Maroon 5’s ‘Memories’ is basically just Pachelbel’s Canon (2024)

14 January 2020, 17:40

By Kyle Macdonald

Maroon 5’s ‘Memories’ is basically just Pachelbel’s Canon (1)Maroon 5’s ‘Memories’ is basically just Pachelbel’s Canon (2)

The Californian band has been diving into the German Baroque *canon* in their latest hit.

Pachelbel’s beloved Canon in D is a staple of classical compilations, and a popular favourite among music lovers and aisle-walking brides.

It also has a very famous chord progression, which is outlined in its first eight notes on the cello and repeated throughout the piece.

This chord progression has inspired lots of other songs and pieces since; in popular music, ‘Go West’ by the Pet Shop Boys, Kylie Minogue's ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ and Oasis’ ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ all contain the ubiquitous chord progression, immediately catching the attention of any cellist or wedding musician.

And now we can add another to the list: ‘Memories’, from American pop/rock/light-funk outfit Maroon 5.

The song was released in the autumn of 2019 and, interestingly, uses both harmonic and melodic material from Pachelbel’s opus. Take a listen:

Maroon 5’s ‘Memories’ is basically just Pachelbel’s Canon (3)

Maroon 5 - Memories (Official Video)

In ‘Memories’, Maroon 5 take Pachelbel’s eight-note harmonic progression (I-V-vi-iii-IV-I-IV-V), set it in B major and repeat it throughout their hit, as in the style of the original.

Not content just with simply harmonic *canonspiration*, frontman Adam Levine also takes a melodic fragment from Pachelbel to create the main hook of ‘Memories’ tune. It’s the first seven notes of the Violin 1 line here:

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Pachelbel or Maroon 5? 😂

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This line is later sequenced (sung to different notes). Other moments of wordless vocals follow similar contours to the baroque composer’s lines.

For centuries, musicians have been reworking the musical ideas of their contemporaries and predecessors. Great composers such as J.S. Bach, Beethoven, Schumann (and almost everyone else) have transcribed, adapted and reworked pieces that have inspired them. And it’s wonderful that this tradition continues today.

‘Memories’ was written after the death of the band’s manager, Jordan Feldstein, who passed away in 2017. Levine tweeted that “this song is for anyone who has ever experienced loss. In other words, this song is for all of us”.

The song has amassed 350 million views on YouTube peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. That’s a lot of people enjoying a little Pachelbel beneath the surface. What a great thing.

Maroon 5’s ‘Memories’ is basically just Pachelbel’s Canon (2024)

FAQs

Is Memories sampled from Canon in D? ›

The song contains a sample of "Canon in D Major" by German composer Johann Pachelbel, and its chorus is based on "No Woman, No Cry" by Jamaican band Bob Marley and the Wailers.

What song did Memories copy? ›

The Californian band has been diving into the German Baroque *canon* in their latest hit. Pachelbel's beloved Canon in D is a staple of classical compilations, and a popular favourite among music lovers and aisle-walking brides.

Why do so many songs use Canon in D? ›

Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D major, written in the mid-Baroque period and revived from obscurity in the 1960s, has been credited with inspiring pop songs. Some pop songs borrow its chord progression, bass line, or melodic structure, a phenomenon attributed to the memorability and simplicity of the work.

What pop song is based on Pachelbel? ›

Other songs that make use of the Pachelbel's Canon chord progression include "Streets of London" by Ralph McTell (1974), "Gemilang" by Krakatau (1986), "Basket Case" by Green Day (1994), and "Don't Look Back in Anger" by Oasis (1996) (though with a variation at the end), while Maroon 5 used the harmonic sequence of ...

Is Canon in D overused? ›

The Canon in D by Pachelbel is perhaps one of the most well-known songs used during wedding ceremonies. Some people feel that it is overused, to the point where listeners have become jaded and no longer feel the same emotional response towards it.

Is Canon in D hom*ophonic? ›

The strings play the melody (violins and violas) in the foreground whilst the double bass is playing the bass line in the background. In regards to texture in this piece, is would definitely be classified as hom*ophonic as you can clearly identify the melody followed by the harmonic accompaniment.

Who originally sang Memories? ›

"Memories" is a 1968 song originally recorded by Elvis Presley. It was written by Billy Strange and Mac Davis demo sang by Phil Johnson (Last Freight Train, Lying Cheating Stealing, Lonely One) specially for Presley to perform on Elvis, his comeback TV special that would air on NBC on December 3, 1968.

Did Barbara Streisand sing Memories? ›

Streisand Music Videos

“Memory” from the musical Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber was a semi-hit for Barbra Streisand, reaching number 18 on Billboard's singles charts. It was one of the new songs on Barbra's album of previously-released hits, Memories.

Is Adam Levine still married? ›

Levine has been married to model Behati Prinsloo since 2014, and they have three children together.

What was Pachelbel canon written for? ›

Pachelbel's Canon was originally written for three violins, she explained, but it can easily be arranged for a string quartet or the organ, keyboard and synthesizers, all creating a different sound depending on the occasion.

What movie is Pachelbel canon in? ›

The film 'Ordinary People' in 1980 brought Pachelbel's Canon to a mass audience. It's difficult to escape grade-school commencement ceremonies without hearing the song “Graduation (Friends Forever)” by the American pop singer Vitamin C.

Why do people love Canon in D? ›

Pachelbel's Canon in D is a beautiful piece of classical music; one which almost everybody will recognise. It's a favourite for wedding ceremonies and other formal occasions, as well as being a beautiful, relaxing piece. It's also perhaps one of the most pervasive pieces of music of all time.

Why is Canon in D so famous? ›

In 2019, American conductor Kent Tritle told The New York Times that what shifted Pachelbel's Canon into the mainstream was the 1968 recording by French conductor Jean-François Paillard. This ran at half the speed of other versions, encouraging listeners to drift into emotionally flexible reveries.

Did Pachelbel write anything else? ›

Today, Pachelbel is best known for the Canon in D; other well known works include the Chaconne in F minor, the Toccata in E minor for organ, and the Hexachordum Apollinis, a set of keyboard variations.

What song sounds like Canon in D? ›

Basket Case by Green Day

You probably wouldn't guess that a rock song would borrow a chord progression from a classical piece written in the 19th century. However, when listening to Basket Case, you'll realize that those power chords played by Billie Joe Armstrong form the progression in Canon in D.

What songs sample Canon in D? ›

Sampled in 88 songs
SongArtistPart Sampled
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in SpaceSpiritualizedHook / Riff
Rain and TearsAphrodite's ChildMultiple Elements
Scatman's WorldScatman JohnMultiple Elements
What IfJason DeruloMultiple Elements
12 more rows

Is Memories based on Canon? ›

But what they don't say is that the chord progression on which "Memories" is built comes from Johann Pachelbel's perennial popular Canon in D, familiar nowadays from its widespread use in wedding processions and TV commercials.

What song was inspired by Canon in D? ›

  • 10 Songs Based On Canon in D. ...
  • Memories by Maroon 5, 2019. ...
  • Go West — The Village People and The Pet Shop Boys. ...
  • Basket Case — Green Day 1994. ...
  • All Together Now — The Farm 1991. ...
  • Cryin' — Aerosmith 1993. ...
  • Streets of London — Ralph McTell 1969. ...
  • The Greatest Thing — Cher and Lady Gaga 2007.
Feb 16, 2022

What song is sampled in Memories by David Guetta? ›

David Guetta memories Sample Debate !!

okay so in the database we have listed that Memories Sampled Ashes, the Rain and I by James Gang (1970).

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