Media are reporting a decision in a copyright lawsuit between the estate of Marvin Gay and singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran. The jury has found Ed Sheeran did not violate any copyright infringement.
This sort of issue is not generally anything that interests me. However, I watched a great video a few days ago that encapsulates the issues in the lawsuit very well, and it presents an interesting set of questions. This is a really good video even if you have not paid attention. WATCH:
I really like Rick’s Youtube chanel. I also really like hearing a song that just “rings a bell” and then going looking for the song it reminds me of. Whether there was enough similarity for copyright infringement or just plain influence doesn’t matter to me. I just like the hunt. I like playing “sounds like.” Here are a couple I noticed recently.
When Spirit sued Led Zeppelin claiming Stairway to Heaven copped the opening riff of the song Taurus, I wrote a quick parody for my song-writing partner and lawyer friend …
There’s a lawyer whose sure
That the intro was stole
So he’s trying
A “Stairway to Heaven” (©1971 James Page, Robert Plant, Atlantic Records)
“Dammit Listen!” he scolds
“All those notes in a row”
“With an ear you can hear
“They’re the same, bro'”
Ooooo Ooooo
So he’s trying
A “Stairway to Heaven” (©1971 James Page, Robert Plant, Atlantic Records)
… I never bothered to flesh that one out to a full song. I remember sitting on my bedroom floor in the early 70’s, the album on my little sister’s Mattel LP player, drive belt removed, playing the song forward and back like a phrase trainer to learn the solo note for note. Blew my ears out a few years later playing in front of my amp, and converted to acoustic. Tinnitus sufferer for nearly 50 years now. How I wish I could go back in time and kick my own stupid ass.
🤣
I’ve had marriages like that.
LOL!!!
Rick Beato covered that. The disputed notes in the Taurus song and the famous intro to Stairway to Heaven (the forbidden riff at guitar stores all over the world) is a “cliché”. A very unoriginal and common musical phrase, practically an exercise for students learning to play guitar. About like trying to copyright a scale.
Some serious music theory porn! I couldn’t stop listening until after about 5 times:
The most elegant key change in all of pop music:
How fun!
So interesting! Thank you!
Different music, different lyrics but a similar chord progression; for the verse and not the chorus. How on earth can this be musical plagiarism? So many songs use 3 chords that they are categorized for transposition by those chords i.e. I, IV,V7; or whatever chord notation is needed. To say two songs are the same because it uses C, F & G is to call Jingle Bells and Silent Night the same song.
And what about most of the songs from the “Do-Wop” era (early 50’s and beyond) using the same I, VIm, IV, V chord progression? Even Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You uses that same chord progression. Many hit songs use that same chord progression. But it’s the melody that’s the thing.
That’s why George Harrisons My Sweet Lord lost to the Chiffon’s He’s So Fine — the melodies overlapped.
Very good, thank you, Sundance. Great comments too.
I am glad the kid won. I suppose when AI writes songs it will be perfect.
Good Lord forbid.
“Bittersweet Symphony” by The Verve, “The Last Time” by the Rolling Stones, and “This May Be The Last Time” by The Staple Singers.
“Hotel California” by the Eagles, “We Used To Know” by Jethro Tull, and “Reflections” by The Charlie Daniels Band.
Some good tunes and education here for me! Makes me want to get a keyboard more; I played when I was a kid. Could listen to a song and play it. Maybe I still can!
All you need is a record player and you can play any song.
The Gay’s must be getting short on change! 👎🏿
Ed Sheeran was born in England in 1991. On the day that Marvin Gaye died, Ed was only 7 years old. Glad the jury found Ed not guilty. Suing people for every little thing is ridiculous. Next someone will sue for using the word “the” in a line of poetry.
The minuet in Mozart’s K. 525 Serenade “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” and the minuet in Haydn’s 21st symphony start out the same for several bars; Mozart is in G Major and Haydn in A Major. Haydn was 20 years earlier than Mozart; they didn’t know each other yet. “Yes, we have no bananas!” is the Hallelujah Chorus in its first line. Problem has been around; music education especially around lawyers and judges must no longer be being done in schools that the case had to go this high!
Rick Beato’s videos are awesome. He can teach the musical infant how to appreciate the ridiculous skill and performances by the truly elite musicians. I highly recommend his videos on what makes this song great.