Original VS Samples

This is hands down one of my favorite songs to compare. In 1979 The Isley Brothers released Winner Takes all. Featured on this album is the song “Let’s Fall in Love,” a wonderfully chill and laid back Isley Bros composition. It just flows magically. Isley Brothers ftw.

Then in 1996, my other favorite group of all time, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s song “Shoot ‘Em Up,” is released on Music from the Motion Picture: The Great White Hype. Bone Thugs samples the Isley’s chill song to create their own chill but gangster-ous tune. It is a music match made in heaven.

In 1972, Holland-Dozier released the record “Don’t Leave Me Starvin’ for Your Love” featuring Brian Holland. I just love how this song beings with the orchestral strings, it's so 70s.

Then in 2006, Sleepy Brown released his album, Mr. Brown. Sleepy Brown has that classic, old school feel to his voice. It’s only natural for him to use Holland’s “Don’t Leave Me Starvin’ for Your Love” as inspiration for his tune “I Can’t Wait” featuring Outkast, which also sorta holds the same meaning as the original song.

In 1973, Marvin Gaye released one of the best albums of all time, Let’s Get It On. Featured on this album was “Distant Lover”. 

Then in 2004, Kanye West releases his debut studio album, The College Dropout. On this album are many of my favorite songs by him, including “Spaceship” feat. GLC and Consequence that samples Gaye’s beautiful tune.

So this Michale Jackson track may be my favorite, or at least, amongst my top favorites by Jackson. “Liberian Girl” is a song featured on the King of Pop’s seventh album Bad. Bad was released in 1987 and was said to have been one of the most anticipated albums of all time due to the success of Jackson’s previous work. Bad won many awards and was certified Diamond by the RIAA.

Then in 2001, 2 Pac’s third posthumous album Until the End of Time was released and went 4x platinum. Pac’s album was also highly anticipated. “Letter 2 My Unborn” is a phenomenal song that is a featured single on Until the End of Time. It also features fantastic vocals from Tena Jones, aka 4th Avenue Jones, which I think is what attracts me to the song even more.

In 1977 Freda Payne blessed our ears with her seventh album Stares and Whispers. On this album was the amazing song “I Get High (On Your Memory)." I do not know how this masterpiece was not a single.

Styles P used Payne’s song as an inspiration to spread his message in his hit song “Good Times (I Get High), a single featured on his 2002 debut album A Gangster and a  Gentleman.

In 1979, the group Switch released their album, Switch II, featuring the track “I Cally Your Name.” I love this song. I jam to it every time I hear it on the radio.

Then in 2006, Rich Boy released his self-titled debut album that featured the hit single “Throw Some D’s.” This is a great rap song of the early 00s that samples an even better oldie.

At the top of the list of the best groups ever is Outkast. Lyrically, their music is otherworldly, coining them as real, ATLiens. Behind their lyrics is always some chill, laid back beats, or some(I would say) experimental type sound. Their sound is so different, it’s refreshing. Some of my favorite tunes by them sample some great oldies, like The Five Stairsteps“Danger! She’s a Stranger,” a single from their 1967 album Buddha.

I really love the vibe of this song by the Stairsteps. It’s no wonder Outkast chose to use it for their song “Two Dope Boyz (In a Cadillac)” from their 1996 album ATLiens.

In 1977, David Oliver released his debut album, featuring the song “Ms.” I love this song, and I believe it encapsulates that smooth, soulful and funk sound of the 70′s. 

Then in 1996, the hip hop group Do or Die released their debut album Picture This. On this album is the famous hit that samples Oliver’s song, “Po Pimp” feat. Tung Twista aka Twista and Johhny P

A year later, in 1997, Twista releases Adrenaline Rush, on which he revamps the old sample for his song “Emotions” feat. Johhny P.

This original vs. sample post involves more samples than any post so far. First, we will explore several songs that helped shape the fantastic sounds of The Pharcyde’s “Runnin’,” a hit released on their 1995 album Laccabincalifornia. This is another old school hip hop song that I absolutely adore.

The Pharcyde uses three main songs to construct their masterpiece. The first is Stan Getz and Luiz. Bonfá’s “Saudade Vem Correndo,” a song released on their 1963 album Verve. Pharcyde samples the saxophone sound at 0:55, as well as the guitar riff at 2:05 of Getz and Bonfá’s song.    

Run D.M.C’s song, “Rock Box” of their 1984 album Profile, is also sampled by The Pharcyde to make up a significant sound of “Runnin’.”

Pharcyde also used an instrument sound from Woody Herman’s “Flying Easy” as well as another instrument sound from James Moody’s “You Follow Me.”

Then in 2006, the legendary group The Roots releases their seventh album Game Theory. On this album is the beautifully crafted song “Clock With No Hands,” featuring Mercedes Martinez. The “Clock With No Hands” chorus sung by Martinez features vocal reference/samples to Slim Kid Tre’s verse in “Runnin’.” Tre raps:

There comes a time in every man’s life

When he’s got to handle shit up on his own

Can’t depend on friends to help you in a squeeze

Please, they got problems of their own...

Just so some real shit won’t get full-blown

In 2009, Kendrick Lamar released his self-titled debut EP. On this EP is the song “P & P” featuring Ab-Soul. The song also makes a revamped-reappearance on Lamar’s fourth solo mixtape Overly Dedicated released in 2010, titled “P & P 1.5″. Both of these, EP and mixtape are amazing. “P & P” is how I discovered The Roots’ “A Clock With No Hands,” from there “Runnin’,” and the rest is history.

Now this chain of sampled tunes, I had no idea they were connected until I looked into it.

In 1979, The King of Pop, Michale Jackson released the album Off The Wall featuring the song “I Can’t Help It.” I had no idea that this song even existed before my song sampling quest. However, this has become one of my favorite MJ songs.

In 1993, the hip hop group De La Soul released Buhloone Mindstate, featuring the tune “Breakadawn.” And yes, you guessed it, this is one of those hip hop songs (sometimes referred to as Golden Agen Hip Hop)  that has that old school feel to it that my ears have a craving for. This song has combined MJ’s song perfectly with old school hip hop drumkit sounds.

Would you believe that I discovered the previous two songs because of my love for a Fabolous song? In 2004, Fabolous released Real Talk. This album featured his single “Baby” featuring Mike Shorey. I absolutely loved this song when it came out. I did not know why, but after discovering its origins, I know now.

Here is one of my favorite sample comparisons of all time, “Hurry Up This Way Again” and “Politics As Usual.”

In 1980, The Stylistics released their record Hurry Up This Way Again / Closer Than Close. On Side A, was the jam “Hurry Up This Way Again.” I wasn’t aware of the Stylistics magnificence in this song until I listened to Jigga Man’s hit “Politics As Usual” and wondered who he’s sampled. The vocals of the Stylistics are impeccable on this track. “Hurry Up This Way Again” is one of my favorite songs by them to this day.

In 1996, Jay Z made his debut with Reasonable Doubt. On this album was “Politics As Usual.” The flow and lyrics of his song are perfect. Now, I am not a Jay Z super fan. Nor do I know all the songs and have all of the albums, but this song makes me feel like I should have them all. This use of the Stylistics’ song is impressive. And I am also in love with this era of hip hop sound. 1997 was a great year in general for music, especially hip hop.

In 1978 Bobby Caldwell made his debut with a self-titled album. Among the hits was the song “What You Won’t Do For Love.” This song is timeless, but yet has this old school jazz feel to it. 

Then, in 1997, 2Pac’s first posthumous album, R U Still Down (Remember Me), was released. On this album, one of Pac’s most memorable songs, “Do For Love” is featured. Bobby Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do For Love” melody is sampled and well as his lyrics. It makes for an awesome 90s vibed tune, and the music video is incredible too.

In 1986, Club Nouveau released their debut album Life, Love & Pain. This album features the hit song “Why You Treat Me So Bad,” which has such an 80s vibe.

Then, in 1995 the rap duo Luniz released their debut album Operation Stackola. On this album is the single, “I Got 5 On It,” featuring Michael Marshall that samples Club Nouveau’s hit.

Hello everyone Merry Christmas. I hope your holiday season is going great.

Today's post is on one of my favorite samples. In 1973, Hank Crawford released the album Wildflower. On this album was the beautiful track also titled "Wildflower". This song is a m a z i n g.

Then, in 2005 "Drive Slow" a track by Kanye West featuring Paul Wall, GLC, and T.I. was released on West's Late Registration and Paul Wall's The Peoples Champ. "Drive Slow" samples Crawford's "Wildflower" perfectly. This is one on my favorite Kayne collaborations, and Paul's verse on the track is just incredible.

In Effect mode is the 1988 album released by the fabulous Al B. Sure. This album featured the hot and timeless single “Nite and Day”. This is one song that I will jam to forever. 

Then in 1998, DJ DMD released his album Twenty-Two: P.A. World Wide. On this album is the track “25 Lighters” that features artists Lil’ Keke and Fat Pat (RIP to Fat Pat, A Houston Allstar). I actually discovered this song from listening to Kendrick Lamar’s “Backseat Freestyle”. I wanted to gain some insight on “Backseat Freestyle’s” lyrics and headed on over to genius.com. I learned that Lamar referenced the song “25 Lighters”, in his song when he tells us he has “25 lighters on his dresser, yessir”. rap.genius annotation suggests that Lamar is probably referencing DJ DMD’s song. I checked out the song, and it was love at first listen. I loooove Texas rap, especially tracks with Fat Pat. Not only did this song feature artists I love, but samples the classic R&B jam that everyone should know, “Nite and Day”.

Tina Snow is Megan Thee Stallion’s second extended play album released in 2018. Tina Snow features the single “Big Ole Freak”. This song is Megan’s first entry on The US Billboard Hot 100, and one of my favorite jams by the Houston star. God I love rappers from Houston, I don’t know what it is, but I just love ‘em!

In 1988, Metallica released their 4th studio album ...And Justice For All. The amazing song “One” is a featured single on this album. Metallica also won a Grammy for this anti-war song in 1990. I absolutely love this song, it brings back those 90s vibes. It is hands down one of my favorite Metallica songs ever.

In 2002, Field Mob releases their album From tha Roota to tha Toota. On this album is the classic song “All I know” featuring CeeLo Green and T.I. This song also features the beautiful guitar riff from Metallica’s “One”. Both of these songs are my favorites that come from different spectrums of the music rainbow. 

To start off this sample post we will begin with Force MDs’ 1985 single “Tender Love” from the album Chillin’. I love the piano on this song, and will forever sing the hell out of it when I hear it played on the radio. 

Then, in 1987 Herb Alpert releases Keep Your Eye on Me, and “Making Love in the Rain” is one of its singles. This amazing song features vocals by Lisa Keith and Janet Jackson. Both of these songs, “Tender Love” and “Making Love in the Rain” were written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

Then in 1996, “Days of Our Livez” was released on the soundtrack for the film Set it Off. “Days of Our Livez” uses samples from both “Tender Love” and “Making Love in the Rain” to form this beautiful, timeless piece of art. I could go through wonderful Bone Thugs tunes and samples all day.

Also sampling Alpert’s “Making Love in the Rain” is Queen Latifa’s “Just Another Day” that is featured on her 1993 album Black Reign.