Showdown: Shared Song Titles

Am I scraping the bottom of the barrel...or am I coming up with creative new posts as a way of introducing you to new music whilst discussing tracks we all know and love/hate/don't particularly care about?
Anyway, this blog post will be looking at two songs with exactly the same title by two completely different Rock/Metal bands. NOTE: these are NOT covers, these are two separate songs with identical titles. I'm not entirely sure why some of these artists choose to name their track after a much more famous song (especially if it's just a filler track on their album) but there are still bands out there with such limited creativity that they just happen to come up with the same combination of words.
Consequently, I won't just be looking at which track I think is superior; I'll also be weighing in on whether I think the copied song title was chosen because the latter band was trying to cash in on the name of a much more popular song or whether they simply picked the same title by accident. Right, let's get listening!

EDIT: Forgot to add this Spotify playlist containing each track (original and cover). Feel free to listen to it as you read my write-ups!


ROUND ONE: Heartbreaker
Led Zeppelin - Released in 1969, this song off Led Zeppelin's second (and best) album is known for its epic guitar riff and funky rhythm, not to mention the literal guitar solo. It's not one of their better known tracks in comparison to songs such as "Stairway To Heaven", "Immigrant Song" and "Whole Lotta Love" but it's definitely one of the better tracks for fans of Riff Based Rock and early 70s Classic Rock. A top song to start with!
Pat Benatar - About 10 years later, Pat We-Don't-Need-No-Menatar released this punchy Hard Rock hit with next to no resemblance to Led Zepp's track despite containing the same title. The track's built more around Pat's vocals than the solid riff but don't assume this isn't a belter on guitar. The song ends on a great guitar solo and proper Rock outro, arguably more suitable for a track with a name as aggressive as "Heartbreaker".
VERDICT - Since the song's title is a single compound word that isn't exactly uncommon, there was clearly no copying going on here (don't worry, this is the only single word track on the list). However, as for which track is the better song in my personal opinion, I'm going with Led Zeppelin. I'll take a badass Classic Rock riff over a mediocre Hard Rock one any day.

ROUND TWO: Young Lust
Pink Floyd - From one Hard Rock track released in 1979 to another! I gave Pink Floyd a lot of shit in my last blog post but this song isn't that bad or, even worse, dull. It's got a good riff, a decent solo that stands out way more than "Comfortably Numb" and a catchy chorus, even if it does sound a little bit more like Pop or, dare I say, Disco than Rock. However, when's all said and done, this is a great track!
Aerosmith - ANOTHER 10 years later, we were given one of Aerosmith's better Hard Rock albums with album opener "Young Lust". Highlights include the footstomping rhythm and the twin guitar action of Perry and Whitford in full force. Tyler's vocals are pretty much peak Aerosmith too with his screams of "YOUNG LUST!" throughout. I'm still undecided as to whether I'm fully on board with it but they haven't got on my nerves yet (although they've come close).
VERDICT - Both songs are good for their own reasons but I'm giving the win to Aerosmith. As I've said countless times, I like my Rock to actually Rock and the latter song easily prevails in that department. As for whether Aerosmith got their name from the former song...I doubt it. Aerosmith's audience was significantly different to Pink Floyd's back then so there's no real reason they'd want to piggyback on the name of a lesser known Pink Floyd song.

ROUND THREE: Money For Nothing
Dire Straits - I love this song and fucking adore the build up at the start with the drum and synth cressendo. I just wish the drums maintained that power after Knopfler's cruising riff as they sound absolutely pissweak for the rest of the song. It goes from stadium to dive bar in a matter of seconds which I guess is appropriate considering the song's lyrics but annoying as a fan of both musical styles. Anyway, this is definitely one of Dire Straits' bigger songs so anyone who knows their Classic Rock should know this song.
Lapko - Uhhhh...fucken who? Lapko are an Alternative Rock band from Finland who clearly didn't get a copy of Brothers In Arms when they visited the record shop for inspiration in 2015. The song's hugely different to the Dire Straits track and sounds like whiny teen Rock. The guitar's OK, I guess. It's got a bit of a kick to it but those vocals sound as weak as the post-intro percussion in the Dire Straits song.
VERDICT - Obviously Dire Straits take the win here. I doubt Lapko took the song's name intentionally but I do think they were oblivious enough to not know about "Money For Nothing".

ROUND FOUR: Shout At The Devil
Motley Crue - One of their most famous songs boasting some heavy riffs, this song could easily be considered Heavy Metal if not for the poor guitar solo and fade-out in the outro. It's still a great song but it feels more chart friendly than some of Motley Crue's better songs. Even so, it's still a good tune to listen to now and then if you want something straightforward from your Hair Metal music.
Diamond Head - I reviewed the new Diamond Head album last October but didn't actually dwell on the fact that they named the second song on the record after one of the most famous Motley Crue songs. I'm not sure why as the song can definitely stand on its own feet. It's arguably not as heavy as the former song, despite belonging to Heavy Metal instead of Hair Metal and being released over 30 years after the Motley Crue single, but it's a decent filler track.
VERDICT - It's got to be Motley Crue again. It's heavier, got more distinct vocals and packs more into three minutes than the Diamond Head does into four. Granted the Diamond Head song has more going on in the guitar department but overall, the Motley Crue track does more to grab your attention. Personally, I think Diamond Head may have known what they were doing when they borrowed the song title. It's not one of their B-sides and it's not a common expression, although it is a film from the late 70s so it could've been inspired by that.

ROUND FIVE: Turn To Stone
Joe Walsh (and Barnstorm) - Joe Walsh has a lot of great material and has been credited with creating (or being largely responsible for) the sound we associate Classic Rock with when he was part of The James Gang. This song is a little slower than their hits and a similar tempo to big singles in Joe Walsh's solo career but overall, it's pretty forgettable. There are lengthy guitar solos but they're all pretty weightless so there aren't many positive aspects to this track. Joe Walsh even rerecorded this song a couple of years later in 1974. Didn't improve it but it does sound a lot cleaner, if you're interested...anyone? Nope, guess I'll move on then.
ELO - This is easily the more famous version of the song. It's got the classic ELO rhythm with plenty of Jeff Lynne and his Beatlesque space-age sound effects and tones throughout. Since it's more of a Pop Rock single, there isn't much to the song other than the verse and chorus combo but thankfully, it's a damn good combo that lasts exactly the right amount of time (approximately three minutes, for future reference). It goes without saying that it's easier on the ears than the Joe Walsh track.
VERDICT - Whilst I prefer the Classic Rock genre to Pop Rock, it has to be ELO who takes the win for this one for reasons previously listed. Since there were a good five years or so between the initial release of Joe Walsh's "Turn To Stone" and ELO's, it's possible that Jeff Lynne may have been inspired by the former track. However, it's equally likely that the idea of turning to stone is a common one that multiple artists can think of without relying on each other. Gosh, this post's really nailing it so far, huh.

ROUND SIX: Don't Stop Me Now
Queen - I think this is quite possibly the first Queen song I ever heard, or at least ever attributed to Queen. It's built almost entirely around the piano and vocal combo with Brian May's guitar only coming in at the short guitar solo before the final chorus, although there is a version of this song that exists with guitar throughout the entire track (it's pretty meh but feel free to check it out!). Luckily, it doesn't need riffs and technical solos to be a fun little track that prove Queen can still knock it out of the park seven albums into their career.
Status Quo - Whilst the previous track was Queen at their best, this one was released around the time Status Quo was at theirs. Vocal harmonies are typical Quo and the guitars are fairly standard for their material too. It's a little bit heavier than some of their signature songs too so fans of bigger Rock bands might enjoy it more than "Sweet Caroline" and "Whatever You Want", although don't expect more than music that's catchy all round.
VERDICT - I really like both songs but the choice is easy. Queen win it for writing what's clearly the more fun Rock song. I find myself listening to their track frequently whenever I want a short but hugely enjoyable burst of music. Whilst it's possible that Status Quo picked this exact combination of words that happened to be popularised by Queen without knowing about the Queen song, I believe it's almost certain that Status Quo knew they were using the same title of a popular Queen track (potentially to sponge a bit of attention), even if it wasn't as popular as it is now thanks to Shaun Of The Dead and...well, Shaun Of The Dead.

ROUND SEVEN: The Way It Is
Bruce Hornsby & The Range - I'm not sure whether Pop Rock, Yacht Rock, Soft Rock or outright Pop is the best way to categorise this song from 1986 but either way, it's one of those tunes that you'll remember once you listen to the opening piano melody or chorus. I'm not sure if Bruce Hornsby ever wrote any songs heavier or more Rock orientated than this but between the emphasis on the lyrics, two piano solos and bass synth, it's a fairly average track that's decent in small doses.
Tesla - As far as 80s Hard Rock love songs go, this one's not bad. Great vocals, solid guitar, memorable if not relatively basic solos and a proper outro. It's no "Cumin' Atcha Live" or "Modern Day Cowboy" but if you like slower tracks that still pack a punch, I'd recommend checking this one out.
VERDICT - I've mostly been favouring the original and more famous tracks so far but I'm inclined to give Tesla the win here. It's no secret that I prefer Rock to Pop but to be honest, I'm not too fussy about the genre as long as the melody's good. The Bruce Hornsby single is good but the Tesla track has more going for it, despite also being a slower song. I can't imagine Tesla stealing the phrase "the way it is" from Bruce Hornsby to make their song more notable, although I reckon at least one member of the band knew of the song before they wrote theirs. However, since it's a fairly common expression, chances are they felt like using the same name was justified.

ROUND EIGHT: Bad Reputation
Thin Lizzy - I'm not sure if it's fair to call this a well known Thin Lizzy song. It's got an album named after it and it was chosen to be in Guitar Hero 2 instead of all the other classic Thin Lizzy tracks yet I feel like it's nothing more than a filler track with a decent solo. This song was released in the late 70s during the period where Thin Lizzy were transitioning from Classic Rock to Hard Rock a few years away from their second transition from Hard Rock to Metal, although this track is definitively Hard Rock.
Joan Jett - Most of you will probably know the cover of this song from the film Shrek but as far as female Punk songs from the 80s go, this one's damn good. It might have a dodgy key change and could do with something to deviate from the same verse/chorus structure (aside from that godawful guitar "solo") but in short bursts, it's a great little "Fuck you" song which is what Punk should be. Plus, Joan Jett's vocals sound just right for the song, unlike the loud, droning atonal shite most female Punk tracks have.
VERDICT - Yeah, Joan Jett takes it here. Compare the two tracks and the Thin Lizzy one just sounds boring, even if I will always prefer Hard Rock on the whole to Punk. Once again, the words "bad reputation" aren't unique enough to make me assume Joan Jett stole them for her own gain and I don't believe she even knew the Thin Lizzy album or track existed when she wrote her song. Besides, Punk bands thought 70s Rock groups were boring and shunned their works in favour of anti-establishment noise so copying one doesn't add up.

ROUND NINE: I'm A Believer
The Monkees - You know what? I like The Monkees. They're not a guilty pleasure or anything like that, they're just a good band in my books. They've got some great Rock tracks for a bubblegum Pop band and whilst this signature song of theirs does sound a little too safe to be "Rock" from that decade, it has a great chorus and a good little solo too; you can thank Neil Diamond for that, as he wrote this song. Oh hey, this song was also covered in Shrek, although this time by Smash Mouth. Small world, huh.
Giant - Back to 1989 with another Hard Rock track, I see. Opening with a passable solo before turning into a Bon Jovi song, "I'm A Believer" by Giant sounds nothing like The Monkees' hit and, therefore, reached nowhere near the same amount of success. It's an OK track too but I feel like naming it the same as a much more popular tune likely did more harm than good, as there's a line between piggybacking and dooming yourself that this song strides across, especially since most of the lesser known previous shared song titles belong to filler tracks as opposed to hit singles.
VERDICT - Well, to be fair to Giant, it's not a bad track. A little bland and too similar to much greater Hard Rock bands of the time but I don't mind listening to it. That doesn't mean it takes the win, though. The Monkees clear this one and I'm pretty sure at least one member of the band or producer knew about their song before entering the studio, hence why none of you know about Giant. Nice choice of band name too, fellas. Definitely didn't tempt fate there.

ROUND TEN: Danger Zone
Rainbow - Believe it or not, even this wasn't the first Rock song named "Danger Zone". Quiet Riot recorded one for the Metal Health album but I'm not entirely sure when that was released, as I'm pretty sure it wasn't on the original album. The Rainbow track, however, was and that came out in 1979. It's built around a pretty sweet riff (what else from Blackmore?) and Bonnet's vocals make this track great to Rock out to as well. However, I think we all know what's coming next so let's just cut to the chase, shall we?
Kenny Loggins - Song from Top Gun, classic chorus, simplistic guitar, awesome solo, fucking rocks, 'nuff said.
VERDICT - If you're ever faced with this decision and you pick anyone other than Kenny Loggins, your opinion is not valid. Pick another shared song title for your bullshit "I'm smart because I don't conform to popular opinion" hot take, The Log Dog will always win when you're in the Danger Zone!


I found quite a few songs with shared song titles so expect another one of these posts a few months or so from now. Likewise, if you have any requests for songs to be included in said post, let me know in the comments or via Twitter.