20060809

More music mix-ups

Since hearing "Smiley Faces" by Gnarls Barkley, I've been convinced that it reminds me of a Beatles song -- I just couldn't recall which one. So today, instead of doing any proper work, I sat down and listened through the complete Beatles back catelogue to see if I could identify which song I was thinking of. And after a couple of hours, I came up with "Tomorrow never knows".

(It's those little sound effects in the background, not the song or tune itself that is similar).

On close listening, the sounds are quite different, it doesn't seem likely that GB sampled the Beatles. So am I just making up this connection? As usual, my only way to tell is to websearch for the terms to see if anyone else has made a similar observation. Well, it's just possible based on this fact: a DJ played both tracks back to back recently. So perhaps he also made some comment about what I perceive as a similarity? Unfortunately, I got to this a day to late, since the BBC has kindly deleted the show from their Listen Again facility. So unless someone happened to hear this, or had a similar thought themselves, then we may never know. Ah well, the Internet can only get you so far...

2 comments:

plentyofants said...

it doesn't seem likely that GB sampled the Beatles

Yes, what could possibly convince a member of Gnarls Barkley, the one who does the sampling, to sample the Beatles' Tomorrow Never Knows for a record? Though no, I don't think it is in this case, but the background sound effects and beats definitely give that same sound to it.

As ever, I can't work out if your entire post is an elaborate piss-take and you're aware of all of this though...

AC said...

I don't find the two similar even after being told, at least based on the slice of the GB song available at the amazon site.

There were probably 1-2 seconds of backwards guitar in the GB song, that's the closest it comes to being similar to Tomorrow Never Knows. The rhythm is totally different, as is the tune, and even the texture of the overall mix.