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7 Famous Musicians Who Stole Some of Their Biggest Hits

7 Famous Musicians Who Stole Some of Their Biggest Hits

By: Mohammed Shariff May 29, 2012

A lot of people accuse hip-hop artists of stealing their best music. You can't get through a rap song nowadays without hearing bits and snippets of other popular songs that have been "sampled" in. On one hand, it sucks, because now your favorite song is ruined. But on the other hand, at least you have something to complain about now.

What most people don't understand, however, is that those original artists probably "sampled" their songs from someone else who had also sampled in their music, and on and on in an eternal circle of "legitimate" theft. Artists like ...

Read more: 7 Famous Musicians Who Stole Some of Their Biggest Hits | Cracked.com http://www.cracked.com/article_19848_7-famous-musicians-who-stole-s...

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Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on June 13, 2012 at 11:00am

Should we also mention:

Eric Carmen, who created "Never Gonna Fall In Love Again" in whole cloth from the third movement of Rachmaninoff's Second Symphony.
Led Zeppelin, who took the lead melody of their classic "Stairway to Heaven" from the LA band Spirit's instrumental, Taurus.

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on June 13, 2012 at 11:02am

Thanks for the videos! You are right! The list they gave is far from complete.

Permalink Reply by Tammy S on June 13, 2012 at 11:46am

Okay now you're just showing off Loren! LOL I love Rachmaninoff, you and Mr. Carmen have excellent taste! /ambles off singing softly... All by myself.... don't wanna live... all by myself... anymore...

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on June 13, 2012 at 11:52am

You know Eric stole THAT one, too, right?

Permalink Reply by Tammy S on June 13, 2012 at 11:57am

Tis why I hummed it at ya!

Permalink Reply by Tony Carroll on June 13, 2012 at 11:12am

What's a little petty larceny amongst friends, huh? We all riff off each other anyway. I guess it just depends on the degree of the rip. Complete ripoff, variation of a theme, or inspiration. You decide.

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on June 13, 2012 at 11:15am

Right Tony. I see your point.

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on June 13, 2012 at 11:27am

Good artists borrow; GREAT artists Steal!
-- Pablo Picasso

Permalink Reply by Tony Carroll on June 13, 2012 at 11:31am

And they always acknowledge their influences.

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on June 13, 2012 at 12:39pm

Tony, they might acknowledge it when asked ... but I've heard James Horner quote from Prokofiev, Khachaturian, and Shostakovich in multiple film soundtracks and NEVER were those quotes mentioned in the credits!

He's not the only guilty party, but he IS one of the more blatant and frequent offenders!

Permalink Reply by James Yount on June 13, 2012 at 11:43pm

Everybody borrows from everybody else. I don't consider it stealing as long as they acknowledge their influences and put their own spin on the original. Dance is another genre that it happens in all the time. Check out this video of Michael Jackson and Bob Fosse