Plagiarism/theft in the music industry

No, because I was born this way.

In Piece of My Heart, reference is made to the "influence" that the Richie Valens' song La Bamba had on on 60s hit Twist & Shout.

My sweet lord, I know not of what you speak.

Eh, who ya gonna call?

the entire Led Zeppelin catalogue.

Two words:Lady Gaga

Just google "plagiarism + music," OP. There are tons of side-by-side examples of this online.

10 Famous Cases of Alleged Music Plagiarism

I have no absolutely idea what this thread is about.

Me neither!

Madonna slaps her name on songs she didn't write

R8 - Can you elaborate on ALW's alleged plagiarism? I've never been able to find out what it was about.

Madonna ALWAYS write her songs.Can't say the same about Michael Jackson,he was very dumb.

R11, you can start with his Wiki entry and search the usual tube site for other examples. But they only scratch the surface.

In fairness, there are only so many riffs/breaks available in particular genres.

It's possible to work on a piece and end up unwittingly copying another work. The Art of Noise once spent hours and hours in the studio, only to come up with the riff to Peter Gunn.

Many older artists actually welcome it because they know they'll be paid for it. That's why many agree to the usage. They have the option of refusal or payment (unless they've lost the rights).

"Madonna ALWAYS write her songs."

Uh.....no. And I hate Michael Jackson but he wrote Billie Jean by himself and that was much better than anything Madonna has ever written.

I am no fan of ALW but he stole no more musical themes than Puccini himself did. I love Fanciulla and Music of the Night does not directly lift the theme. It is a lovely variation on it.

And as for Jerry Herman yes the opening few measures of Sunflower are exactly the same as Hello Dolly. But after those measures Hello Dolly takes off and flies when at the same moment Sunflower dies a quick horrible death.

Herman was robbed of an enormous amount of 60s' money when out of desperation he agreed to settle. The writer of Sunflower became very wealthy for writing a truly lousy piece of drek.

led zeppelin and other brits are the worst

Patsy Cline, supposedly most of her good songs were stolen with little to no compensation given to writers.

The Imperial what?

Does anyone believe Lady Gaga writes her own songs?I believe she is capable of writing lyrics (unlike Madonna) but I just don't know if she's writing the songs that she has her name on (if that makes sense).

RE Madonna. A friend of mine is a HUGE HUGE writer, and he's written with Madonna, and had a big hit with her. He said that she wasn't very pleasant or nice to work with, but she wasn't the kind of writer to leave the room and let the other writers do the heavy lifting. She kept him and a third writer in a hotel room for ages, trying to fix ONE LINE that she didn't like. No, she didn't come up with the line, but you've got to give her credit for hanging in there and trying to be present. I'm also a writer -- country -- and there have been a gazillion situations where parts of mu songs turned up in other songs. It happens all the time. Part of it is, though, because we all play our songs for each other, and it comes out in our unconscious. I have one great hook blatantly stolen from me, though, which I know was deliberate. I don't sue, and no one who wants to make a living in the industry usually does. You brand yourself as being difficult, and someone that no one will want to work with, so you grin and bear it.

The Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are notorious for ripping people off, eg Ry Cooder, Gram Parsons. Mick Taylor, one of the greatest guitarists ever, quit because of songwriting credits.

R22

"Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are notorious for ripping people off"

I don't know if Hans Zimmer did it unconsciously, or on purpose, but Nothing to Forgive (End Credits) and Solomon from '12 Years a Slave' are a rip off from Mulholland Drive's Ending/Love Theme.

Angelo Badalamenti should sue Hans Zimmer for plagiarism, but i guess he is far too discreet. He is far superior to him, anyway!

"Jealous Lover" by Charles Williams, which was utilized in the opening credits of Billy Wilder's THE APARTMENT, sounds very similar to ALW's "The Heart is Slow to Learn" from the proposed '90s PHANTOM sequel, which then was revised and retitled "Our Kind of Love" for ALW's soccer musical THE BEAUTIFUL GAME in the early 2000s, then was again revised and retitled "Love Never Dies" for what eventually became the PHANTOM sequel in 2010.

Interesting thread

It's called "sampling" and the courts found in our favor!

"Make Em Laugh" from Singing in the Rain is a direct rip off of "Be A Clown" by Cole Porter. I don't know how they got away with it.

Oasis ripping off The Doors' "Five to One". About as blatant as it gets.

This isn't plagiarism, but some songwriters keep recycling the same song over and over again. Listen to these three songs on youtube:

Kelly Clarkson - Anytime

Alexandra Burke - Overcome

Anastasia - You'll Never Be Alone

It's the exact same song that the guy who wrote it sold to three different singers, under three different titles.

Speaking of Kelly Clarkson, her "Already Gone" and Beyonce's "Halo" (both written by OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder) are practically the same tune although he denies it.

john grant - pale green ghosts. an entire section of prelude in c# minor by rachmaninov has been used and idk why this guy gets away with saying he was 'inspired' by rach. no, he stole from rach.

tori amos also recorded an lp where she basically just played (badly) mussorgsky's work. no idea why it's considered 'her' record.

disgusting, unimaginative creatures who have contributed nothing to art, these people.

R27, with sampling you have to acknowledge the writers of the song you are sampling....if not than it's just ripping someone off

[quote]john grant - pale green ghosts. an entire section of prelude in c# minor by rachmaninov has been used and idk why this guy gets away with saying he was 'inspired' by rach. no, he stole from rach.

Stole from Rach? Well, I never!

I've often wondered if they'll ever run out of songs to write. I mean, there's only so many keys on a piano. I'm continually amazed when a new tune I've never heard before pops up.

"What's Going On" by 4 Non Blondes is a slowed down, rock version of "Don't Worry, Be Happy."

Bruno Mars doesn't rip off songs directly but the signature sounds of various artists.

"My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison is a rip off of "He's So Fine." I have a hard time believing that he didn't remember that song or didn't realize how close his song resembled the Chirelles'.

As for Ghostbusters, Huey Lewis can go fuck himself. He lifted that bass line from Pop Muzik.

The Pink Panther theme ripped off that famous saxophone riff from another song. I wish I could remember the name, but it was a (now obscure) big band song from only a few years earlier (late 1950s, possibly early 1960s). When I heard it, I lost so much respect for Henry Mancini. Because the internet sucks now, it's virtually impossible to track down the song I'm talking about but if a brilliant sleuth can track it down and post it, that would be great.

Everything has been done, done and done. We need new instruments for a music revolution.

The Bangles' "Manic Monday" and Prince's "1999" sound very similar. They're both written by Prince. Did he plagiarize himself?

[quote]"My Sweet Lord" by George Harrison is a rip off of "He's So Fine." I have a hard time believing that he didn't remember that song or didn't realize how close his song resembled [bold]the Chirelles'.[/bold]

Is that a portmanteau of the Chiffons (who did record "He's So Fine") and the Shirelles (who did not record "He's So Fine")? Clever.

People who steal should be shot

Les Miserables composer, Claude Michel-Schonburg, almost steals directly from Puccini. The humming chorus from Madame Butterfly is clearly the basis for Bring Him Home. (which is actually the only memorable tune from that musical). I can only guess that he, like ALW in all of his plagiarisms, imagined that no one would notice.

Listen to the openings of:

La Grange (ZZ Top) Spirit in the Sky (Norman Greenbaum) Fried Hockey Boogie (Canned Heat)

La Grange (ZZ Top)

Spirit in the Sky (Norman Greenbaum)

Fried Hockey Boogie (Canned Heat)

Pretty much everyone in the music industry steals/borrows/is "influenced" to some degree.

Next question.

Fantasy-Earth, Wind & Fire to Zep’s Stairway...

R18 Bullshit, Patsy did not write her songs, but she didn't steal them, either. Her songs were written by some of the best songwriters in Nashville and beyond, Hank Cocharn, Harland Howard, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, just to name a few, she even recorded songs written by Gertrude Berg and Cole Porter. These were not hayseed songwriters whose work could be stolen, they were already established in the industry.

Styx were so obvious

Didn't Lady Gaga ripoff Linda Perry?

Why would anyone rip off the talentless Linda Perry?

Well she may be "talentless" but she has written big hit songs

I still think Bruno Mars and Uptown Funk was carefully stolen from several different songs from The Time.

[quote]"What's Going On" by 4 Non Blondes is a slowed down, rock version of "Don't Worry, Be Happy."

Holy shit, no wonder I hated that song.

Pharrell Williams

The Rolling Stones’ “Anybody Seen My Baby” has an interesting story of “borrowing” from another song:

[quote]Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the song also carries writing credits for k.d. lang and Ben Mink. The song is known for its chorus, which sounds strikingly similar to lang's 1992 hit song "Constant Craving". Jagger and Richards claimed to have never heard the song before, only having discovered the similarity prior to the Stones' release. As Richards reported in his autobiography Life, "My daughter Angela and a friend were at Redlands and I was playing the record and they start singing this totally different song over it. They were listening to k.d. lang's 'Constant Craving.' It was Angela and her friend that recognized it." The two gave Lang credit, along with her co-writer Mink. Lang said she was "completely honored and flattered" by receiving the songwriting credit.

I used to get a “ca plane pour moi” by Plastic Bertrand vibe when hearing the Strokes’ The Modern Age, especially the demo version. Also parts of their song 12:51 remind me of “the Lion Sleeps Tonight” by the Tokens.

R50 hardly.

All stolen from "Shake Your Hips" by Slim Harpo.

Bob Dylan has a long history of plagiarism: music, writing, and paintings. Google it. This is just one example...

Bob Dylan = plagiarist

(continued)

Bob Dylan is an asshole and treated his women badly, especially Sarah who was beaten and almost died. His original music is brilliant. He didn't have to steal.

Dylan started stealing other people's work while he was still in high school. He won an award for a moving piece about soldier's account of about the Civil War. Problem was, he stole it from a REAL Civil War soldier.

He then graduated to stealing the songs of fellow troubadours in Greenwich Village. Now he has moved on to stealing art and speeches.

Here is an article about Dylan's plagiarism with his paintings, specifically "Asia Series."

Why does he do it? Is it pathogical?

I like Pharrell Williams, but come on, don't steal from Marvin Gaye. Is Marvin Gaye the most ripped off artist?

I can’t stand that “Rebel with a Kickstand” song that copies “Please, Mr. Postman” even though the original songwriters are credited.

Wasn't there talk that Dylan ripped off Blowin in the Wind from someone else?

Oh GOD, the Madonna deranged brigade with their fucking delusional lying. I've certainly bashed her but she has had books written where all her collaborators have contributed to the book and all said she writes almost all the lyrics and melody/bridge. It's called Like An Icon. Some writers who have written for big names and written huge hits say she is the real deal when it comes to songwriting. All said she was a brilliant lyricist. Her first band just put out a doc which backed this up.

So, I believe them over some delusional fucking insane fraus and kweens. Some of you need meds or dick or both. Oh, as for the "insider", SURE, JAN!

Melissa Etheridge ripped off the rhythm and chords of Journey's "Lovin,' Touchin,'" for her "I am the Only One."

r64 pretends to be an unbiased observer but reads Madonna books all day

R66 Ignores facts and doesn't pretend. You can't deny those facts or are you going to make up a "country" music insider persona again? Or maybe a old school motown songwriter who heard from the cousin of a friend who wrote with Madonna (of course she was not pleasant, right?).

You are all so fucking pathetic and laughable.

You vs legends of songwriters, some of the biggest in the biz, who corroborate her. Hmmmmmmmm........

Huh? I never pretended to be a country music insider and I don't even like country music. I just think it's funny you are claiming to be unbiased ("I've certainly bashed her....") when it's clear you are a super fan. Like what you like, but don't lie and pretend to be something you aren't.

Wrong Impression by Natalie Imbruglia always reminded me of a cross between Cocteau Twins’ Iceblink Luck and the Sundays’ Love (maybe “Goodbye,” or one of their singles off Blind) but that’s kind of why I really enjoy the song. Who knew she actually had good taste.

DL fave Stevie Nicks supposedly had to shovel a shitload of money at some obscure singer-songwriter, after plagiarizing much of the song "Sara" from her.

And don't get los muchachos from Los Lobos started re: what Paul Simon allegedly stole from them for the "Graceland" album.

Ice, Ice, Baby...

Queen had to sue.

Or not, r70

r71 According to Vanilla Ice, he bought the rights to the song outright.

I said "supposedly," R72.

But thanx for the clarification.

Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress and T.Rex’s Bang a Gong and also Semi Charmed Life always reminded me of 2 Princes.

Don’t look at me, white bitches

Ok all 3 of these songs are spot on Peter Gabriel: First Take Me To the Top by World Party which is very reminiscent of Big Time. This next one is that song from this awful Extra Refreshers gum commercial where the guy is clearly channeling Gabriel’s vocals to where it’s absolutely laughable. The third is arguable cause it gets tons of Sting comparisons as well and that’s “In the House of Stone and Light” by Martin Page.

Nice try, BeyOnMyWayToJailForPlagiarizinCe at R76

Not the whole catalog, r5 -- esp. their later stuff.

This is one of my favorites.

R21 That reminds of when Madonna admitted that Pharrell Williams made her cry when they worked on "Hard Candy." I'm assuming that she tried to pull that 'unpleasantness and difficulty' with him, and he wasn't having ANY of it.

Any other anonymous stories that you could share?

Also, I'm a huge Madonna fan but it's obvious when she decided to "write" her own songs.

How do you prove that a song was plagiarized? It's one thing saying 'Song X reminds me of Song Y', but for a judge to decide whether someone is a plagiarist or not, surely there must be certain objective criteria? As you might have guessed, I'm clueless when it comes to music. How do you measure similarity between songs? Is it done by computers these days?

Theft also happens in the gospel music industry, too. Singer/songwriter Inez Andrews had her songs stolen by singer Sallie Martin. In her case, she was naive about getting her songs copyrighted. Saavy Sallie took advantage of that, and put her name on Inez's songs.

Inez talks about that at 0:50.

Believe it or not, George Harrison was actually trying to write an original song that would use "Oh, Happy Day" by Eddie Hawkins as a template when he inadvertently ended up plagiarizing "He's So Fine," a pop song by the Chiffons from some 7 years earlier.

At least that's what he claimed when he testified in open court during his plagiarism suit in the 70's. He even used a guitar to show the judge exactly how he ended up composing the song.

The judge actually believed his story, but he also agreed that "My Sweet Lord," intentional or not, was a rewritten version of "He's So Fine," and Harrison ended up losing the suit.

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Sam Smith's "Stay With Me" ripping off the chorus of "I Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty. Smith alleged he never heard that song before. Sure, Jan, as they say.

Sheryl Crowe could not have been more blatant with her stealing of a great 70's song.

Don’t look at me

r85, I thought it was BS Sam settled with him. It is 3 notes descending. That is the only similarity. That's not copy-rightable.

Sam Smith also ripped off Earth Song by MJ for that James Bond song he did. Fat bastard.

"Hello, I Love" by The Door is a knock off of "All Day and All of the Night" by The Kinks

Ed Sheeran is the biggest plagiarist in music. He steals EVERYTHING!

He's blatantly ripped-off so many songwriters that the list is too long to go into. He had to add the writers of "No Scrubs" to the credits of his biggest hit "Shape of You" to avoid being sued. I don't know why Sia didn't sue him for that song, because it's a copy of Cheap Thrills.

R55: "Ca plane pour moi" itself "borrows" from Elvis Motello's "Jet Boy, Jet Girl."

Oh, Madge!

Oh, Madge! - part deux

Even Sondheim is guilty. No One is Alone is a slow downed version of The Candy Man from Willy Wonka. .

Papa Don't Preach ripped off...

...Sugar Don't Bite

Sugar Don't Bite sounds like Papa Don't Preach mixed with Pink Cadillac, specifically Natalie Cole's version.

Sugar Don't Bite came out before both Papa Don't Preach and Pink Cadillac.

Cocteau Twins are one of my very faves and I worship the group Liz Fraser walks on, voice of an absolute Goddess, but there’s something about Fotzepolitic that reminds me so much of the Pretenders “2,000 Miles” especially after hearing it so much around the holidays. That being said speaking of holidays nobody has ever brought new life into a rendition of a classic the way Cocteaus did to Frosty the Snowman even if Liz is forced to finally sing in English.

....

The Mother We Share by Chvrchs reminds me of the Knifes We Share Our Mother’s Health.

R90, I always thought that too! My dad used to play both The Doors and The Kinks in the car all the time as a kid, and even at that young age I could tell that about "Hello, I Love You" and "All Day and All of the Night".

I'm certain Madonna wrote this:

I don't like cities

But I like New York

Other places make me feel like a dork

Los Angeles is for people who sleep

Paris and London, baby you can keep

Other cities always make me mad

Other places always make me sad

No other city ever made me glad

Except New York

I love New York

I love New York

I love New York

If you don't like my attitude Then you can F off Just go to Texas Isn't that where they golf? New York is not for little pussies who scream If you can't stand the heat Then get off my street Get off of my street Get off my street You get off of my street

Is this plagiarism?

Black Eyed Peas. Every single melody is borrowed. Shakira also got away with borrowing from Eternal Flame and some Beatles song for ‘Underneath Your Clothes’ which I kind of love

John Cage plagiarized me with 4' 33"! I demand a songwriting credit.

I don't like gaga

No, I didn't, Beyotch. I stole it from "The Sound of Silence."

Everybody steals from each other.