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 nine muddy waters you need love
verses Led Zepplin 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 court 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 meet him
first
creaky boards suggested Coldplay had
ripped off their ironically titled tune
the songs I didn’t write
however the British rockers had recorded
a demo of Viva prior to that songs first
performance
then Jill Satriani stepped up lawsuit in
head 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 brought
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
so when Ray Parker jr. theme for the
supernatural comedy came out sounding
suspiciously like I want a new drug Luis
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 Luis 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
bridgeport 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 break tunes
George Harrison was accused of
plagiarizing the Ronnie Mac pen 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 sign seize the
opportunity to buy the copyright – he’s
so fun ultimately decided Harrison would
only have to pay clients 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
the Beach Boys surfin USA
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 surf in 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 think our
complete and total ripoff
more original top 10s published every
day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com
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 nine muddy waters you need love
verses Led Zepplin 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 court 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 meet him
first
creaky boards suggested Coldplay had
ripped off their ironically titled tune
the songs I didn’t write
however the British rockers had recorded
a demo of Viva prior to that songs first
performance
then Jill Satriani stepped up lawsuit in
head 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 brought
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
so when Ray Parker jr. theme for the
supernatural comedy came out sounding
suspiciously like I want a new drug Luis
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 Luis 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
bridgeport 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 break tunes
George Harrison was accused of
plagiarizing the Ronnie Mac pen 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 sign seize the
opportunity to buy the copyright – he’s
so fun ultimately decided Harrison would
only have to pay clients 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
the Beach Boys surfin USA
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 surf in 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 think our
complete and total ripoff
more original top 10s published every
day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com
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