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Men At Work loses copyright infringement

DENNYDOG

DENNYDOG

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Well, if you have the record, you can still play it as much as you want. Guilt-free even.
 
I know. I just hate to see things like this happen. That's got to be quite the blow to the pocket book.
 
You know, it always makes me feel like an idiot, but I still haven't been able to hear how George Harrison's My Sweet Lord sounds anything like He's So Fine.

Vanilla Ice sounding like Queen and Bowie? Clear as a bell.
 
Given the 'Aussie Homage' nature of the song,it wouldn't surprise me if the flute solo wasn't a complimentary tip of the hat,to a schoolyard tune which every Aussie kid learnt.The respect shown via a tiny reference to that tune comes-back to kick them in the teeth.

The farce of it all is that if "Kookaburra Sits in The Old Gum Tree"(the tune which the flute solo refers to)were released on it's own merits worldwide to see whether it could emulate the success of "I Come From A Land Down Under",it would fall flat on it's face garnering no interest whatsoever.

To my mind that is the pertinent point which had to be made when any consideration was being given regarding the concept of infringement of intellectual property.The Men At Work song was an infectious,catchy,tongue in cheek popular success.The children's song was never going to be regarded as being in the same league.

Aussies generally have a cynical view of the court process.Is it any wonder? :nono:
 

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cwall99 said:
You know, it always makes me feel like an idiot, but I still haven't been able to hear how George Harrison's My Sweet Lord sounds anything like He's So Fine.

Vanilla Ice sounding like Queen and Bowie? Clear as a bell.
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I can kind of hear the My Sweet Lord similarity, but can anyone tell me what Rolling Stones song is supposed to have been infringed upon by The Verve Pipe's "Bittersweet Symphony"? I thought I'd heard every Stones tune out there and I still can't figure that one out.

Also, didn't Jagger & Richard directly rip off multiple blues musicians in the early and mid 60's with no consequences?
 
The Verve sampled a orchestral rendering of Rolling Stones song (This could be) the Last time. I feel unhappy about this, because I like Verve and Stones.
 
Guess I'm missing it.. I've listened to the old song.. I don't hear the infringement.. maybe I'm not listening to the right version?
 
Also, didn't Jagger & Richard directly rip off multiple blues musicians in the early and mid 60's with no consequences?
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They ripped off their own Bill Wyman so i can't see how anybody else would be off limits.
 
"although, sadly, Marion Sinclair will not be seeing any of that money (she passed away long ago), and neither will any of her heirs, since the song's rights were sold to Larrikin in 1990 after Sinclair's death.
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This is what irritates me about the music industry. In every country that has one. Yeah the flute was the same. It was a TRIBUTE to a popular kids song. This had nothing to do with the music, it was simply about making more money.

eh whatever though, I like that song when it comes on the radio, but I don't own it. Now I'm not going to buy it if it means 60% of the already small portion of $ going to a pretty great band is going to this crap. I'd rather torrent and mail them a dollar.
 
"George Harrison unconsciously misappropriated the musical essence of "He's So Fine."- according to the Court.

Gotta love the Law! Someone please define "musical essence" for me?
 
Collinn Hay (MAW's front man) is one of my favorites, missed his show here in Dallas a few months ago, I think my daughter had a piano recital the same night... Without sampling we would have now Eric B and Rahkim, I for one don't want to live in that world, right now I am going to get a plate of fish, which is my favorite dish...
 
wizargoz said:
"George Harrison unconsciously misappropriated the musical essence of "He's So Fine."- according to the Court.

Gotta love the Law! Someone please define "musical essence" for me?
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Hey, it's like obscenity. You know it when you hear it. Or do you? :scratch2:
 
I was immediately put off when I read that the songwriter was already dead. They had so many years to sue, and they didn't, because they likely saw it as a tribute (and Sinclair must have heard it--it was ridiculously popular). This is just a money making scheme. Hopefully the person suing will rot along with the music industry.
 
I didn't know you could get busted for using a melody that is the same as another song. Lyrics, yes, but a melody? There are only 12 notes in western music, and millions of songs. There are going to be melodic coincidences. I don't agree at all with the ruling. The song is pushing 30, why wait until now to sue?
 
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