So, it’s the Friday before the Memorial Day holiday. We’re all a bit tired out at work, having come off the spring fundraiser right into planning for summer reading and training new summer AmeriCorps workers after our student help went home for the summer.
We’re all doing pretty well, though, but the atmosphere is a tad weird, like when you didn’t have quite enough sleep and your mind is drawn to random, off kilter thoughts. I was asked if I had a song for the day yet, and I confessed that I didn’t like the original idea I had, so I was open. Then this interesting connection between two songs, almost three decades apart was pointed out to me.
Now, I’ve only had a few minutes to research this, but after a quick google search, I cannot seem to find anyone having written or even done YouTube commentary on this, except for this one reviewer in 2014. So, I’ll put it in your lap to puzzle over it if you’d like. Does the 2012 song by the South African band Kongos sample Paul Simon’s “Boy in the Bubble from 1986?” It sure sounds similar to me.
Classical composer Stravinsky is often quoted as having said that lesser artists borrow, while great artists steal. Handel himself was known to reinvent and transform others’ music, something he saw as an act of creativity rather than theft. These days, in the music industry, you can get accused of plagiarism just for using the same chord progression in a song. What are your thoughts?
For your easy comparison, here from his album Graceland, is Paul Simon’s “Boy in the Bubble” followed by Kongos’ “Come with Me Now.” I’m not saying this is a rip off at all, but it sure sounds like Simon was a huge inspiration the newer band.
Jeff's Song of the Day 