6 Degrees of Wu-Tang

The Interconnectivity of Music

Do you ever hear an underlying rhythm in a song that sounds familiar? Or lyrics that bring about déjà vu? Recognizable references, lyrics, and rhythms in songs jump out at me all the time, and whenever I hear a vaguely familiar phrase or melody, I’m tempted to halt whatever I’m doing to investigate the origins and potential connections. 

The interconnectivity of music has always intrigued me. Whether a subtle allusion to pay homage or an obvious reuse of a popular hook to entice the listener, links between songs can be found everywhere. 

Music (and artists) can be interconnected by:

• Samples (of rhythms, melodies, sounds, vocals, or lyrics) 
• Remixes
• Covers
• Lyrical references or allusions 
• Collaborations
• (Know other ways music can be interconnected? Let me know in a comment so I can add to this list!) 

Even if a piece isn’t overtly connected to another song, album, or artist, there are still other musical influences that affect the artist and the development of that piece.

No piece of music exists in a vacuum.

It might seem odd that old school hip hop songs are connected with classic rock and country songs, but obvious cross-genre references have become increasingly popular in contemporary music. Hit songs are often sampled and referenced by other songs of various genres. For example, John ‘Cougar’ Mellencamp’s classic rock hit “Jack and Diane” of 1982 has been sampled in at least 15 songs (by pop artist Jessica Simpson, hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, and country star Jake Owen, to name a few) and has been covered 7 times (by Afroman, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and more). 

“Wu-Tang’s Law”

The theory 6 degrees of separation suggests that any two people can be connected through a sequence of 5 or fewer family members, friends, or acquaintances (a total of 6 or fewer links, or “degrees,” apart). 

A couple of college students in the ‘90s took this concept and created a game called 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon, or “Bacon’s Law,” where one player names any actor and another player has to connect them to Kevin Bacon through a chain of 5 or fewer associates. As an A-list celebrity, Bacon has worked with so many people in the entertainment business that it wouldn’t be too difficult for anyone familiar with the industry to make those connections. 

I’ve developed my own music theory based on the concept of 6 degrees of separation: any two songs or artists are only 6 or fewer connections away from one another.

I’d also like to propose what I call 6 degrees of Wu-Tang Clan (or “Wu-Tang’s Law”), my theory that any artist or song can be linked to Wu-Tang through 5 or fewer connections. As one of the most prolific and influential hip hop groups, Wu-Tang Clan has numerous affiliates, and their music has inspired a diverse range of artists. 

From Wu-Tang to Barry Manilow and Frank Sinatra

Wu-Tang → Jedi Mind Tricks

An example of this theory starts with Wu-Tang’s “Da Mystery of Chessboxin” (1993). Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s vocals “Jacques Cousteau could never get this low, ahh” (gotta love the pun!) from the song are sampled in Jedi Mind Tricks’ 1997 song “Get This Low” (which also features Black Thought​ of The Roots​). 

Jedi Mind Tricks → Biz Markie

JMT’s “Get This Low” samples Biz Markie’s vocals “I’ma get deep like Jacques Cousteau” from “We Write the Songs” (1988), a song Biz did with Marley Marl and Heavy D. 

Biz Markie → David Cassidy

About 2 minutes into it, “We Write the Songs” samples the beat and lyrics (slightly changed and sung by Biz) of David Cassidy’s 1975 “I Write the Songs” (which was composed by Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys). 

David Cassidy → Barry Manilow

Barry Manilow sang a cover version of “I Write the Songs” (also in 1975) that made Billboard’s Hot 100 number-one singles of 1976. 

Barry Manilow → Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra did a cover version of “I Write the Songs” called “I Sing the Songs.” 

Help Me Test My Theories of “Wu-Tang’s Law” and 6 Degrees of Musical Separation

Comment below with two songs (or artists), and I’ll see if I can find 5 or fewer chains that connect them. Or, send just one song or artist, and I’ll see if I can find the fewest links it takes to connect them to Wu-Tang. 

Let’s see how many degrees of separation there are between your favorite songs!