OT: A mystery to you

[wire chief]

Now, I have no musical background, and maybe if I did have solid training, I'd know.
But it astounds me that there are millions of songs written and this is done without duplicating someone else's melody line.
Now, there's' just 7 notes, right? OK, OK there're sharps and flats too, but still...
So when it happens that there's a purloined melody line (at least if it involves famous people like George Harrison), we hear about it. There are court cases. It's a wonder it doesn't happen a hundred each day.

So that's my offering as to what boggles my mind. All those unique tunes.

Got anything that you can't grasp?

 

[Sonny44]

Even if there were only two notes and a typical song required 40 notes there would only be 1 chance in 1.2 trillion of producing the same song by chance. A statistician could correct me on this though.

 

[rbny1]

Even if there were only two notes and a typical song required 40 notes there would only be 1 chance in 1.2 trillion of producing the same song by chance. A statistician could correct me on this though.

I'm not a statistician but I think you're correct. There are also variations in rhythm and note duration, which create the possibility of a nearly infinite number of songs using 40 notes. Some of those songs would sound absolutely terrible, but I wouldn't listen to any of those. I'd only listen to the good songs among the near infinity.

 

[JordyG]

The reality is although 7 notes carries an infinite number of variations Pop music is prone to the same melody variations, and I hear them over and over. Frequently today I can hear just the opening melody of a song and can remember a bunch of other melody it's been stolen from. To me the idea that one Pop "artist" sues another for violating their "intellectual property" is ludicrous.

 

[Bestiarius]

A song(s) you've all heard many times.

 

[bags27]

To me the idea that one Pop "artist" sues another for violating their "intellectual property" is ludicrous.

Of course, the big news in property theft is Bob's "borrowing" for lyrics, for Chronicles I, and now, amazingly enough (but what's really ever amazing when it comes to Dylan?), his Nobel acceptance speech.

And yet, Dylan successfully sued Rod Stewart for ripping off his "Forever Young." These are lyrics, not melodies. For melodies, so much of Bernstein's West Side Story comes from other classical music ("There's a Place for Us" comes from Beethoven's 4th (or is it the 5th?--can't remember) piano concerto; some Bella Bartok, IIRC, etc), not to mention that to his dying day Bernstein actually denied the plot of WSS was based on Romeo and Juliet!!!. I spotted the Nino Rota theme from Godfather in Verdi, etc.

 

[meyers7]

There have been a few that were fairly famous (or more widely know songs).

Hotel California (Eagles) - from We Used To Know (Jethro Tull)

Ice Ice Baby (Vanilla Ice) - Under Pressure (Queen)

Do You Think I'm Sexy (Rod Stewart) - Taj Mahal (Jorge Ben Jor)

Guess, like you say, it's bound to happen.

 

[CL82]

The Chiffons - He's so fine.

George Harrison - My Sweet Lord
George Harrison-My Sweet Lord (Studio Version) Original

 

[Huskee11]

Ice Ice Baby (Vanilla Ice) - Under Pressure (Queen)

Word to ya mutha...................

 

[JordyG]

A song(s) you've all heard many times.

Double like.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I can't remember which songs, but I heard a Def Leppard song and Shania Twain song that were pretty much identical melody. Different instrumentation and vocals of course. Mutt Lange produced both, so if he had a hand in it he was only ripping off himself perhaps.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Word to ya mutha....

View attachment 23123

I think this is a sample isn't it? Not quite the same thing.

 

[JS]

It's not theft (legally if not artistically speaking) if the original was from before the age of copyright.

For example the Civil War song Aura Lee (1861) . . .

 

[JS]

. . . with new words became a #1 hit for Elvis 95 years later.

Credits went to Vera Matson, the wife of Ken Darby who actually wrote the new lyrics, and Presley, whose publishing deal required that he get at least half the credits of anything he recorded. Asked why he credited his wife as co-songwriter, Darby said, "Because she didn't write it either."

 

[JordyG]

It's not theft (legally if not artistically speaking) if the original was from before the age of copyright.

For example the Civil War song Aura Lee (1861) . . .

Of course it's still theft. Just because it's in the public domain doesn't make it any less egregious. It just means they can steal without fear of infringement or of a payout. In college when such a thing is done it's called plagiarism.

 

[wire chief]

Anyway, thanks to all of you for your input, especially Jordy & rbny. It helps my understanding.

 

[temery]

Now, I have no musical background, and maybe if I did have solid training, I'd know.
But it astounds me that there are millions of songs written and this is done without duplicating someone else's melody line.
Now, there's' just 7 notes, right? OK, OK there're sharps and flats too, but still...
So when it happens that there's a purloined melody line (at least if it involves famous people like George Harrison), we hear about it. There are court cases. It's a wonder it doesn't happen a hundred each day.

So that's my offering as to what boggles my mind. All those unique tunes.

Got anything that you can't grasp?

A very weird thought, but I'd love to hear what DNA would sound like if genes were turned into music. ACTG. That's it. Four base pairs. Give each a note or two, and let's see who sounds best.

Yes, I am that bored right now.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

It's not theft (legally if not artistically speaking) if the original was from before the age of copyright.

For example the Civil War song Aura Lee (1861) . . .

The same tune is used for "Army Blue" that they traditionally sing at West Point.

I don't know whether "Army Blue" predates "Aura Lee" or vice versa.

On Edit: I just googled "Army Blue" and it was first used at West Point in 1865, so
they evidently stole the tune from "Aura Lee".