"O Sole Mio" and "It's Now or Never": The Same Song?

Wow, interesting. Thanks, everyone, for your participation in my thread. I had no idea that's what is was, or that there were so many songs like that.

Now that I think about it, I know of another one. Did you guys know that Britney Spears' hit song "Oops I did it again" was actually an old negro spiritual called "Old Buckethead's Sorrow", reworked with the lyric added?

Crazy, huh?

"Stranger in Paradise" from the old play Kismet, was based on a theme from Prince Igor, by Alexander Borodin.

You just beat me to it, Phoenix, since it popped immediately into my mind, my just having seen American Ballet Theater dance the "Polovetsian Dances", the Prince Igor segment containing that melody.

A related bit of trivia which I find interesting refers to the old 20's tune "Yes, We Have No Bananas, We Have No Bananas Today". The first four words follow "Hallelujah" from the "Hallelujah Chorus". Add "bananas", followed by "Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me" from "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean." Unless your old enough to be familiar with "Yes, We Have No Bananas", you'll have to take my word for it.

Then there is always the case of "He's so Fine" becoming "My Sweet Lord".

I once saw a one woman show with Tovah Feldshuh. For those who are not familiar with her, she has often played a defense attorney on "Law & Order".

Anyhow, she was talking about "It Ain't Necessarily So", from "Porgy and Bess", by George Gershwin. She said that the tune was taken from a Hebrew prayer. Sure enough, when I sung it in my head, it was!

I believe there was a law suit about this, Joe. I can't recall the outcome, tho...

Paul Simon's "American Tune" is based on Salve Caput Cruentatum

A long time ago I ran a coffeehouse. We were amateurs singing our music and a lot of covers too, but our thing was trying to get new music out there. One night, this guy got up and sang uh, er, perfectly fine words over the melody of "It Ain't Necessarily So." Perfectly fine, meaning they fit, but they were not the lyrics from Porgy and Bess. I don't know who was stunned more, we in the audience who were hearing this obvious rip-off or the nameless singer who was insistent that the melody was his and his alone. There were words exchanged with audience members.

When one of the regulars started the next set with It Ain't Necessarily So,
(the real one), the guy's eyes got as big as saucers, he left and we never saw him again.

Joe(and now, live and in color)Nation

Well, since nobody caught it (or maybe you all just didn't care, but that possibility is too horrible for me to imagine), I have to 'fess up. Britney Spears' song "Oops I did it again" is not taken from an old negro spiritual named "Old Buckethead's Sorrow". I was just screwing with you guys.

"Old Buckethead's Sorrow" is a damn cool fake song name though, don't you think?

Good morning, kicky. Never heard of that fake book, but here's another twin:

Flow Gently Sweet Afton and Away in a Manger.

"Old Buckethead's Sorrow" is, indeed, a way cool name for an old blues tune, Joe!

Hey, d'art. I think you're fencing up the wrong tree. That wasn't Joe--that was kicky and he, too, has said ciao. Never heard of "Old Buckethead's Sorrow", I'm sorry to say.

Well, for five hundred A2K points who covered "To Anacreon in Heaven," and with what song?



Joe(You Aussies,put your hands down.)Nation

Ah, Joe, that's soooooooooooooo easy. The tune to The Star Spangled Banner....an old English drinking song if I recall.

Aussies? hmmmm.

Right. It's 500 to nothing in favor of Letty.

I was afraid the Ozmens would answer incorrectly. They are still singing
"To Anacreon in Heaven," with it's orginal words.

Joe(so I'm told)Nation

Yes, they are one and the same tunefully as is Tony Martin's, There's No Tomorrow. Elvis heard Martin's version and asked for new lyrics to be written.

George Harrison's, My Sweet Lord was found to be a copyright infringement of, He's So Fine. He lost the case but swore it was not intentional.

Domenico Modungio did the original. I may have spelled his last name incorrectly. At any rate, his version is all Italian.

Both of them are a rip off of the Cornetto advert.