14 Songs That 'Rip Off' Classical Music 

📍CORRECTION: 3:34 the 2nd to last chord of "Go West" should be ii7 not IV. They are of course very similar chords though (IV is contained within ii7).

The moral: Don't copy composers until after they sufficiently decompose.

Memories doesn't sound like canon in d, it IS Canon in D.

At 75 now, I've heard SO many pop melodies that were based on classical pieces. It became 'a thing' for me to actively seek them out and collect them. I'll mention a few older favorites, from all over the map: Lesley Gore - "Just Let Me Cry" (Song of India - Rimsky Korsakov) Lou Christie - "Painter" (Un Bel Di - from Madama Butterfly) Various - "Stranger In Paradise" - (Polovtsian Dances - Borodin) Perry Como - "Til the End of Time" - (Polonaise in Abmi - Chopin) Jackie Wilson - "Night" - ("Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" from Samson and Delilah by Camille Saint-Saëns) Della Reese - "Don't You Know" - (from Puccini's La bohème) Honorable mention: Georgia Gibbs + - "Kiss of Fire" - (not a classical piece, but a vintage tango, El Choclo) ...And so many more. Thanks for the opportunity to share some of the things my brain is crammed with - No one I've ever known was interested in this pop trivia.

Eric Carmen: "all by myself" Sergei Rachmaninoff's estate: "well, not quite"

Only 1600’s kids remember

Moral of the story: if u release a fire track people will sample it even hundreds of years later

Billy Joel used the second movement of Beethoven's Pathétique Sonata for the chorus of This Night. He was considerate enough to credit the composer on the jacket of his Innocent Man LP as "L.v. Beethoven."

I put together a Pachelbel Canon list a few years ago. There may be more. The Farm - All Together now Aerosmith - Cryin' Blues Traveller - Hook (which sort of sings about putting musical "hooks" like Pachelbel in songs) One Tin Soldier - There won't be any trumpets blowing Come the Judgement Day: Los Pop Tops - Oh Lord why Lord Delirium - Paris Village People - Go West (Though you can hear it better in the Pet Shop Boys version) Maroon 5 - Memories Vampire Weekend - Step Aphrodite's Child - Rain And Tears Green Day - Basket Case Procol Harum - Sunday morning Ralf McTell - Streets of London Brian Eno - Fullness of the Wind (er, though this one is a variation on Canon) First Class - Beach Baby Percy Sledge - When a man loves a woman Oasis - Don't look back in anger Coolio - C U When U Get There Vitamin C - Graduation 2 Pac - Life Goes on Expo - This Night Akon - Lonely

So many people say they don't like classical music without ever knowing most music derives from classical.

Wait until someone sues an artist claiming they ripped off "their" rip off of a public domain song.

Disney's Sleeping Beauty movie just effectively put lyrics to Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty waltz and titled it "Once Upon a Dream".

There are also many tunes by Tchaikovsky that were turned into songs: 1. "Night birds" by Shakatak.... Hamlet overture 2. "Vereda tropical" by Gonzalo Curiel.... Rose adagio of "The sleeping beauty" 3. "Fina estampa" by Chabuca Granda... Waltz of the flowers of "The nutcracker" 4. "Si la reina de España muriera" by Los embajadores criollos..... waltz of the String serenade. 5. "Starry night" by Glenn Miller..... First movement of the Sixth symphony Etc.

moral: classical musicians were the first rockstars i honestly don’t get why this comment got so many likes😅

I was playing cannon in D and my sister starts singing Maroon 5 and I'm like 0_o

I’m glad you included, ”All By Myself” by Eric Carmen in your list. It is my favorite example of classical music in a rock/pop song. My second favorite is “Could It Be Magic” by Barry Manilow.

As you say, Eric Carmen thought it was OK to use Rachmaninov’s piece for his ‘All By Myself’. He was surprised when the composer’s estate came knocking.

The good thing is that Maroon 5 will never be able to sue someone who makes a similar song to Memories, or so I hope.

It’s nice that he actually goes in depth about the topic instead of making it a watchmojo style top 10 list

May I add: You're the Love of My Life, by Santana, taken from Brahms Symphony #3, Movement 3, Paul Simon's American Tune from Bach's O Sacred Head Now Wounded, which Bach borrowed from Hans Leo Hassler and, finally, Dan Fogelberg's Same Old Lang Syne, which, if you listen closely takes part of the melody from the 1812 Overture (some people can't hear it, but it is obvious to me). As a musician ,and teacher, I really appreciate your videos.

An interesting comment on the keyboard solo on Procol Harum's 'Turn the whiter shade of pale'. I thought it is a 'merging' of 2 Bach tunes; 'Air on a G string', and the accompaniment melody in 'Wachet Auf', (Sleepers' Wake). I think the player had learnt both tunes, and put 'bits and pieces' of each in his solo, but said, "I lost my way..." ... which remains most recognised ... from 10:40...

Im a classically trained musician. I hate"Memories", it drives me insane when the melody doesn't continue. It's like listening to Let It Go but only the "let it go" phrase.

Chord progressions can’t be copyrighted, there’s a limited amount of chord progressions that sound nice and natural to our ears. Melodies on the other hand, are another story.

I have always regarded 'Surrender' and 'It's Now or Never' as straight adaptations of 'Torna a Surriento' and 'O Sole Mio'! 'Torna a Surriento' is my favorite Neapolitan song because 'Surrender' is my favorite Elvis song before the comeback! And, of course, Barry Manilow's "Could This Be Magic' is basically a rhapsody on Chopin's great Prelude in C Minor, repeating it straight, adding an arrangement and lyrics; both versions are among my favorite pieces of music ever! Thank you Chopin and whoever wrote those wonderful Neapolitan songs!

Actually, Canon in D is amazingly for me, a Fibonacci sequence of seemingly endless combination of songs. I might end up believing that every country have their songs which are actually Canon In D based chords. For example, in my country, Philippines, there are at least 25 Filipino songs which I discovered using Canon In D progression. Examples are AKIN KA NA LANG by Morisette Amon, KUNG MAWAWALA KA by Ogie ALcasid, LASON MONG HALIK by Katrina Velarde, NANGHIHINAYANG by Jeremiah, SA ISANG SULYAP MO by 143, I'LL KEEP ON LOVING YOU by Renz Verano, HULOG NG LANGIT by Donna Cruz, IKAW AT AKO by Moira Dela Torre and the long list goes on....

And now I'm humming Canon in D instead of sleeping...

When people say they don’t like classical music 😂

A newer example that plays on this premise is “Feel my Rhythm” by kpop group Red Velvet. Their song opens immediately with the baroque tuning of Air on the G String by Bach

Hello, how can I get access to this version of the Canon in D score? Thank you, great video btw.

Queen was straightforward about adapting classical music to rock. Even freddie said that he wanted to bring the ballet to the mases or something simmilar

To be fair, classical composers often took folk melodies as a starting point.

In concert, Dan Fogelberg introduced his song “Same Auld Lang Syne” by saying it was inspired by Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. The melody is very close, and made me appreciate both works even more.

I remember my parents repeating a commercial, "No more rice crispies! We've run out of rice crispies!" to the opera tune that Mercury used. Note: many of these composers that ripped of "classical" music (perhaps more correct would be "chamber" music) were also trained in the classics, so they were quite familiar with these works. Funny, quoting another's work in Jazz is almost encouraged, not just acceptable.

Pop: Hey, Classical! Can I copy your homework? Classical: Sure! Just change it a little.

I mean, taking from canon in D isn't really being sneaky or anything as EVERYONE on planet earth will hear it's taken from canon d.

Open question? Please, does anyone know what the superb music software that David uses to show the clear melody and chords with? Thanks!

I’d bet this has come up already (not sorting through 13k comments), but two jazz standards are also derived from Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2: “I Think of You” (1941?) and “Full Moon and Empty Arms” (1945). Interestingly, both were published while the original work was protected by copyright, even in the U.S. (“I Think of You” was apparently published while Rachmaninoff was still alive.) While “I Think of You” is a bit obscure and certainly less recorded, “Full Moon and Empty Arms” has been recorded by probably a half dozen or more big artists. I wonder if the songwriters encountered any legal troubles from Rachmaninoff’s estate.

Modern Music : Can I copy your homework? Classical Music : Sure, Just change a few things so it's not obvious.

Ok, so basically I've been listening to classical music all these years, without realising.

Interesting video, and some really good examples. I like the way you have delved into it to take examples from every aspect. I love the fact that modern music does find itself being based on classic so often. I think Carmen's 'All by Myself' sums it up. He got a fair deal, but he also created a beautiful song that is very different in everything it does from the very beautiful and famous Rachmaninov piece ... and I am saying this as a big Rachmaninov fan. There is room in this world for both!

Brazilian pianist Antônio Carlos Jobim has a beautiful “version” of Chopin’s prelude! It’s called “insensatez”. I love your videos!👏👏👏👏👏

A moment of appreciation here, the effort and amount of labour that went into making this video is so nice for the receiving end. Watched it twice since I love references in (modern) music but this segment broadened that horizon quite a bit. Thank you.

Proof, everyone likes classical at least a little bit.

Hey David, I have a few for you; what do you think of this two: Prelude in e Minor by Chopin and Insensatez by Carlos Jobim, key figure in Bossa Nova.

Great video! Another one from Rachmaninov’s 2nd piano concerto: Muse - Space Dementia at the end of the chorus “and tear us apart, and make us meaningless again”

Some musicians do that subconsciously. I know a musician, a friend of mine, that told me that he had stayed up all night composing some music only to find out that he had literally ripped it off a classical piece measure for measure, he said " I was so disappointed and just went to bed after realizing what I did"

This is what music is all about. In the words of the unselfish Freddy M "do what you like with my music, just don't make me boring".

1:00 I feel Pachelbel's Canon is possibly more present in popular music than any other classical composition. Other examples are "Together Again" Janet Jackson, "See You When You Get There" Coolio, "Graduation (Friends Forever)" Vitamin C, "All Together Now" The Farm, "Rain and Tears" Aphrodite's Child(early example), "Cloud 9" Nik Kershaw....oh yes and Sonic the Hedgehog (Master System) Bridge Zone by Yuzo Koshiro.

Good content, I’ll bet your list is much longer. You demonstrate the similarity to the original very well. I don’t know the origins of the pop music I listened to is that old.

Hendrix's music in 2040: *enters public domain* Hip-hop artists: "it's free real estate!"

So basically Phoebe Buffay can still go after Ariana Grande's 7 Rings.

Might want to check copyright laws. I believe works written 1978 and after are protected 70 years after the death of the composer, but works written before 1978 are protected 95 years after the date of composition or publication. So anything written before 1928 is currently in public domain.

A number one hit in the seventies here in the Netherlands was: if I had words by Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley. (Saint Saens)

Maroon 5: 'Hey Pachelbel, can I copy your homework?' Pachelbel: 'Sure, just change it up a bit' Maroon 5: Memories.

Copyright has expired.. Disney: hold my beer..

Hey, David, maybe you can help me identify a song. My dad used to sing some lyrics to a theme from the first movement of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto 2 (the first classical piece to which he introduced me). The lyrics, as he sang them, went, "I will bring you music, swiftly as a bird my song will fly... Through the night the music, of violins comes stealing through the gloom..." Now, knowing my dad, some of those lyrics are probably off by a word or three, but I could have sworn that some years ago I found the popular song with those lyrics set to the first movement. I can't for the live of me, find the lyrics now. Do you have any idea what song that might have been. Thanks!

Leonard Bernstein's "Somewhere" from West Side Story is taken in parts from measures of Beethoven's Piano Concerto #5 (2nd Movement Theme), Richard Strauss's Burleske for Piano and Orchestra (2nd Theme), and Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake (Song of the Swan). Lesson: When you steal, steal from the best.

Eric Carmen must’ve really loved Rachmaninoff; and Rachmaninoff’s estate must’ve really loved Eric Carmen.

It took me so long to convince people of the similarities of Memories/Canon. Had me feeling like I was insane 😂

R.I.P. Eric Carmen today 12-03-24. Hope he and Rach can settle their pending issues amicably in the beyond. 😢

"Midnight Blue" by Louise Tucker (released in 1982) is pretty much Beethoven's "Sonata Pathétique" with words added (I do actually like the song and Louise Tucker has a beautiful voice).

I would be really mad if i listen to Canon in D by Pachelbel and someone hears it and says: "omg is Memories (instrumental)" EDIT: Ooommmmgggg!! Thankkk you guysss!! I didnt notice i had 1k the most i ever had is like 40 likes xd

4:07 “for example, what does this piece remind you of?” Me immediately: that scene from Spongebob where handsome Squidward gets whacked back to normal

I know I’m super late to this video, but another song that very clearly “copies” a classical music piece is the hit track “Play that Song” by Train. It heavily borrows the melody of “Heart and Soul” by Hoagy Carmichael and Frank Loesser in the chorus. “Play that Song” is yet a second example of a popular song that basically just adds lyrics to the melody line of a classical tune. I apologize if this has already been mentioned by someone else in the comments. I simply felt it should be included on the list of pop songs that show significant classical music influence. Excellent video, David!

17:34 I wonder what brand names and models those keyboards in the background are

"I wish I found some chords in an order that is new" 21 pilots, stressed out

Pop musicians when they classical music: *•It’s free real estate•*

"United States of Eurasia" by "Muse" has a piano solo that is clearly "Nocturne in Eb major" by Chopin.

Wow, the amount of detail, and work into this is amazing. The clarity, the depth of understanding needed to put something like this is top notch. And then you have the video making ability to put it into a tutorial, just incredible. Subscribed!

Billy Joel's 'This Night' is based on Beethoven Sonata Pathetique Second Movement and Barry Manilow's song "Could it Be Magic" is based on Chopin's Prelude in C minor, Opus 28, Number 20.

Me: *plays Canon in D on the stage* Audience: *starts singing Memories* Pachelbel: am i a joke to u? EDIT: spelling

The thing many people don't realize about Eric Carmen and Rachmaninoff was that there was actualy a third song on his first solo album that is grounded in Rachmaninoff's work. "My Girl" was obviously inspired by the FIRST movement of the Piano Concerto #2, which comes through very clearly if you know the concerto, as it opens with a French-horn solo that is taken directly from that movement of the concerto, and its melody pops up again in the bridge. None of this is to say at all that Carmen is just setting the Rachmaninoff melodies to lyrics, though. What he did in essence with these songs is take the parts that are direct quotes from Rachmaninoff and flesh them out into full, original songs. The chorus of "All By Myself" doesn't appear anywhere in Rachmaninoff, and neither does the beautiful piano solo in the middle of the full-length version; that's all Carmen. The verses of "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" are all Carmen, and although the bridge again is taken from that same symphony that inspired the chorus, it's the clarinet solo from the same movement, and the way he works it in is quite clever. Carmen's biggest mistake, and an understandable one, was in not realizing the variations between U.S public domain and public domain elsewhere back when he wrote these pieces. As a result, he's ended up earning the Rachmaninoff estate a pretty penny over the years, especially on "All By Myself." But it wasn't even the first pop song to be inspired by the "Rach 2"--that was probably "Full Moon and Empty Arms," which took its melody from the THIRD movement of the concerto. And yes, its composers had to share writing royalties too, especially because it was written in the mid-'40s.

Don't know if anyone has mentioned this but - borrowing from classical music certainly existed in the Big Band era. The most famous is Benny Goodman's Let's Dance which the melody is adapted from Invitation to the Dance by Carl Maria von Weber. No copyright issues, as that piece was written in 1819.

Yoko Ono: *plays moonlight sonata* John Lennon: Good, now play it backwards

The fist time I heard memories I was like, wait that's Canon in D. I haven't heard anybody else talk about it (granted I've never looked) but I'm glad that I'm not the only one that noticed the correlation.

By the way, it's not that Canon in D isn't in copyright anymore - it never was! When Johann Pachelbel wrote that song, Copyright wasn't even a thing yet. He just gifted a piece of music to Johann Sebastian Bach for his wedding. He didn't even expected to be paid for it, as his major job was that of a famous Organist who played in many churches in the HRR. The term copyright evolved in the classical period, when composers like Mozart, Händel or Beethoven began to write either for a specific customer who then earned the right to use it first or a music printing company, who got the right to sell copies of the sheets to pianists, orchestras etc. Copyright law was only established in the 20th century, when classical composers, who feared of losing income when radio stations could broadcast their music for free to everyone, wanted some of the revenue from the broadcasters. Before that broadcasters were allowed to play the music as they want, as long as they had bought the sheets/record legally. So the RIAA, AKM, GEMA etc. got established together with law that says that every creative work is under the copyright and the creative can decide what he wants to do with it. In the end that didn't happened, as many record companies just take away the copyright from the artist

Nice video. Maybe an even better example for Chopin is Jane B, by Jane Birkin. Of course she's more of an actress than a singer, but I've always found that song quite mesmerizing.

Rachmaninoff's music: *exists* Eric Carmen: "I got a hit !!!"

Lots of people call classical works "songs," when they're "pieces." It warms my heart to see someone not getting it confused.

I think it is possible to copy a prior melody or chord progression without intentionally knowing, or even hearing the original at some point. After all, the choices in music are not always infinite. Just as important ideas sometimes occur to several people at the same time, it is certainly possible in music as well.

Also, RIP to Eric Carmen... he did this *twice*, and Rachmaninoff has co-writer credit on those songs now -- and his estate was getting half the royalties. (Wait; only 12%?)

I loved when you played Canon over Memories. It was like the instrumental was continuing; it sounded really cool.

Train’s “play that song” is a rip off of “heart and soul”

The Spanish subtitles for this video are super well done, do you speak Spanish? Thanks so much for adding those anyway. Learning a lot from your videos.

I seriously thought he was purposely using that melody

Memories by Maroon 5 literally makes me want to vomit because I’m so traumatized by having to play Pachelbel for weddings ALL THE TIME I get so triggered when I hear it

I remember listening for the first time "Memories" by Maroon 5 with some friends and being like "Dudes, thats literally Canon in D" "Nah, I dont know what you talking 'bout" "wHatChA mEaN? It'S LiTtEraLlY CaNOn and ThEy aRe GeTtInG aWay with IT!!" Edit: typos

There are also pieces that are pop/rock adaptations such as Rick Wakeman's Cans & Brahms from Yes's album Fragile as well as several works by ELP, including Pictures at an Exhibition, Fanfare for the Common Man or Greg Lake's I believe in Father Christmas.

I never knew that about Eric Carmens songs until today. Aged 62, I have heard these songs over and over again. However today I see he knocked off the chords and melody for both tunes !! Thank you for the enlightenment.

Spoiler alert: everyone rips off Pachelbel's Canon.

*Things that will never enter the public domain:* *Micky Mouse*

I had this video recommended to me by our sound production professor and I'm surprised that one of the classical pieces I like Prelude to E Minor by Rousseau is actually related to my favorite Radiohead song Exit Music (for a film)!!!! That's so cool, thanks for this video.

Another and frankly more famous pop song than many featured here that borrowed from classical music was “Lover’s Concerto” by The Toys in 1965. It was based on Petzold’s “Minuet in G” in 1725. It hit number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year. “Lover’s Concerto” was featured in one of the classroom scenes in the Richard Dreyfuss film “Mr. Holland’s Opus” when Dreyfuss the substitute teacher uses that song to illustrate the roots of modern music and reach his students.

"Music cannot be created nor can it be destroyed , rather it changes from one form to another"

Ironic that a video about 'repurposing' music has to use a cover to avoid a copyright strike.

Would you know who the composer (French baroque I think) is that the descending bass line of the intro to stairway to heaven is?

A couple of pop songs Ican think of are " If I had words" by Yvonne Keeley and Scott Fitzgetald (1977) which is taken directly from Saint Saëns Organ Symphony, and secondly, Strawberry Switchblade Since Yesterday ?1985

Canon in D is etched in everybody’s brain: it is the opposite of stealing, songwriters’ brain are invaded by Canon in D. It takes extra effort to write something other than Canon in D.

Classical music: Exists Musical artists: It's free real estate

Outstanding video, easy to understand even for non musically trained people and very informative, great job!