A couple months ago when I first heard the 1999 album in its entirety, I was surprised when I listened to Lady Cab Driver for the first time (for more than one reason ) because it sounded like a song I already knew. Then I realized the first half of it sounded like "Oh Sheila" by Ready for the World. I immediately looked up the song and discovered that Prince wrote LCD three years before Oh Sheila. I was relieved.

Now is this song a rip off? or just similar>

Also, recently in my Entertainment Weekly magazine, they had a page about 80's music that stated that Oh Sheila was unfairly maligned for sounding too much like Prince music in general. "Unfairly"? What? It goes beyond imitating Prince's sound, it almost sounds like the same chorus of one specific Prince song.

Did Prince react to this song?

[Edited 10/29/16 20:59pm]

purplerabbithole said:

A couple months ago when I first heard the 1999 album in its entirety, I was surprised when I listened to Lady Cab Driver for the first time (for more than one reason ) because it sounded like a song I already knew. Then I realized the first half of it sounded like "Oh Sheila" by Ready for the World. I immediately looked up the song and discovered that Prince wrote LCD three years before Oh Sheila. I was relieved.

Now is this song a rip off? or just similar>

Also, recently in my Entertainment Weekly magazine, they had a page about 80's music that stated that Oh Sheila was unfairly maligned for sounding too much like Prince music in general. "Unfairly"? What? It goes beyond imitating Prince's sound, it almost sounds like the same chorus of one specific Prince song.

Did Prince react to this song?

[Edited 10/29/16 20:59pm]

I know both songs well and never thought they sounded like one another. And I remember Oh Sheila was talked about at the time as being part of the "Minneapolis Sound" but not that it was a Prince ripoff. And of course P originated the MPLS sound but Jam and Lewis did a lot of songs like that too and didn't rip off Prince, per se.

[Edited 10/30/16 0:10am]

Until I read your post, I'd never made the connection before. Back when it was released I was really into the 1999 album and didn't think they were consciously ripping off Lady Cab Driver, though I can see what you mean. Everyone was talking about how they were copying Prince's sound while jamming to the song. I was kind of disappointed they never built upon that moment. I guess they were able to imitate but not innovate.

airth said:

Until I read your post, I'd never made the connection before. Back when it was released I was really into the 1999 album and didn't think they were consciously ripping off Lady Cab Driver, though I can see what you mean. Everyone was talking about how they were copying Prince's sound while jamming to the song. I was kind of disappointed they never built upon that moment. I guess they were able to imitate but not innovate.

I don't think it was conscious either. I never made the connection either, but they melodies are certainly similar.

OH - OH SHEEEILA - let me love you till the morning comes

Lady - CAB DRIIIIVER - let me take you for a ride

The rhythm of those are almost identical. I'm surprised no one's tried to mash those up yet. I don't really think they took the Mpls sound either. I think where people hear that is the unique drum pattern. Also visually they were a tight group with choreography, etc. But again, not the first R&B group to do that.

It's Minneapolis Sound in general, I guess LCD is the closest individual song it sounds like.

I always love the story about it coming in the limo that Prince and Sheila E were riding in, and she turned to him and said "When did you write this?" and he replied "I didn't".

Militant said:

I always love the story about it coming in the limo that Prince and Sheila E were riding in, and she turned to him and said "When did you write this?" and he replied "I didn't".

HAHAHA I never heard that story, but I love that anecdote.

I like Ready For The World's music,but they did borrow heavily from Prince and his Minneapolis sound.Listen to "I'm The One Who Loves" on their first album,or "Mary Goes' Round" on their second album.Both of these tracks sound alot like Prince's 1999 material.

It does rip that chorus doesn't it? Well "what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Oh Shelia."



I couldn't type that without feeling embarrassed.

Oh shit! I hear it. Im forever going to have that ear worm about both songs now lol

It sounds more like the '82 version of Extra Loveable 2 me.

FunkiestOne said:

I know both songs well and never thought they sounded like one another. And I remember Oh Sheila was talked about at the time as being part of the "Minneapolis Sound" but not that it was a Prince ripoff. And of course P originated the MPLS sound but Jam and Lewis did a lot of songs like that too and didn't rip off Prince, per se.

[Edited 10/30/16 0:10am]

What are you talking about? Everyone thought it was Prince, there were DJs that alleged it was Prince, when people found out it wasn't, everyone said it was a rip-off.

Interestingly, the Wiki page for "Oh Sheila" notes the similarity: "The song's backbeat was inspired by the Prince song "Lady Cab Driver.""

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_Sheila

disch said: