Did Coldplay plagarize "Viva la Vida" from Joe Satriani?

Handyman · #1 12-05-2008, 10:40 AM

Joe Satriani is suing Coldplay, claiming their song "Viva la Vida" ripped off his 2004 song "If I Could Fly".

What do you guys think? The melody and chord change sure sound the same. Even in the same key. Sounds like plagiarism to me.

The story and a video comparing the two are here:
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/b...udge-here.aspx

Mark Latimour · #2 12-05-2008, 10:46 AM

My gut says they didn't steal it, but that it just happens to sound the same.

fitbass3p · #3 12-05-2008, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Handyman

Joe Satriani is suing Coldplay, claiming their song "Viva la Vida" ripped off his 2004 song "If I Could Fly".

What do you guys think? The melody and chord change sure sound the same. Even in the same key. Sounds like plagiarism to me.

The story and a video comparing the two are here:
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/b...udge-here.aspx

Plagiarize is such a strong word. I'd lean more toward "(Unknowingly?) borrowed repeatedly from" if I was going to classify it.

Remember, kids...if you steal from one source, it's plagiarism. If you steal from 2 or more sources, it's research.

Sneckumhaw · #4 12-05-2008, 11:20 AM

I have a hunch Coldplay never heard the song. But who knows?

DudeistMonk · #5 12-05-2008, 11:22 AM

I figure if they where stealing it consciously they would have at least picked a different key....

hover · #6 12-05-2008, 11:24 AM

Funny, and here I was thinking it was all unabashedly ripping off U2...I guess Satch was the gravy on top.

No one is immune to Martin & Co's terror.

StyleOverShow · #7 12-05-2008, 11:37 AM

Who gives a flying fiver, it's Cold Play!

Handyman · #8 12-05-2008, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StyleOverShow

Who gives a flying fiver, it's Cold Play!

Fair enough.

I'm just fascinated by the whole thing. Coldplay is such a high profile band that it would be moronic to intentionally plagiarize someone, but the similarities are unmistakable.

I suppose its always POSSIBLE that this was some sort of unintentional lifting of the Satch tune.

Nino Valenti · #9 12-05-2008, 11:58 AM

Sounds the same to me.

Jeremy Crockett · #10 12-05-2008, 12:00 PM

Does no one remember when Vanilla Ice ripped of David Bowie & Queen?

Under Pressure

Ice Ice Baby (If y'all can stand to click it)

bassrique · #11 12-05-2008, 12:02 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ofFw...eature=related

Simple pop music is almost always a rehash. Still.....

Perhaps it was unintentional? People often have all types of melodies in their heads that are actually memories, no?

DudeistMonk · #12 12-05-2008, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Funny, and here I was thinking it was all unabashedly ripping off U2...I guess Satch was the gravy on top.

Lol, first time I heard that I thought it was a U2 song until the vocals came in.

MatticusMania · #13 12-05-2008, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy Crockett

Does no one remember when Vanilla Ice ripped of David Bowie & Queen?

Under Pressure

Ice Ice Baby (If y'all can stand to click it)

"No, no, there's goes Na na na na na na na, Na na na na na na na. Mine goes, Na na na na na na na ch, Na na na na na na na."

Handyman · #14 12-05-2008, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassrique

Perhaps it was unintentional? People often have all types of melodies in their heads that are actually memories, no?

Very true. Does anyone know if there's a legal distinction between purposeful plagiarism and unintentionally "borrowing" someone else's work?

Benjamin Strange · #15 12-05-2008, 12:15 PM

Oh noes! Two musicians chose to use the same sequence of notes within an 8 note scale! Egads! What is this world coming to?

Nidan · #16 12-05-2008, 12:16 PM

Whether it was intentional or not, there is no mistaking it's the same melody. Just like when George Harrison got sued for My Sweet Lord .. he claimed he 'd never heard the other song... still lost the suit.

Handyman · #17 12-05-2008, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

Oh noes! Two musicians chose to use the same sequence of notes within an 8 note scale! Egads! What is this world coming to?

So you'd be just fine if you wrote a piece, and then it was lifted for a top selling album without either your consent or any compensation?

Mind Eroded · #18 12-05-2008, 12:21 PM

This reminds me of the whole RHCP/Tom Petty thing from a few years ago. I believe its just a convenient, catchy little pop melody-progression ,which I'm sure has been independently "written" by many music acts.

However, with all that said i woulden't put it past cold play to intentionally rip something off, or their label rather, so who knows...

Handyman · #19 12-05-2008, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mind Eroded

This reminds me of the whole RHCP/Tom Petty thing from a few years ago. I believe its just a convenient, catchy little pop melody-progression ,which I'm sure has been independently "written" by many music acts.

That's what bugs me about claims of pop music plagiarism in general. The music is so simple, a the structures between songs are so similar, that its easy to believe that two individuals can create pieces with striking similarities.

Hell, lots 12 bar blues songs would be indistinguishable if the lyrics weren't the same.

Benjamin Strange · #20 12-05-2008, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Handyman

So you'd be just fine if you wrote a piece, and then it was lifted for a top selling album without either your consent or any compensation?

First of all, most of my music would be rather difficult to plagarize - and extremely difficult to use for a top selling album.

However, if the songs were as different from each other as these two songs obviously are, I wouldn't have a problem with it. Hell, I "wrote" the opening riff to Nothing Else Matters when I was 5... maybe I should have sued Metallica.