of A Night On Bald Mountain. Also during the 70's, Meco made quite a carrer of revamping & re-releasing classical pieces as well as movie soundtracks within the disco genre.
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