Musical Allusions in EC Songs
- Accidents Will Happen
- first three notes sound similar to I Wanna Hold Your Hand. Supposedly borrows from a Dusty Springfield song as well.
- Alison
- resemblance to 'Tracks of My Tears'. EC has said this song is based on 'Ghetto Child' by the Spinners (VH1 Storytellers segment)
- Almost Blue
- inspired by Chet Baker's instrumental version of 'Thrill is Gone'
- Almost Ideal Eyes
- tune at one point, very appropriately, appropriates part of the melody of the standard 'Where or When'. The latter is about Deja Vu, which is a subject close to David Crosby, for whom AIE was written. (cain@dynatem.com)
- And in Every Home
- uses the Beatles/Clapton lick that's used on side 2 of Abbey Road and Badge. Among the musical jokes in Steve Nieve's orchestral 'derangement' for this song are quotes from 'Eleanor Rigby', 'The 1812 Overture', 'Rhapsody in Blue', and the theme from the 'Tom and Jerry' cartoon. Also sounds like 'Threepenny Opera' in places. (EC - Imperial Bedroom interview disk.)
- The Beat
- opening line is from Cliff Richard and the Shadows' 'Summer Holiday' The opening section of Nick Lowe's 'So it Goes' uses the same chord progression as the line 'she's your friend'(val@ROGERSWAVE.CA)
- Battered Old Bird
- this song about EC's boyhood has an opening similar to that of the Beatles' 'This Boy' and has piano chording reminiscent of John Lennon's 'Mother'. (cain@dynatem.com)
- Beaten to the Punch
- intro similar to 'Taxman' by the Beatles. (j-lange@dsv.su.se)
- \Big Sister
- riff from 'Under My Thumb' by the Rolling Stones
- Big Tears
- The opening similar to the original version of 'Gloria' (Ravsky@aol.com)
- Black Sails in the Sunset
- 'minor relative' of Oliver's Army, according to EC. The line '..steps quite clearly' has same melody as '..not conversational' from 'Talking in the Dark'
- Blue Chair
- 'oh ho ho ho ho' taken from Beatles 'Anna' (on Please Please Me album; written by Arthur Alexander)
- Brand New Hairdo
- one of the two repeated guitar riffs is taken from Tom Petty's 'Century City'. (cain@dynatem.com)
- Brilliant Mistake
- similar to Dylans' 'Tangled Up in Blue'
- Busy Bodies
- Guitar riff reminiscent of Roy Orbison's 'Oh Pretty Woman'
- Charm School
- the repeated keyboard riff quotes from the theme song of the film Summer of '42.
- Clown Strike
- EC has played 'Break on Through' by the Doors at the end of this song in concert. The 'doo-dee-doop-doops' are similar to those in Van Morrison's 'Jackie Wilson Said'. Closely related (thematically) to "Dear Madame Barnum" by XTC on their "Nonsuch" album. (shaws@aol.com)
- Clowntime is Over
- melody akin to 'Cathy's Clowns' by the Everly Bros.?
- Clubland
- bass line similar to 'On Broadway'
- Complicated Shadows
- -steals riff from 'Jumping Jack Flash' and background vocals (the 'oooooohs') from 'Let It Bleed' (hosken@c31.rm.op.dlr.de). The song's melodic line and vocals are reminiscent of 'Put You Down,' the opening track from Alejandro Escovedo's 'With These Hands' (Nicky Baxter, Metro magazine). The ending is similar to the Stones' When The Whip Comes Down (cfriedri@WELCHLINK.WELCH.JHU.EDU). The maracas and tambourine in the second verse seem to be a minor tribute to Jimmy Miller's production style with the Rolling Stones (janw@tiac.net).
- Deportees Club
- chorus sounds similar to the chorus in the Woody Guthire song Deportee which was record by the Byrds in 1969. (dattijoh@hotmail.com)
- Different Finger
- recalls 'Save the Last Dance for Me' (ravsky@aol.com)
- Distorted Angel
- bass line is similar to guitar figure from 'IDWTGT Chelsea' (EC sung the lyrics to Chelsea over the music to Distorted Angel during a show in NYC 1996-08-12) (mqd8478@is2.NYU.EDU). Arrangement of intro similar to the Doors' 'Riders on the Storm' (iflax@vis.com). The word 'Angel', sung on its own towards the end of the song is remiscent of David Bowie's 'Golden Years' on 'Station To Station'. (lyaau@libris.lib.warwick.ac.uk)
- Favourite Hour
- The slow opening piano chord progression is highly reminiscent of the slow opening piano chord progression of Lennon's 'Isolation' (from the Plastic Ono Band). (ravsky@aol.com)
- Forgive Her Anything
- borrows part of its melody from Joni Mitchell's 'Both Sides Now (Clouds)'. (cain@dynatem.com)
- From A Whisper To A Scream
- the background instrumentation during the verse is highly reminiscent of the same for Marvin Gaye's 'Ain't That Peculiar' (ravsky@aol.com)
- Georgie And Her Rival
- opening verse echoes piano intro to 'Oliver's Army' (ravsky@aol.com)
- Getting Mighty Crowded
- similar to 'See Saw' by Aretha Franklin (from 'Aretha Now' album released in 1968) , written by Steve Cropper and Don Covay. (jdpayne@prairienet.org)
- God's Comic
- - tune resembles 'Lullabye in Birdland.' (ravsky@aol.com)
- Hand in Hand
- also has the 'Be My Baby' drum part accompanying the verse. (goopsoup@iastate.edu)
- Heathen Town
- 'And the devil will drag you under/by the sharp tailfin of your checkered cab' is lifted from 'Guys and Dolls'. The song is 'Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat' and the lyric is 'And the devil will drag you under/by the sharp lapel of your checkered coat.'
- High Fidelity
- steals riff from a Supremes song 'When The Love Light Starts to Shine'?? Opening lyric is from 'Some Things You Never Get Used To' by the Supremes.
- Home Truth
- 'I switch on the TV again and the world comes crashing in' compare this to Talking Head's 'Television Man' (recorded about 12 months later) 'And the world comes crashing into my living room'. Quotes The Righteous Brothers' "You've lost that lovin' feeling" "You don't close your eyes when we kiss" (agneta.adeen@ostrasmaland.se)
- Home Is Anywhere You Hang Your Head
- the melody of the last few words of the chorus is from Day After Day by Badfinger (jrobertson@wlb.hwwilson.com)
- Honey Are You Straight Or Are You Blind?
- intro similar to the Doors' 'Break on Through' (berlyant@eden.rurgers.edu)
- How To Be Dumb
- same guitar riff as Next Time Round, ending echoes 'Stand' by REM. Also similar to Warren Zevon's 'Ain't That Pretty At All', bass line of 'Twist and Shout', and 'Away From Home' by Stewart Copeland (recorded under the pseudonym Klark Kent). Similarities to 'Like A Rolling Stone' by Dylan. The organ throughout cops Al Kooper's vibe, the lyrics are a scathing rebuke to a former 'loved one', and the guitar lick at the end before the last chorus is nearly identical to the original. (DWeil2@aol.com)
- I Almost Had A Weakness
- chorus same as 'Looney Tunes' theme.
- IDWTGT Chelsea
- guitar hook from Pioneer's song 'Long Shot Kick de Bucket'?. Opening similar to 'Pushing Too Hard' by the Seeds. Fuzz bass tone (mostly audible on headphones) similar to that in George Harrison's 'Think For Yourself' (janw@tiac.net)
- I Throw My Toys Around
- quotes melody from child's song "It's raining it's pouring" (much like Sly Stone's Everyday People). (ravsky@aol.com)
- I Turn Around
- the first line of the song, the words 'you say you will and I say you won't' is a rephrasing of Carl Perkins' Honey Don't (i.e., 'How come you say you will when you won't, say you do honey when you don't'). (ravsky@aol.com)
- I Want To Vanish
- The opening bars are reminiscent of 'Inch Worm' (by Frank Loesser, from the movie 'Hans Christian Anderson') (ravsky@aol.com). The line 'You arrange the mirrors and the spools' echoes 'treat me like a piece of human furniture' from 'Seconds Of Pleasure' (ravsky@aol.com). Opening bars are lifted from 'Deserted Cities of the Heart' by Cream (wasigle@ibm.net)
- I Want You
- The bass line recalls that of the 60's song 'Sunny' (ravsky@aol.com). Portion of 'I Want You' melody (i.e. the part accompanying the words 'I'm not ashamed to say I cried for you') recalls portion of melody from song 'Two for the Road' by Mancini (accompanying the lyrics 'in Winter we'll drink Summer wine') (ravsky@aol.com). 'I've had my fun if I don't get well no more' is the first line of St. Louis Jimmy's blues standard 'Going Down Slow,' also recorded by Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, B.B. King, Guitar Slim, and most recently, Eric Clapton. (janw@tiac.net)
- I'm Not Angry
- opening riff is directly lifted from Beatles' I'm Happy Just To Dance With You.
- Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver)
- Guitar chord progression following the line, "I'll go out of my mind if I'm losing your touch" seems lifted from the John Cale song Cable Hogue, on his Helen of Troy album. (samsa@pacifier.com)
- Inch By Inch
- bass intro and break are lifted from 'I'm Only Sleeping'
- Invisible Man
- coda echoes Beatles' 'You Won't See Me'
- It's Starting To Come To Me
- similar to Bob Dylan's 'Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts' from 'Blood on the Tracks.' (soulbarn@earthlink.net). Opening instrumental reminiscent of 'Marrakesh Express' by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (Roylopez@aol.com)
- It's Time
- resembles 'God Shuffled His Feet' by the Crash Test Dummies. The guitar riff after the second 'You must see it's time that you went' similar to 'Interstate Love Song' by Stone Temple Pilots (tarnown@carleton.edu). 'This Magic Moment' is an old song covered by Jay and the Americans in the mid 60's (ravsky@aol.com). Contains lyrical references to 'The Party's Over' from the musical 'The Bells Are Ringing' (ravsky@aol.com). Resembles 'Sweet Talking' by the Heptones (the version reissued on Heartbeat/Rounder Records disc entitled Fire Down Below) (eddieg@cerf.net).
- Jack Of All Parades
- opening melody recalls melody accompanying words 'Fly away Kentucky Bluebird' from the '60s song 'Message to Michael.' (ravsky@aol.com)
- Just A Memory
- opening piano sequence recalls opening piano sequence in Phil Ochs' song 'Flower Lady' (Ravsky@aol.com). It also is similar to 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' on my Head' by Burt Bacharach. EC has in fact combined these tunes in concert. (bigter@mindspring.com)
- Just About Glad
- - during the refrain 'They called time and vodka and lime in some far flung Canadian club (just about glad),' the melody accompanying the words 'just about glad' recalls the repeated three note guitar phrase from Get Back (by the Beatles). (ravsky@aol.com) The bass line in 'Just About Glad' follows the melody, a reference/tribute to Ron Wood of the Faces. He thought this was hilarious, since the Faces' songs were about looking to get lucky, while 'Just About Glad' is a song about the singer being happy he and a girl HADN'T gotten lucky. (msseghers@us.fortis.com)
- Kid About It
- the notes accompanying the words 'So what if this is a man's world' recall melody line from the Seguidilla in Bizet's opera 'Carmen.' (ravsky@aol.com)
- King Horse
- guitar figure from the Four Tops' 'I'll be there'. EC has performed this song with the O'Jays' 'The Backstabbers' tacked on to the end during the PTC tour with the TKO horns. Sounds very similar to 'Its All Too Much' by the Beatles. (ravsky@aol.com)
- King Of Confidence
- the line 'It's hard to be your lover let alone your confidant/you say you know what I need but you don't know who I want' appears to be a variation on a line in Bob Dylan's 'Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again' - 'Your debutante just knows what you need/but I know what you want.' (102374.2530@compuserve.com)
- Last Boat Leaving
- The first two lines, both words and music, recall the opening words and tune of the traditional song 'All My Sorrows Lord, Soon be Over.' The traditional song, begins 'Hush little baby don't you cry, you know your [daddy/mama] is bound to die.' (ravsky@aol.com)
- Less Than Zero
- opening sounds like the opening of 'Hang on Sloopy.' (Ravsky@aol.com)
- Let Them All Talk
- 'Fa fa fa' is reference to an Otis Redding song of the same name.
- Lip Service
- 6th chord at end like the end of 'She Loves You'
- Lipstick Vogue
- There's a Yardbirds tribute placed into the middle of 'Lipstick Vogue'. The percolating, crescendoeing roundelay of combo playing amongst the Attractions is a very faithful reenactment of something done on Five Live Yardbirds from the mid 60s. (mowder@is2.nyu.edu). Perhaps a nightmarish reworking of 'Not Your Stepping Stone' by the Monkees. The arrangement and the descending, blurred organ chord are very similar. The repetition of the ending is a minor-key carbon copy. (mpark@millennianet.com)
- Little Atoms
- echoes 'Telstar' in the fade out (JasOK@aol.com). EC admits that this song quotes 'Deutchsland Uber Alles'. This same part echoes the guitar part preceding the 'falling, yes I am falling' part of the Beatle song 'I'veJust Seen A Face' (ravsky@aol.com). 'Oh How Happy You Have Made Me.', written by Edwin Starr of Motown fame, contains a repeated melody line, accompanying the words 'oh how happy you have made me', strikingly similar to 'Deutschland Deutschland Uber Alles.' (ravsky@aol.com)
- London's Brilliant
- has same riff as 'Clash City Rockers. This riff can also be heard in the Kinks' 'The Hard Way' off 'Schoolboys In Disgrace.' (tarnown@carleton.edu)
- London`s Brilliant Parade
- opening line identical to 'World of Pain' by Cream, chorus similar to XTC's 'Ballet for a Rainy Day/1000 Umbrellas'. Phrasing/meter of the line 'having the time of my life' similar to the same lyric in Abba's 'Dancing Queen'
- Love Field
- Beginning guitar part recalls opening of the song 'You're All I Need To Get By' (Ravsky@aol.com)
- Love For Tender
- similar to 'You Can't Hurry Love' by the Supremes. Has the same backbeat as 'Lust for Life' by Iggy Pop (hensched@gusun.georgetown.edu)
- Love Went Mad
- Vocal intro is similar to Accidents Will Happen
- The Loved Ones
- intro similar to that of The Clash's 'London Calling'
- Man Out Of Time
- The 2nd part of the intro sounds like 'Like A Rolling Stone'. Bass line in the intro is similar to that in Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On.' (janw@tiac.net)
- Miss Macbeth
- The recurrent brass part of 'Miss Macbeth', especially the dissonant chord, is reminiscent of the opening of 'Threepenny Opera', i.e. the brass 'overture' which precedes 'Mack The Knife.' (ravsky@aol.com)
- Mouth Almighty
- Opening melody line recalls 'Autumn Leaves' (ravksy@aol.com)
- Mystery Dance
- similarity to 'Jailhouse Rock' (Papajuan)
- Next Time Round
- see 'How to Be Dumb'. Chorus similar to 'On a Carousel' by the Hollies (Ravsky@aol.com). The jangling chord at the end of the recurring bass line is the first chord of 'A Hard Day's Night.' (janw@tiac.net)
- New Amsterdam
- sounds similar to 'You've Got to Hide Your Love Away'. EC has combined them both in concert many times.
- No Action
- has resemblance to Cat Stevens' 'Moonshadow' (I think about the way things used to be... etc.). The bridge in "No Action" ("I think about the way things used to be/Knowing you're with him is driving me crazy," etc.) sounds like a sped-up version of the chorus in "Summer In The City" ("But at night it's a different world/Go out and find a girl", etc.), with essentially identical two-chord structures. (Gregory.Candela@rgh.com)
- No Dancing
- drum pattern similar to the Ronette's 'Be My Baby' and 'Don't Worry Baby' by the Beach Boys (LPSTD@AOL.COM). '...but somebody, somebody has to cry....' is identical to '...but I'll get you, I'll get you in the end....' from 'I'll Get You' by the Beatles. (kconnell@nysac.org)
- Oliver's Army
- Steve's piano part is strongly remiscent of 'Dancing Queen'. 'Oh Oh Oh' is from 'Be My Baby' by The Ronettes. According to EC, OA is related to Unchained Melody, Kid by the Pretenders, and 'If you could read my mind' by Gordon Lightfoot. Draws also from the musical 'Carousel'. Chorus is vaguely reminscent of the verse to 'Don't Worry Baby' by the Beach Boys
- The Only Flame In Town
- Steve's piano solo is lifted from Bach's 'Joy Of My Soul'
- The Other Side Of Summer
- references to Lennon (was it a millionaire), Roger Waters (poor little schoolboy), Bowie (rabid rebel dogs), Madonna or Petula Clark (?) (the pop princess is downtown). 'Mad man standing by the side of the road, saying 'look at my eyes, look at my eyes'' may be a reference to Neil Young's 'Don't Let It Bring You Down' (Jeff Hagan). Vocal group sound modelled after the Beach Boys. 'Voodoo Chalice' might be a play on Hendrix' 'Voodoo Child' (janw@tiac.net)
- Our Little Angel
- EC says this is a close cousin to George Jones' 'Girl at the End of the Bar' (Musician interview, 1986).
- Party Girl
- ending has resemblance to Beatles' 'She's So Heavy' and 'You Never Give Me Your Money'. Bass line at the end similar to the bass line accompanying the words 'sun sun sun here it comes' from 'Here Comes The Sun' by the Beatles (ravsky@aol.com). Contains a little bit of Bowie's 'Sons of the Silent Age' (mtross@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu)
- Peace In Our Time
- EC reports on the interview disc included on Blood and Chocolate that he lifted the chorus from another song, without revealing which one. The line 'There were bells, on the hill, ...' from 'Til There Was You' (The Music Man) has a very similar melody and lyric to 'And the bells, take their toll...' (schniti@east.isx.com)
- (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding
- resemblance to the Beatles' 'There's A Place' (on Please Please Me) (goodman@apwk01g1.nws.noaa.gov)
- People's Limousine
- starts with opening guitar part reminiscent of the '60s song 'Hey Little Girl' (ravsky@aol.com). Sounds similar to the Rolling Stones' 'The Last Time'.
- Pidgin English
- 'Ten Commandments Of Love' is an old doo-wop song by the Moonglows.
- Pills And Soap
- the descending chords at 2:03 quote the long introduction to the Temptations' 'Papa Was a Rolling Stone' (paul.bernays@virgin.net).
- Poisoned Rose
- similar to "I Can't Stop Loving You" (Ray Charles version) (clary@club-internet.fr).
- Pony Street
- EC has said that the drum style on Pony Street was meant as a tribute to Keith Moon (dslift@erols.com).
- Poor Fractured Atlas
- piano riff similar to Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata'. The vocals in the beginning are remiscent of of the bridge in 'Rubber Bullets' by 10cc (mknispel@panix.com). The piano chord sequence that follows the words 'a woman wouldn't understand it' is similar to the piano chord sequence in Paul McCartney's song 'Maybe I'm Amazed' (ravsky@aol.com). Opening line has melody similar to 'Matchmaker matchmaker, make me a match...' from Fiddler on the Roof (Roylopez@aol.com).
- Possession
- first 2 lines are identical to the Beatles' 'From Me To You'
- Pretty Words
- first four notes recall first four notes of 'To Sir With Love' (ravsky@aol.com).
- Pump It Up
- has similarities to Dylan's 'Subterranean Homesick Blues', which is itself a re-write of Chuck Berry's 'Too Much Monkey Business'. A version of 'Pump It Up' performed with the Confederates, 1987-12-04 at Shellharbour Worker's Club, Wollongong, Australia included a verse from each of the above derivatives (gcater@shaol.net.au). Escape Club borrowed riff from 1988 hit 'Wild Wild West'. EC has turned this song into 'Slow Down', by Larry Williams, recorded by the Beatles, in concert (mqd8478@is2.nyu.edu).
- Radio Radio
- resemblance to 'Master Blaster' by Stevie Wonder, ending sounds like 'Roadrunner' by Jon Richman. Organ riff sounds somewhat like the first few seconds of 'It's Up To You' from the Specials' Elvis-produced debut (tarnown@carleton.edu).
- Radio Sweetheart
- resemblance to 'Jackie Wilson Said'. EC has added 'Jackie Wilson said [or says] it was reet petite' at the end of this song in concert (dps@hplb.hpl.hp.com).
- (TAWTWM) Red Shoes
- opening riff similar to Byrds' cover of Dylan's 'My Back Pages' and/or 'Mr Tamborine Man'
- Rocking Horse Road
- riff similar to 'Wild Thing', steals the chorus from Neil Young's 'Cowgirl in the Sand'. Similar to 'Leaving Las Vegas' by Sheryl Crow, and 'The Joker' by Steve Miller. The main part of the song is roughly the same melody as Hang On Sloopy, which is itself based on Louie Louie (DWeil2@aol.com). On the Buddy Holly On Acid boot, EC says 'Wild Thing' right before launching into Rocking Horse Road.
- Satellite
- sounds like 'Unchained Melody' at the chorus. The opening verse recalls the notes accompanying the words 'sheep to the slaughter' in 'Big Sister's Clothes' (ravsky@aol.com). The notes accompanying the words 'she looks like an illustration of a cocktail party' sound similar to the notes coming right before the words 'all you gotta do is ... etc.' in the Dusty Springfield song 'Wishin and Hopin' (ravsky@aol.com).
- Secondary Modern
- similar to 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine'
- Seconds Of Pleasure (Trust Version)
- the last four notes of the opening organ part echo the coda of Hey Jude (ravsky@aol.com).
- Seven Day Weekend
- topic is similar to old song 'Friday On My Mind' and part of SDW melody accompanying words 'I can't wait until I maybe, get off work and see my baby' sounds similar to melody accompanying words 'Wednesday just won't go, Thurday goes too slow' from Friday On My Mind (ravsky@aol.com).
- Shabby Doll
- the driving, banging piano chords accompanying the minor key portion of 'Shabby Doll' are rythmically related to the middle, instrumental part of 'Come Together' by the Beatles (ravsky@aol.com).
- Shadow And Jimmy
- similar to 'Under the Boardwalk' (cain@dynatem.com).
- Shallow Grave
- opening similar to that of 'Pads Paws and Claws'.
- Shamed Into Love
- opening melody (by EC/Blades) sounds very similar to the middle part of Bacharach/David's 'Alfie' (i.e. the melody accompanying the words 'as sure as I believe there's a heaven above Alfie) (ravsky@aol.com).
- Sleep Of The Just
- opening similar to 'Brilliant Mistake' (ravsky@aol.com).
- So Like Candy
- first chord same as 'Hard Day's Night' (or last chord of 'California Dreaming').
- Still Too Soon To Know
- lyrics partially based on 'It's Too Soon To Know' ("Does she love me, it's too soon to know"), by Deborah Chessler, first recorded by the Orioles (ravsky@aol.com).
- Strict Time
- uses a Meters type rhythm (EC on Imperial Bedroom interview disk). Similar to 'Willie and the Hand Jive' by Johnny Otis (jrobertson@wlb.hwwilson.com).
- Sulky Girl
- Intro similar to Zombies' 'Time Of The Season'. Ending similar to 'We Despise You' by EC.
- Sunday's Best
- opening reminiscent of Burt Bacharach's 'What's New Pussycat'. Ends with a repeated 10 note sequence played on the organ which recalls the notes accompanying the words 'Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen' from the song of the same name (from the movie Hans Christian Anderson (score by Frank Loesser)) (ravsky@aol.com).
- Sweet Pear
- intro similar to the Beatles 'Don't Let Me Down'
- The Sweetest Punch
- the beginning steals a melodic idea from The Beach Boys Caroline No, from Pet Sounds.
- Talking In The Dark
- Elvis played the guitar line of the Kinks' 'Dead End Street' while performing this song at the Supper Club, NYC, May 1996.
- Tears Before Bedtime
- bridge uses the second part of the verse to 'Revolution'. Imperial Bedroom version uses a Meters type rhythm (EC - Imperial Bedroom interview disk).
- Temptation
- riff from 'Time is Tight' by Booker T and the MG's. The recurrent bass line recalls the opening base line of 'Rescue Me' (ravsky@aol.com). Lead guitar riff coming out of the chorus is the melody to 'Windy' by the Association ("Everyone knows it's Windy...") (paul.tabachneck@attws.com).
- 13 Steps Lead Down
- the instrumental bit preceding the second go-round of '13 Steps Lead Down's resembles the Stooges' 'Loose' (mtross@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu).
- This Is Hell
- similarity between the "It never gets better or worse" echo in the chorus, and that of "It can't get no worse" from "Getting Better" by The Beatles from Sergeant Pepper (Scott.Silvia@america.lego.com).
- This Year's Girl
- supposedly about Farrah Fawcett. Bridge resembles 'We Can Work It Out' by the Beatles, and 'Stupid Girl' by the Rolling Stones. Takes the 'Ticket To Ride' drumbeat and melodic lines from 'You Won't See Me' and 'We Can Work it Out' Introductory guitar part. Quotes opening guitar part of the Beatles' 'Dr. Robert' (Ravsky@aol.com).
- Tiny Steps
- bass line recalls the Animals version of 'We Gotta Get Outa This Place (ravsky@aol.com). EC has combined this song with 'Ferry Cross the Mersey' several times in concert (ravsky@aol.com).
- Tokyo Storm Warning
- similar to Dylan's 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' and 'Hurry Down Doomsday'. Also, 19th Nervous Breakdown by the Rolling Stones and 'Last Train to Clarksville' by the Monkees.
- Town Cryer
- album version owes a lot to the Impressions/Curtis Mayfield, especially the vocals on the chorus and bridge. (EC - imperial Bedroom interview disk.)
- 25 To 12
- steals from David Bowie's 'Heroes'.
- 20% Amnesia
- 47 seconds into it, lead guitar riff sounds like 'I Feel Fine' by the Beatles.
- Tramp The Dirt Down
- verse ironically quotes the melody of Stevie Wonder's 'Isn't She Lovely'.
- Two Little Hitlers
- takes Bowie's 'Rebel Rebel' riff.
- Uncomplicated
- related to Billy Bragg's 'Love Gets Dangerous'. Beginning chords sound similar to opening of 'Wild Thing' by the Troggs (ravsky@aol.com). Howlin' Wolf has a song called 'I Asked For Water (She Gave Me Gasoline)'.
- Unwanted Number
- verse has a melody similar to that in (Sonny and?) Cher's 'Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves' (cain@dynatem.com).
- Watching The Detectives
- similar to Neil Young's 'Down By The River'(?) Riff is echoed in Stevie Wonder's 'Hotter Than July' (from 1980 album of same name). During a concert at Maple Leaf Gardens in Feb 1981, EC started an extended 'Watching The Detectives', then switched into 'Hotter Than July', and then finished back with 'Watching The Detectives' (hansf@interlog.cm).
- Waiting For The End Of The World
- guitar intro recalls intro of Wilson Pickett's 'Midnight Hour' (ravsky@aol.com).
- We Despise You
- ending sounds like Sam Phillips' 'Standing Still' and the Stones' 'We Love You'.
- White Knuckles
- intro quotes 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'.
- The World And His Wife
- the opening melody recalls opening, bouncy melody of 'I Only Wanna Be With You' as performed by Dusty Springfield.
- You Belong To Me
- steals opening/tune of 'The Last Time' by Rolling Stones. Opening also similar to 'Last Train To Clarksville'. Bass line at end similar to '19th Nervous Breakdown'. Also borrows from 'Whatcha Gonna Do About It' by Small Faces. Intro is similar to the intro of another Small Faces song, 'Hey Girl.' (Gregory.Candela@rgh.com).
- You Bowed Down
- guitar lick at the end is lifted from Television's song 'Marquee Moon' (mtross@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu). The fade out is similar to that of the Jam's 'In The Crowd' (schnitzi@east.isx.com). The intro chords are similar to 'Blue Chair' from Blood and Chocolate (tarnown@carleton.edu). Whole intro is (intentionally) remiscent of the Byrds. (EC wrote this song for Roger McGuinn).
- You Little Fool
- thematically related to the Beatles' 'She's Leaving Home'. The opening electric harpsichord part is identical to a melody from the mid-1960s hit 'Going Out Of My Head.', sung by Cilla Black. The melody in that song comes in the bridge to the chorus and contains the lyrics 'I want you so badly, I can't think of anything at all' (sottovoce@earthlink.net).