...
>>
>>I'm interested in well-known tunes, esp. classical pieces, being used in pop songs. Take, for instance, Sibelius's 5th Symphony: been used in various pop songs inc. Strawberry Switchblade's "Since Yesterday": a top 10 hit in the UK in the 80s, and the earlier hit "Beach Baby" by First Class.
>>
>>Both mentioned in the below:
>>
>>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Switchblade
>>
>>Then, of course, there was Manfred Mann's Earth Band and "Joybringer", coming from Holst's "Planet Suite" - Jupiter
>>
>>Anybody think of any more?
>>
>>(nice little chatter triv to start the year off!)
>
>Well, I go back a bit further for my music, but Bea Wain had a huge hit with 'My Reverie' based on the Debussy piece. She also had a hit with 'I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls' by M.W. Balfe - but they were pretty much just jazz pieces of the classical pieces. Both she and Connee Boswell had hits of 'Martha' based on 'Ah, So Pure' from Flotow.

Bit further back? Back to the dream-time people! :-)

Don't know of her, I'm afraid.

>
>Then of course, there is a bunch of stuff by Chuck Berry who liked to reuse his own melodies with different lyrics.

As was done extensively in the Motown stable, not just every Motown artiste doing the same hit, but the same tune so skilfully used as not to be noticed.

>
>For the record (because I'm convinced you really care about this),

TRUE!

>Connee Boswell is one of my all time favourite female vocalists. When asked who her main influences were, Ella Fitzgerald said that there was only one - Connee Boswell. Shocked the hell out of the motown folks who I'm sure were expecting a very different answer.

Don't know this one either (but Connie Francis, yes). Ella happens to be one of my all time faves and I sing the old Gershwin and porter songs in her syle.