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Forums > Prince: Music and More > "American in Paris" and "Why should I dog you out" Connected?
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Thread started 05/16/17 3:21pm

bwaaatch

"American in Paris" and "Why should I dog you out" Connected?

I only got my hands on 'American in Paris' a few months ago and not really listened to it until now. I thought it reminded me of something and eventually realised it was George Clintons's "Atomic Dog" (there is a near identical recuring chant, plus some Clinton-eque slowed down vocals). But this evening it really clicked. It's a LOT like Clinton's 1989 cut 'Why Should I Dog You Out" from the Cinderella Theory (on Paisley Park).

Similarities

  • Both tracks are '89.
  • Both sample or reuse key elements or ideas from Atomic Dog
  • Both have a very similar drum pattern
  • Both have metalic sounding guitar jangle popping up throughout.

Prince gets no credit on the Clinton song, and George recently stated that Prince had little to do with that whole album. So what's the deal?

Can someone tell me I'm not imagining a connection? You hear it?

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Reply #1 posted 05/16/17 3:34pm

Dandroppedadim
e

I don't really hear it myself (I haven't compared them). BUT, I supposse Prince may of given GC and co, access to various outtakes for them to re-work - so it may be possible they took the beat and various elements????

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Reply #2 posted 05/17/17 12:09am

databank

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Could also be Prince heard WSIDYO? and then recorded AIP lol

The beats are quite similar indeed so a connection is plausible, but I wouldn't jump to conclusions.

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Reply #3 posted 05/17/17 12:37pm

bwaaatch

databank said:

Could also be Prince heard WSIDYO? and then recorded AIP lol


The beats are quite similar indeed so a connection is plausible, but I wouldn't jump to conclusions.



Agree, not assuming how this happened but (by org standards) this seems like it could be more than just coincidence.

Prince vault notes that engineers Michael Koppelman and Tom Garneau are on vocals, so maybe someone knows the story?
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Reply #4 posted 05/17/17 12:47pm

paisleypark4

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I hear it a little in beat and basic rhythm guitar but no actual interpolation or sample

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Reply #5 posted 05/17/17 11:55pm

bwaaatch

paisleypark4 said:

I hear it a little in beat and basic rhythm guitar but no actual interpolation or sample



Maybe I'm swayed by the chanting that echoes the main book from Atomic Dog. Feels like he had a very specific version of George Clinton on his mind here, but stuck a more generic relationship story over the top.
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Reply #6 posted 05/18/17 12:00am

TheFreakerFant
astic

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The drum beat mainly but pretty much that's it. It wouldn't hold up in court (for an example of more blatant imitation look up the GIRL 6 / PHONESEX court case). I'm sure there was a lot of 'borrowing' and 'colloboration' going on, I mean look at the GB album! Also, do we know that this came before American In Paris or could it have been the other way around?!

I also sometimes wondered that the reason some songs remain unreleased is because he sometimes did them to experiment and expand on a certain style from others and felt them to be too close to other songs and didn't want accusations of plagiarism?! Speculation of course but maybe?

[Edited 5/18/17 0:16am]

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