Dani California is Stolen.

[PJ]

Are you kidding.
The Lyrics are even about the same thing.

It's flat-out stolen.

I am embarrassed for you...sorry my friend but in this instant you are wrong, entitled to your opinon as I am mine, but very very wrong.
any real musician will tell you it has a comletely different feel, a completely different flow.........to each their own I suppose..

Ha, any real musician.
I've been playing guitar for 6 years, In a touring band and about to put out a record.
 
Plus I'm only 17.

It doesn't take musical knowladge to hear that these 2 songs are identical.

you forgot to say your biggest characteristic... you are the biggest asshole ever

[Walk]

you forgot to say your biggest characteristic... you are the biggest asshole ever

How is he an asshole for pointing out obvious theft? RHCP are the assholes. I'd stop buying their albums because of this, but luckily I've never bought one in the first place. 

[mrlee]

well my friend who is a big fan even came to me saying that song is a rip off of a petty song.

[axlrosegnr]

Yeah, they sound alike to me....but who cares, i like em both

[The Dog]

That mp3 is pretty compelling....they def sound A LOT alike.

[ARC]

Ha!

It is identical. 

[WeHeldTogether]

Has anyone listened to BOTH WHOLE TOTAL SONGS?

The MP3 just shows the verse(which is, even though similar, both are a little different).  But the chorus and the solo are totally different.  So you never know...maybe they made the verse similar in homage to Petty?  And trust me, its NOT totally the same.

[Bill 213]

So because they have the same simple chord progression (that about 10 million other songs have) and they mention a state they're the same?? This is retarded.

In Petty's book he mentions that he doesn't really know what Mary Jane's Last Dance is about, he said he wrote it in mind about an ending to something, anything really.? Oh yeah and denied there was any drug reference to the title.
Dani California is a collective take on all the girls Anthony Keidis has known in his life.?

So basically any song with the same chord progression and mentioning of a state in the first verse of the title is plagarism?? Remind me never to use the Am, G or D chords again!?

[Axls Locomotive]

Chord progressions are different
Dani California Chords
Am G Dm Am
F C Dm

Mary Jane's Last Dance Chords
Am G D Am
D A

[COMAMOTIVE]

They are similar, but I would'nt think Peppers would be purposely ripping anyone. I'm sure if you asked them, they'd say something along the lines of Tom Petty huh? Cool, that's a compliment. - But other than that, you can't think this was done purposely, similar vibe definitely, but identical song, you've gotta be kidding me



Check out Pearl Jams " Given to fly " and Led Zep " Going to California "   -  Metallica " Fade to Black " and Floyd " Goodbye Blue Sky " -   Those seem like obvious rips - but who really knows?


Anyone notice the intro to Oh My God vs the intro to Zeps " Boogie with Stu " ? - Check it out -

[Communist China]

The similarities are there, but they aren't identical.

[Booker Floyd]

The verse melody is similar...big deal.  The chorus is completely different, the structure (as far as I can remember) is different.  Ever hear "Used To Love Her" and "Dead Flowers?"  Songs are similar sometimes. 

[2NaFish]

The verse melody is similar...big deal. The chorus is completely different, the structure (as far as I can remember) is different. Ever hear "Used To Love Her" and "Dead Flowers?" Songs are similar sometimes.

the chords are d a g c

[Eazy E]

Or Rage's "Wake Up" and Zeppelin's "Kashmir"...

I hate this audio clip of the songs played together because Mary Jane's Last Dance is sped up so that it fits the same timing as Dani California. ?Like someone pointed out, if you listen to the songs seperately and the whole way through they are nothing alike.

[gilld1]

Don't try to argue with Da Poop.  He's 17 and he knows everything about music that ever has been or will be.  They both mention Indiana so he must be right?  All hail Da Poop!

[RichardNixon]

The tempo in the verses are VERY similar. The choruses are somewhat similar, similar melody.

[Bill 213]

Then again you have almost every song in the 1950's going by G, Em, C, D.  And most of them released around the same time.  Last Kiss, Stand By Me, Dream Lover etc. 

[Backslash]

this is old news, and it's been a subject of debate between my gf and I since its release.  I like to tease her because she's a huge RHCP fan, while she teases me for being a huge GNR fan.

Anyway, I think that RHCP did it more as a tribute to Tom Petty.  The concept of the songs are similar, but if you look at the video, they're paying homage to all of the people who've influenced their music over the years.  And as was mentioned, the solo is a tribute to Hendrix.  There's no doubt that Tom Petty's music has influenced the Chili Peppers.  I mean, Kiedis's writing style is pretty similar to Pettys.  Long story short?  Let's not let Petty similarities (   ) ruin two great songs.

[Communist China]

Let's not let Petty similarities ( ? ) ruin two great songs.

I might have to kill you for that.

[Backslash]

Let's not let Petty similarities (   ) ruin two great songs.

I might have to kill you for that.

Oh, come on Commie, you loved it!