Different lyrics, same song ?

[TomTomPipersSon]

Fogerty won that case. The suit is notable not for the issue of plagiarism but because the Supreme Court set the precedent for the discretionary award of attorneys' fees to the prevailing party in a copyright case that still stands today, 28 years latter. Case is Fogerty v. Fantasy, Inc., 510 U.S. 517 (1994), for anyone interested.

I'm sure that will change next week with the current Supreme Court rulings!

 

[Brad Easley]

Thanks for that reply. I don't know how anyone who is familiar with I'd Rather Go Blind on hearing Stapleton's Tennessee Whiskey, can not immediately think rip off. I've played the recording to numerous people who instantly said, " Hey, that's the Etta James song!" Its such an iconic Etta song. You yourself said his band started playing the song in the studio. Those musicians knew what song they were playing, and it certainly WAS NOT Tennessee Whiskey. But, considering the legality of it all, you're probably right. Still, I think we all know in our minds what song Stapleton's Tennessee Whiskey really is.

Well, I half agree. Most folks familiar with "I'd Rather Go Blind" will recognize the close similarities between the two. "Rip off" is a bit harder to pin down. What constitutes a "rip off"? Who did they rip off? Who owns which elements and which elements aren't able to be owned? Legally, there was no "rip off" as the elements subject to copyright were properly credited. Ethically, it's a bit ambiguous.

 

[J-Bassomatic]

A 24 bar section of melody from Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind" is used in "Greatest Love of All" recorded by Whitney Houston. Lightfoot sued but dropped the suit and settled out of court with writer Michael Masser. George Benson recorded the song first but Lightfoot didn't notice until he heard Houston's version while riding in an elevator.

'If You Could Read My Mind' is one of my favorite tunes of all time. Rick Beato analyzed it on a 'What Makes This Song Great' segment.

I know, nobody asked!

 

[jnewmark]

I'm sure that will change next week with the current Supreme Court rulings!

Yeah, everything is up for grabs, now.

 

[Jack Butler]

I really need another hobby...Im thinking about trying bass guitar. Whats the best bass for plagiarized music?

A P-bass copy, with imitation tort guard of course

 

[rmayer]

Not exactly an entire song, but on the John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers featuring Eric Clapton album, on the cut "What'd I say", coming out of the drum solo at approx 3:35 Eric breaks into the guitar riff from The Beatle's "Day Tripper". Since the Beatles recorded their version in October 1965 and the Bluesbreakers album was recorded in May 1966, I guess The Beatles came up with the riff first.

 

[devnulljp]

 

[murphy]

Then there was a bit of a flap about 90’s British band Elastica swiping riffs from earlier punk era bands The Stranglers and Wire, but it wasn’t quite as blatant as the previous examples.

Being a huge Stranglers and Wire fan, I would love to hear the Elastica songs you refer

 

[sonojono]

Surprised no one has mentioned this band since we’re talking about it…

 

[Spectrum]

One of these is a drinking song. The other one is a British drinking song.

 

[Michedelic]

Not exactly an entire song, but on the John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers featuring Eric Clapton album, on the cut "What'd I say", coming out of the drum solo at approx 3:35 Eric breaks into the guitar riff from The Beatle's "Day Tripper". Since the Beatles recorded their version in October 1965 and the Bluesbreakers album was recorded in May 1966, I guess The Beatles came up with the riff first.

Musicians have been quoting obvious bits and bobs from other songs, just to be cute or wiseass, for a long time, starting in the jazz era.
Here is a perfect example…Jeff Beck sneaks in a taste of “London Bridge Is Falling Down”(or is it “Mary Had A Little Lamb”?)and “What’s It All About, Alfie?” in this…

The tune itself is heavily ‘adapted’ from Chuck Berry….

 

[Michedelic]

Being a huge Stranglers and Wire fan, I would love to hear the Elastica songs you refer

 

[HaphAsSard]

starting in the jazz era

Oh, you dearest Augustin, Augustin, Augustin,
it's as old as the hills, as practices go:

 

[Michedelic]

Breakdown sounds stylistically like a Steely Dan tune to me. Probably my favorite TP song.

For comparison:


Over the years, I noticed albums in released close proximity to each other often shared certain aspects of style.

Looks like TP and the Heartbreakers was released in 76. Aja came out in 77.

Don’t hear it; the connection to the Animals’
song is pretty obvious. I seriously doubt that Fagen and Becker were paying attention to Petty, plus that first album was fairly ignored initially.

 

[Wasnex]

Don’t hear it; the connection to the Animals’
song is pretty obvious. I seriously doubt that Fagen and Becker were paying attention to Petty, plus that first album was fairly ignored initially.

Notice I did not say Aja sounds like a Tom Petty album.

To me Steeley Dan tends to always sound like Steeley Dan. That's not to say all of the songs sound the same, only that there is some degree of stylistic continuity.

In contrast, TP's style varies quite a bit. I always felt most of his early stuff had a lot of punk influence. But Breakdown seems to stand out with the type of stylish sophistication and compositional complexity that I associate with a Steeley Dan Tune.

Of course, it's all IMHO so YMMV.

 

[LBS-bass]

Breakdown seems to stand out with the type of stylish sophistication and compositional complexity that I associate with a Steeley Dan Tune.

I don't find it at all complex or sophisticated. It's practically in every startup band's repertoire because it's one of the easiest songs out there for beginners to play.

 

[Wasnex]

I don't find it at all complex or sophisticated. It's practically in every startup band's repertoire because it's one of the easiest songs out there for beginners to play.

I don't remember saying Breakdown was hard to play .

Compare to

Definitely does not sound like Steely Dan.

Unsub

Have a nice day.

 

[HaphAsSard]

I would've compared it with something from the earliest Dan output, and I'd call it 'refined' rather than 'sophisticated', but I kinda see what you hear. It's mainly in the drummer's approach, the backing vocals and above all, the electric piano.

Unsub

Have a nice day.

And I kinda see what you did there...

 

[jamro217]

The vast majority of '50's rock and roll consisted of regurgitated R+B licks and the call and response formula of the '40's style made popular by Louie Jordan. Many of those are so similar you could pull off a whole gig with a medley of them. (Until your fingers fell off.) Now feel free to leave this unsolicited glimpse into my own personal hell.

 

[LBS-bass]

I would've compared it with something from the earliest Dan output, and I'd call it 'refined' rather than 'sophisticated', but I kinda see what you hear. It's mainly in the drummer's approach, the backing vocals and above all, the electric piano.

And I kinda see what you did there...

Same thing I always do when someone is annoying me. I just don't announce it.

He seems a little touchy today.

He used the same words that I used - sophisticated and complex. It's not. You might compare it to something like "Do It Again" which is another song that starter bands like to play so that they can say they play Steely Dan. That's not particularly sophisticated either.

None of that means they're not all good songs. I just didn't get the comparison between Breakdown and Josie because they seem worlds apart to me.