[edit] I said, come on upside your head
The chorus is very similar in rhythm to The Gap Band's 1979 hit song "I Don't Believe You Wanna Get Up and Dance", the chorus of which features the lyrics "I said oops upside your head, I said oops upside your head."
From: Everybody to the Limit
Posted on: 09:25, 2 May 2006 (UTC)
Arguments for:
- It's remarkably similar.
- Specifically: They both include the words "I said" twice, aligned at the same locations in the rhythm; the only rhythmic difference in the first phrase is that Strong Bad squeezes in the extra syllable "F-"; in the second phrase he nudges the "come on" forward in time, anticipating the beat by a 16th note (assuming quarter note for the bass drum beat), whereas "oops up-" falls directly on the beat. This allows him to fit the extra syllable in again.
Arguments against:
- The vocals rhythm is similar (not the same, but similar), but that is all... the drumtrack is different, the bassline is different...
- The rhythm is similar only to one part of the refrain of Everybody to the Limit, not the whole refrain as implied in the fact (unless the clips below miss the rest of it, and the remixes imply they don't). That's enough to call coincidence.
- The remixes and amazon clips are not good sources, last.fm is the best source out of the three.
- The comment was based on the content, not the quality. Unless a parallel to the "Everybody to the limit, everybody to the limit, everybody come on fhqwhgads" part exists in "Oops Upside Your Head", which not one of the clips I listened to had, then the song is only similar to HALF of the refrain and the point still stands.
- The part displayed in the image above is the only part that is similar, just that phrase, and just that track.
Additional comments:
- If there are other songs which share this similarity, then of course it's TTATOT. If the similarity is not perceived, then it's clearly not notable. But if it's unique and a resemblance....
- The most similar sounding clip is located here, and a different 30 seconds located here.
- Some clips of remixes can be heard here. (Please note, the tempo of these seems to have been sped up; the last.fm clip above matches Strong Bad's tempo better.)
- Even between these three clips, the original full version sounds closer yet; if you have access to the full version give it a listen.
- The last.fm preview doesn't work for me; I went on iTunes and listened to a preview here. It does, indeed, sound similar.
- The fact could still be reworded better, with the last.fm link integrated into it permanently.
- If we link a sound clip, it's got to be a pre-2002 sound clip; and probably the original version of the song. Assuming the TBC knowingly used the same rhythm, they would have known the original song.
- Update: Thanks to Napster's recent change, you can hear the whole song up to five times for free. This 1998 album seems to be the original version.
- I started playing this song this morning (just for fun) and my brother walked by. With no foreknowledge of this discussion and with absolutely no prompting from me, he started singing "fhqwhgads" in time to the music. He then asked me if "Oops" is where TBC got it.
- I'm not denying a similarity - I'm denying that it's anything more than a coincidence.
- From a musical standpoint I think there is some similarity between the two. Enough that there may be some correlation, but I wonder if there's enough to make it a true Fun Fact...
- Remember, a "reference" is not always conscious. If TBC had this old song in their heads, it could have easily been an unintentional, subconscious reference. (If, on the other hand, we had reason to believe this song was never heard by them, it might not be a reference at all.)
- UPDATE: Using Audacity, I've juxtaposed the two songs; "Everybody" on the left channel and "I Don't Something" on the right. File:Comeonoopsup.ogg
- I'm not sure that's the best way to compare them (or maybe my ears aren't smart enough), but it does sound hilarious!
- For the umpteenth time, I recognize the similarity. Why do people assume that the naysayers don't? What I object to is that it's clearly intentional.
- I know there's a similarity, but I want it to be easier for people who haven't voted yet to decide.
- I'm not quite sure why there seems to be some testiness. It seems additions to the discussion are frequently provoking irritated reactions. Speaking of assumptions, there seems to be some assumption that this fact does claim intentionality. Frankly, as it's currently worded, I don't see that. The fact doesn't say whether TBC knowingly referenced The Gap Band, whether they were subconsciously influenced by having heard the song once upon a time, or whether through complete coincidence they produced the same rhythm independently. All the fact states is their similarity—which it seems everyone agrees on.
- The problem, though, is that if it was clearly unintentional, then we shouldn't accept the fact. There are a lot of coincidences, many of them interesting, that could be included on this website, but the general precendent so far has been to exclude them. That being said, my personal opinion is that TBC were probably aware of this song and were influenced by it when they made "Everybody to the Limit".
- Perhaps the difference is in where this fact appears; maybe it would be better in Remarks than in Real-World References. A notable exception to our "don't note coincidences" policy is the seemingly-prophetic Fall Float Parade, and in my mind, if this is a coincidence, than it's a comparably remarkable one.
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