Green Day vs. ELO vs. Scott McKenzie

After all these years Green Day is still churning out hits. Armstrong must be a big ELO fan.

Shane submitted the Scott McKenzie “San Francisco” comparison and  Jeff sent in the Electric Light Orchestra similarity in the chorus. Nonetheless, the Green Day track is super catchy and I can’t get it out of my head. Now I have three songs stuck in my head.

Have a listen:
“21 Guns” chorus:

Electric Light Orchestra – “Telephone Line” (1976)
Green Day – “21 Guns” (2009)

“21 Guns” verse:

Scott McKenzie – “San Francisco” (1967)
Green Day – “21 Guns” (2009)
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15 Responses to “Green Day vs. ELO vs. Scott McKenzie”

  1. BT says:

    def hear the similarity between San Fran and 21 Guns. nice find!

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  2. Joe says:

    green day is a given. i think you’ll find that 98% of green day songs have the EXACT same melodies as older popular song.

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  3. Bill says:

    I like Green Day, but 21 Guns is definitely a copy of ELO’s Telephone Line. If it doesn’t already, the Green Day album should give some credit to Jeff Lynne.

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  4. Tony says:

    I knew it! Ever since I heard this song in the radio last summer I knew this song sounded a lot like that San Francisco song! I didn’t thought anyone else caught that.

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  5. Hambone says:

    Green Day are a bunch of posers

    [Reply]

  6. Levi says:

    What about “All the Young Dudes” – Bowie / Mott the Hoople ?

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    Keith Reply:

    Thanks Levi. Got that one up over here:
    http://www.thatsongsoundslike.com/2009/11/02/update-green-day-vs-elo-vs-mott-the-hoople/

    [Reply]

  7. Jonathan says:

    How about the first line of “21 Guns” with the first line of “Heart of Gold” by Neil Young?

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    Keith Reply:

    Nice one!

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  8. Andrew says:

    It also sounds a lot like the song “Waterfall” of of elo’s “Face The Music” cd

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  9. Joe says:

    Also similar to “All the young Dudes” by Mott The Hoople.

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  10. MarilynMonster88 says:

    I’m so glad someone else heard the ELO similarity. Nobody I showed it to heard it.

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  11. Jonny Watts says:

    I think another thing worth mentioning is that the guitar solo of 21 guns sounds like the chorus from the Full House theme song. Just worth mentioning… *whistle*

    [Reply]

    Keith Reply:

    Ha. Yup. I got that one here!
    http://www.thatsongsoundslike.com/2009/11/07/green-day-vs-full-house/

    [Reply]

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