The Polyphonic Spree's Together We're Heavy

This morning, I listened to the Polyphonic Spree's Together We're Heavy.

I haven't listened to the album that much, but I had never noticed the descending melody on "down" in the line "it takes a lot to find yourself way down" in "Section 16: One Man Show."  There's even a melisma, breaking "down" into more syllables to emphasize that descending melody.

In "Section 18: Everything Starts at the Seam," there's the line "I think it was the Fourth of July."  I'm pretty sure that an-other time I listened to this I recognized that line but I couldn't place it.  This time I did.  "I think it was the Fourth of July" also appears in Chicago's "Saturday in the Park."  I'm not sure if the Polyphonic Spree took it from that Chicago song, but it's not that common a phrase.  Plus, both bands bear some resemblance to each other in that they use some uncommon instruments, like flute and brass.  So I think it's more likely than not that they took that line from Chicago.

Chicago's "P.M. Mourning"

I listened to Chicago’s Chicago II this morning.  In both “P.M. Mourning” and “Memories of Love” - although it’s more clear in “P.M. Mourning” - there’s this flute part.  It’s three ascending phrases, ending in some shriller tones.

It sounds almost the same as the whistle that Willy Wonka plays to get the attention of the Oompa Loompas in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  The movie is from 1971, and this album is from 1970, so it is possible that the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory people took that phrase from this album.  I’m not sure how likely it is, but they do sound pretty similar.  (Though I feel I must admit that it’s been a few years since I’ve last seen Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.)