The Cure vs. Wilco – Song Parallels

On the surface, there wouldn't seem to be much in common between the Cure and Wilco; the former band is known for its gloomy, synth-assisted love songs, while the latter rose from the ashes of the pioneering alt-country act Uncle Tupelo. But maybe they have more in common than we thought.

At the very least, the Cure and Wilco share a riff -- one that first appeared in the Cure's 1985 single 'In Between Days,' which made a brief appearance on Billboard's Hot 100, was a sizable hit on the U.K. singles chart and has gone on to become one of the band's best-known songs.

In fact, the song is familiar with enough listeners that when Wilco used a similar riff for 'Pot Kettle Black,' the ninth track on its 2002 album 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,' its debt to 'In Between Days' was hard to miss. While the two tracks are far from identical -- and neither their melodies nor their lyrics have much in common -- we can't help wondering if maybe Wilco's Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett were paying tribute to the Cure when they wrote 'Kettle.' Listen to the clips below and see what you think.

Listen to the Cure, 'In Between Days'

Listen to Wilco, 'Pot Kettle Black'