You're playing around on guitar, piano, whatever and suddenly you think: I've got it! Best riff (chord progression, etc.) ever! This sounds great! Then, after playing it for a little while you realize that it's from someone else's song. It was just buried deep in your mind causing you to rip it off without even knowing it.

There's a great thread already about this some wheres on this board. Could one of you meddling kids pull it up I can't find it and I been looking.

Only a bazillion times. I actually recorded a song with an old band (called Shiva) containing an absurdly direct ripoff of a famous Sonic Youth riff. One of my bandmates sat me down, played the original track for me, and watched my face fall through the floor. I think I actually just 'remembered' the riff, believing it to be 'divine rocking inspiration'. From that point on, I completely improvised some nonsense where that riff was supposed to be. Angry, I was...

I once unknowingly copied Ironman, but it was completely backwards. Imagine my surprise when it was brought to my attention.

I wrote a song called "I Know What You're Looking For". About a month later, the guitarist showed me where I inadvertantly ripped a riff of "All This And More" by the Dead Boys.

I said, let's quash it, but the rest of the band liked it so much we played it for years.

our tribute to AC/DC, "Bon Song" had a keyboard part in it that always reminded people of the Turtles' "Happy together".

grr.

it's happened to me a bazillion times. almost every time I come up with something I really like, my girlfriend pwns me by revealing the source of my inspiration. bitch.

I remember this has been done before, but I have no idea how to search for it. Happens with me, not as much as it used to though. Last time it did it was with a Suicidal song.

Ha! I ripped off an old thread without even knowing it!

I know I've been looking for it and my soul is incomplete.