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?

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????

Could also be Prince heard WSIDYO? and then recorded AIP

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

databank said:

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

paisleypark4 said:

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]