I just discovered this and it really amazes me... both Simon and Bach... both of them kind of did the same thing... "borrowed" the melody... beautiful melody, by the way.. sad that none of them gave credit to the original composer
What's the point of this. Simon has always stated that American Tune was a Bach 'Cover'. You should know what a 'songwritter' is. Not a composer but a musician that make words and music go together.
Although I love Simon's American Tune, it's always bothered me that on the sheet music it states both words AND music by Paul Simon. Any church musician knows it's a near exact copy of "Oh Sacred Head Now Wounded." I love the melody though and cried hearing Garfunkel sing it live in Grand Rapids shortly after 9-11.
@coreyagraph lol - It's not a monetary issue, it's the fact it's an outright lie of who actually wrote the tune. I can see taking credit for the lyrics and the arrangement, but not the actual music.
@MissMeowsic Did you know that Bach himself "borrowed" the melody? It was written by Hans Leo Hassler long before Bach was born, and is called "Mein G'müt ist mir verwirret". You can hear it on You Tube, performed as Hassler wrote it. Bach never gave credit to Hassler either, but that was the norm for the time.
@lichtbroeder No I didn't! Thanks for sharing that. Just proves one can never know too much or be too old to learn something new - and where music is concerned there is nothing new under the sun.
walter carlos's rendition of the full Brandenburg concerto on his homemade moog synthesizer done in the early 70's is by far one of my all time favorites... walter was liked by a lot of people, but his arrangement of the BC made it sound like a full orchestra and just a brilliant piece of work... take a listen if you can find it...
this piece tells how the centuries go by and artists go back to draw on the master's to bring them into the modern age.. simon's rendition of this piece was a kudo to bach's genius... we never really lose the master's influences, though we may call them something else and meddle with their arrangements... bach, according to some, was a radical of his time; a rock star among the mechanical composers... but, oh what a genius who's stood the test of time...
Dear McDaid of USA ! there is none to compare, nor between a truck and tractor, neithe between Bach's four chorals (of the same tune' but differ from each other in many layers) and Simon's arrangement and lyrics. Anyway, one is fantastic and the other is beautiful, no matter the order... Oh Yeah
Dear McDaid of USA ! there is none to compare, nor between a truck and tractor, neithe between Bach's five chorals (of the same tune, in that passion, but differ from each other in many layers) and Simon's arrangement and lyrics. Anyway, one is fantastic and the other is beautiful, no matter the order... Oh Yeah
Don't mind a bit, I'm more amazed that anyone like Simon would know such an old Bach piece and make use of it so well. I think he also got a hard time about "Scarborough Fair", on the album he credited it to himself but it's a well-known traditional song and he didn't even add anything to it, he lifted the arrangement from the Brit guy who taught it to him. But I'd still rather hear the S&G recording so I do not feel I was sold someone else's work.
@pillroller88 Bach's Prelude in C major, later stolen by a Frenchman and turned intio the classic known as Ave Maria. Check both the Bach original and Ave Maria.
Billy Joel also had a song based on a classical piece Ludwig van Beethoven's Pathétique Sonata (This Night). Both excellent. Also: Roy Wood came up with the inventive Night Of Fear for the Move's first single. The song borrowed the catchy riff from the classical 1812 Overture. Any more?
the first line of dan fogelberg's "same auld lang syne" is from tchaikovsky's 1812 overture. eric carmen's "all by myself" is from the 2nd movement of rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto. carmen's "never gonna fall in love again" is from the 3rd movement of rachmaninoff's 2nd symphony.
Bach probably lifted this tune himself, he was known to search out folk tunes and write arrangements based on them.
subg88 1 week ago
How about "Whiter Shade of Pale?" Though they just used Bach there for the intro and breaks I think not for the actual melody of the song.
MaabudZ 2 weeks ago
I just discovered this and it really amazes me... both Simon and Bach... both of them kind of did the same thing... "borrowed" the melody... beautiful melody, by the way.. sad that none of them gave credit to the original composer
Xiberve 1 month ago
Wow, this guy totally ruined Simon's classic original version.
Thrusters0nFull 2 months ago 3
@Thrusters0nFull
;)
alfredosgal 1 month ago
bach is american!
Seintein150 3 months ago
Peter, Paul and Mary did a song to this music too. Was so surprised to find it in the Hymnal.
ceawords1 3 months ago
What's the point of this. Simon has always stated that American Tune was a Bach 'Cover'. You should know what a 'songwritter' is. Not a composer but a musician that make words and music go together.
artemiowild 4 months ago
@artemiowild maybe there's no point to it at all. maybe this guy is just sharing a popular
melody through through another genre.
JckDupp 3 months ago
mi piace da morire....
misswitch211 5 months ago
That was nice! really liked that.
susiepohl 5 months ago
I think this is from St. Matthew Passion.
martywny 5 months ago 4
This was played at my mother's funeral.
smorariu 6 months ago
Although I love Simon's American Tune, it's always bothered me that on the sheet music it states both words AND music by Paul Simon. Any church musician knows it's a near exact copy of "Oh Sacred Head Now Wounded." I love the melody though and cried hearing Garfunkel sing it live in Grand Rapids shortly after 9-11.
MissMeowsic 6 months ago 6
@MissMeowsic: ...and even Bachs version seems to be a copy from Hans Leo Hassler: "Mein Gmüt ist mir verwirret", I was told. Best regards
M35Gem 4 months ago 4
@MissMeowsic where would he send the royalties?
coreyagraph 3 months ago
@coreyagraph lol - It's not a monetary issue, it's the fact it's an outright lie of who actually wrote the tune. I can see taking credit for the lyrics and the arrangement, but not the actual music.
MissMeowsic 3 months ago
@MissMeowsic . Yesssssss. Nice to know a kindred spirit.
38651 2 months ago
@MissMeowsic Did you know that Bach himself "borrowed" the melody? It was written by Hans Leo Hassler long before Bach was born, and is called "Mein G'müt ist mir verwirret". You can hear it on You Tube, performed as Hassler wrote it. Bach never gave credit to Hassler either, but that was the norm for the time.
lichtbroeder 1 month ago
@lichtbroeder No I didn't! Thanks for sharing that. Just proves one can never know too much or be too old to learn something new - and where music is concerned there is nothing new under the sun.
MissMeowsic 1 month ago
walter carlos's rendition of the full Brandenburg concerto on his homemade moog synthesizer done in the early 70's is by far one of my all time favorites... walter was liked by a lot of people, but his arrangement of the BC made it sound like a full orchestra and just a brilliant piece of work... take a listen if you can find it...
laydbakk1 6 months ago
this piece tells how the centuries go by and artists go back to draw on the master's to bring them into the modern age.. simon's rendition of this piece was a kudo to bach's genius... we never really lose the master's influences, though we may call them something else and meddle with their arrangements... bach, according to some, was a radical of his time; a rock star among the mechanical composers... but, oh what a genius who's stood the test of time...
laydbakk1 6 months ago 3
And check out Darrell Scott's amazing version. . . .
dylanelvis 7 months ago
a stretch, but I see it. Who cares.
jerryboy1017 7 months ago
Good artists borrow... great artist steal
bbrrwwnn 8 months ago
Simon made it better
McDaidUSA 11 months ago
@McDaidUSA Yeah, Bach wrote crap by comparison, right? Not a Yank by any chance are you?
Maxshard 8 months ago
Dear McDaid of USA ! there is none to compare, nor between a truck and tractor, neithe between Bach's four chorals (of the same tune' but differ from each other in many layers) and Simon's arrangement and lyrics. Anyway, one is fantastic and the other is beautiful, no matter the order... Oh Yeah
vbarho 7 months ago
Dear McDaid of USA ! there is none to compare, nor between a truck and tractor, neithe between Bach's five chorals (of the same tune, in that passion, but differ from each other in many layers) and Simon's arrangement and lyrics. Anyway, one is fantastic and the other is beautiful, no matter the order... Oh Yeah
vbarho 7 months ago
Try looking at Bob Dylan's songs sometime.
McDaidUSA 11 months ago
Don't mind a bit, I'm more amazed that anyone like Simon would know such an old Bach piece and make use of it so well. I think he also got a hard time about "Scarborough Fair", on the album he credited it to himself but it's a well-known traditional song and he didn't even add anything to it, he lifted the arrangement from the Brit guy who taught it to him. But I'd still rather hear the S&G recording so I do not feel I was sold someone else's work.
lucidwebpress 1 year ago
Bach himself lifted this melody from Hans Hassler, "Mein Gmuth Ist Mir Verwirret"
al1432 1 year ago 3
Comment removed
al1432 1 year ago
also Peter paul and Mary sang Bach: Because all men are brothers
maminou0346 1 year ago
What was on Bach's B side?
pillroller88 1 year ago 11
@pillroller88 Bach's Prelude in C major, later stolen by a Frenchman and turned intio the classic known as Ave Maria. Check both the Bach original and Ave Maria.
Maxshard 9 months ago
mich und Julio?
AS02474 4 months ago 4
@AS02474 LOL!
Mary02493 4 months ago
Like your comment!
Mary02493 4 months ago
@Mary02493
Danke! :)
AS02474 4 months ago
@pillroller88 His ring. thgfest
thgffest 1 month ago
At long last I realise why American Tune always held me spellbound - a pleasant realisation truly
bourreDeLaVie 1 year ago 4
Billy Joel also had a song based on a classical piece Ludwig van Beethoven's Pathétique Sonata (This Night). Both excellent. Also: Roy Wood came up with the inventive Night Of Fear for the Move's first single. The song borrowed the catchy riff from the classical 1812 Overture. Any more?
mockerlancs 1 year ago
@mockerlancs
the first line of dan fogelberg's "same auld lang syne" is from tchaikovsky's 1812 overture. eric carmen's "all by myself" is from the 2nd movement of rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto. carmen's "never gonna fall in love again" is from the 3rd movement of rachmaninoff's 2nd symphony.
blueeyedbehr 7 months ago
i love it!
pwhp2 1 year ago