The Johann Pachelbel's canon in D major may represent the most extraordinary instance of the crossover phenomenon in all of music. During a short period in the early 1970s it went from being a quite obscure work of early music to a universally familiar cultural item. It was played in countless versions in its original notes and instrumentation, as well as in arrangements for other instruments and in adaptations into other musical genres. The process shows no sign of abating.
The popularization is thought to have originated with the release of a 1970 recording of the work (Erato 98475) performed by the Paillard Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Jean-François Paillard. The canon was first adapted musically in a pop song by the Spanish vocal group Pop Tops on their 1968 hit "O Lord,Why Lord?", which made modest chart showings in both the USA (peaking at #79 on the Hot 100) and the Netherland. In more recent times, Australian-British string quartet bond played a modified, more updated version of the Pachelbel's Canon in their song Lullaby on their 2004 album Classified.
The soundtrack of the film The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser by Werner Herzog features the Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D major, it was also used in the film's trailer. The second half of Brian Eno's pioneering 1975 ambient music recording Discreet Music consists of a series of versions of Pachelbel's canon in D major to which various algorithmic transformations have been applied, rendering it almost unrecognisable. The chord progression of the canon also surfaces in Eno's 1983 Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks recording on the track AlwaysReturning. In 1991, RCA released a compilation CD called Pachelbel's Greatest Hit. It contained eight different versions of the piece, including performances by James Galway, Isao Tomita, and the Canadian Brass. Also released that year was the P. D. Q. Bach album WTWP Classical Talkity-Talk Radio, a spoof of classical radio and the canon's ubiquity there (WTWP stands for "wall-to-wall Pachelbel").
Mark Knopfler, known to have gone through a classical musical training, seems to have been inspired by the harmonies in Dire Straits' "Tunnel of Love" (1980).
Used as the main theme in the Academy Award winning 1980 film Ordinary People.
In 1984, Japanese singer/actress Togawa Jun's song "Mushi no Onna" was adapted from Johann pachelbel Canon in D major with lyrics.
Also in 1984, The movie Electric Dreams featured a duet between a Cello player and Edgar the sentient computer.
In 1998, French film director Gaspar Noé used the Canon in his film Seul contre tous.
In 2000, The song was featured as part of the opening tune for Arthur's Perfect Christmas. The song plays a prominent role in the 2002 Korean comedy "My Sassy Girl."
In 2005, a video of a young Taiwan guitarist calling himself JerryC, short for Jerry Chang - who arranged and performed an energetic rock version of Pachelbel Canon in D major on electric guitar. Over 50 guitarists have published a "Canon Rock" video.
In 2006, a Korean featured a beatboxer, turntables, traditional Korean instruments called gayageum, and b-boy Zero Nine.
A slightly modified version of the canon is played on three alto saxes and one baritone sax annually in the Plymouth Canton Marching Band. The song is present in the animated version of the manga Ichigo 100%.
A revised version of this song can be found in the Canon Groove, a popular song for the online game Audition Online.Canon in D is featured on the 2006 album, Piano Love Songs, by pianist Bradley Joseph
Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D major and popular culture
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Musical adaptations of Johann Pachelbel canon in D major
Year |
Song |
Band, Album |
Misc |
1944 |
National Anthem of Russia |
Alexander Alexandrov |
|
1965 |
Pictures of Lily |
The Who |
the chorus |
1965 |
In My Life |
The Beatles |
the piano break |
1966 |
Spicks and Specks |
Bee Gees |
|
1967 |
Don't Sleep In The Subway |
Petula Clark |
|
1968 |
Rain and Tears |
Aphrodite's Child |
minor UK hit, most popular in France |
1969 |
Streets of London |
Ralph McTell |
guitar and vocals |
1970 |
Oh Lord, Why Lord/Prayer |
Parliament |
|
1971 |
Changes |
David Bowie |
|
1972 |
All the Young Dudes |
Mott The Hoople/ written by David Bowie |
chord progression and opening guitar melody |
1972 |
Seek Ye First |
Karen Lafferty/ arr. Douglas E. Wagner |
hymn accompaniment |
1974 |
Wenn ein Mensch lebt |
Puhdys |
a German version of the Bee Gees's Spicks & Specks with a different vocal melody |
1974 |
In The Garden |
Bob James, One |
later sampled by Coolio and Die Firma for their "versions" of the "Canon in D" |
1975 |
Three Variations on the Johann Pachelbel Canon in D Major |
Brian |
|
1978 |
Go West |
(Morali Belolo Willis) Village People |
|
1980 |
Goodbye to Romance |
Ozzy Osbourne, Blizzard of Ozz |
chord progression |
1982 |
Eyes Of The World |
Fleetwood Mac, Mirage |
used in the intro and bridge |
1985 |
Variations on the Johann Pachelbel Canon in D major |
George Winston, December |
album |
1986 |
Hometown |
Joe Jackson, Big World |
when played live as a piano/vocal |
1989 |
Someday We Will All Be Together |
Claire Hamill |
single |
1989 |
Decomposing Composers |
Monty Python |
Monty Python Sings album |
1990 |
Variation on Pachebel Canon in D major / It's Not Too Late |
Davy Jones |
|
1991 |
Lemmings intro |
DMA Design |
video game |
1991 |
All Together Now |
The Farm |
single |
1993 |
Go West |
Pet Shop Boys |
Village People cover |
1993 |
Christmas Eve |
Tatsuro Yamashita |
|
1994 |
Basket Case |
Green Day |
song |
1994 |
Domain |
Future Sound of London, Lifeforms |
|
1994 |
Whatever |
Oasis |
single |
1994 |
Pachelbel Canon in D major |
Steven Halpern on (Accelerating) Self-Healing |
a new age/meditative adaptation based on Pachelbel's Canon |
1995 |
Forbidden Paradise (Deep Trance Mix) |
DJ Tiesto |
|
1995 |
Don't Look Back in Anger |
Oasis, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? |
hit |
1995 |
Pachelbel's Prayer |
Sam Rowland |
|
1996 |
Christmas Time |
2 Brothers On The 4th Floor |
|
1996 |
It's Not Too Late |
The Monkees |
|
1996 |
Get Me Away From Here I'm Dying |
Belle and Sebastian |
|
1996 |
Walking on the Milky Way |
OMD |
|
1996 |
Forever |
Stratovarius, Episode |
chord progression |
1996 |
Courage |
Manowar, Louder than hell |
chord progression and similar melody |
1997 |
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space |
Spiritualized |
album title track |
1997 |
C U When U Get There |
Coolio |
|
1997 |
Estoy Tan Cansado |
Moenia |
Spanish pop song |
1997 |
Sugarbabies |
Five Tones |
By Jake Williams of JX Fame (Son Of A Gun, Nothing I Won't Do) |
1997 |
Je me souviens |
Menelik |
|
1997 |
To Love You More |
Celine Dion, Let's Talk About Love /p> |
pop hit |
1997 |
(Pachelbel) Cannon |
the drapes |
The Silent War..., album track 7 |
1997 |
The Ring of Steel |
Nocturnal Rites, Tales of Mystery and Imagination |
Heavy Metal song, used as an intro and bridge (album issued in Europe in 1998) |
1997 |
Pachelbel's Soldier |
Standing Room Only |
|
1998 |
Christmas Canon |
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, The Christmas Attic |
Christmas lyrics |
1998 |
Letthe Music heal your Soul |
Bravo All Stars (Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync etc.) |
|
1998 |
't Dondert en het bliksemt (Meters Bier) |
Guus Meeuwis |
single |
1998 |
Opus 40 |
Mercury Rev |
single |
1998 |
On & On & On |
Catch 22, Keasbey Nights |
reference in the middle of the song |
1998 |
Crazy |
Maria Lux |
|
1999 |
Vízöntő |
Republic |
the end of the song there's a tune from the Canon |
2000 |
Canon in D [Silver Mix] (also entitled Pachelbel's Canon (Silver Remix)) |
The Cynic Project |
Mixed And Remixed Volume 2, album track 15 |
2000 |
In Me 너에게 |
People Crew |
|
2000 |
An Improvisation on the Canon |
Robin Spielberg |
bonus track of album Dreaming of Summer |
2001 |
La Belle et le Bad Boy |
MC Solaar |
track |
2001 |
Crack City Rockers |
ska/punk band Leftöver Crack |
song |
2001 |
Este Canon |
Alejandro Filio |
Trova song (Nueva canción) |
2002 |
Can't Stop Loving You |
Phil Collins,Testify |
|
2002 |
Canon in DD |
Emocapella |
parody |
2002 |
Set This World On Fire |
Rage |
Heavy metal |
2002 |
ID/Hindsight |
Snapcase |
melody and chord progression |
2002 |
Canon |
Zox,Take Me Home |
reggae/punk with violin |
2003 |
Looking For Something |
Era, The Mass |
album |
2003 |
I Want To Get Married |
Showbread, Life, Kisses And Other Wasted Efforts,, |
album |
2003 |
Everytime |
Britney Spears, In the Zone |
|
2003 |
Sanctus |
Phantom Regiment from Rockford, Illinois |
Show title - Harmonic Journey; lyrical variation used. |
2003 |
Love Is Color-Blind |
Sarah Connor |
|
2003 |
Pachelbel 8000 |
Mars |
|
2003 |
Storm II |
Seventh Avenue |
|
2003 |
Flourish (DJ Angel & DJ Chucky remix) |
DJ Angel |
Hardcore/Trance |
2004 |
Pachel Bells |
"internet" |
jingle bells melody |
2004 |
Life Is Cool |
Sweetbox |
single |
2004 |
Lullaby |
bond, Classified |
pop arrangement |
2004 |
Canon-D Part of Memories #1 |
Banya |
anime-style music video, for the game Pump It Up Exceed 2 |
2004 |
Canon Ball |
Jan Vayne |
|
2004 |
Classic |
Classic OST |
|
2004 |
Skachabelian Ballad (Lola and Mani) |
Three Years Accident Free |
|
2004 |
Heaven Ride (Canon) |
angels |
|
2004 |
Paris |
Delerium |
|
2004 |
Pachelbel meets U2 |
Jon Schmidt |
|
2004 |
Pachelbel Canon in D major |
Naturally 7 |
|
| The stories behind the Ave Maria song by Shubert, Caccini, Bach, Guonod | |||
| Ave Maria lyrics English translation, Latin, Byzantine rite, Orthodox usages | |||