Why do I think about Prince when this song hits the 14 second mark? Is it just me?

Groovy1 said:

RJOrion said:

Groovy1 said:

Why do I think about Prince when this song hits the 14 second mark? Is it just me?

nah...its not just u...sounds like they sampled Beautiful Ones, to me too

Yeah, I've been hearing this song on my local alternative rock station for months. What's the best way to find out if they credit Prince? Are liner notes still around? I haven't been able to find anything yet.

RJOrion said:

Groovy1 said:

Why do I think about Prince when this song hits the 14 second mark? Is it just me?

nah...its not just u...sounds like they sampled Beautiful Ones, to me too

I also hear "SAIMH".

Groovy1 said:

RJOrion said:

Groovy1 said: nah...its not just u...sounds like they sampled Beautiful Ones, to me too

Yeah, I've been hearing this song on my local alternative rock station for months. What's the best way to find out if they credit Prince? Are liner notes still around? I haven't been able to find anything yet.

ive been checking online sources and i dont see P being credited anywhere either

Sounds similar with the piano riff but it doesn't sound like a sample to me.

laytonian said:

RJOrion said:

Groovy1 said: nah...its not just u...sounds like they sampled Beautiful Ones, to me too

I also hear "SAIMH".

Where exactly do you hear "She's Always In My Hair"? BTW, it took me a while to figure out "SAIMH." LOL. I'll go back and listen again.

TheEnglishGent said:

Sounds similar with the piano riff but it doesn't sound like a sample to me.

Are you referring to "The Beautiful Ones" or "She's Always In My Hair"?

It's not an uncommon piano riff.

TrivialPursuit said:

It's not an uncommon piano riff.

I guess I don't listen to enough music because I can't recall hearing it in other songs. Which songs do you have in mind?

I hear what you're hearing, Prince is probably the inspiration, but that was also common piano riff. You'd hear it in musicals a lot too. Prince just owned it after he used it.

Groovy1 said:

laytonian said:

I also hear "SAIMH".

Where exactly do you hear "She's Always In My Hair"? BTW, it took me a while to figure out "SAIMH." LOL. I'll go back and listen again.

I can hear the Beautiful Ones part but not She´s Always In My Hair.

Someone in the comments also noticed the similarities and mentioned both songs but I really only hear the first one, and while it does sound similar, I doubt that it´s a sample.

Many of Prince´s songs contained little elements that were reminiscent of other songs, too. For example Cream, Erotic City and Dreamer.

Can you please tell me at what minute this song reminds you of She´s Always In My Hair? I´m just curious.

KoolEaze said:

Groovy1 said:

Where exactly do you hear "She's Always In My Hair"? BTW, it took me a while to figure out "SAIMH." LOL. I'll go back and listen again.

I can hear the Beautiful Ones part but not She´s Always In My Hair.

Someone in the comments also noticed the similarities and mentioned both songs but I really only hear the first one, and while it does sound similar, I doubt that it´s a sample.

Many of Prince´s songs contained little elements that were reminiscent of other songs, too. For example Cream, Erotic City and Dreamer.

Can you please tell me at what minute this song reminds you of She´s Always In My Hair? I´m just curious.

The plonk plonk plonk at 14. To my weird ears....it sounds like the intro to SAIMH.

I do not think it is a sample (why bother) it is a simple repeating piano cord. Sounds similar to the part of "the Beautiful Ones" but not a sample... but nice catch.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

I do not think it is a sample (why bother) it is a simple repeating piano cord. Sounds similar to the part of "the Beautiful Ones" but not a sample... but nice catch.

Fully agree with this.

I tweeted the band but never heard back from them. I think it's 99% safe to say it's not a sample. As you said, what would be the point? Anyone can plan that riff and it's a simple 1-and-2-and-3-and-4-and thing. Paying for a damn sample royalty is 'spensive!

TrivialPursuit said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

I do not think it is a sample (why bother) it is a simple repeating piano cord. Sounds similar to the part of "the Beautiful Ones" but not a sample... but nice catch.

Fully agree with this.

I tweeted the band but never heard back from them. I think it's 99% safe to say it's not a sample. As you said, what would be the point? Anyone can plan that riff and it's a simple 1-and-2-and-3-and-4-and thing. Paying for a damn sample royalty is 'spensive!

So, if it's not a sample, is it theft or a copyright infringement? Just curious. Not sure how these things work. I just know that the similarity is very striking.

Groovy1 said:

So, if it's not a sample, is it theft or a copyright infringement? Just curious. Not sure how these things work. I just know that the similarity is very striking.

It's someone playing piano. Anyone can play a chord on the 1, 2, 3, and 4, in the same key and not have some copyright issue. Gheezus, how many blues songs follow the exact same chord progression? TONS. Every other Motown song is a copy of another, too.

The riff y'all are talking about is not unique or an issue of theft/copyright. There are certain things that just don't qualify.

You can't copyright a song title (Remember when Pointer Sisters and Van Halen both had songs called "Jump" out at the same time, Pointer Sister added a subtitle to avoid confusion; how many people have named songs "Baby" or "I Love You?")

You can't copyright a drum pattern either. I recently talked about a playlist of songs that all had the same 90's beat (see Enigma "Sadeness," etc.).

It's like trying to copyright an open highhat on the off-beat (a la disco). Not possible.

None of those people have grounds for a copyright charges.

So again, someone hitting notes in the same rhythmic pattern is not a copyright. It's not unique. It's a rhythmic nuance, not a hook.

There are 88 keys on a keyboard or piano. There are only so many chords. At some point, something is going to sound like something else and it's not a theft issue.

Shit, look at "Faithfully" from Journey that came out before "Purple Rain." They're practically identical. Even Lenny allegedly had a similar song to Prince. Nothing happened. Not everything is litigious.

Groovy1 said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Fully agree with this.

I tweeted the band but never heard back from them. I think it's 99% safe to say it's not a sample. As you said, what would be the point? Anyone can plan that riff and it's a simple 1-and-2-and-3-and-4-and thing. Paying for a damn sample royalty is 'spensive!

So, if it's not a sample, is it theft or a copyright infringement? Just curious. Not sure how these things work. I just know that the similarity is very striking.

It is not enough... is it even the same notes? how many? Sounds like one simular cord at a simular tempo...but not the same. And remeber prince lifted all the time... the intro to kiss is a bit like "pappa's got a brand new bag" not the same notes/cords but it seems to be a nod to it....

and didn't Prince knownly take the drums for "When Doves Cry" from a Dez song?

Both Plectrumelectrum and Pretzelbodylogic sound like other songs.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Groovy1 said:

So, if it's not a sample, is it theft or a copyright infringement? Just curious. Not sure how these things work. I just know that the similarity is very striking.

It is not enough... is it even the same notes? how many? Sounds like one simular cord at a simular tempo...but not the same. And remeber prince lifted all the time... the intro to kiss is a bit like "pappa's got a brand new bag" not the same notes/cords but it seems to be a nod to it....

and didn't Prince knownly take the drums for "When Doves Cry" from a Dez song?

Both Plectrumelectrum and Pretzelbodylogic sound like other songs.

Thanks for the reply, although I don't think Prince's alleged lifting is pertinent here. That's a totally different issue. I was just curious if there was enough similiaities between the songs to warrant an acknowledgment. I never know what constitutes sufficient grounds if it's not an obvious case like the Bruno Mars/Gap Band issue.