I love Pachelbel’s Canon in D, it is a very calming, soothing song. It has just enough tempo to keep the lay listener interested, but not so much as to malign the classical ear.
According to Rob Paravonian the cello part is rather dull, 8 notes (D A B F# G D G A), repeated 54 times. He was a cellest, now he plays guitar and is a stand-up-comedian. Here’s his Pachelbel Rant:
I would sit back and listed to the violins get lovely melodies, the violas would get lovely melodies, the second violins would get lovely melodies, which should just not happen! And the cello, we got stuck with 8 crappy, lousy, stinking notes.
And I began to wonder why, why would Pachelbel do that to us, such a beautiful instrument. And my theory was that he once dated a cellist, and she dissed him really bad. And for the rest of his life he came up with the worst cello part you could ever think of.
It wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t hear him every day. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking “Rob, don’t listen to classical radio anymore.” It doesn’t matter. Pachelbel’s following me. It sounds paranoid, but he’s following you too. You hear him every day.
In his rant he lists several songs that all use the same theme as Pachelbel’s Canon, which got me thinking… How many songs out there have the same cords as Pachelbel’s Canon? What would they sound like back-to-back in a playlist?
So I’d like to enlist your help (Darby, Bryce, and all you music afficianados out there), help me put together a list of songs that use Pachelbel’s cords. Here’s are the songs from the Rant (as best as I could identify them, please comment with any corrections, additions, or deletions):
- Pachelbel, Canon in D
- Vitamin C, Graduation Song
- Aerosmith,
Under My SkinCrying (hat tip to Nauti) - The Original Caste, One Tin Soldier
- Blues Traveler,
RunaroundHook (hat tip to Ellen) - GreenDay, Basket Case
- Better than Ezra, Good
- Bush, Machinehead
- Matchbox 20, Push
- U2, With or Without You
- Natalie Imbruglia, Torn
- Avril Lavigne, Skater Boy
- Twisted Sister, We’re Not Gunna Take It
- Theme to Laverene and Shirley
- Bob Marley, No, Woman, No Cry
- The Beatles, Let it Be
(Also, I’d be interested in acquiring all of these songs, just FYI).
Put your thinking tukes on and comment with some more songs with the same cords!
The song by Blues Traveler is Hook.
Thanks for the tip, Ellen! I’ve gone back up and correct the original post.
If you liked this article, you might also enjoy this one: http://www.joelevi.com/blog/index.php/2007/04/03/music-mashups/
– http://www.JoeLevi.com
Actually the song by Aerosmith is Crying.
Nauti,
I did a Google search on “lyrics ‘there was a time when I was so broken hearted’” and it looks like you’re right! Thanks!
– http://www.JoeLevi.com
Here’s another one: All Together Now by The Farm, on “Spartacus”
You’re welcome Joe!
Thanks to you for the great list! ^-^
Go West by Pet Shop Boys as well as a song I think by Coolio. Can’t think of the name of that one though.
Another one that remains the canon is Secret from the No use for a name LP called Making friends
At the time 2:14 begins the canon.
Rihanna “Take a bow” 🙂
Thanks, Joerg! Although Rihanna’s is only the first half the the cannon, it’s definitely there and a very interesting take on it!
I was listening to Pandora today and heard Shine by Cyndi Lauper on her Shine LP, it’s a much more subtle cannon thread, but it’s in there, particularly in the opening few measures of the song.
– http://www.JoeLevi.com
@Koletas,
It took me a while to find the song, but sure enough, the guitar solo in the middle is classic Cannon. If you listen closely the string running through the whole song is Cannon, too!
– http://www.JoeLevi.com
Another song that clearly copies the pachelbel’s cannon, I remembered this web when I heard the song: Better off dead of 30 foot fall, (canon begins at 1:52)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25XXoMuTCFE&t=1m52s
beat of my heart by hilary duff has the pachebel and I have all the songs on that list and edited them where Rob sang them it is SOOOOOO true what he said
you have 3 mistakes in the names… 1st
Crying is Cryin’, Skater Boy is Sk8r Boi, and We’re not gunna take it is, We’re Not Gonna Take it. also I’m not 100% sure but I think No, Woman, No Cry is No Woman, No Cry
As the deer by Nystrom
anybody know where there’s a complete lyrics for the Pachelbel rant. I’d like to work it up and add it to my repertoire
From mentioned eariler on but not added to the list:
C U When U Get There by Coolio
Dragostea Din Tei by Ozone (not sure if it is the whole chord sequence or just half)
“Plain White T's – 1234” is kind of pachelbelly, too.
Hey, found another one.
Somewhere in the Between by Streetlight Manifesto, within five seconds of the song starting. XD
Could there be Pachelbel even in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DS_V4K-jWA ? (Groove Coverage, I need you versus I need you)
How about Groove Coverage, “I need you versus I need you”?
Skeeter Davis’ End of the World.