Songs and their "secret siblings"

Do you know songs which sound so similiar to another, more popular one that it's irritating you. I don't mean the famous cases of plagiarism that were fought over in courts. I mean the ones that seem to have fallen under the radar and you feel as if you were the only one that noticed the similarities. Similitaries for example concerning a very characteristic riff or even parts of a melody.
Here are some examples I can give you (The year of release determines the status as either "Original" or "Secret Sibling"):

Original: ("Tie A Yello Ribbon..." - Tony Orlando) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBL2kzKg4nY
Secret sibling: ("Save Your Kisses For Me" - Brootherhood Of Man) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Szavq0lrFtg

Original: ("Queen Jane Approximately" - Bob Dylan) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgnXxtuusLs
Secret sibling: ("Brooklyn Owes The Charmer..." - Steely Dan) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32sM47dytt0

Original: ("Tush" - ZZ Top) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KbcYnP2ZWQ
secret sibling: ("No Class" - Motörhead) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWJ5dtF6X4I

Original: ("By Tonight" - Mott) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipPu8GzdmzE
Secret sibling 1: ("Start Me Up" - Rolling Stones) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW4DPIBO5OU
Secret sibling 2: ("Love Removal Machine" - The Cult) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaK81oUmbbs

Original: ("After Laughter Comes Tears" - The Robocop Krauss) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7dgH3FmCBE
Secret sibling: ("Blue Tip" - The Cars) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpJQWGA1O8s

I know there's loads more out there...

I wish you would have mentioned the name of each song, so I'd know whether it would be worth my while clicking on those links...

I mean, is there Boston's More Than a Feeling and Nirvana's Smells Like Spirit? Ringo Starr's Back Off Boogaloo and Franz Ferdinand's Take Me Out? The Hollies' Stewball and Lennon's Merry Christmas/War is Over? Jon Pertwee's I Am the Doctor and Run DMC's Ragtime?

Quote: Kenneth @ September 12 2012, 6:41 AM BST

I wish you would have mentioned the name of each song, so I'd know whether it would be worth my while clicking on those links...

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So, cured that one. But if you're interested in music then your curiosity should make it "worth your while".

Thanks, I had thought it may be stuff I was already familiar with. One of my favourites is John Lennon's dad's record - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgbVRQOnQk8 - because part of the tune later appeared in Imagine, presumably coincidentally, as John Lennon reputedly disliked the song because it was crap.

Noticed the other day Doves There Goes the Fear http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SneuvKIkM3A and Procol Hareum's Whiter Shade of Pale http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb3iPP-tHdA , which is of course related to Bach's Air on a G String .

Bob Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLiLSRKms30 and Jimi Hendrix/Curtis Knight How Would You Feel? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J-f5AdOvgE .

Tom Petty's "Learning to Fly" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WowZLe95WDY
and the Foo Fighters "Wheels" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONkiLR5Ehys

Can't believe no-one in the band vetoed this.

Quote: Kenneth @ September 12 2012, 9:31 AM BST

Thanks, I had thought it may be stuff I was already familiar with.

View original

You're welcome. But that's the beauty of this. It's very unlikely that we both have the same examples in mind (apart from the most obvious ones). Not everybody spots the same similarities. That's why I made this thread. I'd like to discover more such examples.
First of all, you have to know the right songs. That's why I want to hear your examples and opinions. Secondly, if there are some similarities, not every listener notices them or feels that the similarities are relevant (or significant?). Sometimes it's only little things that make two songs siblings or even (almost) identical twins. And I^m not willing to believe that these similarities are in every case pure coincidence. I don't want to assume deliberate palagiarism. But take Steely Dan/Bob Dylan for instance: The melody, the structure, the rhythm and even the atmosphere are similar. I can't believe that Steely Dan weren't at least inspired by the Dylan song.
Anyway, I'm a music junkie and I'm happy to hear/see your examples and opinions.

Quote: Lazzard @ September 12 2012, 9:51 AM BST

Tom Petty's "Learning to Fly" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WowZLe95WDY
and the Foo Fighters "Wheels" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONkiLR5Ehys

Can't believe no-one in the band vetoed this.

View original

Great example, I knew both songs but didn't spot the similarities prior to your post. The songs have definitely the same feel...and similar arangements and I must say it borders on (soft) plagiarism. But I think Dave Grohl and Tom Petty are buddies in real life so that's not a big issue. Well done thank you!

Forgot an important one yesterday:

Original: ("Don't worry Be Happy" - Bobby McFerrin) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHFDa9efCQU

Secret sibling: ("What's Up" - 4 Non Blondes): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chysEoANK7c

Complete different feel and arrangements, even the tempo is different. But the melody (except the chorus) is blatantly stolen!

and

Original: ("Life Goes On" - The Damned) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4J2aU6glt0
Secret Sibling: ("Come As You Are" - Nirvana) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vabnZ9-ex7o

Here the intros are nearly identical!

Original:
Me and You theme tune, BBC TV : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Jyhfq8u8Xk

Not so secret sibling:
Oasis, She's Electric: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dUV4VAr9lk

Original:
Within You, Without You - The Beatles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljnv3KGtcyI

Secret Sibling:
Ever So Lonely - Monsoon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOFmDK_1cVg

Quote: Badge @ September 12 2012, 8:21 PM BST

Original:
Me and You theme tune, BBC TV : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Jyhfq8u8Xk

Not so secret sibling:
Oasis, She's Electric: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dUV4VAr9lk

Original:
Within You, Without You - The Beatles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljnv3KGtcyI

Secret Sibling:
Ever So Lonely - Monsoon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOFmDK_1cVg

View original

Funnily enough George Harrison himself was brought before the court for ripping off the "Chiffon"'s "He's So Fine" for his own "My Sweet Lord".

Quote: Gordon Bennett @ September 12 2012, 1:15 PM BST

Original: ("Life Goes On" - The Damned) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4J2aU6glt0
Secret Sibling: ("Come As You Are" - Nirvana) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vabnZ9-ex7o

Here the intros are nearly identical!

View original

Check out Killing Joke's song Eighties as well. It's quite extraordinary how similar all three are.

Quote: shaggy292 @ September 12 2012, 9:21 PM BST

Check out Killing Joke's song Eighties as well. It's quite extraordinary how similar all three are.

View original

Yeah, you're right. I didn't know the Killing Joke one. But I like all three songs, no matter how "unoriginal" at least two of them may be.
I must say I'm still very fond of Nirvana, but there's a thin line between wearing your influences on your sleeve and plagiarism. They also ripped off the characteristic Pixies riff ("U-Mass") for "Smells Like Teen Spirit"; so they are repeat offenders.

I was humming 'Little Deuce Coupe' by Beach Boys earlier and turned into 'I'm Into Something Good' (Herman's Hermits).

Only one year between releases so probably no-one ripped anyone off, I'm just a bit music-geeky so thought I'd share

Prince's "1999" and Phil Collins' "Sussudio" are very similar in arrangement and feel.

Quote: AJGO @ September 12 2012, 11:00 PM BST

I was humming 'Little Deuce Coupe' by Beach Boys earlier and turned into 'I'm Into Something Good' (Herman's Hermits).

View original

That happens with me sometimes too...I mean that I subconsciously produce medleys in my head of different artits's songs. These songs are so similar in atmosphere and maybe harmonies that they fit perfectly together.

The theme from Midnight Cowboy and You Only Live Twice , both by John Barry have a certain similarity.

The "Simpsons" Theme and the theme from "Desperate Housewifes" are almost identical twins. Both by Danny Elfman.