"Dani California" sounds like "Mary Jane's Last Dance," and RHCP fans are going mad.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are currently enjoying success with their new album Stadium Arcadium, but this success could soon be clouded by allegations of plagiarism.…
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - rhcp
rchp produced an amazing song and didnt copy- cmon do u think they really need too look at there succes b4 the release of "dani california"
27 - foobar
Hmm. Speed up "Mary Jane", cut out all the parts that _don't_ sound the same, overlay parts that have no similarities at all, and accuse RHCP of plagiarism.
28 - martin
anoyone else notice the similarities towards the end between petty and the white stripes - fell in love with a girl ? no one made a fuss about that though did they !!?
29 - katy
It sounds like the type of thing that can happen if you listen to a song, and then the next day, without realizing it, you have it going through your head and think you have a new idea for a song. It can happen to anyone, and HAS... a LOT.
30 - Mr. McFly
forget about Dani California and Mary Jane's Last Dance...I'm not even kidding when I say that their song "Snow" totally steals a riff from LFO's "The Reason Why"
31 - Ahking
Wow! The chords are exactly the same! *NOT*
The third Petty chord is D MAJOR
the third RHCP chord is D MINOR
Big difference! Seriously.
I can't believe anybody believes this DJ. He knows nothing about music. A song is more than chords and tempo anyway. If you listen to the songs separetly, you can hear that they have different souls.
32 - Dr. Treez
Hasn't anyone on this blog actually heard the full version of Mary Jane's Last Dance? Apparently not. This Delaware guy is a liar and an asshole. He himself said that among the similarities was the tempo. Listen to the full version of Mary Jane's Last Dance (you know, the REAL song) and you'll find that it's much slower than the one used in this doctored mp3. The guy took the liberty of speeding up the song and has the nerve to go on the air and claim that the tempo was originally the same as the one in Dani California. What a dick.
33 - vantage4
who cares? the final section of "stairway to heaven " has the same chords as "all along the watchtower," tons of songs are based on the same chord progressions and every so often two come along that also happen to have similar rhythms. in one of cream's songs eric clapton ripped off an albert king solo note for note. led zeppelin used ideas from scores of old blues songs. neither of them can be accused of being unoriginal or lacking in creativity. even if you come up with a musical idea by yourself, chances are that by now someone else has done it before. these two songs really aren't that similar, but even if they were it still shouldn't be an issue.
34 - Mr. Real Estate
When I listen to Dani California I certainly do not hear Tom Petty. Sure the sounds may be similar, but if this sounded anything like Tom Petty I would've left the album on the shelf. How much payola is Tom Petty giving this guy for free publicity? They're two totally different songs. Anyone with an ear can hear that.
35 - Eric
This is ridiculous. Listen to that guys track of the two, he doctored it so much to sound similar. He sped up the Tom Petty song and made the drums and bass way more prevalent. They arent as close as his track makes it sound.
36 - Joe
hmm.. google ads, targeted specfic amazon ads... hmmm
sure are alot of ads on this site
37 - pnkroses
Whoever made this track of comparisons is so stupid! It is obvious that there are some similarities when you listen to the ORIGINAL versions but not the version that is dubbed up that obviously has Tom Petty's song sped up.(sorry but he does not sing that fast!!) This is such a ridiculous subject and arnt there more important things to worry about in the world rather than if RHCP riffed off of Petty?? come on lets get on with our lives!
38 - plllllllll
screwe the rules... dis the peppers and i hope you burn in hell
39 - Dawn
yeah Joe, it's called a business, what's your point?
40 - Kraig
Well I guess Rick Rubin likes doing this kind of thing. Not thats its right. When he started producing Cash, he just had Johnny remake existing songs and made a mint. Cash, as a matter of fact, loved remaking and taking existing tracks and "making them his own". I say just enjoy a good song in whatever form it takes. Everyone is benefitng if you ask me.
41 - knucklefuck
Same thing with Pepper's 'Tradewinds', a cheap knockoff of UB40's 'Bring Me Your Cup'. Homos.
42 - Dave
I agree this wouldn't really matter if it wasn't such a crappy song to start with. For those of you who can't hear the similarities I can assure you they are there. Since I've started studying jazz my ear has become more adept at picking such things. Although there are only 7 different notes in every scale to form chords with, which gives not that many chords, especially when you consider that chords like diminished and augmented chords and variations like suspended 2nds and 4ths, and 7ths, which often are hard to use because of their different sound, so the less skilled songwriters are limited to perhaps 12 or 14 chords in each key (though many don't use that many). Its only natural that after 4 albums of similar music they have run out of chords to use. Perhaps some musical study is in order for these lads to make some more credible music in the future. I can't see Neil Finn or John Lennon releasing a song like this. Oh well. Maybe the RHCPs will learn somethin from the whole debacle.
43 - Trevour
Who cares? Songs are copied ALL THE TIME. You can find similar melodies amongst and endless number of tunes. Take the same several chords, you can recycle them over and over into something new. They aren't blatant ripoffs.
If you want a real ripoff (or homage, maybe?), just compare Oasis' "Rock 'N' Roll Star" with Driveshaft's (fictional band from TV's 'LOST') "You All Everybody."
44 - steve
who cares, the peppers haven't done shit since blood sugar, and never will, they are only good for 1 song a cd now
45 - "chile" pepper
dude , red hot hasnt come with a good album since Californication , give me back my mothers milk !! freakin sellouts ...RHCP got no soul left.
Y aca en chile sonaron como las pelotas
Viva el rock ! BABASONICOS Y CHANCHO EN PIEDRAS !
46 - Vern Halen
There's only so many useful and appealing chord changes. Similar tunes happen all the time - it's the shading (ie, tempo, key, etc.) and lyrical content that make all the difference in the world.
47 - Andy Marsh
You think this song is bad the way it's recorded? You hsoulda heard it live at Charlotte a couple of weeks ago...sounded almost like a rap song the way the lyrics came out...really bad! You could definately tell it wasn't a dubbed performance!
48 - LJ
I wasn't going to comment (although as a musician some of the comments from other so called musicians make me laugh). I happen to like RHCP and Dani California. I also happen to know Tom Petty and even he doesn't think the songs are that much alike. But as for #42, Dave, your comment made me laugh more than any other. John Lennon covered Muddy Waters (no, I wasn't alive, but I know that the Beatles did that). Everyone has some similiar chords and chord progressions and with the real copy cats and absolute ruiners of older songs Rhianna comes to mind, this whole thing is way out of proportion. Try writing a song (or 12 or 30) and then make a comment. Just because you study something doesn't make you an expert. Try doing it for 10, 15, 20 years and then we'll take you seriously.
49 - reggie von woic
Perhaps its a coincidence?
What?...it happens.
50 - Steve UK
Whats with all the people saying that they don't like the chili's because 'they have sold their souls' or what not? Who cares if they don't make another bloodsugar ... they have already made one like that, why make another one? That would just be boring now wouldn't it?
Some people need to accept that bands move on and like to do something different. If they kept making the same stuff then that would be 'selling out'. i.e Grow up you scabs!
PS The songs do sound similar but not similar enough to suggest plagiarism. In England we have never even heard of Tom Petty so we couldn't care less about him. I think thats why there is such an issue with it, because the chili's are more popular and all but then who really cares, it's just another classic wave of anti-chilis that happens everytime they haven't done an album like bloodsugarsexmagic. Silly silly.
51 - Phil
All these comments about the chillis selling out after blood sugar sex magic are bollocks, since that was just as 'commercial' as californication and everything afterwards. Now I'm not saying I don't like the chilli peppers, I think they are brilliant and recon they will make many more good albums. If you want the so called non sell out albums as they put it they should be talking about the eponymous debut, freaky styly and uplift mofo. Even Mothers milk was produced by rubin!
However the most important thing is like what my fellow uk bretheren #50 said about waves of anti-chilli peppers. We know more about music than any yank since it is British music that dominates the world music industry, most modern american artists all openly say they are influenced by the british artists of their youth, including RHCP.
52 - Addict
Ya know what they say.
"No junk no soul"
Kiedis and Frusciante should start takin H again.
53 - E.K.
Take "When I Come Around" by Green Day, slow it way down, and you get "Glycerine" by Bush.
Happens all the time. Some songs just sound alike. How come nobody got on Puffy for taking "Kashmir" and just going "Yeah, unhhh" on it and making a "new song" out of it?
54 - Troy
With all the songs that are out there now, there's bound to be a coincidence of similar songs. I listened to both, and though the beginning sounds a little similar, I don't see any plagiarism. Just a bunch of bs to me.
55 - Lloyd
Both groups suck anyways!
56 - SKEETER
Plagiarism is not the act of copying a chord pattern. What is copyrighted in a song is the melody and the words. If the melody line is similar or exactly the same in places, or some of the words appear to have been lifted, or a little of both, then that is where the problem would be. Just a sequence of chords in and of itself is not a protected entity or event.
57 - Derek
The reason no one ragged on Puffy for his "yeah, uh" version of "Kashmir" was because Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin guitarist and fanatic of all things mystical) played guitar on "Come With Me" (the actual name of Puffy's song). You can't rip yourself off.
58 - Dude
Does it matter that every Tom Petty song sounds the same? I dunno, but by my estimates, Petty is way overrated. Not to mention the fact that you can listen to a Chili's album and actually have a sense of journey. Petty, it's just the same journey every 4 min.
59 - Peege
Ok, I heard about this and decided to check it out.
Lets get into the mechanics of the song.
Last Dance With Mary Jane is in the key of A Minor. It contains the verse of 1, 7, 5 chord (intro) and pretty much stays constant with a few Em6's in their.
Lets see what Frusciante is doing...
Chili Peppers are also using a key of Am.
However, their chord interval is 1, 7, 4.
So when analyzing this song in terms of plagurizm Thats not going to last a second.
The chord patterns may sound similar. But they are both very common and used in thousands of songs. Look at green day. You can't accuse someone of plagurizing because they have the same chord intervals.
They may have the same key, but theres what...like 7 different common ones (including relative minor / majors)
Aside from that, Listen to Tom Petty and Listen to Anthony Keidis. Keidis uses different rythmic patterns, and hes 10 times funkier. Plus, Frusiantes' guitar solo makes the song unique in my oppinion.
60 - tom
im a big fan and i can deny that petty should do something about that
61 - no poser
where on the internet can you listen to Tom Petty's 'Mary Jane' song anyways?
62 - no poser
Actually, Dude hit the nail on the head. Tom Petty does sound the same drone on and on. RHCP actually do take me on a trip. YEah baby!@
63 - destiny
I love the Chili Peppers new work. I thought they coundn't top "Under The Bridge" for me, but they have. My advice just enjoy.
64 - JOE
Very similar, but this stuff just pisses me off. People are takin it way overboard with accusing The Peppers of consciously copying Petty. Music has been around for ages, and things like this are bound to happen by chance. It happens all the time, and unless its as obviously blatant as was the Ice Ice Baby/Under Pressure incident, then people need to chill out. I like Tom Petty a lot, but my opinion of him in my mind would be forever tainted if he decides to fall into the hype and press charges.
Ps.I agree with Aiden--
THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS KICK ASS
And dont say there new stuff isnt the same,
Stadium Arcadium is RHCP's greatest album yet, period the end.
65 - Travis
Yeahhhh, what he said. Damn, JOE, my bro, ur stuff is fo sho. Completely agree with everything.
66 - Tral-fazz
Yeahhhh, what he said. Damn, JOE, my bro, ur stuff is fo sho. Completely agree with everything.
67 - Pat
Tom petty has an album commin out this summer..maybe he can get back at the peppers by performing with a sock around his balls
68 - Ray Brown
I don't hold an allegiance to either but this is just too spooky to be "coincidental". Even if you overlay the two tracks they might as well be singing a duete! Ruling... Royalties for Petty!...No arguments!
69 - Kali
Wow, so much fuss over a fucking song. Dani California sounds nothing like the original and GOOD version of Mary Janes last dance, and for that fact, I believe Stadium Arcadium is their best album since Californication. I wasn't a true fan of their old work, because I wasn't (when i was 10) fond of funk... but now that I've listened to Stadium Arcadium I've seen a lot of their old work in this album and it's gotten me to listen to their old work and I really appreciate it.
Sure, songs sound alike all the time..that doesn't mean some jackass in some small town has the right to try and hurt a wonderful group's reputation. 23 years this group has been together.
THey haven't pulled a Milli Vanilli Yet. (or however it's spelled...) And they sure as hell haven't had the need to blatently plaguerize from somebody like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I hope this guy gets pulled off the radio for his actions. Perhaps if they were only a few months old and hurting for publicity, but 23 years, come on... I've heard similitarities in A LOT of music in the 21 years I've beeen alive. 8 of which I spent in music lessons from Piano, Guitar, to Vocal..
We can sit and spaz over who's more qualified to judge what or where, but the bottom line is, if you don't like the music, don't listen to it, if you've got something constructive to say, say it. If you don't, keep it to yourself, why fuel a fire that shouldn't have been set to begin with?
Seriously folks, get your priorities in order, it's a song, they're a group, it's music...
Love it or Leave it.
(But what do I know, I'm just a stupid girl)
70 - emily's bitch
1. ”Mary Jane’s Last Dance” is a much more blatent rip on the Jayhawks song ”Waiting for the sun”. 2. Although the similarities are obvious in the first few bars, the overall vibe of the two songs are completely different. 3.”Dani California” shits all over ”Mary Jane’s Last Dance” where soul and energy is concerned. SO to tom PETTY and and all of those PETTY packers out there, YOU’D BEST KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT.
71 - egebamyasi
It sounds like Sweet Home Alabama.
Dani Alabama
72 - DiedLaughing
I love how suddenly it's not an issue of plagiarism, but messages about how Tom Petty sucks and RHCP rulez.heh heh. And some stupid person saying, "Don't say anything if you're a Tom Petty fan...Or I'll i'll I'll have a fit!"
I like both Tom Petty and RHCP, btw. I don't see either of them ever purposefully copying the other and if you have to break it down into chord progressions, you're gonna have to go way back.
Tom Petty won't do anything about this even if they sound alike. Mark my words. He's actually one of the good guys.
73 - norman mailer
IF YOU READ GUITAR WORLD, THERE IS AN INTERVIEW W/ JOHN FRUSCIANTE. HE GOES ON TO SAY HIS GUITAR SOLO FROM DANI CALIFORNIA IS A COVER OF JIMI HENDRIXS' "PURPLE HAZE". IF HE CLAIMS THAT, WHY WOULDN'T THE CHILI PEPPERS GIVE TOM PETTY PROPER CREDIT?!?!?!?!?!?
74 - shannon
I love their song. I don't care whether or not it sounds like some other song. Who cares? All Rap songs sound alike, but nobody seems to comment on that.
~shannon~
75 - Kris
I agree with Joe and Aiden
RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS KICK ASS!
And Kalli Rock on girl you said it all for me
The guy that said that shit on the radio is a jackass and so is the chick that wrote this page so please Jessa get a life and stop starting shit about one of the greatest bands on the planent. If you need the publicity to get people to check out your page this is not the way all it does is pisses people off and make them hate you. I hope you get whats coming by starting shit about the Peppers cus a try fan never dies