Incubator escapee wiki

Answer song

Article Discussion
(Redirected from Answer record)

Template:Short description An answer song, response song or answer record is a song (usually a recorded track) made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s to the 1950s. Answer songs were also popular in country music in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, sometimes as female responses to an original hit by a male artist or male responses to a hit by a female artist.

The original "Hound Dog" song sung by Big Mama Thornton reached number 1 in 1953, and there were six answer songs in response; the most successful of these was "Bear Cat", by Rufus Thomas which reached number 3. That led to a successful copyright lawsuit for $35,000, which is said to have led Sam Phillips of Sun Records to sell Elvis Presley's recording contract to RCA.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In Rock Eras: Interpretations of Music and Society, Jim Curtis says that "the series of answer songs which were hits in 1960 ... indicates the dissociation of the singer from the song ... Answer songs rode on the coattails, as it were, of the popularity of the first song, and resembled parodies in that their success depended on a knowledge of the original ... Answer songs were usually one-hit flukes by unknown singers whose lack of identity did not detract from the success of the record since only the song, and not the performer, mattered."<ref>Template:Cite book Alternate Template:ISBN.</ref>

Today, this practice is most common in hip hop music and filk, especially as the continuation of a feud between performers; the Roxanne Wars was a notable example that resulted in over a hundred answer songs.<ref name="Hess">Template:Cite book</ref> Answer songs also played a part in the battle over turf in The Bridge Wars.<ref name="Hess"/> Sometimes, an answer record imitated the original very closely and occasionally, a hit song would be followed up by the same artist.

ExamplesEdit

Pre-1950sEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> as an answer to "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home", published by Hughie Cannon and recorded by Collins earlier the same year.

  • "I Used to Be Afraid to Come Home in the Dark"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> was recorded by Billy Murray in 1909 as a response to his own 1908 hit, "I'm Afraid to Come Home in the Dark"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • The popularity of the 1923 song "Yes! We Have No Bananas" was answered that same year by "I've Got The Yes! We Have No Banana Blues" with lyrics by Lew Brown, composed by Robert King and James F. Hanley. The song referred to the ubiquity and nonsense lyrics of the original.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Eddie Cantor, Eva Taylor, Isabelle Patricola, and Belle Baker all sang on releases of this song.

1950sEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

1960sEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Another Damita Jo track, "I'll Be There" (1961), was in response to King's solo hit "Stand by Me" (1960).

1970sEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Warren Zevon then wrote a response to "Sweet Home Alabama", titled "Play It All Night Long" (1980).

1980sEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> "Whoever's in New England", in turn, inspired the 2007 answer song "Stay", written and sung by Jennifer Nettles.<ref name="storybehindstay">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • "Thunder & Lightning" (1986) by Miss Thang was a response to Oran "Juice" Jones's song "The Rain" from the same year. Other responses included "The Drain" by Leot Littlepage, and "After the Storm" by Stephan, also released in 1986.
  • Actor Danny Aiello appeared in the Madonna video for "Papa Don't Preach" (1986), as the titular "Papa", and later that year recorded "Papa Wants the Best for You", written by Artie Schroeck, as a representation of the father's point of view.<ref>Liz Smith, "Papa Gets Second Chance In New Video", Sarasota Herald-Tribune (October 22, 1986), 5E.</ref>
  • "Guys Ain't Nothing but Trouble" by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (featuring Ice Cream Tee) was a response to "Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble" from their 1987 debut album, "Rock The House" by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince.
  • "Grab it!" (1988) by L'Trimm was a cheeky answer record to "Push it" by Salt-N-Pepa (1985)
  • "I'm Your Wild Thang" (1989) was Mamado and She's answer to Tone Lōc's "Wild Thing" (1988).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

1990sEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2000sEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was the first answer song to reach No. 1 in the United Kingdom. Both songs had topped the charts in that country.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2010sEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Which itself is a response to "If Today Was Your Last Day" (2008) by Nickelback.

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • "Paper Doll" (2013) by John Mayer is viewed as a response to Taylor Swift's "Dear John" (2010), and also mentions her song "22".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
  • In 2013, Kay One released his diss track "Nichts als die Wahrheit" against his former label mates Bushido and Shindy, as a response to Shindy's song "Alkoholisierte Pädophile", making fun of Kay One and his stepfather Olliwood. Bushido in return released the 11 minute storytelling diss track "Leben und Tod des Kenneth Glöckler", chronicling the rise and career of Kay One from his perspective, depicting him as an opportunist who only makes friends that get him further in the music business just to drop them when he finds someone more prestigious. One year later, Kay One released the 25 minute response song "Tag des jüngsten Gerichts", depicting his career from his own point of view, including attacks against many of his former friends on the way who turned their back on him, most prominently Bushido who he claims to have abused his power as a label boss and his ties to the Abou-Chaker clan to make Kay work lots for little money, as well as being a greedy man who rips off his fellow collaborators as well as his own fans. Many of the rappers mentioned in the song released their own diss tracks against Kay One as a response, however they received less media coverage and attention than those of Kay One and Bushido.
  • 3Think made "Shizuka (First Love)" (2014) in response to Leo Ku's "Nobita" (2004).

2020sEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "Skin" mentions a line used in "Drivers License" about Carpenter's appearance, while "Because I Liked a Boy" recalls all the threats she received after Rodrigo's song was released.

  • Roselia's 2022 song "Rozen Horizon" is a sequel to their 2019 song "Fire Bird", according the mini-album's page.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Country trio Chapel Hart's 2022 song "You Can Have Him Jolene" answers Dolly Parton's classic "Jolene" almost 50 years later.<ref name="Jolene">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Miley Cyrus's 2023 song "Flowers" paraphrases "When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars, in lyrics as well as in chord progression (Cyrus uses a simplified version of Mars' verse chords in her chorus) and even in some melodic patterns. While Mars sings about what "he" could have done better in the now broken relationship, Cyrus sings about how "she" is better now that she is alone. Cyrus also takes some melodic figures from "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

Further readingEdit

  • "Answer Records / Sequels", list of Answer Songs from everyhit.com
  • B. Lee Cooper and Wayne S. Haney, Response Recordings: An Answer Song Discography, 1950-1990, Scarecrow Press, 1990, Template:ISBN (A comprehensive alphabetized list of over 2500 hit tunes that prompted the production of answer songs or other forms of response recordings)
  • Answer Songs, Spotify playlist of some of the answer songs on this page

Template:Musical composition

Retrieved from "https://zalansite.site/mediawiki/index.php?title=Answer_song&oldid=508092"