5 Rock Rip Offs

[tbry]

It seems that every so often another artist accuses another of ripping off their song or riffs. Currently it is Stairway to heaven. There are always similar sounds. Only so many ways to play the notes and progressions....But If you listen to Cresent City Blues you will surely recognize the rip....Johnny did pay up though.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Wow - I had never heard that track before, and was unaware of Johnny Cash and the copyright infringement. This seems like a pretty cut and dried case of it to me now that I've heard the original song.

 

 

I was familiar with all the other copyright infringement cases the article mentions though.

 

[tbry]

Yeah, Johnny got right to it with one of the most recognized songs ever with Folsom Prison Blues...He's so fine and My Sweet Lord just blows me away...it has such a different groove and feel...I don't get that one.

[Phil O'Keefe]

He's so fine and My Sweet Lord just blows me away...it has such a different groove and feel...I don't get that one.

 

It's not about the arrangement or production - at least it's not supposed to be; that's been changing a bit lately, at least that's the take-away from the results of some recent lawsuits...

 

You can have very similar chords, arrangements and production styles and not infringe. That's been the norm for years - however, if you snag a melody, almost everyone agrees that's going too far. That's where My Sweet Lord and He's So Fine are similar. I agree with the judgment and think it was almost certainly unconscious, but the hooks - the main melody of the title and verse lines - is remarkably similar IMO.

 

[video=youtube;rinz9Avvq6A]

 

 

Honestly, I often catch myself alternating the lyrics for them whenever I hear either one of them.

 

 

[video=youtube;0kNGnIKUdMI]

[tbry]

I agree but then any three word descending writing will sound like that...

 

He's so fine

My Sweet Lord

Fast slow life

To much pain

Bet your life

You bet cha

 

[MikeRivers]

If you listen to Cresent City Blues you will surely recognize the rip....Johnny did pay up though.

 

I've heard that one before. I think that Johnny was just being nice. Folsom Prism Blues might very well qualify as a parody under "Fair Use," at least under the US copyright law that's in effect today. It's all about money, and not just how much you can sue for. It's about whether the parody would take money away from the writer of the orignal song. Is that someone wanting the original song might buy the parody by mistake. That's not likely in this case, however, because the titles are different and the theme is different - the phrasing and melody is what they have in common, and that's what makes a parody (which doesn't necessarily have to be funny). Another example is the case where the original writer might have written that parody himself. For examplle, when Curly Fletcher wrote the song "The Strawberry Roan" he was sure someone was going to write a parody of it, so he figured that it might as well be him - and he wrote "Castration Of The Strawberry Roan." (yes, you can Google it)

 

[tbry]

 

I've heard that one before. I think that Johnny was just being nice. Folsom Prism Blues might very well qualify as a parody under "Fair Use," at least under the US copyright law that's in effect today. It's all about money, and not just how much you can sue for. It's about whether the parody would take money away from the writer of the orignal song. Is that someone wanting the original song might buy the parody by mistake. That's not likely in this case, however, because the titles are different and the theme is different - the phrasing and melody is what they have in common, and that's what makes a parody (which doesn't necessarily have to be funny). Another example is the case where the original writer might have written that parody himself. For examplle, when Curly Fletcher wrote the song "The Strawberry Roan" he was sure someone was going to write a parody of it, so he figured that it might as well be him - and he wrote "Castration Of The Strawberry Roan." (yes, you can Google it)

 

In addition to phrasing and melody many of the words are the same as well. "I hear the train a coming it's rolling round the bend." The parody angle is something I hadn't thought off.

[onelife]

I can only imagine Harrison's feelings when, after all those years as a songwriter in a band with Lennon and McCartney, he finally gets a monster hit on his own terms only to discover...

[onelife]

"Here come ol' flattop he come groovin' up…"

 

John Lennon settled the lawsuit by recording the "ROCK 'N' ROLL" album which contained songs by the copywriter holder.

 

They made a lot of money from those songs being recorded by the world famous ex-Beatle.

[MikeRivers]

 

In addition to phrasing and melody many of the words are the same as well. "I hear the train a coming it's rolling round the bend." The parody angle is something I hadn't thought off.

 

Well, what else does a train do? Roll or speed down the track maybe?

 

[tbry]

 

Well, what else does a train do? Roll or speed down the track maybe?

 

With all due respect, and I mean that sincerely because the internet can turn into an argument really quickly. "When I was just a baby" isn't too often in a train song but it is in both Cresent City Blues and FPB...."My mamma told me" as well..."When I hear that whistle blowing I hang my head and cry"..."There are rich folks eating in fancy dinning cars"....Maybe its just me.

 

I agree that it doesn't qualify as a parody and I also agree its always about money, but JCash did pay up for a reason. Maybe we agree and I misunderstand.