“We Are Young” by fun. has been driving me and a lot of people crazy. I’m still not able to put my finger on it but I am offering up these bits. Let me know if you have any others. I’m dying to know. Am I nuts?
fun. - "We Are Young (Chorus)" (2011)
Thompson Twins - "Hold Me Now" (1983)
Erasure - "A Little Respect" (1988)
This part is so similar to a Queen song. Bohemian Rhapsody? Is it a different song?? Let’s get to the bottom of this!
fun. - "We Are Young (Pre-Chorus)" (2011)
Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody" (1975)
Tell me what you think in the comments
UPDATE 7/26/2012: I added a post for Paul Simon “Cecilia” (1970) vs fun. “Some Nights” since there have been few comments and submissions for it.
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someone told me it sounds like something from reo speedwagon but cant place it
Time for an REO Speedwagon marathon today 😛
yeah me to
me and her are both trying to figure this one out.its weird how you know its like something but cant place it when its blatantly obvious.
Hard knock life
Actually, if you listen to ELO’s Telephone Line you’ll hear the same musical progression and chorus. The singer from Fun even sounds the same. We Are Young just has a faster tempo. The whole band’s sound is kind of an ELO rip off.
it does resemble bohemian a bit….maybe influenced by it for that part..far as the chorus..id give it to erasure over the other one there.but its still like something else.
heres one driving me insane.
“Grouplove” – Tongue Tied
You just ruined my day 😛
Definitely sounds like something!
The melody at 0:17 sounds like the background melody in the intro of Silversun Pickups – Lazy Eye: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6jCdUaaE1Q&feature=#at=265
SOLVES
SOLVED http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYQBptoNvp0&ob=av2n
Hello- in every commercial for a bit.
Martin Solveig and Dragonette/
@ Toke and tequilasundee…those both are great..neither one of you are wrong..but neither one was what i was thinking
Harry Nilsson: Everybody’s Talkin’
There’s also an anti-smoking PSA on the radio in Pennsylvania, aimed at teens, with lyrics that fit the pattern from “Tongue Tied”. “Let me see your I.D. please/Keep them with you like your keys”
There’s a little Blondie – Heart Of Glass in it I think..
I was thinking the same exact thing! I was just listening to “Heart of Glass” a few minutes ago.
Keith,please tell me im hallucinating
marilyn manson: this is evolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCeCRqSj0F8#t=0m37s
judas priest: revolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJbi0MVFrog&feature=related#t=0m48s
There’s a small similarity but not too much. You might be hallucinating.
yeah was tired when i was hearing judas there..definitely was overthinking that one.
sounds like celine dion the power of love just faster
heres 1 im surprised hasnt made it on here yet
alice cooper: eighteen(1970)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNF2KNcRm-U#t=0m43s
cher: half breed(1973)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxoWto09Oyg#t=0m42s
kiss: dreaming(1998)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO-Ol1JQjcc#t=0m54
Speaking of Erasure…
I turned on the radio to Gym Class Heroes new song “Fighter”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7mzEbP0CS8 (go to 0:48)
and thought I was hearing Erasure’s “Always” from ’94
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSMeUPFjQHc (go to 0:40)
Wow. That’s a good one. I think I’ll add that to Katy Perry vs. Erasure:
https://www.thatsongsoundslike.com/2011/07/25/katy-perry-vs-erasure/
im seeing comments saying “we are young” chorus is like “we are the champions”but either im hearing things again or queens “save me” has some similarities with funs chorus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Scj4F9XkOgU#t=1m54
I could have sworn “We are young” was taken from or a re-do of an old Simon & Garfunkel song but I don’t remember which one.
I’d love to know which song!
Time for a Simon & Garfunkel marathon today 😛
we are young is driving me insane cause i know i have heard this and its not bohemian rhapsody that reminds me of it. please if someone figures this out post it asap (:
We’ll get to the bottom of this!
it does have a simon and garfunkel feel to it…and im still saying it sounds like something from REO speedwagon.How long would it take to go through every single song there is??Probably forever.
perhaps just listening to it without the vocals might help??
Keith did i burn my brain out thinking part of “We are young” is like american pie
AMERICAN PIE DON MCLEAN!!!! Something about his voice reminds me of that song. Same with some nights too. Oh, it has been bugging me!! I actually remember 1972. This has been a major ghost. Your answer puts it to rest in my brain. I’m not thinking about it anymore. Thanks Keith and Travis!!!
perhaps the intro of “We are young” to ben E king “stand by me”
Wow. Crazy you say that. I was just thinking that right before you posted this. More on the outro “nanana” part.
this does sound like 4 or 5 songs all rolled up.But that chorus is making me crazy.especially without the vocals over it i know ive heard it before almost exactly like that.
could be way off but this might resemble it a bit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6OCDhqfkB8#t=0m34
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6Uht69h8Is
…first song I thought of
…for that matter
classic four chord progression in the chorus.
…but if you don’t play an instrument it may be irrelevant.
Fun sounds very much like Queen. Stumbled here by doing a search on it after listening to some of their other songs on the album. I think it’s the voices, and they definitely have to be influenced by Queen. Love them both!
I’m a huge fun. fan, and I’m fairly certain they said in an interview that they were influenced by Queen, especially in the “Some Nights Intro”.
Jim, I think you are on the right track. I immediately thought this was a remake of an old ‘Stroll’ song.
Keith,I just found out about this one and wondering how I didn’t pick up on it.
Michael Buble: haven’t met you yet
Randy Newman: short people
Here’s another one buggin me.
Unwritten law: seeing red
Shinedown: begin again
the second part you listed reminds me of My Chemical Romance… ‘I’m Not Okay’
Ah, yeah, totally! I was actually going to post My Chemical Romance vs. Queen a while ago but never got around to it. Good call!
actually just realised that it was not ‘I’m not Okay’ that I meant but ‘Welcome to The Black Parade’! 🙂
Fun’s new song “Some Nights” is an obvious ripoff of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Cecilia”….
Ahhhh. Thanks Eric! That must be where the Simon and Garfunkel thing came in from a previous comment. Might be good for a new post.
The production and vocals on the song sound amazingly like The Shins, especially from their 2001 release Oh, Inverted World. I’m not picking up on a specific phrasing or melody, but compare it to Caring is Creepy:
Sounds to me like it has some Neutral Milk Hotel in there somewhere
Somebody just sent me this track. The intro is a bit similar to the intro of “We Are Young”
” Jason Mraz” – You And I Both (2004)
It seems so familiar because we’ve all seen a bunch of Chevy Sonic Commercials.
Beginning is ripped from Jason Isbell’s Alabama Pines. Probably unintentional, but they should still give him 50% and co-writing credits.
Thank you!
The first time I heard the song I thought it was an old song. Then I heard it again and thought “it’s odd that they’re playing this random old song again.” Then it started appearing everywhere and I was like “Oh… it’s a new song. But, wait.. that sure SOUNDS like an older song.. wtf..”
You’re Welcome!
I’m beginning to think that fun. has figured out a formula. THE formula. It’s a hit song. We all feel like we’ve heard it. We don’t know where. We just….KNOW. They have stumped the world.
Not hearing it. Not even a little.
can anyone help me with this?its driving me insane.i know this is like something older
josh groban: to where you are
SOMETHING
I’m thinking there’s a big, anthemic song that goes “Tonigh-igh-i-igh-i-ight…” like that, but with the melody dipping lower (something along the lines of BB-G-E-C-DE B-A-F-D-B-CD), maybe from a 1980s film.
Or am I just thinking of “Let the River Run”? http://youtu.be/cv-0mmVnxPA#t=0m11.5s
Nope, Erasure.
I believe the Queen song that We Are Young sounds like is “Flash”, from the Flash Gordon movie:
It kinda sounds like “Hate Me” by Blue October.
The choruses of both those songs are very similar! I have a feeling “We Are Young” is a mix of at least 2 different songs.
I think the reason this song sounds so familiar is because it uses a doowop chord progression (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/50s_progression) or I – vi – IV – V for the chorus. This progression has been used in literally thousands of songs and was already cliche in the 50’s. Songs have continued to use it up until the present day. I think people are remembering all the snippets of songs that use that progression buried in the collective unconscious, which is why it makes it so confusing to pinpoint.
Here’s a few lists of songs that use the progression I found that might help on our search…
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-248018.html
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/forum/archive/index.php?t-300124.html
personally the first thing I thought of was something 50’s mixed with the chorus of this song http://youtu.be/4OIAiVIN8Ck?t=1m2s
Great point about the 50’s doowop progression!
Yeah. Made this point earlier
re:
Jim says:
May 22, 2012 at 2:23 pm
…first song I thought of
[Reply]
Jim says:
May 22, 2012 at 2:39 pm
…for that matter
classic four chord progression in the chorus.
[Reply]
Jim Reply:
May 23rd, 2012 at 6:31 pm
…but if you don’t play an instrument it may be irrelevant.
Thanks Jim! Yeah, I think “Runaround Sue” is probably the closest of them all!
Some of these songs are obvious rips. But for the vast majority…saying they are rip offs is liking saying every essay is copied because it has an intro, middle and conclusion. As for the songs, when something is from the same genre it will be similar, hence the same genre. These songs all sound like pop songs. You try to come up with a completely new sound out of all the millions of songs out there that still aligns with that upbeat, catchy melody. Invent a new primary color while you’re at it.
You’re right! The site is called “That Song Sounds Like” and not “Who Ripped Off Who”. We’re exploring where some popular melodies and sounds were derived. Sometimes an artist sub consciously includes a melody in their music without even realizing that it was already a popular song. Or maybe they are simply paying homage to their favorite artist. In some case though we just can’t avoid thinking that their is something fishy going on though. Take this popular example of Vanilla Ice for example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s0hEi8zhmg
the music is from (it’s a hard knock life) Jay-z or from annie
sounds like another song from maybe early 90s. not queen
More Queen: “Radio Ga Ga”. http://youtu.be/t63_HRwdAgk#t=2m04.9s
Supertramp + Freddy mercury + YES
I’ve always felt like fun was an homage to both Queen and ELO, but not exactly 100% derivative. There are elements of both bands in their sound, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I really don’t hear anything in their music that makes me go, “Aha! That’s [fill in the song name].”
i’m glad someone finally wrote ‘simon & garfunkel’ although not exactly, it’s paul simon solo (or paul simon & chevy chase, however you wanna look at it). same verses on both of em. funny, as huge a paul simon fan as i am my dad was the one who pointed this out. fun came on the radio one day and he goes ‘paul simon? you can call me whatever?’ anyway check it out:
simon & chase
fun featuring whoever
:
god damn it, the paul simon vid didn’t work – but 14 seconds in is where ya wanna start i think.
While we’re on Fun, Some Nights clearly yanked a lyric from Nena’s 99 Red Balloons.
This is it boys this is war is the lyric I was on about.
try “cecillia” simon and garfunkel for “some nights”
lol i just noticed you said lyric yank….wow.
got one of those myself been meaning to post
I dont why and if i’m right but it really reminds me of the soundtrack from from the movie working girl
Let The River Run by Carly Simon
i just went through youtube and a list of old songs… the drum beat at the start sounds just like “Maps” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs after about 10 secs. SOO relived now i know haha 😀
Maybe it’s just me being a crazy Queenie again, but I’m picking up notes of the guitar solo from “Killer Queen” in “We Are Young”. It’s not exactly the same, but parts of it really sound similar.
Pat benatar, love is a battlefield
Im not a huge music person, so when I heard this song and it hit me .. I was like WTF where have I heard it. The first thing that popped into my head was a movie, and for some reason Silence of The Lambs.
Not sure:
Goodbye Horses: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2qrQKV9Nzc
(less) Buffalo Bill : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVLL5y565Rg
??
Ha. Any time that song comes it is impossible to not think Silence of the Lambs. Not sure if it sounds much like the fun. track though.
I’m sure I’ve got it! Girls just wanna have fun – Cindy Lauper! Your all welcome;)
Nice one!
So mainly the post-chorus group vocal part?
This song also has the longest outro ever (from like 2:30 to 4:30). This would be a super annoying karaoke song 😛
so…girls just wanna have FUN eh….yeah that was a terrible attempt at humor.
Maybe fun. just wants to have girls.
HA!
I swear the chorus line of this song sounds similar to another song that I’ve heard before.. its not up in the comparisons above, but dammit.. the song keeps from entering my small brain.. but I swear I have heard this chorus before…
To me, it sounds SO much like Slade’s “Run Run Away”
Hi guys!!
Lots of people is still wondering about which song sounds like “we are young” and everyone has its own version, so here its mine (I never read it before and I might sound crazy):
celine dion – the power of love
If you slow a lot down “we are young” you can sing the chorus on dion’s song.
And now it’s almost natural for me to sing
“Cause I’m Your Ladyy and You are my maaaaaaan …. and we set the world on fireeee we can be brighter than the suuuuuuuuun” 😀 😀
I wish someone will make a mash-up, I’d love it 🙂
I think the lead singer sounds like Tracy Chapman.
To me it sounds like they ripped off the ending verse of Avenged Sevenfold’s “Save Me”
“Tonight, we all, die young” The tempo of the lyrics sounds almost the same too
reminds me a bit of the chorus of queen – “we are the champions”
two other queen songs with choruses in the same anthemic vein: “spread your wings” + “friends will be friends”
This song sounds just like REO Speedwagon to me. Horrible flashbacks to 80s softrock ballads.
The pat I can’t place, the moment that’s just out of reach for me is @0:42, most easily heard here, I think: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnPDV1hQIUQ
Though, it’s also the way they sing the lines there.
Can anyone else place it?
If you are all wondering why that “We Are Young” chorus sounds so familiar it’s because it is similar to National Lampoon’s “Holiday Road.” The leap to the 6th in the chorus is the key link.
Woah, nice call!
Listen to Pat Benatar’s …. “Love is a Battlefield”.
Beginning is identical to “Hey There Delilah” by the Plain White Tees.
Good find!
Angkun – Etre Une Femme vs. Yeh Ishq Hai – Shreya Ghoshal..
Good find! There’s another song that these remind me of. When I think of it I will post this.
I think it is AGNES MONICA – TAK ADA LOGIKA you are thinking of… Am i right?
Nemam Elana – Dara Bubamara
Please post this one Keith.. also Toxic – Britney Spears Vs. Tere Mere Beech Mein from bollywood
Yea Dushyantha – Surmukhi & Kumaran..
Ottagatha Kattiko AR Rahman
La Caution – Pilotes Automatiques
THE ONLY SIMILARITIES ARE THEY USE THE SAME CHORD STRUCTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AP music theory much?
Actually, at least to my ears, the part of the chorus that you posted from ‘we are young’ is almost an exact replica of the portion of Erasure’s ‘a little respect’ that you posted. But there are definitely a lot of other influences there, proving that there is really nothing new under the sun.
Sure sounds like Kevin Cronin from REO is singing in the chorus!! He’s unmistakeable
To me, the chorus to “We are Young” sounds like old 70’s Glam rock.
My first thought was that the melody sounded like Queen as well, but after thinking about it, it almost sounds more like something Pilot would do.
Like their song “Magic” a bit.