Re: [Harp-L] plagarism

[Tom Ball <havaball@xxxxxxx>]

Just my humble two-cents:  Glenn has a point, but I reckon that when 
using a diatonic harp (sans overblows) and playing blues in cross 
position, there probably isn't a single lick that could be done that 
hasn't already been done by *somebody* before. <shrug>

What's more interesting to me is the varied history of musical 
"plagiarism" itself.  I mean, "Love Me Tender" is the Civil War 
ballad "Aura Lee."  The American patriotic song "My Country Tis Of 
Thee" is the same tune as "God Save Our Queen" --the British National 
Anthem.  Country Joe's "Fixin' To Die Rag" ('One, two, three, what're 
we fighin' for?') is Kid Ory's "Muskrat Ramble."  Tom Petty's 
"Breakdown" is the Animals' "Cheating," which might have been 
something else before that.  The Beach Boys' "Surfin' USA" is Chuck 
Berry's "Sweet Little 16."

Alan Price's "Changes" (from the film O Lucky Man) is the old hymn 
"What a Friend We Have in Jesus." "My Sweet Lord" is the Chiffons' 
"He's So Fine" (sorry, George, it may have been inadvertent but it's 
nonetheless true.)  Ry Cooder, for whom I have nothing but respect, 
acknowledges building his "Theme from Paris, Texas" around Blind 
Willie Johnson's "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was The Ground."  The 
Tokens "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is a rip-off of a 1940's hit record 
from Swaziland called "Mbube."  Walter Horton's "Easy" is Ivory Joe 
Hunter's "I Almost Lost My Mind."

Elvis' hit "It's Now Or Never" is the 1901 Italian opera song "O Sole 
Mio."  Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale" is at least partially 
based on a combination of two Bach compositions.  Charlie Parker's 
breakthrough be-bop classic "Koko" is a reworking of the old Ray 
Noble hit "Cherokee."  Even our own national anthem the "Star 
Spangled Banner" is actually "To Anacreon in Heaven," an 18th century 
English drinking song!

Like R. Crumb says, "Always steal from the best."  :)

cheers,
Tom Ball
Santa Barbarian