Stolen Riffs That Never Went To Court

[blueturk]

I was reading an article about George Harrison and Bright Music ("My Sweet Lord" vs. "He's So Fine") and I started thinking about some obvious cops that aren't mentioned much.For example, "Round And Round" by Ratt sounds a lot like "Panama". Foreigner ripped off "Johnny" by Thin Lizzy for "Head Games". Dire Straits copped "Jumping Jack Flash" on "Money for Nothing". Anybody else got any?

[FORD]

There was a Canadian band called April Wine in the 70's who used the riffs to "Day Tripper" and "Satisfaction" in one of their songs. Don't know if they gave John & Paul or Mick & Keith any writing credits, but it was definitely intentional.

And there's always the Ched Rocker's "Mas Tequila", the original version of which can still be heard at sporting events everywhere.

[Warham]

I think Hagar gave Gary Glitter a half-credit for that tune.

[Knucklebones]

All the Major Green Day songs have stolen riffs, a lot of times they're just new lyrics over old songs by other bands.

[DavidLeeNatra]

dave stole "last call" from aeroshit's "walk this way" :D

[Panamark]

Originally posted by blueturk
I was reading an article about George Harrison and Bright Music ("My Sweet Lord" vs. "He's So Fine") and I started thinking about some obvious cops that aren't mentioned much.For example, "Round And Round" by Ratt sounds a lot like "Panama". Foreigner ripped off "Johnny" by Thin Lizzy for "Head Games". Dire Straits copped "Jumping Jack Flash" on "Money for Nothing". Anybody else got any?

Great Topic !

However, I cant see the similarity between money for nothing,
and JJ Flash ?? If you are referring to the main riff, I think
Money for nothing is a lot more complex...

Or are you referring to the melody/singing ???

[Panamark]

Some obvious ones ??

What about Ghostbusters, and "I want a new Drug" by Huey Lewis
and the news....

[Panamark]

Cant touch this (MC Hammer)
Superfreak (Rick James)

[Panamark]

Constant Craving (KD Lang, Lesbo Dyke)
and "Anybody seen my Baby" Rolling Stones...

[Cato]

Panama was stolen by Ratt, but that was what Eddie stole from AC/DC's Dog Eat Dog....

[blueturk]

Originally posted by Panamark
Great Topic !

However, I cant see the similarity between money for nothing,
and JJ Flash ?? If you are referring to the main riff, I think
Money for nothing is a lot more complex...

Or are you referring to the melody/singing ???

I was talking about the first five notes like: bu BU bu bu BU (if that makes any sense!). Here's another one:Michael Jackson stole the riff from REO's "Back On The Road Again" for "Beat It".What's bad is that "Back On The Road Again" is probably the only half-decent song those poodle-rockers REO ever did.Of course ,the drummer doing the vocals instead of Kevin Cro-Magnon has a lot to do with that.....

[Seshmeister]

Listening again maybe a bit of stretch but I always thought You're Crazy (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/clipserve/B000000OQF001010/0/103-8968391-9448619) by GNR was lifted from Cold Sweat (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/clipserve/B00005Y2EM001005/0/103-8968391-9448619) by Thin Lizzy.

[blueturk]

Originally posted by blueturk
I was reading an article about George Harrison and Bright Music ("My Sweet Lord" vs. "He's So Fine") and I started thinking about some obvious cops that aren't mentioned much.For example, "Round And Round" by Ratt sounds a lot like "Panama". Foreigner ripped off "Johnny" by Thin Lizzy for "Head Games". Dire Straits copped "Jumping Jack Flash" on "Money for Nothing". Anybody else got any?

Damn!!! I meant "Blue Morning,Blue Day" by Foreigner copped Thin Lizzy.
:confused:

[ThrillsNSpills]

The chorus of Unchained and the chorus of Layla.

[Seshmeister]

Originally posted by ThrillsNSpills
The chorus of Unchained and the chorus of Layla.

WTF?:D

[VanRoth]

Steve Vai also ripped off Panama with his dong "I'd love to"
"the audience is listening" by Steve Vai is a copy of HFTeacher.
Hello I love you by Doors is a copy of all day and all of the night by Kinks. I think the Doors were actually sued by the Kinks.

[VanRoth]

Originally posted by ThrillsNSpills
The chorus of Unchained and the chorus of Layla.
That doesn't make much sence, I think! :D

[ThrillsNSpills]

Tell me what doesn't make senSe and i'll 'splain it .
assuming it would register.

You know what a chorus is, as in VERSE, CHORUS ?

:D

[ThrillsNSpills]

because if you decided it meant choir then there's no point in clarifying.

[davegian]

The vocals in Beautiful Girls is a slowed down Walk this Way. Basic melody and rhythm with only slight variations, but for the most part the same.

[Golden AWe]

"It's showtime" and "Hot for teacher".

Plus John Fogerty stealing from himself, some of the riffs on "Dejavu all over again" remind me of a old CCR-song...kjeh.

[blueturk]

The beginning of the Scorpions "Always Somewhere" (from "Lovedrive") is identical to "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

[twonabomber]

Originally posted by Panamark
Cant touch this (MC Hammer)
Superfreak (Rick James)

nah, everyone knew it was a sample of Superfreak.

[twonabomber]

Originally posted by Panamark
Constant Craving (KD Lang, Lesbo Dyke)
and "Anybody seen my Baby" Rolling Stones...

the Stones gave her a co-write on that. someone brought it to their attention before the record came out.

[Panamark]

Yes Twona !! Read the thread title again.

"Stolen Riffs That Never Went To Court" :p

I think all the ones I mentioned were settled without
court action. In the case of Huey Lewis and Ray Parker JR,
there was a lot of threatening and lawyers, but I dont
think it ever became a court case...

Feel free to correct me ! :)

[Mama's Fool]

Day Tripper and Hair of the Dog

[FORD]

Originally posted by Mama's Fool
Day Tripper and Hair of the Dog

Son of a bitch! (as in "Now you're messin with a.....") I can't believe I never noticed that before, but you are correct! :eek:

[FORD]

Originally posted by Golden AWe
.

Plus John Fogerty stealing from himself, some of the riffs on "Dejavu all over again" remind me of a old CCR-song...kjeh.

Actually Fogerty DID go to court once!

It's a known fact that Fogerty was swindled out of the rights to the Creedence catalog (which he wrote all of) by his former manager Saul Zaentz, and that Fogerty's understandable bitterness over the issue has kept him from ever reconciling with his former bandmates, even his own late brother.

The height of ridiculousness came when Zaentz actually sued Fogerty for plagarizing HIMSELF, claiming that "The Old Man Down The Road" was a blatant ripoff of CCR's "Run Through The Jungle.

Fogerty showed up to testify, took the stand with an acoustic guitar, played a bit of both songs as his "testimony" and won the case.

Too bad he couldn't stop Stu and Cosmo - who never wrote shit - from cashing in on his name and his music :mad:

[blueturk]

John got a big chunk of change from Zaentz and Fantasy Records before that,worth several million dollars (I don't know the exact figure).That's why Zaentz sued Fogerty. Pure spite.

[DLR_EngineRoom]

Originally posted by Knucklebones
All the Major Green Day songs have stolen riffs, a lot of times they're just new lyrics over old songs by other bands.

I'd swear that Green Day's Brain Stew is a stolen AC/DC riff....can't put my finger on what song but DAMN that sounds like an AC/DC riff....

[DLR_EngineRoom]

Originally posted by Panamark
Yes Twona !! Read the thread title again.

"Stolen Riffs That Never Went To Court" :p

I think all the ones I mentioned were settled without
court action. In the case of Huey Lewis and Ray Parker JR,
there was a lot of threatening and lawyers, but I dont
think it ever became a court case...

Feel free to correct me ! :)

yeah, they did in fact go to court over that....don't remember who won though...was like what....20 yrs ago?

[ODShowtime]

An awesome solo lick from Robby Kreiger (Doors) on 'Five to One' popped on on the solo for 'She' from Kiss 'Alive'. It then popped again in the guitar solo from Pearl Jam's 'Alive' from the album Ten. God damn I love that lick though. I'm probably gonna steal it too for the 2000s.

[Hoongood]

Originally posted by Mama's Fool
Day Tripper and Hair of the Dog


REM's The One I Love is a direct rip of Hair of the Dog

[Hoongood]

DLR Band's Blacklight has a section that is ripped straight from a Zeppelin tune. I think it is The Ocean.

[Golden AWe]

Originally posted by FORD
Actually Fogerty DID go to court once!

It's a known fact that Fogerty was swindled out of the rights to the Creedence catalog (which he wrote all of) by his former manager Saul Zaentz, and that Fogerty's understandable bitterness over the issue has kept him from ever reconciling with his former bandmates, even his own late brother.

The height of ridiculousness came when Zaentz actually sued Fogerty for plagarizing HIMSELF, claiming that "The Old Man Down The Road" was a blatant ripoff of CCR's "Run Through The Jungle.

Fogerty showed up to testify, took the stand with an acoustic guitar, played a bit of both songs as his "testimony" and won the case.

Too bad he couldn't stop Stu and Cosmo - who never wrote shit - from cashing in on his name and his music :mad: '

Hahahah...

Cool story!

[blueturk]

Blondie copped "Love Gun" for "Call Me".

[Theodore Rules]

Originally posted by FORD
There was a Canadian band called April Wine in the 70's who used the riffs to "Day Tripper" and "Satisfaction" in one of their songs. Don't know if they gave John & Paul or Mick & Keith any writing credits, but it was definitely intentional.

And there's always the Ched Rocker's "Mas Tequila", the original version of which can still be heard at sporting events everywhere.

April Wine's song was "I Like To Rock," and it was an ode to the Stones and Beatles. So there was no chance of a lawsuit there.

Damn good band.

[BrownSound1]

Celebration by Kool and the Gang, and Best of Both Worlds by Van Hagar....EXACT same riff.

[ThrillsNSpills]

Space Cowboy by Steve Miller and Lady Madonna by the Beatles, another exact same riff example.

also Rock 'N Me by Steve Miller and All right Now by Free (main guitar riff), not as obvious but still very similar.

[Mama's Fool]

How about Ian Hunter's Once Bitten Twice Shy and Great White's Call it Rock and Roll?

[Balue]

I don't think you can go to court over a riff. Music copyright covers the topline - the melody - and the lyrics. So Chuck Berry's lawyers could lean on Lennon for borrowing a couple of lines in Come Together, but can't touch Status Quo :D . Also why when sampling started out and record companies started to sue, artists would rerecord the sample themselves, or get a session muso in, to keep out of court.

[blueturk]

Originally posted by Balue
I don't think you can go to court over a riff. Music copyright covers the topline - the melody - and the lyrics. So Chuck Berry's lawyers could lean on Lennon for borrowing a couple of lines in Come Together, but can't touch Status Quo :D . Also why when sampling started out and record companies started to sue, artists would rerecord the sample themselves, or get a session muso in, to keep out of court.

You know,you're right! It probably should have been "Stolen Melodies That Never Went To Court".

[Alex Mogilny]

Nirvana, Smells Like Teen Spirit - Boston, More than a feeling

The Strokes, Last Nite - Tom Petty, American Girl

[Top Jimmy]

Your Time Is Gonna Come and Sweet Home Alabama....
so similar that when my band does Sweet Home at a gig, every other verse becomes Your Time..

[hamlet31]

"Lightning Strikes" from ozzy's Ultimate Sin w/ Jake E. Lee is just "Crazy Train" Backwards. "Shot in the Dark", also from Ultimate Sin is the same riff as Dio's "Rock n Roll Children" from the Sacred Heart album. Although I believe these two came out in the same year. I'm not sure which was first.

[TwoFoolsAMinute]

Doesn't Skyscraper by DLR and Fly High Michelle by Enuff Znuff have exactly the same intro?