Phil Ochs and Randy Saprks?

Subject: Review: Phil Ochs and Randy Saprks?
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Apr 14 - 12:33 PM

Do anybody else think the song "Denver" by Randy Sparks (NCM) and "Love Me, I'm a Liberal" by Phil Ochs have very similar melody? In the verses, the melody to the first three lines are almost the same, the only difference is in the last line. Just in case my hearing failed.

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs and Randy Saprks?
From: GUEST,Ken Brock
Date: 05 Apr 14 - 12:49 PM

It's been years since I heard the Phil Ochs, but the melody for "Denver" is from the trad. "Acres of Clams".

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs and Randy Saprks?
From: pdq
Date: 05 Apr 14 - 12:54 PM

I believe "Love Me, I'm A Liberal" uses the traditional tune from "Rosin the Bow", and is public domain.

Woodie Guthrie and many others usually just took existing tunes and added lyrics that said what they wanted to say.

Subject: RE: Phil Ochs and Randy Saprks?
From: GUEST,Ken Brock
Date: 05 Apr 14 - 12:57 PM

Here's a wikipedia article on the relationship between the above songs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Settler's_Song_(Acres_of_Clams)