It’s not like the old days is it? When if you wanted to make some music you had to whittle a lute from a fallen oak and use cat guts for strings.

No, these days it’s all samples isn’t it? And most of the time, the original artist doesn’t even get a mention.

Sure, it’s OK if it’s something everyone knows, like Vanilla Ice sampling Under Pressure, or if you’re Shirley Bassey, but spare a thought for poor old Edwin Birdsong. Who? Exactly. Imagine you spent years plugging away, playing army gigs to carve out a perfectly average career on the funk scene and then in your twilight years a couple of French pricks in silly helmets show up and turn your riff into ginormous dance hit without even giving you a credit. (I’m sure he enjoyed the royalty cheques though.)

Anyway, here’s a playlist of songs that have gone on to be sampled* in (arguably) more famous tracks. They are fun and frustrating in equal measure – what were the Chi-Lites thinking with all that doo wop scatting when they could be letting that intro blast? – and are likely to leave you thinking that Daft Punk aren’t quite as talented as you thought they were at the beginning.

I’ve also made a corresponding (and potentially better) playlist of the songs featuring the samples here. (That version of California Love isn’t on Spotify but is here.)

*I’m not sure Just Be Good to Me is technically sampled, but it is a banger so sue me.