1. "Tutti Frutti" - Little Richard (1955)
"Tutti Frutti" - Elvis Presley (1956)
2. "Hound Dog" - Big Mama Thornton (1952)
"Hound Dog" - Elvis Presley (1956)
3. "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" - Lloyd Price (1952)
"Lawdy Miss Clawdy" - Elvis Presley (1956)
However, Elvis was not the only white musician to have appropriated music from black artists. In fact, he was just one of many.
4. "Ain't That A Shame" - Fats Domino (1955)
"Ain't That A Shame" - Pat Boone (1955)
5. "Sweet Little Sixteen" - Chuck Barry (1958)
"Surfin' U.S.A." - The Beach Boys (1963)
6. "Uptight" - Stevie Wonder (1966) vs. "Step Out" - Oasis (1995)
7. Security of the First World - Public Enemy (1988)
"Justify My Love" - Madonna (1990)
8. "Got To Give It Up" - Marvin Gaye (1977) vs. "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke (2012)
Hopefully this post sheds some light on the importance of giving credit where credit is due, accolades where accolades are due, and compensation where compensation is due. Black artists have been deprived and robbed of credit, accolades, and compensation for far too long. While it is undeniable that music is iterative, it is also important to note the distinction between paying tribute/homage to someone and wrongly claiming someone else's work as your own. This is just one important lesson we should recognize during Black History Month and beyond. Hope you enjoyed the tunes!