Good composers borrow great composers steal
Some composers get caught that's right
Welcome to watchmojo.com and today we're counting down our picks for the top ten ripoff songs
This list will be ignoring sample heavy songs and focusing on hit Tunes where the similarities spawn threats of legal action or
triggered actual lawsuits and litigation
enjoy
Number ten the kinks all day and all of the night versus the doors hello, I love you
I love you. Won't you tell me?
although the doors guitarist Robby Krieger
Denied his band copied the core driven main riff the kinks music publishers found these two singles were just a bit too similar
UK courts agreed and so a deal was eventually struck and titling the kinks to a large share of hello. I love yous British royalties
The door song credits remain unchanged, but Ray Davies bank accounts certainly hasn't
Number-9 muddy waters you need love vs. Led Zeppelin whole lotta love
By cranking the tempo and volume of the blues Led Zep helped pioneer hard rock and heavy metal
But sometimes they stuck just a bit too close to their roots
Well it took them a long time to get caught the rock icons were finally sued in
1985 for whole lotta loves whole lot of similarities to the Willie Dixon penned Muddy Waters classic
Though things were eventually settled out of pork
It wasn't the only time that British rockers were accused of borrowing material as even stairway to heaven
Has been tainted by calls of plagiarism
Number 8 Joe Satriani if I could fly versus Coldplay viva la vida
Take notes on this one
You'll need them first creaky board's suggested Coldplay ripped off their ironically titled tune the songs I didn't right
However the British rockers had recorded a demo of Viva prior to that songs first performance
Then Joe Satriani stepped up lawsuit in hand claiming Chris Martin and crew borrowed from his if I could fly
Things got even more complicated when use of Islam formerly Cat Stevens
Joined in on the fun pointing out that all of those songs sounded like his foreigner sweet
Satriani's case was later dismissed in 2009
Number seven the kinks picture book versus other garden never got the chance versus Green Day warning
And now how not to file a lawsuit
In 2001 Colin Mary song writer for an obscure English band called the other garden sued Green Day claiming that warning
Was a copy of his song never got the chance
The band's lawyer threatened to sue the punk rockers for as much as
$100,000 despite the fact that Mary admitted both his and Green Day songs had the same distinct riff as picture book by the kinks
Needless to say the lawsuit was eventually dropped
Number six Huey Lewis and the news I want a new drug versus Ray Parker jr. Ghostbusters
Who you gonna call a lawyer if you're Huey Lewis Lewis was actually asked to write a theme for Ghostbusters
But passed on it to write music for Back to the Future instead
Oh
So when Ray Parker jr
Theme for the supernatural comedy came out sounding suspiciously like I want a new drug Lois cried plagiarism
It was settled out of court almost a decade later
And when the news frontman spilled the beans on the confidential settlement on TV Ray Parker jr.
Turned the tables and sued Lois in 2001
Number 5 Creedence Clearwater Revival run through the jungle versus John Fogerty the old man down the road
In a very odd move John Fogerty was sued for sounding like himself
As owner of CCR song catalogue, and he's labeled during his Creedence days Fantasy Records claimed the old man down the road
Ripped off run through the jungle
The swamp rocker beat the case by bringing a guitar to the stand and demonstrating that the two songs were in fact quite different
And that you couldn't actually plagiarize yourself
Number four Marvin Gaye got to give it up versus Robin Thicke blurred lines
In one of many controversies that plagued this summer hit Robin Thicke actually sued Marvin Gaye's family for alleging the singer had plagiarized
the late sole artist
While Thicke admitted he was inspired by gotta give it up. He and co-writer Pharrell Williams contend. They're essentially not the same
Citing different chords keys and more
Rich port music also became involved due to claims blurred lines sample Funkadelics sexy ways
Number three the Rolling Stones the last time verses the verb bitter sweet symphony'
In this case the verb obtained the rights to sample the Andrew Oldham orchestral version of the stones classic
But the issue here is how much the band used and in the opinion of the Rolling Stones manager it was way too much
While royalties for bitter sweet symphony' were intended to be split evenly between the two groups
The songs massive success caused the stones to demand 100 percent of the royalties
And the songwriting credits
Ironically it was David Whittaker who actually composed the string section that the verb sampled so freely in their hit
Number two the chiffons he's so fine versus George Harrison my sweet lord
Soon after releasing his solo hit the former Beatle found himself at the center of a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by bright tunes
George Harrison was accused of plagiarizing the Ronnie Matt Penn tune he's so fine and the courts ruled he had
Subconsciously copied the chiffon smash and would nearly one-point-six million dollars in damages
But the story doesn't end there
After Harrison fired his manager Allen Klein during the trial Klein seized the opportunity to buy the copyright to he's so fine
Ultimately decided Harrison would only have to pay Klein's aapko industries
587 thousand dollars, and he ended up with the songs, right
Before we unveil our top pick here are a few honorable mentions
Oh cigarettes no sleep no lie
They're really rockin in number one Chuck Berry sweet little sixteen verses of the Beach Boys surfing USA
Then everybody sir
Our number one pick we chose the instance in which Brian Wilson openly and knowingly use the music to a Chuck Berry hit
The beach boy felt the track was the perfect setting for his surfing themed lyrics, but neglected to credit Barry upon its recording and release
The USA
While those surfin USA is meant to be viewed as a tribute Barry's publishing company was unimpressed
And forced Wilson's manager to surrender copyright to the rock-and-roll pioneers publisher arc music
Do you agree with our list which songs do you sing our complete and total ripoff?
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