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School’s Out and Barney Fife

Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:09 am
by livinluvin72
Alice has always said that you guys were in to TV and movies. You can hear the influence in songs like Unfinished Suite/Sweet, Halo of Flies, Gutter Cat, and of course Man with The Golden Gun.
I know Glen came up with the opening riff to School’s Out.
I’ve been hearing a similarity between Glen’s opening riff on School's Out and a portion of the Barney Fife theme song from the Andy Griffith Show before they go in different directions.
Starting at 19 seconds in the clip below, I hear a similar riff.
The tempo is different and the number of notes repeated are different but there is a similarity.
I know that many songs can sound like many other songs in certain parts and I don’t think anyone would claim copyright infringement because the notes are unique and different although similar; just a fun observation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb_vQYhefqk

Re: School’s Out and Barney Fife

Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:17 am
by Dreary
livinluvin72 wrote:
Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:09 am
Alice has always said that you guys were in to TV and movies. You can hear the influence in songs like Unfinished Suite/Sweet, Halo of Flies, Gutter Cat, and of course Man with The Golden Gun.
I know Glen came up with the opening riff to School’s Out.
I’ve been hearing a similarity between Glen’s opening riff on School's Out and a portion of the Barney Fife theme song from the Andy Griffith Show.
Starting at 19 seconds in the clip below, I hear a similar riff.
The tempo is different and the number of notes repeated are different but there is a similarity.
I know that many songs can sound like many other songs in certain parts and I don’t think anyone would claim copyright infringement because the notes are unique and different although similar; just a fun observation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb_vQYhefqk
It's a fun comparison that I'm sure Glen would have liked. I have no doubt that if it had been intentional, Glen would have made it known. Perhaps it was subliminal, but like Michael used to say, there are only 8 notes.

Re: School’s Out and Barney Fife

Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2021 11:29 am
by sumorider
Hello, Dennis, one of my teenage heroes.

I'm sorry to break in on the conversation.
I always think that the intro of School's Out has a similarity to the intro of Wishbone Ash "Jail Bait",
that Glen was influenced by this intro, listening to this tune on the radio by chance...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsdXh8eBcts

As for School's Out album, I think SO is most keyboard oriented album,
I love the blasting keyboard on the opening of SO.
so I always want to know whole songwriting process of SO album...
I guess even Luney Tune was written by keyboard and acoustic guitar at first.

Re: School’s Out and Barney Fife

Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:53 pm
by sumorider
sumorider wrote:
Sat Jun 19, 2021 11:29 am
Hello, Dennis, one of my teenage heroes.

I'm sorry to break in on the conversation.
I always think that the intro of School's Out has a similarity to the intro of Wishbone Ash "Jail Bait",
that Glen was influenced by this intro, listening to this tune on the radio by chance...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsdXh8eBcts

As for School's Out album, I think SO is most keyboard oriented album,
I love the blasting keyboard on the opening of SO.
so I always want to know whole songwriting process of SO album...
I guess even Luney Tune was written by keyboard accompaniment at first.

Re: School’s Out and Barney Fife

Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:45 pm
by Dreary
sumorider wrote:
Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:53 pm
sumorider wrote:
Sat Jun 19, 2021 11:29 am
Hello, Dennis, one of my teenage heroes.

I'm sorry to break in on the conversation.
I always think that the intro of School's Out has a similarity to the intro of Wishbone Ash "Jail Bait",
that Glen was influenced by this intro, listening to this tune on the radio by chance...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsdXh8eBcts

As for School's Out album, I think SO is most keyboard oriented album,
I love the blasting keyboard on the opening of SO.
so I always want to know whole songwriting process of SO album...
I guess even Luney Tune was written by keyboard accompaniment at first.
You're welcome to join the conversation.
Yes, I hear the similarity in the Wishbone Ash tune, but if any band jams on a shuffle, that kind of riff comes naturally, especially for guitar players that like Chuck Berry. Glen's riff is complete enough to stand on its own without relying on the groove at all.
As for it being a keyboard album...
"School's Out" was written with 2 guitars, bass and drums.
I wrote "Luney Tune" and "Gutter Cat" on bass.
"Street Fight" was a bass riff that I made up on the spot when Neal and I were warming up to record. We didn't know they recorded it until we stopped playing.
You are correct on "Blue Turk" with Michael on keyboards and only Glen on guitar.
I was in the hospital when the band wrote "My Stars" but Michael played bass during my absence and keys were added later.
The whole band hashed out "Public Animal #9" and I think Michael played keys during the development of that one.
Neal wrote "Alma Mater" on his Spanish acoustic guitar.
And you are absolutely correct that "Grand Finale" was key driven.