Ben Harper's "Better Way" = "7" w/o drums

I saw this video for the first time and it sounded just like 7.

I was singing, "All 7 and we'll watch them fall" the whole time...
discuss amongst yourselves....

i havent heard it
if anyone can supply a link that'd be good

funkii said:

sure thing!

Audio: http://www.benharper.net/ (click on the link on the bottom left-hand side that says :: LISTEN TO "BETTER WAY" :

Video:http://music.yahoo.com/pr...premieres/ (look on the bottom right side in the "recent premieres" column.

mochalox said:

Yep! Even the vocals.

Maybe he thought he could hide it behind the tabla and tambura.

anon said:

and it's too bad, too, because I realy respected him...

mochalox said:

Sounds great.

siriusfunk said:

That's what Ben said...when he heard it.

mochalox said:

It is. You have to wonder if maybe he heard it in his sleep or something. He's got the vibe and all. Maybe he doesn't know yet.

Let's tell him.

anon said:

I suppose that George Harrison stole a lot of his material from the song 7 as well? I wasn't aware that Prince had a monopoly on the whole Indian/Middle Eastern type vibe. I am not saying that Ben Harper hasn't been influenced by Prince, indeed he has, but to insinuate that he is stealing "Prince's" tune is silly.

siriusfunk said:

I guess you didn't hear the song. It has nothing to do with the vibe. But the vibe too!...on top of all else. Makes you wonder. Either he really did hear it in his sleep and he believes it's his or he really really "liked" it.

A lot.

siriusfunk said:

The melody/harmony is nothing like it. I don't even know why people are encouraging it. Sorry it's not even close with the guitars. Hell even the bassline isnt.



This is just one similar note in a melody. But the melody is different than 7 it spirals in a different way. Actually it's more sixties folk influenced say Richie Havens/Steven Stills/CSNY/ than Prince. Co sign on the George Harrison who opened the door to indian pop fusion anyways here.

Sorry no Cigar...


And I will bet money right now if you play them back to back it's not close. I can however find a dozen or more sixties folk songs with this kind of pattern way before even Prince crafted or thought of 7. So does that mean Prince ripped a Sixties psychedelic folk song?


[Edited 3/2/06 19:33pm]
[Edited 3/2/06 19:34pm]

Trickology said:

It's the composite of similarities that make you wonder. Ben is a great musician. He knows how not to "steal" the things he hears in his sleep.