This just came up in the VGM on Pandora Radio thread but I think it warrants its own thread.

I think there was one Deep Purple song in particular (and I think it may have been featured in Rock 'n Roll Racing on SNES) that sounds exactly like the type of organ'y, bouncy rock that surfaces as a battle theme at least once in nearly every Uematsu Final Fantasy soundtrack.

...and having just Googled and Youtube'd it apparently it's "Highway Star".  I can definitely hear some resemblance though not quite as much as I remembered.  Anybody got any better examples?

As the title indicates, one of VIII's last battle themes is an homage to "Maybe I'm A Leo".

Yeah, Maybe I'm a Lion vs Maybe I'm a Leo, although they don't sound anything alike. It's just the name. Highway Star, though, is pretty much THE quintessential Purple track to me (moreso than Smoke on the Water). It's been called one of the earliest examples of speed metal (1971), which I feel like a lot of high tempo, action oriented VGM battle themes rely on.

Both "Under the Gun" and "Gypsy's Kiss" from Perfect Strangers should feel right at home to any Black Mages fan. Especially with the organ parts. More about melodic groove than outright melody though.

My introduction to Deep Purple was when Uematsu had Ian Gillan do the vocals for Eternity from Blue Dragon. That song can pass for a Deep Purple song easily.

As a testament to Deep Purple's popularity in Japan, "Smoke on the Water", "Highway Star", and "Burn" are all covered on Guitar Freaks albums.  Of course being influenced by music is better than straight out copying it like Ninja Gaiden (Arcade)'s "I am Man" though =P

Eternity, ugh.
I loved the music itself, but I absolutely HATED that singer. I thought it was just some obscure dude Uematsu had dug up from somewhere, I didn't know he was that big.
I think it's hilariously awful (and I thought that was the general consensus on that song) to be honest.

Ha, I thought the same thing when I first heard him (and Eternity), then he grew on me...Now he's about what I expect. I do feel like he tried a little too hard to be "epic" in that song. Then again, I felt that way about quite a few hard rock/metal singers. I didn't care for Vince Neil (Motley Crue), Axl Rose (GnR) or Bruce Dickinson (Maiden) the first time I heard them, but liked the music.

Still can't stomach Mr. Goo though.