The ShadowMusic Web Community

Driving home yesterday evening and listening to Classic FM, I heard a tune called "Old Boston" written by George Martin (yes, THAT George Martin). I was struck by how similar the A section is to a certain other tune (melody and chord sequence):

What do you think?

If you know it, let a few other people try it before posting your answer.

- - - - - - ?

In a word 'Janine'

dave robinson wrote:In a word 'Janine'

Your coconut on its way…

Dammit, I can't eat anything with coconut in it at the moment...

What a lovely piece of music. Right up my street in terms of classical (although it might benefit from a larger orchestral arrangement. Yes, some definite similarities to Janine (which has long been a favourite of mine). I wonder if Peter Downes ever heard this.

There are clearer similarities between tunes, though - if not blatant musical rip-offs. The main guitar theme of Gary Moore's Still Got the Blues (1990) is a carbon copy of a certain Lionel Richie song which the Shads covered in the 1980s. Couldn't believe my ears when I heard it - I have no idea how it didn't result in a court case!

EDIT: I've just read that Moore lost a plagiarism case concerning Still Got the Blues... but because of a similarity to another song.

"Still Got The Blues" is very similar to "Parisienne Walkways".

When I was listening to Old Boston in the car, I could not think of the tune to which it was similar (in truth, there are a number of compositions which feature that sort of chord change and harmonic development, including compositions by Lalo Schifrin and Frances Lai).

One of the titles that suggested itself because of the very "mathematical", fugue-like chord changes was indeed Parisienne Walkways. When the record finished (on Classic FM), I switched off the radio in order to let my brain concentrate on what I'd heard. It was only as I reversed into the drive that the last few bars of Janine came to mind.

Nothing distinctive enough for me, I have a few ideas, but no concrete ones

If Johann Pachebel was alive today, he'd say " ''arf a mo! That was inspired by my Canon!"