Bullet the Blue Sky Called Ted Nugent Knockoff

[NextLynch27]

Hi all,

This is my first post, and an odd one at that. But before I get to my main question and point, let me preface it by saying that I’m a huge U2 fan and they’re my favorite band. Among the greatest of all time IMO.

However with that said, I recently read comments on a popular guitar forum of multiple people slamming Bullet the Blue Sky as a complete knockoff of the song Stranglehold ,by Ted Nugent. At first I didn’t want to believe that U2 would mimic another artist, especially with one of my favorite U2 songs. But after I listened to Stranglehold, it sounded eerily similar to Bullet the Blue Sky, almost identical in some spots. This discovery got me pretty upset, as I never thought U2 would do such a thing and have created everything from their own heads.

So, in light of this, can everyone listen to the song on youtube and tell me what you think in terms of the comparison with Bullet the Blue Sky? Do they sound eerily alike, or am I just going crazy? If they do sound alike, do you think U2 purposely mimiced Stranglehold, or is this coincidence?

Lastly, if any trained musicians could possibly dissect both songs and compare them musically to see if there truly is a comparison in regards to music theory, that would be great and would add to the discussion I think. Thanks a lot.

Please let me know what your thoughts are. Here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c3d7QgZr7g

 

[LemonMelon]

My God. What do we do now?

Spoiler

Welcome!

 

[Vlaco]

I definitely hear similarities to be honest, especially the riff and drums.

 

[morgan1098]

I hear it too. Probably just a coincidence, like the beginning of IGCIIDGCT having the same tune as Journey's "Faithfully."

 

[BVS]

It's similiar in the sense of structure, meaning a song where the bass and drums provide the "main riff" instead of the guitar, while the guitar plays over the riff.

This was pretty common in 70's rock(Uncle Teddy didn't invent it), U2 just put their own spin on it.

 

[zoopop]

As BVS said, I always thought "Bullet" was U2's take on classic rock.

What is cool about "Bullet" is the irony of the song (theme) being linked to classic rock.

 

[Diemen]

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

it is indeed ironic given what a crazy lunatic Ted Nugent has become (or was he always that way?)

That said, i honestly didn't listen to enough of the song to see if i think BTBS is in fact a knockoff.

 

[Nick66]

...And..............

No.

 

[Fly-2000]

"Every artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief. All kill their inspiration and sing about their grief"

 

[Nick66]

"Every artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief. All kill their inspiration and sing about their grief"

I was wondering who was going to bring that one up first.

..."They you don't know what you're doing, babe it must be art..."

 

[theedgeu2]

I don't think it's even close to a rip off of Ted Nugent's Stranglehold. Those nuts on that board probably are just jealous U2 can write a better song. I prefer Bullet to anything Nugent has done. Bullet has some interesting Blues-y parts, like the guitar solo and the chorus for instance.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Nugent wouldn't even bother to debate this, he'd just get his shotgun out...

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

And green day ripped them both off with give me novocaine

 

[purpleoscar]

I would only have a problem if the U2 song was worse, which it's not. If Ted wants to do a classic rock epic of Lemon he's free to do so.

 

[bicyclejoe]

And green day ripped them both off with give me novocaine

You're nuts.

 

[Nick66]

Nugent wouldn't even bother to debate this, he'd just get his shotgun out...

That's OK I believe Bono's got an Uzi.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

You're nuts.

No, this thread is nuts.

Give me Novocaine's drum beat is almost identical to that of bullet the blue sky's.

Do I think green day purposely ripped off u2, or u2 ripped off nugent, or somehow coldplay ripped someone off? Fuck no.

There's only so many riffs and beats in the world. Eventually someone is going to come up with something that sounds similar to something else.

 

[U2girl]

I hear it too. Probably just a coincidence, like the beginning of IGCIIDGCT having the same tune as Journey's "Faithfully."

Abba called and wants the intro of The winner takes it all back.

 

[corianderstem]

 

[JoRu]

Yeah...

They're two separate songs that have similarities, but also many differences. If songs weren't allowed to have even the slighest resemblance to each other we'd have a pretty lame, fucked-up music industry (I mean, even more so than today ).

 

[doctorwho]

I hear none of Nugent in U2's song. And the fact that "Bullet" has been out since 1987, it makes me wonder why 24 years later, this is the first time I've ever heard anyone anywhere say this. If it was true, it would have been all the uproar back in the day.

I guess people can hear whatever they want in a song, if they force it. To this day, I still feel George Harrison lost a case he easily should have won regarding "My Sweet Lord". Essentially, 3 notes was why he lost. If a song can't have the same three notes, then my God, what will music become?

Yet Lady Gaga can essentially copy Madonna's "Express Yourself" with the track "Born This Way" and that's O.K.

 

[may]

It is pretty much the same song;however, it's highly unlikely they deliberately copied the song. I remember Stranglehold from the 70s and when I first heard BTBS, I'd thought I'd heard it before-being the song Stranglehold. You can almost sing all of the lyrics from BTBS into Nugent's song but not vise versa. There are some definite differences. I love both songs. It makes no difference to me.

 

[Val]

"Every artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief. All kill their inspiration and sing about their grief"

 

[Sergiodino]

What about the start of this UFO song?

UFO-I'M A LOSER. - YouTube


It´s a 1976 song, by the way...

 

[Muldfeld]

I don't hear it, but stealing from Ted Nugent wouldn't really be stealing, given that he's a complete racist, immoral, cocky, male-chauvinist prick; it's like suicide bombing Hitler... or something.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I'll go and seduce both Ted Nugent and Bono into having sex with me and, post-coital, when we're cuddling and in the midst of our sweet and sincere pillow talk, I'll look them both in the eye and ask them if they think Bullet The Blue Sky is a ripoff of Stanglehold.

Answers will be had. And mysteries will be solved. Just give me a few days.

 

[U2girl]

I thought the band mentioned Led Zeppelin as an influence on this song.

 

[doctorwho]

I'll go and seduce both Ted Nugent and Bono into having sex with me and, post-coital, when we're cuddling and in the midst of our sweet and sincere pillow talk, I'll look them both in the eye and ask them if they think Bullet The Blue Sky is a ripoff of Stanglehold.

Answers will be had. And mysteries will be solved. Just give me a few days.

OH BOY! Can't wait!

 

[theedgeu2]

I thought the band mentioned Led Zeppelin as an influence on this song.

I think Bono did on the Joshua Tree Classic Albums DVD. At least he mentioned Bonham as an influence on Larry. Also in U2 By U2 there is a bit where someone talks about how Edge came up with the guitar riff (not talking about the sound and the whole "put El Salvador through your amplifier").