For instance, listen to BJ's Movin' Out when he sings, "I'm movin' out", followed his piano solo...its' directly ripped off from EJ's long ass piano solo on the Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road's Funeral For A Friend.Elton John and Billy JoelThe 70's has the most good songs by far.
Early 70s had some great songs and Elton John and Billy Joel emerged. Then came Disco and ruined the decade
An interesting phenomena...
If you listen to both of them you will realize how many melodies BJ ripped off from EJ.
I bet when they went on the Piano Men Tour, it was because EJ was threatening to sue BJ.
No, I don't hear that AT ALL. Never occurred to me, not once.
Elton John did mention Leon Russell as a strong influence, speaking of yet another artist not mentioned in the OP's list above, but I don't hear a musical similarity there either. Why don't you post us some comparative examples.
As for which "came first", I have a Billy Joel album (his first) that dates to 1971 for what it's worth.
I can't remember the name of the EJ song because I never listen to albums anymore.
I was actually shocked when I started getting into EJ 20 years ago and lost a bit of respect for BJ.
Okay, here they are.
Had to look up the EJ one, not familiar with it --- it's playing as I type and I'm hearing more Chopin than anything else. Give me some time markers.
You wanna hear some direct ripoffs, not counting Jimmy Plagiarist and Robber Plant, check Joe South's direct "quote" of John Lennon's "Day in the Life" in his song "Hush" -- I think Deep Purple did it. Joe South did that a lot.
starting from about 1:45, you can already hear the BJ has listened to this album many times
4:06 is where BJ ripped off the melody.
1:45 of which one? I went to 1:45 of Elton John and that's the part where I'm hearing Chopin. Which is also an element in Joel's music, although not here. Would it not be accurate to say they're both influenced by Chopin in their development? Such as....
Actually what you've got there, at both 1:45 and 4:06 is the same theme, repeated. And it's particularly where it dips down into that minor chord that I hear the Chopin (which Joel's melody doesn't do). But no I don't hear one copying the other just because they use a similar bass progression, any more than we can call "Stairway to Heaven" a ripoff of "Taurus" on the same basis.
EJ never copied BJ.
Never been a fan of EJ, wouldn't know. But I just don't hear it here.
Wow! If you don't hear it starting from 4:06 I don't know how to respond.
Through the years I've played some of this to many people and I didn't even have to tell them that BJ was ripping off EJ.
It won't make any difference to their assets ($0.00) at this point in time.
I'm hearing two different themes with somewhat similar bass progressions. And I'm hearing Chopin in both of them.
At 4:06?!
You're respect for BJ is affecting your perception of the obvious.
I'm listening to the notes.
One can always find similarities between two pieces of music, the question is to what degree.
It could be my respect for, I'll say it yet again, Chopin is affecting my perceptions. Is it possible they're both ripping off Chopin, at least in compositional approach? Because that's more what I hear here.
Is Ray Mazarek ripping off Blood Sweat and Tears here? Manzarek at 2:56
I wouldn't call that a ripoff, that's just a quick "quote", if it's even intentional.
These songs are prime examples of what most people call muzak.
I have no problem with album fillers sounding alike because nobody thinks they're going to be singles.
When a composer sites at a piano for 10 hours until a catchy melody emerges, that composer should well know whether or not the melody line is original.
I have the feeling that BJ was listening to so many different types of music that he didn't realize it wasn't original.
BJ also drank like a fish.
Country music all sounds the same.
They just change the friggen lyrics....
not early country.....the new stuff yes...