Is Sleepwalk inspired by Dors, Mon Amour ?

[negninegaw]

There was a song called: "Dors, mon amour", winner in the European song contest for France in 1958.
It sounds a lot like Sleepwalk, especially the first 2 sentences.
But then there's also the Amercan instrumental song Sleepwalk by Santo and Johnny, from '59.
They were probably inspired by the French song? And then The Shadows, etc.

[Didier]

Looks like there was some inspiration (voluntarily or not) :



"Dors, mon amour" = "Sleep, my love"

Didier

[noelford]

Yes, very similar. Santo and Johnny's Sleepwalk was actually written in 1958. However, if you go back to 1929, then the 'inspiration' for this French song was probably Sigmund Romberg's, Softly, As In The Morning Sunrise!'

[JimN]

Yes, very similar. Santo and Johnny's Sleepwalk was actually written in 1958. However, if you go back to 1929, then the 'inspiration' for this French song was probably Sigmund Romberg's, Softly, As In The Morning Sunrise!'

???

The late Johnny Smith, who ought to have known, confirmed that Romberg's Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise, is (a bit more than) the inspiration for his famous composition Walk - Don't Run!.

The chord sequences were identical and the rearranging of the changes from of SAIAMS into WDR was done in an effort to allow improvisation without having to pay royalties.

Hank quotes Softly As In A Morning Sunrise on the studio version of Jet Black - and did so without having heard the Ventures' version of WDR, though he might have heard either the Smith original or the Chet Atkins recording (on "Chet Atkins In Hi-Fi").

[noelford]

???

Jim, you are infinitely more knowledgeable in this department than I, and I certainly don't dispute the facts as you present them.

However, I think the first four bars of the melody line of 'Softly..', are much closer to Sleepwalk than Walk Don't Run. More noticeable, I think, on this Bobby Darin version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPPBZLduocI

The only close similarity between WDR and 'Softly...', to my ears, is the descending chord sequence on other versions - a chord sequence that has been used for countless other tunes.

[negninegaw]

It is still possible that Santo and Johnny were inspired by the winner of the European song contest in 1958.
It could not have been the other way around, as Sleep Walk only became a hit in 1959.
I find that Dors, mon Amour is much closer to 'Sleep Walk' than 'Softly, as in the morning sunrise'.
I guess we could ask the brothers Farina, as they are still with us (NY).
I like their modification of the iv chord (F) from major to minor.

[negninegaw]

The French composer of "Dors" Hubert Giraud is also still alive (wikipedia). He is in his nineties.
Maybe some of our French members could ask his opinion about this matter?
He must have been aware of the 'similarities'.

[Didier]

The French composer of "Dors" Hubert Giraud is also still alive (wikipedia). He is in his nineties.
Maybe some of our French members could ask his opinion about this matter?
He must have been aware of the 'similarities'.

I did some researchs about Hubert Giraud who is now 93. He is said to be retired in Valbonne on the French Riviera, but found no way to reach him. He composed many successful tunes and won many awards. One of his latest composition was for Céline Dion in 1982.

Didier

[abstamaria]

Interesting thread, this.

By the way, the Ventures play an F chord where the Shadows use an F minor; that probably underscores the difference between the two bands.

Andy

[Iain Purdon]

Do you mean: the Shadows copied Santo & Johnny's F minor and the Ventures didn't?