Plagarism Cases

[horacejesse]

A while back I posted a link to a site that archives song plagarism cases. I don't know if anyone ever checked it out, but I found it to contain interesting and entertaining reading with much relevant information for songwriters.I would like to go through some of the cases and see whether forum members side with the denfendant or plaintiff. If no one is interested in the project, that will shortly become clear.The first case of interest is listed under 1980-1989 and is Selle vs Gibb. I always thought Selle should have won this one from a stricly musical standpoint. And so did the jury, but the judge disagreed and overturned the jury.http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/law ... elist.html

[davewalton]

I don't know if I'll have time to follow along and discuss, but I did go to the site you posted. It was fascinating.My favorite was the rap guy that used the intro to Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again (Naturally)" as the backing track to his rap. Apparently neither he nor the record company bothered to ask Mr O'Sullivan if was OK to steal the recording and use it to make money for themselves.

[edteja]

Like Dave, I am not sure how much time I can spend evaluating this, but it is definitely interesting.

[Casey H]

So you think my new songs, "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" might be a problem? Casey

[augustheat]

Pretty cool site...I especially like the case involving our good friends Steve Sekin/Colin Raye. There is some facinating reading and case law study. I plan on reading through all of them. Thanks for posting the link again.

[edteja]

Casey, You might have a problem with those, but if you use the same lawyer that you did for your song Help! you should be okay.

[horacejesse]

Did anyone notice Madonna has lost two plagarism cases? Brittany Speares should have lost one.My favorite is probably the one against Morris Alpert claiming the famous song "Feelings." I never could get a definite feel for that one. The music is similar, but some of the chord changes were hardly as unique as the palintiff's lawyer's made out. The argument for access was tenous, I thought. Dave, this one would be of interest to you, because the frog's theme had appeared in a movie that was no international blockbuster a decade or more before, if I remember right. It had not made him many francs back then...But the judgement he got was for right at a quarter of a million clams apiece from both Alpert and his Brazilian publisher. Not bad.