Pop songs that borrow melodies from classical music or old, public domain songs

Sorry I missed your post. It's a Liszt melody from one of his choral works. I didn't know it was on a Peter, Paul and Mary song.

 

John Lennon's Happy Xmas, and the folk version of Stewball was a Racehorse (probably the Hollies version that Lennon heard).

 

PIL - Death Disco - Swan Lake

 

It was my understanding 'American Tune' came from Bach. This Wikipedia article goes into some detail..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Tune

 

Posters have mentioned three Elvis Presley songs based on earlier tunes: It's Now or Never, Love Me Tender, and Surrender. But there's at least one more- Can't Help Falling In Love is based on the French song "Plaisir D'Amour". Here is a version by Judith Durham (of The Seekers.)

 

Great Expectations from the KISS album Destroyer uses a theme from the Beethoven Pathetique sonata.