Simple Symphony - The Verve

[Bert]

The Verve had a hit single a while ago with a song called (I think) 'Simple Symphony'. It had a very repetitive theme. Some time late I heard the same theme on Classic FM and heard that it was from a symphony by Boccherini. Does anyone know which symphony?

[gazzawazza]

It's called "Bitter Sweet Symphony" and it was written by Jagger and Richards but I don't know whether it was based on a theme by Boccherini.

When it was in the charts there was some story about Jagger and Richards only giving them permission to record it if the Verve gave them all the royalties from the sale of that single except for �1. (Or something along those lines!)

[andy hughes]

Just to elaborate on Gazza's answer - the copyright for the Jagger / Richards song 'The Last Time' which may have been nicked from a classical piece, is not owned by Jagger and Richard, so they had no say in its sampling by The Verve, or any payment of royalties from it. The copyright is owned by The Stones' former manager Alan Klein, and he has total control over sampling and royalties of a large chunk of early Stones material. In the same way that Paul McCartney has to obtain permission from, and pay royalties to Michael Jacson for the use of some of The Beatles' early work, so The Stones proved a nicer ker-ching! to Mr Klein's piggy bank when they play their own early songs. The music 'business', dontcha just love it?

[gazzawazza]

Andy, I was hoping somebody would clear up my attempt at the story! So is Bitter Sweet Symphony based on The Last Time then, is that what you're saying? I'm not doubting your musical genius, I just can't get both songs in my head to sound enough like each other...

[andy hughes]

I know what you mean - if memory serves, I think there's an orchestral bit on the album version and that is the sample used. I am a bit hazy on this, but I obtained the info from a website - if anyone else can throw any light, I'm never beyond being educated on matters musical.

[andy hughes]

I was partly right - it's actually an orchestral re-working of the song which was sampled and looped for use by The Verve.

[rja211077]

It is an orchestral reworking of the riff from 'The Last Time' by the Andrew Loog Oldham orchestra. As previously mentioned, Allen Klein held the rights and thus got a massive pay-day due to the success of Bittersweet Symphony and the album.