Is This Plagarism?

[ernstinen]

Hey Guys,I've got a "car song" that was part of a concept album, so fogettabout the laughter at the start (and the weird "subliminal message" at the end of the album). An A&R guy told me that I stole this song from another artist! I couldn't believe it, but it does happen.It's called "Big V-8," and I'd like y'all to guess whom I "stole" this from. I can see a few notes in the melody, but it's basically da blues in a rock & roll structure. How can you steal from da blues? Anyway, here's a link to "Big V-8":http://www.box.net/shared/gtz2sxczkmThanks for listening, and your comments!Ern

[jwebbinspired]

It sounds original to me. I'm not hearing any rips...? It has the same feel as so many tunes from the 80s...I'm eager to hear who they say you "stole" from Andy

[ernstinen]

Feb 21, 2009, 7:14pm, jwebbinspired wrote:It sounds original to me. I'm not hearing any rips...? It has the same feel as so many tunes from the 80s...I'm eager to hear who they say you "stole" from AndyThanks, Andy!Yea, I didn't hear it, either, and I'm aware of such things like the "My Sweet Lord" lawsuit.The real embarrassing thing about this is that this happened in a workshop/pitch with my peers, and though the A&R weasel didn't say who wrote (my) song, I slid under my chair! None of my band members who played on the song EVER said anything like that, and they are all good songwriters in their own right. --- Maybe the guy got out of the wrong side of bed that day! Thanks for listening,Ern

[michael11]

It is remarkably unplagarised !!!! considering it's genre.It's not nicked or stolen it just incorporates a lot of ideas which make it sound commercial and done before.The only thing that came to my mind was On Broadway by The Drifters and that slightly reflects the guitar riff in the verse,other than that not a dickie bird!!!

[ernstinen]

Thanks, Michael!I truly am stumped now. Maybe it's the lyrics? I was trying to do an homage to the car songs of the 60's, like the Beach Boys and Jan & Dean.Here's the lyrics if you didn't catch 'em:Way back in the 60's when the cars were solid steelThere weren't no plastic foreign jobs that faked their sex appealWe drove those hot-rod monsters weighing a good 2 tons or moreAnd when a boy turned 16 he knew what he had in storeA big V-8 --- Blowin' smoke and fireA big V-8 --- Burnin' off the tiresA big V-8 --- 440 cubesA big V-8I think back to those old days when 5 bucks would fill the tankAnd souping up your car was like money in the bankYou didn't need fuel injection when 2 Holley carbs would doI'd blast your ass right off the line and hand it back to you(Chorus)Drive on down to the burger standShow the boys how to be a manSpin my wheels through the parking lotAll the girls gonna know I got A big V-8 --- Huh? Ern

[feaker]

ErnThis is 100% original.I can remember and identify any song from the late 50's on up in a few notes. Honestly, and this one does not have any bits or pieces of anybody elses work.I like the voice and the theme. Agree on all counts.Even my dads 1965 buick La Sabre could smoke the tires.Too bad kids now can't experience that.Liked the song and the axe.Paul

[marcblack30]

yeah, sounds original to me, and i absolutely love the guitar tone and the spread of it!if i was to take a wild guess, the voice made me think of Alice Cooper, but i couldn't tie it to any particular song.Did the A&R guy actually say the artist he thought you ripped off?

[djb]

In the verse I hear a reminder of Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac" then the song moves way far from it. Only part I thought sounded familiar. Dave

[ernstinen]

Feb 22, 2009, 5:16am, feaker wrote:Liked the song and the axe.Thanks, Paul! I think it's a pretty good song, and would fit in a movie or TV show about cars, but I don't wanna get sued!Quote:Even my dads 1965 buick La Sabre could smoke the tires.Too bad kids now can't experience that.Ha! The first car I owned was when I was in college. I bought a VERY used, rusty Olds F-85. It had a big V-8 in it and a 2 SPEED GM automatic. When I test drove it, I was merging onto I-94, and looked in my mirror to see a big semi bearing down on me. It was either brake, or floor it. Of course, I floored it, and the F-85 not only kicked down into first gear, but it opened up the 4-barrel carb at the same time. If you can believe it, the F-85 burned rubber while I was going 45-50 mph! --- I thought "THIS is my car!" Ern

[ernstinen]

Feb 22, 2009, 10:37am, djb wrote: In the verse I hear a reminder of Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac" then the song moves way far from it. Only part I thought sounded familiar.Hey djb! If I remember correctly, that may have been what the A&R guy mentioned. But it's only a few notes at the start of the melody. "My Sweet Lord" is exactly the same as "He's So Fine" during the WHOLE song, except for the lyrics. That's why Harrison lost his lawsuit.But I'm NOT going to re-sing it and mess with the melody, mainly because I haven't been singing 5 days-a-week like I was back when I recorded this, and I don't think I could sing such a raucous track anymore! Ern