Ostin Allegro's
Pop meets the
Classics
Looking at UK hit pop songs and instrumentals that (allegedly!) draw on classical music
Main Index
Web site contents - click the links above to go to the page you are interested in.
This is the main index page. It is organised by the year the single first entered the UK chart.
The alphabetical index has the songs in order of title and in order of classical composer.
Odds and Ends - the other side of the coin - Classics Based on Pop
What's in and what's out explains what has been included in these lists and what has not.
Contact Ostin lets you e-mail or send a message to this site.
News and Views - What's New, Quiz, Useful Links.
Any Answers - Is it or isn't it based on classical music. Can you help?
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Before November 1952 there was no official UK chart. For some earlier songs based on or borrowing from the classics, take a look at this page... |
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Pop Title and Artist |
Composer and Work |
Comments |
|
|
1955 |
Stranger in Paradise Tony Bennett |
Borodin - Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor |
This song was a hit for no fewer than 6 different artists in 1955. Tony Bennett's version was the biggest hit - getting to No. 1. The other artists were Bing Crosby (17), Don Cornell (19), Eddie Calvert (14), Four Aces (6) and Tony Martin (6). This, and other music by Borodin, was adapted to create the musical Kismet. |
|
1956 |
Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom) Perry Como |
Chabrier - Espana Rhapsody |
Uses a melody adapted from the classical piece. Como got it to No. 4 in the UK charts. It was also a hit for Michael Holliday (13) and The Stargazers (28) in the same year. |
|
1956 |
My Prayer The Platters |
G Boulanger - Avant de Mourir
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Was a UK No. 4 and US No. 1. Avant de Mourir was a melody written in 1926 and was the composer's Opus 17. The song became a hit in 1970 for Gerry Monroe. Originally recorded by Glenn Miller in 1939. |
|
1958 |
Catch a Falling Star Perry Como |
Brahms - Academic Festival Overture
|
The song uses one of the themes from this overture. Brahms, in turn, had used tunes based on student drinking songs. The one in question here is "Was kommt dort von der Höh". |
|
1959 |
Alone at Last Jackie Wilson |
Tchaikovsky - Piano Concert No 1 |
This song uses the main theme from the first movement of this concerto. |
|
1959 |
The World Outside The Four Aces Ronnie Hilton |
Addinsell - Warsaw Concerto
|
The concerto was originally written for the soundtrack of the 1940 film Dangerous Moonlight, and was so popular that it became a hit in its own right. The Four Aces and Ronnie Hilton both got this song to No. 18 in the chart. It was also an instrumental hit for pianist Russ Conway in the same year. |
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Pop Title and Artist |
Composer and Work |
Comments |
|
|
1960 |
Elvis Presley |
di Capua - O Solo Mio
|
Was a hit previously for other artists (e.g. Mario Lanza) but Elvis' version got to No. 1, sold millions and was an international success. |
|
1961 |
Asia Minor Kokomo, his Piano and Orchestra |
Grieg - Piano Concerto in A minor
|
Instrumental. Kokomo recorded a number of pop instrumentals based on classical pieces. This was the only UK hit, and is based on the main theme from the 1st movement. |
|
1961 |
Entry of The Gladiators Nero and The Gladiators |
Fucik - March
"Entry of the Gladiators"
|
Instrumental. A guitar version of this classic "circus" piece. See also the entry below for James Darren. For more about Nero, go here... |
|
1961 |
Goodbye Cruel World James Darren |
Fucik - March "Entry of the Gladiators"
|
This song uses an excerpt form Fucik's famous "circus" March to great effect as a little countermelody. (See also Palisades Park - 1962) |
|
1961 |
In the Hall of the Mountain King Nero and the Gladiators |
Grieg - Peer Gynt Suite No 1
|
Instrumental. A version of "In the hall of the Mountain King", the 4th movement of the 1st suite, and the second hit this year for Nero and his band. |
|
1961 |
Piltdown Rides Again Piltdown Men |
Rossini - Overture "William Tell"
|
Instrumental. One of a number of hits for this US group. The Overture was well known at the time as the source of the theme music to the children's TV series "The Lone Ranger". |
|
1961 |
Romeo Petula Clark |
Stolz - Salome |
Petula Clark got to No 3 in the UK with her rendition of Salome, a vocal fox-trot from 1919 by the Austrian composer Robert Stolz. |
|
1961 |
Elvis Presley |
Silcher - Muß i' denn zum Städtele hinaus |
Friedrich Silcher (1789-1860) is often credited with having written the melody in 1827. The melody is usually referred to as a German folk tune, so it is not clear whether Silcher wrote it, or merely collected (or edited) it at some point. |
|
1962 |
Baubles, Bangles and Beads George Shearing |
Borodin - String Quartet No. 2 in D
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This song was taken from the Scherzo of the quartet and was another that featured in the musical Kismet. |
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1962 |
Can Can 62 Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers |
Offenbach - Orpheus
in the Underworld
|
Instrumental. Typical early sixties rock version of the dance from Offenbach's operetta. |
|
Can't Help Falling in Love Elvis Presley |
Martini - Plaisir d'Amour
|
The song by Martini, slightly adapted, was a No. 1 for Elvis this year, and was also a hit for Andy Williams (1970), Stylistics (1976), Lick the Tins (1986) and UB40 (1993). All of these being rather different takes on the same tune. | |
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1962 |
Like I Do Maureen Evans |
Ponchielli - Dance of the Hours
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Got to No 3 with this song using the same familiar tune as Alan Sherman's "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah" in 1963. |
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1962 |
B Bumble and the Stingers |
Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker Suite (March)
|
Instrumental. Probably my earliest memory of a classical piece given the pop treatment. Very tongue-in-cheek and great fun. Got to No. 1 in May. |
|
1962 |
Palisades Park Freddie Cannon |
Fucik - March "Entry of the Gladiators"
|
Another borrowing of Fucik's famous "circus" march as a countermelody. (See also Goodbye Cruel World -1961) |
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1962 |
Peter and the Wolf Clyde Valley Stompers |
Prokofiev - Peter and the Wolf
|
Instrumental. A trad jazz adaptation of the main theme from Prokofiev's music for the traditional children's story. The original tune was, at the time, well known as the theme music for the Granada TV children's program "Zoo Time". |
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1963 |
Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah Allan Sherman |
Ponchielli - Dance of the Hours
|
A classic humorous song, A Letter from Camp, based on a melody from the Opera "La Gioconda". Also used in "Like I Do" in 1962! |
|
1963 |
Rondo Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen |
Mozart - Rondo "alla Turca"
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Instrumental. Got to No. 24 with this trad jazz version of the Rondo (3rd movement) from Mozart's Piano Sonata No 11 in A. |
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Saturday Nite at the Duck-Pond The Cougars |
Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (Scene)
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Instrumental. The Cougars' love of Tchaikovsky expressed in this homage to one of his well known pieces. See also The Cats (1969) | |
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1964 |
So Deep is the Night Ken Dodd |
Chopin - Etude in E
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Ken had a number of hits back in the 60s. This is a beautiful tune and one of my favourites. |
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1964 |
The Wedding Julie Rogers |
Schubert - Ave Maria
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This is a tenuous connection. The "Ave Maria" line from this song is lifted straight from Schubert. The rest of the song can, at best, be said to have a mere hint of the original. |
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1965 |
Lovers Concerto The Toys |
JS Bach - Minuet in G More...
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This song took the theme from Bach's minuet and changed the timing a bit! The result was a very catchy pop song. Love it or hate it! The follow-up to this one, a minor hit, also used a classical borrowing. See 1966. |
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Tears Ken Dodd |
Saint-Saens - Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix |
A more speculative borrowing. The melody for Tears is strikingly similar to part of this song from the opera Samson and Delila. It might be pure coincidence, but when we see how many of Ken's hits use classical themes, the balance of probability swings the other way. | |
|
1965 |
The Seekers |
Berlioz - Overture "Les Francs-Juges"
anon - Russian folk tune "Stenka Razin" |
The melody for this song appears (somewhat adapted!) in the overture of this early Berlioz opera. However, the tune was originally the Russian folk song Stenka Razin. See http://poparchives.com.au/feature.php?id=522 for more info. Got to No. 1 in the chart in November. |
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1965 |
You're Breaking My Heart Keely Smith |
Leoncavallo - Mattinata |
This got to 14 in the charts and is a "modernised" version of a song written in 1903-4 to be recorded by the famous tenor Enrico Caruso. Leoncavallo is probably best known for his opera "Pagliacci" (1892). An earlier version of You're Breaking My Heart, sung by Vic Damone, was very popular in the late 40s. It has been sung by many others. The mp3 sample of Mattinata is sung by Andrea Bocelli. |
|
A Groovy Kind of Love The Mindbenders |
Clementi - Rondo from Sonatina in G
More...
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This song was also a hit for Phil Collins in 1988 and Les Gray in 1977. It uses the theme from the 3rd movement of the Sonatina in G Opus 36 No 5. | |
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1966 |
Attack The Toys |
Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker Suite (March)
|
This follow up to the famous "Lovers Concerto" was a minor hit - getting to number 36 this year. Unlike the first hit, the borrowing is just an instrumental break at the start. The tune itself seems not to borrow from anywhere and is not very memorable. |
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1966 |
More Than Love Ken Dodd |
Beethoven - Pathetique Sonata |
Another ballad sung by Liverpool comedian Ken Dodd. This time using the theme from the slow movement of a Beethoven Piano Sonata. |
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1966 |
Tchaikovsky One Second City Sound |
Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto No. 1
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Instrumental. A fairly standard pop version of the famous theme from the beginning of the 1st movement. |
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1967 |
Procol Harum More... (BBC Radio 2 Top 100) |
JS Bach - "Air" from Orchestral Suite in D JS Bach - "Wachet Auf" from Cantata No. 140
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The band always denied that this song was directly based on Bach's Air. It's just the first few notes of the organ introduction which resemble the Bach Air. Otherwise the connection is, for me, rather slight. In fact, the organ part owes more to the countermelody Bach wrote to the tune "Wachet Auf" in Cantata No 140. See what you think. Listen to the two mp3 samples and decide for yourself. |
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1967 |
Emerald City The Seekers |
Beethoven - Symphony No. 9
|
The Seekers used the famous "Ode to Joy" theme from the final movement of this symphony. The same tune was used by Miguel Rios in his "Song of Joy" in 1970. However it's quite possible that Beethoven borrowed his tune from Mozart's Misericordias Domini. |
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1967 |
Night of Fear The Move |
Tchaikovsky - Overture "1812"
|
The Move borrowed some ideas from this well known overture and in so doing got their first UK hit. |
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1968 |
America The Nice |
Bernstein - America from West Side Story |
Instrumental. A straight rock version of the Bernstein piece demonstrating the keyboard talents of Keith Emerson. The introduction to this track also includes a little of Dvorak's "New World" Symphony. (Allegedly!) |
|
1968 |
Please Don't Go Donald Peers |
Offenbach - Barcarolle from Tales of Hoffmann
|
Peers was almost 60 when he got to No. 3 in the charts with this song. |
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1968 |
Rain and Tears Aphrodite's Child |
Pachelbel - Canon in D
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This band from Greece had, as two if its members, Demis Roussos and Vangelis. Both of whom became famous as solo artists. There are many pop songs which seem to be based on this piece. This one works well, in my opinion. |
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1968 |
Sabre Dance Love Sculpture |
Khachaturian - Sabre Dance from Gayaneh Ballet
|
Instrumental. A totally manic version of the classical piece in typical late sixties "heavy metal" style. |
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1968 |
She Wears my Ring Solomon King |
Sarradell - La Golondrina |
The original song is about a swallow and has been recorded by, among others, Placido Domingo. (Heard singing here on the sample) |
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1968 |
Smokey Blues Away New Generation |
Dvorak - Symphony No 9 "From the New World"
|
The well-known theme from the slow movement - also used in the Hovis adverts! For music used in commercials - go here.. |
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1969 |
Dream of Olwen Second City Sound |
C Williams - The Dream of Olwen
|
Instrumental. Dream of Olwen was another one of those movie piano concertos from the 40s, in the same vein as Addinsell's Warsaw Concerto. It was written in 1947 for the movie 'While I Live'. |
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1969 |
Swan Lake The Cats |
Tchaikowsky - Swan Lake
|
Instrumental. This reggae version of the well known scene from Tchaikovsky's ballet got to number 48 in the chart. See also The Cougars (1963) |
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Pop Title and Artist |
Composer and Work |
Comments | |
|
1970 |
Can't Help Falling in Love Andy Williams |
Martini - Plaisir d'Amour |
The song by Martini, slightly adapted, was a hit for Elvis in 1962, for UB40 in 1993, The Stylistics in 1976 and Lick the Tins in 1986. |
|
1970 |
Elizabethan Reggae Boris Gardiner |
Ronald Binge - Elizabethan Serenade |
Binge wrote his piece in 1951. I wouldn't be surprised
if there was just a hint of Beethoven's "Pastoral"
Symphony in there somewhere.
For more information about Binge, see here... |
|
My Prayer Gerry Monroe |
G Boulanger - Avant de Mourir
|
Originally recorded by Glenn Miller in 1939. Had been a hit for The Platters in 1956 and was also recorded by The Ink Spots. | |
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1970 |
Song of Joy Miguel Rios |
Beethoven - Symphony No. 9
|
As with The Seekers in 1967, Rios used the famous theme from the final movement of this symphony. But did Beethoven borrow the tune from Mozart? Listen to Misericordias Domini by Mozart... |
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1971 |
I Think of You Perry Como |
Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No. 2
|
The song uses a theme from the 1st movement of the concerto. |
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1971 |
Mozart 40 Waldo de los Rios / Sovereign Collection |
Mozart - Symphony No. 40
|
Instrumental. There were two versions of this in the charts in April 1971. The title of the Waldo de los Rios version was Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G minor K550 1st movement (Allegro Molto). It doesn't quite roll off the tongue, does it! |
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1972 |
Song Sung Blue Neil Diamond |
Mozart - Piano Concerto No 21
|
The first theme of the second movement of this concerto provided Neil Diamond with the inspiration (and the material) to write this song. This concerto also featured in the soundtrack of the film "Elvira Madigan". |
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1973 |
Gaudete Steeleye Span |
Anon (1582) - Gaudete Christus est Natus |
The song comes originally from a 1582 collection called Piae Cantiones. The title is in Latin and means "Rejoice, Christ is born". I thought I'd include this version here even though it was sung fairly "straight" by Steeleye Span. It got to No 14 in December. |
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1973 |
Joybringer Manfred Mann's Earth Band |
Holst - Jupiter from The Planets
|
An intelligent (in my view) adaptation of parts of this movement from The Planets, using not so much the "famous" theme for the vocals, but reworking other material. |
|
1973 |
Roll Over Beethoven Electric Light Orchestra |
Beethoven - Symphony No. 5 |
ELO quotes the famous theme from the 1st movement of this symphony in this unusual remake of the rock and roll classic. |
|
1973 |
2001 (Also Sprach Zarathustra) Deodato |
R Strauss - Also Sprach Zarathustra |
Instrumental. A rather awful pop rendition of the opening part (Sunrise) of the Strauss work. The original was used very effectively in the wonderful film 2001: A Space Odyssey. |
| 1974 |
Annie's Song John Denver |
Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 5 | The lovely tune used in this song is also to be found in the 2nd movement of this symphony by Tchaikowsky. John Denver's song reached No. 1 in the charts in August of this year. |
|
1974 |
Beach Baby First Class |
Sibelius - Symphony No 5
|
The longer version of this single quotes the brass fanfares from the final movement of the symphony. The song is a tribute to The Beach Boys and is one of many hits featuring the voice of session singer Tony Burrows. A full version of the song can be found on this link. |
|
1974 |
Minuetto Allegretto The Wombles |
Mozart - Symphony No. 41 |
A rather charming song, extensively using the minuet from this symphony as its basis. Who were The Wombles, you ask? Click the link to find out. |
|
1975 |
I Believe in Father Christmas Greg Lake |
Prokofiev - Troika from Lt. Kije Suite
|
Was also a minor hit in 1982 and 1983. Lake used the famous "sleigh ride" theme as an instrumental break in this much loved Christmas single. |
|
1975 |
In Dulci Jubilo Mike Oldfield |
Anon - German hymn tune |
Instrumental. The tune used here was known from the year 1570, though is probably older. It has been used by later composers such as JS Bach, but here got to No. 4 in the charts in a pop version by the man who had previously composed "Tubular Bells". |
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1976 |
A Fifth of Beethoven Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band |
Beethoven - Symphony No. 5 |
Instrumental. A typical seventies disco version of the first movement of this symphony. |
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1976 |
All By Myself Eric Carmen |
Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No. 2
|
Carmen very cleverly used the main theme from the 2nd movement for the vocal line, to create a powerful song. He also added piano instrumentals derived from the same movement. The song was also a hit (getting to No. 6) for Celine Dion in 1996. |
|
1976 |
Could it be Magic Donna Summer |
Chopin - Prelude in C minor (Opus 28/20) |
A disco version of a Barry Manilow song. The song was susequently a hit for Manilow in 1978. |
|
Never Gonna Fall in Love Again Dana See comments (right) for mp3 sample |
Rachmaninov - Symphony No. 2
|
This song, written by Eric Carmen (see "All by Myself", above), was based on the main theme from the 3rd movement of this symphony. Although Carmen recorded this song, it was, surprisingly, not a UK hit for him. Eurovision winner Dana got it to No 31 in the chart. | |
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1976 |
Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto de Aranjuez Manuel and his Music of the Mountains |
Rodrigo - Guitar Concerto de Aranjuez
|
Instrumental. This single popularised this guitar concerto beyond all belief. It used the theme from the second movement. |
|
1976 |
Can't Help Falling in Love Stylistics |
Martini - Plaisir d'Amour
|
Martini's song was also a hit for Elvis in 1962, UB40 in 1993 Andy Williams in 1970 and Lick the Tins in1986. |
|
1977 |
Fanfare for the Common Man Emerson Lake and Palmer |
Copland - Fanfare for the Common Man
|
Instrumental. An up tempo rock version of this classical piece. ELP were responsible for many rock versions of the classics but this was their only UK hit single. |
|
1977 |
A Groovy Kind of Love Les Gray |
Clementi - Rondo from Sonatina in G
|
See also 1966 entry for The Mindbenders. Les Gray was lead singer with the band Mud. |
|
1977 |
Rockaria Electric Light Orchestra |
Puccini - "Un Bel Di" from Madam Butterfly Also known as "One fine day"
|
This song quotes from the famous aria from Puccini's opera. The same aria was used by Malcolm McLaren in 1984. You will hear the beginning of the quote from Puccini right at the end of the Rockaria sample. |
|
Could it be Magic Barry Manilow |
Chopin - Prelude in C minor
|
This song, written by Manilow, is an interesting reworking of Chopin's music and was a hit for him again (re-recorded) in 1993. It also became a hit for Take That in 1992, and had been a hit for Donna Summer in 1976. | |
|
1978 |
If I had Words Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley |
Saint-Saens - Symphony No. 3 "Organ"
|
This song very effectively takes the main theme tune from the final movement of the symphony. Made famous, of course, in the film Babe. |
|
1979 |
He was beautiful Iris Williams See comments (right) for mp3 sample |
Myers - Cavatina |
A song using words added (by Cleo Laine) to a guitar piece that was a hit in the same year for John Williams. The guitar piece Cavatina was famously used in the film "The Deer Hunter". The song has been recorded by Cleo Laine and, in the mp3 sample, by Shirley Bassey. Listen to mp3 sample.. |
|
1979 |
If I had You Korgis |
Rachmaninov - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
|
The chorus of this song, which got to 13 in the chart, is based on Variation 18 of the piece by Rachmaninov who, in turn, based his variations on Caprice No 24 in A minor by Paganini. The Paganini Caprice is also well-known as the tune used by Andrew Lloyd-Webber in his composition "Variations", and which is used as the theme music for The South Bank Show. |
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1979 |
Lady Lynda Beach Boys |
JS Bach - Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring Listen to short midi sample...
|
This song quotes directly from Bach's music and uses the same chord progression. |
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Pop Title and Artist |
Composer and Work |
Comments | |
|
1980 |
Toccata Sky |
JS Bach - Toccata and Fugue in D minor
|
Instrumental. Sky included well-known classical guitarist John Williams. They did a lot of pop interpretations of classical pieces back in the 80s but this was their only UK hit single. |
|
1981 |
Can Can Bad Manners |
Offenbach - Orpheus in the Underworld |
A completely crazy version of the Can-Can music from Offenbach's operetta. The Can Can music was also used by Jive Bunny in their 1990 hit "Can Can You Party". The pop sample is a live version. |
|
1981 |
Hooked on Classics Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Gershwin, Sibelius, Beethoven, Bach, Rossini, Clarke, Handel, Grieg, Bizet, Rimsky-Korsakov |
Instrumental. A medley of classical pieces with a disco beat! Included were: Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No 1, Grieg's Piano Concerto, Bizet's Carmen Suite and many others; some of which already feature on this site in other disguises! |
|
1981 |
The Sheffield Grinder / Capstick Comes Home Tony Capstick |
Dvorak - Symphony No 9 "From the New World" |
A spoken track, with the comic story told over the theme from the 2nd movement (played by a brass band) as used in the Hovis adverts! For music used in adverts visit "Song of the Salesman" |
|
1983 |
Midnight Blue Louise Tucker |
Beethoven - "Pathetique" Sonata
|
Another song using the theme from the 2nd movement of this piano sonata. See also Ken Dodd's "More Than Love" 1966. |
|
1983 |
Past Present and Future Cindy and the Saffrons See comments (right) for mp3 sample |
Beethoven - "Moonlight" Sonata
|
A cover of an old 1960s Shangri-Las song. This "spoken" song has a piano accompaniment that is loosely based on the 1st movement of the famous sonata, and got to number 56 in the charts. |
|
1983 |
Uptown Girl Billy Joel |
Ravel - Bolero |
There is a striking similarity between the opening of Joel's tune for this No 1 Hit, and the start of Ravel's famous tune. In view of the fact that Billy Joel frequently used the classics for inspiration, this bit of "borrowing" appears here on the balance of probability. * The mp3 excerpt is an electronic rendition of Bolero by Isao Tomita. |
|
1984 |
It's a Hard Life Queen |
Leoncavallo - Pagliacci | Queen got to number 6 in the charts with this song, which seems to borrow its first few bars from the famous aria "Vesti La Giubba" from Leoncavallo's opera about the tears of a clown. |
|
1984 |
Madam Butterfly Malcolm McLaren |
Puccini - "Un Bel Di" from Madam Butterfly Also known as "One fine day"
|
McLaren believed at the time that songs like this, where he used "sampled" extracts of opera mixed in with rock elements, was the future of pop. Maybe he had a point......? He tried again to incorporate classical music into pop (but with less success) with hits in 1989 and 1990. |
|
1984 |
Since Yesterday Strawberry Switchblade |
Sibelius - Symphony No. 5
|
The brass fanfares at the start of this song are derived from the 3rd movement of the symphony. The vocal line at the start of the verse is clearly influenced by the main theme from this movement. |
|
1985 |
Russians Sting |
Prokofiev - Romance from Lt. Kije Suite
|
The mournful tune that Sting uses for the instrumental breaks in this song appears in this suite by Prokofiev. |
|
1986 |
Can't Help Falling in Love Lick the Tins |
Martini - Plaisir d'Amour | Also a hit for Elvis in 1962, Andy Williams in 1979, Stylistics in 1976 and UB40 in 1993. |
|
1988 |
A Groovy Kind of Love Phil Collins |
Clementi - Rondo from
Sonatina in G
|
Phil Collins got the song to No. 1 in the chart in September of this year. See also 1966 entry for The Mindbenders. |
|
1989 |
Albinoni vs Star Wars Sigue Sigue Sputnik |
Albinoni - Adagio in G minor
|
The famous Adagio by Tommaso Albinoni (1671-1751) is really by the 20th century musicologist Remo Giazzotto, who based his composition on fragments found in an Albinoni manuscript. |
|
1989 |
House of The Blue Danube Malcom McLaren |
Johann Strauss - An die schönen blauen Donau |
This track got to 73 in the chart and quotes extensively from the famous "Blue Danube" Waltz by Johann Strauss (2nd). The classical sample features the well-known main theme of the waltz. |
|
1989 |
Waltz Darling Malcom McLaren |
Tchaikovsky - Waltz of the Flowers |
McLaren quotes a short extract of this waltz from The Nutcracker Suite about 2 minutes into the track. (About 20 seconds into the mp3 sample) |
|
Pop Title and Artist |
Composer and Work |
Comments | |
|
1990 |
All Together Now The Farm |
Pachelbel - Canon in D
|
One of many songs that have used this piece. A hit again in 2004 as the theme tune to the Euro 2004 Football Tournament. |
|
1990 |
Operaa House World's Famous Supreme Team |
Delibes - "Flower Duet" from Lakme |
A Malcom McLaren creation which got to number 75 in the chart. See also 1984 - Madam Butterfly and 1989 - House of The Blue Danube and Waltz Darling. |
|
1991 |
World in Union Kiri Te Kanawa |
Holst - Jupiter from The Planets
|
This anthem for the Rugby World Cup uses the "big tune" from the middle section of Jupiter from Holst's famous Planets Suite. The tune is also known as "I vow to thee my country". It was also a hit for Shirley Bassey in 1999. |
|
1992 |
Could it be Magic Take That |
Chopin - Prelude in C minor
|
A Barry Manilow song, originally a hit for Donna Summer in 1976 and for Manilow himself in 1978. |
|
1993 |
(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You |
Martini - Plaisir d'Amour |
The song by Martini, slightly adapted, was a hit for Elvis in 1962, Andy Williams in 1970 The Stylistics in 1976 and Lick the Tins in 1986. This version got to No 1. in the chart in June this year. |
|
1994 |
The Real Thing 2 Unlimited |
JS Bach - Toccata and Fugue in D minor
|
This song features a sample from this work by Bach. |
|
1995 |
Never Forget Take That |
Verdi - Requiem
|
The introduction to this No. 1 hit song is a small snippet from the brass fanfares that appear at the start of the Tuba Mirum in Verdi's Messa da Requiem. |
|
1996 |
All by Myself Celine Dion See comments (right) for mp3 sample |
Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No. 2
|
Written by Eric Carmen and originally a hit for him in 1976. |
|
1997 |
C U when U get there Coolio |
Pachelbel - Canon in D |
From the film "Nothing to Lose". |
|
1997 |
I'll be Missing You Puff Daddy |
Barber - Agnus Dei
|
This choral piece is heard in the background during this song. The Agnus Dei is a vocal version of Barber's own "Adagio for Strings" - used by William Orbit in 1999. The song reached No. 1 in July. |
|
1997 |
Tubthumping Chumbawamba |
Clarke - Trumpet Voluntary |
The trumpet tune (sometimes wrongly attributed to Purcell) can be heard at the end of this song. |
|
1998 |
Everything's Gonna be Alright Sweetbox |
JS Bach - "Air" from Orchestral Suite in D Also known as Air on (for) the G String |
Featured in the Lancome
Oui! TV commercial.
For music used in adverts visit "Song of the Salesman" |
|
1998 |
Prince Igor Warren G |
Borodin - Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor
|
Price Igor is a rather lengthy opera, from which the Polovtsian Dances are the most frequently performed section. This single uses the same tune as Stranger in Paradise (1955) |
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1999 |
Barber's Adagio for Strings William Orbit |
Barber - Adagio for Strings
|
Instrumental. Orbit also made an album called Pieces in a Modern Style, where he included a "straight" version of the Barber Adagio. This hit single version was somewhat different! |
|
1999 |
Hate Me Now Puff Daddy |
Orff - Carmina Burana (O Fortuna) |
Orff's Carmina Burana is very popular today. The 1st movement, O Fortuna, has been used in a number of film soundtracks. (But, surprisingly, not in The Omen.) |
|
Pop Title and Artist |
Composer and Work |
Comments | |
|
2000 |
Natural S Club 7 |
Fauré - Pavane |
This song uses the beautiful melody from Fauré's Pavane Opus 50. The Pavane was originally a choral work but is now more frequently heard as a purely instrumental piece. |
|
2001 |
Janet Jackson Someone to call my Lover |
Satie - Gymnopedie Number 1
|
This song features the melody from Erik Satie's piano piece. There are 3 Gymnopedies in total. |
|
2003 |
I Can Nas |
Beethoven - "Für Elise"
|
This song uses Beethoven's well-known tune, the correct title of which is Bagatelle in A minor. It was a piano piece allegedly dedicated to a lady called Elise. However, it has been suggested that Beethoven actually wrote "Für Therese" on the manuscript but it was misread by the publisher. |
|
2004 |
All Together Now 2004 The Farm ft S.F.X Boys Choir |
Pachelbel - Canon in D |
Originally a hit in 1990 for The Farm. This version was used as a theme for the Euro 2004 Soccer Tournament. |
|
They Jem |
JS Bach - Prelude in F minor |
Prelude No 12 in F minor from the Second Book of 24 Preludes and Fugues. A vocal version of this prelude was also recorded by The Swingle Singers. This vocal treatment is used in Jem's single. A very attractive song which went straight in at No 6 in the chart in March this year. | |
|
2006 |
Welcome to The Black Parade My Chemical Romance |
Pachelbel - Canon in D
|
This No. 1 hit from 2006 is yet another song that
seems to borrow the "famous" chord progression from Pachelbel's Canon. More...
Thanks to Prof. Friedman from Berklee for pointing this one out. |
Many thanks to John Cooper, Peter and Kirk for their help in finding mp3 tracks.
You can buy CDs of most of the classical music tracks at
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