Sounds Just Like

Suggest

John Williams: Imperial March
sounds like
Walt Disney: Spoonful of Sugar

John Williams : Imperial March

Recorded in 1980
Walt Disney : Spoonful of Sugar

Recorded in 1964

Spoonful of Sugar (1964): Melody composed by Richard Sherman. Remember the melody of that chorus from childhood?

The Imperial March (1980): Written by John Williams. Although in a minor key, listen at 22 seconds for the tell-tale three notes that used to mean “…medicine go down”

What do you think? Did Williams consciously mimick the cadence and intervals from Sherman’s “Spoonful of Sugar”, or is this one just a coincidence?

Melody, movie, soundtrack, theme song

What song sounds like Walt Disney?

Imperial March sounds like Walt Disney Spoonful of Sugar

http://www.indieblog.net Tim

Haha, first post ever. This is a mean idea for a blog.

Well, George Lucas borrowed a hell of a lot from history for the Star Wars series.

The whole saga is based loosely on the plot of the ancient roman Emperor Augustus (originally called Octavius).

You could draw comparisons between the image of Darth Vader and most Totalitarian Dictators in history.

Wouldn’t surprise me at all if the score doesn’t borrow a few themes to help add some meat.
Jonathan

It wouldn’t surprise me at all.

The original Star Wars music still sounds like Holst’s “The Planets”.
Pingback: The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony sounds like the Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time” « Sounds Just Like
Garrett LaMarca

I gotta admit, I was skeptical about this one, buy you’re right!! It’s undeniably similar.
http://www.soundsjustlike.com Adam Wagner

@Jonathan can’t wait to look this one up! Thanks man!

smartalek

Excellent lesson; thank you!

Sammy

They both sound very similar to the 3rd strain in the trio section of John Phillip Sousa’s “El Capitan March” written in 1896.
Juan Quintana

Imperial March being in a minor key most definetly sounds liks Sousa’s El Capitan
Pingback: Update: ‘Spoonful of Sugar’ and ‘Imperial March’ sound like ‘El Capitan’ by John Phillip Sousa | Sounds Just Like
Gill

I first noticed the similarity between The Imperial March and a Spoonful of Sugar about 4 years ago at a gig. A local band used the Imperial March as their intro before they walked on stage, haven’y been able to take them serious since!
Stevens R. Miller

Since I found this by Googling “Star Wars” and “Spoonful of Sugar” to see if I was the only one who thought they were similar, I have to say I think they’re similar.
As for Holst’s “Mars,” just spend some time listening to the “Cinemagic” channel on Sirius/XM (movie soundtracks) and you’ll discover that it is the primary energy source of maybe half the soundtracks of the last 50 years. (The other thing you’ll discover is how lazy soundtrack composers can be. I can’t tell the difference between Horner’s work for “Aliens” and “Star Trek II,” both of which are great stuff, but sound, at most, like two movements of the same opera, as it were.)
NerdyTB

This seems rather ironic as Disney now owns Lucas Arts.

lefty85

That word. I don’t think you know what it means.

http://twitter.com/FlanGrande Flan Grande

i think he does… imo…

wellread

Nope. He doesn’t.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000639835502 Anthony Mailly

Actually, he does.
smartalek

I hate having to go all übernerd on something like this; jokes are never funny once explained. But sometimes it’s gotta be done.
It *is* ironic, in that, if Williams was consciously or unconsciously mimicking (or homaging, if you want to put a favorable gloss on it) the IP of a venerable and iconic Disney product, now that Disney owns Lucas, that IP is presumably (barring any restrictive covenants in the P+S agreements) theirs to do with as they please.
In effect, if there WAS, at the time Williams wrote the score, plagiarism of any kind at any level to any degree, it now AIN’T, retroactively; hence:
ironic opposition.
(And that’s without even going into the irony of repurposing something sweet, innocent, and childlike, into something that’s not-at-all-sweet and not-at-all-innocent — tho’, arguably, still childlike.)
Next week, we’ll work on fractions.
.
(FWIW, the tracks don’t sound at all alike to me.)
Kate

I think I want to be friends….lol brilliant
smartalek

I hate having to go all übernerd on something like this; jokes are never funny once explained. But sometimes it’s gotta be done.
It *is* ironic, in that, if Williams was consciously or unconsciously mimicking (or homaging, if you want to put a favorable gloss on it) the IP of a venerable and iconic Disney product, now that Disney owns Lucas, that IP is presumably (barring any restrictive covenants in the P+S agreements) theirs to do with as they please.
In effect, if there WAS, at the time Williams wrote the score, plagiarism of any kind at any level to any degree, it now AIN’T, retroactively; hence:
ironic opposition.
(And that’s without even going into the irony of repurposing something sweet, innocent, and childlike, into something that’s not-at-all-sweet and not-at-all-innocent — tho’, arguably, still childlike.)
Next week, we’ll work on fractions.
.
(FWIW, the tracks don’t sound at all alike to me.)
http://www.facebook.com/nicolerosebest Nicole Martin

You sir (or ma’am) are AWESOME! That is all. ^_^
thecombine

Sorry friend but I have to go all super nerd on you!

Uber means up so you just said ‘I hate having to go all up nerd’

which sounds wrong
mdu527

actually in this context the word means “over” instead of “up”…so his usage works here…
Pointer

You can’t be that wellread if you don’t see the irony in this. Or maybe you just don’t understand the meaning of the word.

http://twitter.com/MoeTownman Moe Townman

http://twitter.com/MoeTownman Moe Townman

More coincidental…. good Princess Bride pull….lol

retard

How isn’t that ironic? It’s more than a coincidence…
William Jacobs

Let me explain.

It’s ironic because it’s like rain on your wedding day.
Or… not.

This pairing, BTW, belongs on “vaguelyremindsmeof.com”.

http://twitter.com/MoeTownman Moe Townman

More coincidental…. good Princess Bride pull….lol

http://twitter.com/MoeTownman Moe Townman

Nice Princess Bride pull, he definitely meant coincidental….but semantics aside, good point Nerdy
http://www.facebook.com/MithranArkanere Pablo Mandado González

He may not know. But you clearly do not.

There’s ‘types’ of irony. Verbal irony is. when something said doesn’t mean what you say something while meaning something else. Sarcasm, for example, is often presented in the form of irony, like when you tell a friend they look thin when you mean they are fat.

But then you have “irony of a situation”. In which something would be expected and the opposite happens, or something happens unexpectdely, usually with humorous effect. This kind of irony is the one described in Alanis Morissette’s song.

Yes, it’s a coincidence, but in this case is an ironic coincidence. As two completely unrelated things no one would expect to be related in anything but “sounding similar” have also become closely related, in another way. The mere fact of people recognizing this fact as something humorous identifies it as ‘irony of th situation’

This situational irony is a new term, but a new term had to be made, as ‘coincidence’ wasn’t enough to describe it, and there’s other forms of it happening, and people used Irony for it anyways., so why making up things?
http://www.facebook.com/STICH666 Mike DiBenedetto

Don’t worry he’s just Alanis Morissette in disguise.

Anthony

I think you probably are looking for the word coincidental.

NerdyTB

This seems rather ironic as Disney now owns Lucas Arts.

lefty85

That word. I don’t think you know what it means.

http://www.facebook.com/MithranArkanere Pablo Mandado González

He may not know. But you clearly do not.

There’s ‘types’ of irony. Verbal irony is. when something said doesn’t mean what you say something while meaning something else. Sarcasm, for example, is often presented in the form of irony, like when you tell a friend they look thin when you mean they are fat.

But then you have “irony of a situation”. In which something would be expected and the opposite happens, or something happens unexpectdely, usually with humorous effect. This kind of irony is the one described in Alanis Morissette’s song.

Yes, it’s a coincidence, but in this case is an ironic coincidence. As two completely unrelated things no one would expect to be related in anything but “sounding similar” have also become closely related, in another way. The mere fact of people recognizing this fact as something humorous identifies it as ‘irony of th situation’

This situational irony is a new term, but a new term had to be made, as ‘coincidence’ wasn’t enough to describe it, and there’s other forms of it happening, and people used Irony for it anyways., so why making up things?
An example

It’s ironic that the Empire, determined to gain control of the Universe, was bought up and now is under the control of the Disney empire that it tried ripping off in the realm of this score.

Anthony

I think you probably are looking for the word coincidental.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ray-Moura/100000624997354 Ray Moura

this was…the sign!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=577479855 Cuauhtemoc Tenorio

doesn’t sound similar to me…

Rayna Mani

try singing spoon full of sugar to the imperial march tune when you play it

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=577479855 Cuauhtemoc Tenorio

doesn’t sound similar to me…
Cody Fifield

how dare you compare “Spoonful of Sugar” to the “Imperial March” i dont hear a resemblance.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1708999897 James Dezego

one is minor the other major. and its the same rhythmically but different tempos

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=667763490 Darrin Scott Smith

HAHA!!! AWESOME!!!!
http://www.facebook.com/yehmanyouaretotallyreadingthisrightnow Erik Giovanni García

yet the imperial march is the funeral march inverted, by chopin

soundsjustlike

Awesome connection!

http://www.facebook.com/yehmanyouaretotallyreadingthisrightnow Erik Giovanni García

yet the imperial march is the funeral march inverted, by chopin
Pajama Sam

Am I the only one not hearing it?

soundsjustlike

I echo Rayna. Try singing ‘Spoonful’ while listening to imperial march.

Pajama Sam

Am I the only one not hearing it?
http://www.facebook.com/pedro.prandini.9 Pedro Prandini

They sound absolutely nothing alike. I really don’t get it.
http://www.facebook.com/pedro.prandini.9 Pedro Prandini

They sound absolutely nothing alike. I really don’t get it.
Learn some basic music skills

People should stop using the word Cadence as they don’t seem to know what it means.

soundsjustlike

Sorry

http://www.facebook.com/irategenius Keith Allen Milne

You were high when you requested this right? This doesn’t sound similar in any way.
http://www.facebook.com/irategenius Keith Allen Milne

You were high when you requested this right? This doesn’t sound similar in any way.
megamuffin

not even fking close this one lol

soundsjustlike

Really?
soundsjustlike

Really?

Nyan Cat

Vsauce! Oh wait…
Bronwen

I just sang the lyrics to spoonfull of sugar to imperial march… very funny.
Sam

Am I the only one who isn’t hearing the connection. Lol
http://twitter.com/leo3375 Shannon

If you don’t hear it, sing the lyrics from “Sugar” over the Imperial March.
http://twitter.com/leo3375 Shannon

If you don’t hear it, sing the lyrics from “Sugar” over the Imperial March.
Dave

At first I didn’t hear it, but sing the melody to “Spoonful” while listening to “Imperial March”. Made me chuckle…
asdfasdf

lameshit. such small bit of similar cadence is probably everywhere, who with the right mind will have to mimic??
asdfasdf

lameshit. such small bit of similar cadence is probably everywhere, who with the right mind will have to mimic??
http://www.facebook.com/people/Vinhthienvinhnhan-Ngo/100000641906971 Vinhthienvinhnhan Ngo

does not alike at all
TexasWoman

o3o mindblow
TexasWoman

o3o mindblow
Olao99

Doesn’t matter anymore, Disney owns Starwars
Olao99

Doesn’t matter anymore, Disney owns Starwars
BandTeecher ;)

I don’t think chord changes are enough to compare. All Western music revolves around the same principles of choral progression. I thought we were more looking for melody and rhythmic similarities. I don’t hear any. In fact, the rhythms are quite inverted. I think this was a strike out.
BandTeecher ;)

I don’t think chord changes are enough to compare. All Western music revolves around the same principles of choral progression. I thought we were more looking for melody and rhythmic similarities. I don’t hear any. In fact, the rhythms are quite inverted. I think this was a strike out.

Julia Spinolo

This is perfect! I used to get these confused all the time in my head when I was little, I would start singing one song and then end up singing the other one! such a good pairing!

adsdasda

It’s almost the same. Few notes is different so it make one minor and other more major.
Vincent

It’s been already said, but the original source is rather “Mars” (from the orchestral suite “The Planets”) by Gustav Holst. If you wanna be convinced, go to youtube.com/watch?v=L0bcRCCg01I and pass to 4:25. It’s quite obvious!

http://www.facebook.com/henrik.pihl.ee Henrik Pihl

Strongly influenced, but still different works of art, and many thanks for the Holst reference. This could be my favourite classical composer.

http://www.facebook.com/m4rk666devil Mark ‘Nahasapeemapetilon’ Will

This comparrison is ridiculous -.-
lemonade

I think that JW was more influenced by the funeral march from Chopin, to be honest
Julia Spinolo

This is perfect! I used to get these confused all the time in my head when I was little, I would start singing one song and then end up singing the other one! such a good pairing!
Waldo1

Different harmonies and everything. There is more to music than loose connections.
Waldo1

Different harmonies and everything. There is more to music than loose connections.
Luna

Oh my god.
Lit

The only thing that sounds similar is that three-note rhythm. It’s fairly common in more classical tunes. The melody isn’t similar, as Mary Poppins sings “medicine” on the same note, and the corresponding melody in Imperial March is played on two different ones. I find the relationship between these two rather weak.
Lit

The only thing that sounds similar is that three-note rhythm. It’s fairly common in more classical tunes. The melody isn’t similar, as Mary Poppins sings “medicine” on the same note, and the corresponding melody in Imperial March is played on two different ones. I find the relationship between these two rather weak.
William

I can’t hear how they sound alike!
William

I can’t hear how they sound alike!
glenn

It’s the difference between William’s changing the key from major to minor. This one is my favorite comparison. Love the irony.
Classical music guy

There is no connection here. the connection is between the imperial march and mars from Gustav Holst’s the Planets
Boris

Honestly this should be removed. The degree of similarity is so negligible that it makes the whole idea of this project trivial. A connection between the imperial march and Holst’s Mars from the planets would be much better.
http://www.facebook.com/john.licinio John Wong Licinio

Oh my god.
Juanny

/)_- I think people need to learn how to listen to the music more objectively, seriously, whistle the melody of “Spoonful of Sugar” It’s not very hard to see it’s a major version the Imperial March!
Waxxy

Thanks, now I can’t watch Star Wars without hearing Mary Poppins.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001041204709 Michael Sibson

i always knew popins had something up her sleave
mustbedeaf

The only thing that seems similar at all is the “interruption” for lack of a better term. The booming note. The rest of it sounds nothing alike.
http://www.facebook.com/peter.dizozza Peter Dizozza

Williams’ Fury music, a personal favorite, always sends me back to the radically rangy 1st movement of Mahler’s wild 7th symphony…
Drew

Please shut the f*ck up about irony thank you
http://www.facebook.com/imcalister1 Ian McAlister

Coincidence
YoungFocker

The Imperial March is much better in my opinion. It’s more sinical while Poppins is more innocence like. The force is stronger in the dark side…….If you know what I mean ;D
Spinmuffin

Can. Not. Unhear.
J

I’ll take a spoonful of the Force please.
http://www.facebook.com/riley.srogus.5 Riley Srogus

The imperial march is also based on Beethoven’s 5th. Wwwwhhhhhhaaaaaaattttttt
http://www.facebook.com/nitratenoxious Matt Hellsing-Nightflier Bird

I hear no similarities between the songs…
Stan

The force has stirred…ERMAHGERD!
Christina Schwendig

MIND BLOWN!!!!
Alicia

OMG they really do sound alike, I’ve neverrrr noticed that before!

John Williams: Imperial March sounds like Walt Disney: Spoonful of Sugar

John Williams : Imperial March

Walt Disney : Spoonful of Sugar

John Williams: Imperial March
sounds like
Walt Disney: Spoonful of Sugar