I gotta get thru this station

c: | f: /

Le train à quai numero cinq est le Daniel Bedingfield Express.

I want to know if Daniel Bedingfield visited France before he came up with his 2001 hit Gotta get thru this or if the SNCF ripped off his tune when they made their jingle.

Why? Listen to the opening riff of Bedingfield’s song:

Now listen to the SNCF announcement jingle at Gare du Nord (and other) stations:

Striking similarity, no? Just alter its pitch a few notes and change the meter a little to get:

I seem to recall French railway stations having just three rising tones at one time but can’t remember when. All evidence points to the SNCF tone being introduced in 2005 (four years after Gotta Get Thru This) but I’m sure it was around before.

Perhaps I’m imagining things. Anyone know for sure which came first; the Daniel or the jingle?