Pop Songs with Classical Music Melodies

Have you ever noticed how some of today’s pop songs have classical music melodies? Here are some examples of popular songs that use classical music melodies.

Introduction

Though you might not expect it, many popular songs today are actually based on melodies from classical music. From well-known hits to more obscure tunes, you may be surprised to hear the classical origins of these modern pop songs.

“Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel

“Sledgehammer” is a song by English rock musician Peter Gabriel, released as the lead single from his 1986 album, So. The song was produced by Daniel Lanois and Gabriel. It features a music video directed by Stephen R. Johnson, which won a record nine MTV Awards at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards. It was Gabriel’s biggest hit in North America and reached number one in many countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Spain.

The single was issued with four B-sides: “Don’t Break This Rhythm”, “This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds)”, “Mercy Street” (live) and “We Do What We’re Told (Milgram’s 37)”.

“Bittersweet Symphony” by The Verve

“Bittersweet Symphony” is a song by English rock band The Verve, and is the second track on their third studio album, Urban Hymns (1997). Written by the band’s frontman Richard Ashcroft, the song is notable for its use of a sample from “The Last Time” by the Rolling Stones, which resulted in a legal dispute between Ashcroft and Stones’ former manager Allen Klein. Despite this, “Bittersweet Symphony” was a massive commercial success worldwide upon its release, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart and number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 1998, it won Best British Single at the Brit Awards.

The Verve had earlier used a sample from “The Last Time” on their debut album A Storm in Heaven (1993), but were unable to clear the rights to use it. Ashcroft wrote “Bittersweet Symphony” in 1996 as a tribute to his newborn daughter Wonder Grace; he has said that he was inspired by Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto No. 2”. The string section featured on the track was performed by the London Sessions Orchestra and arranged by wilful eclecticist Wil Malone.

In an interview with Q magazine in January 1997, Ashcroft described how he wrote the song:

On 5 June 1997, after Urban Hymns was released worldwide to critical and commercial acclaim, The Verve performed “Bittersweet Symphony” live for Top of the Pops. The song quickly became one of their signature tunes and helped propel Urban Hymns to sales of over five million copies worldwide. In October 1997, Ashcroft was surprised to find that Allen Klein’s ABKCO Music & Records Inc., who owned the Rolling Stones back catalogue at the time, were claiming 100% copyright ownership of “The Last Time”, due to its use of an orchestral arrangement created by Stones’ producer Andrew Loog Oldham without credit or compensation. Klein sought a songwriting credit and percentage of royalties equal to those of Ashcroft; The Verve had already assigned 60% copyright ownership in favour of ABKCO as part of their contract with Virgin Records when they signed with them in 1991.

“Every Breath You Take” by The Police

“Every Breath You Take” is a song recorded by English rock band The Police. It was released as the lead single from their 1983 album Synchronicity and became an international hit, topping the charts in three countries.

The song was written by Sting and consists of an eight-note melody. There are two versions of the song: one with a solo voice and piano accompaniment, and a second with a full rock band arrangement.

The melody of “Every Breath You Take” has been used in numerous other songs, including Joe Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful”, Eric Clapton’s “Change the World”, Willie Nelson’s “Always on My Mind”, and Sarah McLachlan’s “I Will Remember You”.

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana

Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is one of the most iconic and influential songs of the 1990s. The song’s distorted guitars, grungy sound, and angsty lyrics captured the zeitgeist of a generation of young people. But beneath its rough exterior, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” has a surprisingly classical melody.

The song’s main melody is based on a famous piece of classical music: Felix Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March.” Mendelssohn composed the piece in 1842, and it quickly became one of the most popular pieces of music for weddings. In fact, it’s still one of the most popular wedding songs today. Nirvana singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain was a big fan of Mendelssohn’s music, and he borrowed heavily from the “Wedding March” for “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

Cobain made a few changes to Mendelssohn’s melody, but the overall structure and feel of the two pieces are very similar. If you listen closely, you can hear the similarity between the two tunes. However, Cobain’s rough vocals and grungy instrumentation give “Smells Like Teen Spirit” a very different feel from Mendelssohn’s classical piece.

Despite its classical origins, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is considered one of the defining songs of the 1990s alternative rock movement. The song helped to launch Nirvana into superstardom, and it remains one of their most popular songs today.

“She’s Always a Woman” by Billy Joel

The song is a tribute to Joel’s then-wife Elizabeth Weber. The couple married in 1973 and divorced in 1982. Joel has said that the song is about the “incredible strength” of women.

The song was originally released on Joel’s 1977 album The Stranger. It was released as a single in 1978, peaking at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

The song has been covered by a number of artists, including Billy Paul, Dame Shirley Bassey, and Chris De Burgh.

Conclusion

In conclusion, though it is often thought that pop songs with classical music melodies are a recent trend, this is not the case. Pop songs with classical music melodies have been around for centuries, and they continue to be popular today. If you are a fan of pop music, you should definitely check out some of the songs on this list.