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Coincidences

Listed here are what I think are strictly coincidences with reasons for why I think so. I felt it would be wrong to add them under inspiration or lifts! So the benefit of doubt goes to the composer in these cases

 
1
Rasta dekhe tera [Film: Humshakal] 
Composer: R D Burman
The song which inspired this number is the Beatles song 'In my life' from their album Rubber Soul (1965). The Hindi film was released in the year 1974.
Listen to Rasta dekhe mera | In my life
Initially added under the lifted songs page for RDB, the similarity is way too small or insignificant to call it a lift. 
2
Tu hi tu [Film: Kabhi na kabhi] 
Composer: A R Rahman
The beginning of the song sounds so much like 'The Scarborough Fair' by Simon and Garfunkel! 
Listen to Tu hi tu | Scarborough Fair
Interesting. The Hindi tune is pretty much carnatic in pattern and the similarity ends after the first 4 - 5 words!
3
Tara Rum Pum [Film: Doli Sajake Rakhna]
The Champs number 'too much tequila' is used somewhere deep inside this song by Rahman! The song is 'tara rum pum' from A R Rahman's Doli sajake rakhna. For ease of listening I've edited the song to its relevant portion and so on, so that you get to listen to the part which resembles our tequila song, first! Now, I personally find it unlikely that Rahman sits down and decides to use the tequila song in the second line of para 2...which is why I felt it was a coincidence!
Listen to Too much tequila | Tara rum pum (starts from the relevant portion)
4
Mella Mella [Film: Vaazhkai (1984)]
There is this rather old song by Ilayaraja in the movie Vaazhkai (1984), the song, 'mella mella'. Its a trademark masterpiece from Ilayaraja with fabulous violin preludes et all, a mesmerizing number, in short. It sounds rather similar to a song 'Celestial soda pop' by new-age/ synth artist Ray Lynch. The album of Ray Lynch in which you'd find this song (Deep Breakfast) came out in 1984 too! Inspired or mere coincidence? Another point to note is that the tune of Mella mella was first used as a background theme in the 1983 Kannada film, Pallavi Anupallavi by Ilayaraja (Maniratnam's feature film debut). Considering this usage predates Celestial pop soda, the inspiration angle is clearly ruled out!
Listen to Mella mella | Celestial soda pop
5
Mera Dil Tere Liye [Film: Aashiqui (1990)]
Aashiqui's (1990) 'Mera dil tere liye' has a recurring 'O o o...' kind of phrase that comes just after '...dhadaktha hai...' that sounds amazingly close to a similar phrase in Australian singer John Farnham's 'You're the voice' (1986)! But thats it! There's nothing common between both the songs otherwise! I got to give the benefit of doubt to Nadeem Shravan regardless of their shady track record. 
Listen to Mera dil tere liye | You're the voice
6
Mein shayar to nahin [Film: Bobby]
Let me make it clear at the outset that I'm still not very sure about this one!! I happened to listen to this Latin classic, 'El choclo' (called 'Kiss of fire' in its English version, has been sung by many people including Connie Francis and Helmut Lotti) after a really long time and I was instantly reminded of Bobby's 'Mein shayar to nahin'! Though I should add that the kind of inspiration (if at all) is mighty impressive.
Let me know what you think!
Listen to Mein shayar to nahin | El choclo (Helmut Lotti)
7
Kaisi Hai Yeh [Film: Dil Chahta Hai]
Another coincidence - the reason why I call it a coincidence, is simple. The credibility factor of the composing trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and the fact that the similarity is minimal. But makes for interesting listening as well! Dil Chahta Hai's 'Kaisi hai yeh rut' (Sung by Srinivas) sounds (at least the beginning!) like 2 songs - The Beatles' number 'Two of us' (from the album 'Let it be' - the latest cover version of this number is in the OST of the movie, 'Iam Sam' starring and sung by Sean Penn) and Cindy Lauper's 1983 number 'Time after time' which has, on last count, about 50+ cover versions! Don't expect any alarming instances of similarity...as I mentioned earlier, its merely a coincidence!
Listen to Kaisi hai yeh | Two of us | Time after time
8
Sevvanam [Film: Pavitra]
Listen to A R Rahman's, 'Pavitra' song, 'Sevvanam...' and WHAM's 'Wake me up'! Coincidence? 
Listen to Sevvanam | Wake me up
9
Madrasa Suthi Pakka [Film: May Madham]
Another WHAM - A R Rahman connection? A R Rahman's number, 'Madrasa suthi pakka poren' from the 1994 movie May Madham, seemingly sounds a bit like WHAM's 'Club Tropicana' (1983)! Does it? Let me know!
Listen to Madrasa suthi pakka | Club Tropicana
10
Ishq Bina [Film: Taal]
Karan Thapar talks about A R Rahman's 'Bombay Dreams' in his column in Hindustan Times..."One of the songs - Love’s Never Easy - reminds me of something I’ve heard before. During the performance I can’t figure it out. But afterwards a taxi driver does. Rahman’s tune is uncannily similar to Don McClean’s Starry Starry Night". 'Love's never easy' is the English version of Rahman's song in Taal, 'Ishq Bina'. Wonder why Karan didn't notice the similarity when Taal was released...well, that's besides the point. Don McClean's 'Starry starry night' was from his 1971 album, 'American Pie' was also called 'Vincent' since it was a tribute to Vincent Van Gogh's 1889 painting, 'Starry nights'.
Listen to Love's never easy | Ishq Bina | Starry starry night (Vincent)
11
Le Gayi Le Gayi [Film: Dil to pagal hai]
Is the Dil To Pagal Hai number, 'Le gayi le gayi' inspired? Well, a friend sent me info on a song by the noted Arabic singer Farid-el-Atrache (also spelt as Farid al Atrash)...the song was 'Ya Habaybi Ya Ghaybin'. Incidentally there is a cover verison of this song by the Morrocan-Spanish band, Alabina and was called 'Vengan vengan'. Some dates...Dil to pagal hai came out in 1997 while Alabina's cover version came out in 1999. Farid's original version was released in the soundtrack of the movie 'Nagham Fi Hayati' in 1974. So if at all there's a lift, Uttam Singh must've sourced it from Farid's original version! Listen to the 3 clips below and check out if you think there's a lift and if so how much! Lemme know what you think! Thanks to Sreeni for the info on Farid's original!
Listen to Le gayi le gayi | Ya Habaybi Ya Ghaybin | Vengan vengan
12
O Hansini [Film: Zahreela Insaan]
R D Burman's classic 'Zehreela Insaan' (1974) track surprisingly has shades of the theme track from the 1971 movie 'Summer of 42' (Composed by Michel Legrand). But yes, I'd not want to classify this as a lift and add it in the 'Coincidences' section since the similarity is restricted to part of the first line and the another subsequent line where 'O Hansini' is sung with a slight variation (Listen to the opening and from point 00:31 onwards in the English track). Mail me your opinion! Interestingly, Anu Malik has used this theme track almost as-is in the prelude to his Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayi (1973) track, 'Tere Dar Par Sanam'...this one definitely goes into Anu's Copied list!
Listen to O Hansini | Tere Dar Par Sanam | Theme from Summer of 42
12
Chala jaata hoon [Film: Mere Jeevan Saathi, 1972]
This Pancham track sounds very similar to the German track, 'Goodbye eloisa' by the band 'Flippers'. But, even after an exhaustive search I couldn't trace the year of release of the German track. Some sites claim it as 80s but then the song might be part of a compilation album and the date might be wrong in that case. Also, another listing claims that the tune is traditional and not scored by Flippers themselves. So, if you are able to find the year of release, please do lemme know! Till then, I suppose I gotto give the benefit of doubt to Mr Burman.
Listen to Chala jaata hoon | Goodbye eloisa
Update: The discography available in Flippers' official website lists 'Goodbye eloisa' in one of their 1991 album. So, until someone can prove that the Flippers' version is a cover version of a traditional song, this song remains an original or even could be termed as a case for reverse plagiarism!
13
Kitni Hai Pyari [Film: Parinda, 1989]
Sambodh Kaul had mailed me asking me if the German track, 'Jodler der Berge' sound like a Hindi song. After much listening and help from a few friends, I zeroed in on Pancham's 'Kitni hai pyari' (Parinda, 1989) as the Hindi track that sort of resembles the German track. The source track was, in my knowledge, part of an album called "Most beautiful mountain yodels" (but could have first been in a different album much earlier) and was probably made famous by Kastelruther Spatzen. So, what do you think? The similarity is flimsy? Or do you believe that RDB might have got the seed for his track from the German track? Lemme know!
Listen to Kitni hai pyari | Jodler der Berge
14
Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo [Theme song for the Kolkata Knight Riders, composed by Vishal Shekhar]
The track seems to be inspired (I use the word inspired, since it is!) by a 1970 Deep Purple track titled, 'Black Night'. Note the arrangements and a fairly prominent 'Too hot, too cool' part in the original - seems like a good source? But, I'd give Vishal Shekhar the benefit of doubt due to this candid feedback from Vishal Dadlani. "There's no real connection apart from the two tunes being 6/8 rhythm structures, and rock-based. Perhaps, on thinking about it, the rhythmic structure of our first vocal line and that of the riff from deep purple's song is somewhat similar, but certainly not the same, and the notes are totally different. We've never had the dishonor of being on their site, and would like to keep it that way. Vishal and Shekhar take great pride in being one of only two or three music directors to not have a listing there."
I respect their stand and appreciate the honesty. So, off this goes to the coincidences section. This will NOT be archived under the Hindi - Others page and the Coincidences section listing will be accompanied by Vishal's explanation!
Listen to Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo | Black Night
15
Yuvan's Dosth bada dosth, from Saroja
The source is British New Wave musician, Thomas Dolby's 'She blinded me with science'! The Tamil song that sounds alarmingly similar to this track's opening - complete with the rhythm (synth hook in the original) and the tune of the first 2 lines is....'Dosth bada dosth' from Saroja, with music by Yuvan Shankar Raja! Hmmm...so, what do you think? Mail me!
Listen to Dosth bada dosth | She blinded me with science
16
Pungi, from Agent Vinod
Iranian band Barobax had reportedly sent a legal notice to Pritam and Agent Vinod team for copyright violation. The bone of contention - one that is being discussed in YouTube comments and online discussion forums - is the song 'Pungi'. It is alleged that the song is copied from Barobax's 2010 song, 'Soosan Khanoom'.

Having ripped apart Pritam a LOT, in this site, in the past, I guess it is only fair that I also come out in support of him when an allegation is widly silly and false. In my opinion, the ONLY similarity between Barobax's Soosan Khanoom and Agent Vinod's Pungi is the rythm loop that plays in the background. Tune-wise (or genre-wise) both the songs are similar to other songs like Hawa hawa (by Hassan Jehangir, but owes its origins to the 70s Iranian song 'Havar havar' by Kourosh Yaghmai) and Viju Shah's song from Aar Ya Paar, Tamma ele. There is no base for alleging that Pritam copied Barobax's song since the tunes are completely different and rhythm similarities could be tracked back or explained to commercial loops. A few instruments and a rhythm loop doesn't make a song (with lyrics, like film songs - different case for instrumental songs, anyway) - the tune does.

For once, I believe Pritam is in the clear.

Having read the above, listen to samples of the two songs in question - it is one thing to listen to them after reading random YouTube allegations of their similarity, and it's something else to listen to them after reading a counterpoint.

Barobax's Soosan Khanoom:
Agent Vinod's Pungi:

And, here's a bonus! A Tamil song by Vidyasagar, from the 2003 film Madura. The first 2 lines are almost identical to Barobax's Soosan Khanoom - no rhythm similarity; good old tune-similarity, albeit only short :)



This story ended with the Iranian band apologising to Pritam!
17
Satyamev Jayate title song
Palash Sen' has alleged that Ram Sampath lifted the main refrain of the theme song of Aamir Khan's TV show, Satyamev Jayate, from his 2000 number Satyamev Jayate, from the album Phir Dhoom.

This, in short, is absurd.

Before reporting this in mainstream media, why didn't the concerned journalists listen to both songs once and then write about it? Is it because this news will help sell more print since this is controversy around the most-talks about TV show in recent times? Add to it, they can combine the Ram Sampath Vs. Rajesh Roshan and Krazzy 4 copyright war and make a juicy story.

The simple point is that, if one listens to the both the songs, there is no basis for Palash's claims at all. There are 2 things worth differentiating here.

One, the use the words 'Satyamev Jayate' as the main chorus, in both songs. This is not worth debating as a lift. One could argue that the split of the words, 'Satyamev Satyamev, Satyamev Jayate' is similar in both songs. Is that even a valid claim? Of course not.

Two, the tune in which the chorus is sung. Just listen to both the choruses. Ram's song has one tune for this chorus, while Euphoria's has 2 - the starting chorus is similar only in the way it breaks the words up - 'Satyamev Satyamev, Satyamev Jayate'. The 2nd chorus just goes, 'Satyamev Jayate...yay yay yayeye'. The don't sound similar in anyway, as far as the tune goes.

It is shocking that this baseless claim was given weight in media when both the songs are a click away for listening.


Listen to
Satyamev Jayate - Ram Sampath:
Satyamev Jayate - Euphoria:
 
 


Hindi

Anu Malik
Anand Milind
Anand Raaj Anand
Bappi Lahiri
Jatin Lalit
Kalyanji Anandji
Laxmikant Pyarelal
Nadeem Shravan
OP Nayyar
Pritam Chakravarty
Rajesh Roshan
RD Burman
Salil Chaudhry
SD Burman
Sandeep Chowta
Sanjeev Darshan
Shankar Jaikishen
Hindi - others


Tamil
A R Rahman
Deva
Ilayaraja
Karthikraja
Yuvan S. Raja
Tamil - others


Assorted
Coincidences
Indipop
Advt. jingle lifts
Telugu
Trivia
 

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