Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Tom Petty Addresses Sam Smith's Songwriting Snafu: 'The Word Lawsuit Was Never Even Said'
billboard/msn ^ | 1/29/15 | Marc Schneider

Posted on 01/29/2015 5:04:53 PM PST by Hugin

Tom Petty has addressed the recent news that he and frequent collaborator Jeff Lynne have received songwriting credit on Sam Smith's hit "Stay With Me." In a statement to Billboard, the rock legend praises Smith for quickly addressing what he calls a "musical accident" -- i.e., the similarities between "Stay" and his hit "I Wont' Back Down."

"Most times you catch it before it gets out the studio door but in this case it got by," he says. "Sam's people were very understanding of our predicament and we easily came to an agreement. "

(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: petty; smith; songwriting
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-52 next last
I've always been a huge Tom Petty fan. Nice to see people settle this stuff without bringing in the lawyers. As an occasional songwriter I have to say it's really hard to write something that isn't partly like something someone else did, and very easy to inadvertently copy someone. This one is pretty blatant though. Handled with class by all involved.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB-5XG-DbAA

1 posted on 01/29/2015 5:04:54 PM PST by Hugin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Hugin

Both songwriters were pretty mature over the whole thing. Great to see.


2 posted on 01/29/2015 5:07:34 PM PST by napscoordinator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hugin

Petty handled this with a lot of class. There are some online comparisons of Petty’s song and the other guy’s, and the music is almost an exact match for the whole song, the only difference is Petty’s is played a little faster.


3 posted on 01/29/2015 5:10:22 PM PST by Stevenc131
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hugin

Petty has a pretty laid back reputation.


4 posted on 01/29/2015 5:14:39 PM PST by cripplecreek ("For by wise guidance you can wage your war")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hugin
One of my favorite bits of trivia about Tom Petty ...

Mike Campbell, the lead guitarist for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, wrote the music for a song that they considered including on the great Southern Accents record. They decided the catchy tune didn't really fit with the other songs on the record, so they put it aside.

Their producer was working for some other artists at the time, so they let him see if anyone else was interested in it. Don Henley liked the track, so he wrote a set of lyrics for it ... and his classic "Boys Of Summer" was born.

5 posted on 01/29/2015 5:20:02 PM PST by Alberta's Child ("It doesn't work for me. I gotta have more cowbell!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hugin

I like the Petty version much better.


6 posted on 01/29/2015 5:20:18 PM PST by rawcatslyentist (Genesis 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed,)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: napscoordinator

i like Tom Petty and i like Sam’s song... when i first heard it i thought it was a cross between Won’t Back Down and Stand By Me...


7 posted on 01/29/2015 5:22:46 PM PST by latina4dubya (wheni have money i buy books... if i have anything left, i buy 6-inch heels and a bottle of wine...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child
his classic "Boys Of Summer" was born.

one of my all-time favorite songs...

8 posted on 01/29/2015 5:24:29 PM PST by latina4dubya (wheni have money i buy books... if i have anything left, i buy 6-inch heels and a bottle of wine...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: latina4dubya

I like both too but when I hear them, I don’t hear any similarities....lol. I am horrible about that type of thing.


9 posted on 01/29/2015 5:24:50 PM PST by napscoordinator (Walker for President 2016. The only candidate with actual real RESULTS!!!!! The rest...talkers!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child
here's trivia involving Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty's first wife... it is how Stevie Nicks came up with the title, "Edge of Seventeen."

According to Nicks, the title came from a conversation she had with Tom Petty's first wife, Jane, about the couple's first meeting. Jane said they met "at the age of seventeen", but her strong Southern accent made it sound like "edge of seventeen" to Nicks. The singer liked the sound of the phrase so much that she told Jane she would write a song for it and give her credit for the inspiration.

10 posted on 01/29/2015 5:28:49 PM PST by latina4dubya (wheni have money i buy books... if i have anything left, i buy 6-inch heels and a bottle of wine...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Hugin

I like Jeff Lynne. I didn’t know he co-wrote I Won’t Back Down, but I’m not surprised.


11 posted on 01/29/2015 5:28:59 PM PST by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child

That’s pretty cool. Campbell is a great guitarist that doesn’t get much recognition.


12 posted on 01/29/2015 5:30:00 PM PST by Hugin ("Do yourself a favor--first thing, get a firearm!",)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: napscoordinator

The melody in the chorus is practically verbatim, but it’s such a simple melody and such an obvious fit to the simple chord change that I have a hard time seeing it as anyone’s “property”.


13 posted on 01/29/2015 5:31:59 PM PST by Yardstick
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Hugin; Jack Hydrazine; Norm Lenhart; Salamander; TheOldLady; spyone; To Hell With Poverty; ...

This is the Modern Music Ping List. Our topic is music from the 20th and 21st century, from Ravel and Shostakovich through to the Synth Pioneers and beyond.

Topic suggestions are always welcome, and pings to music-related threads are appreciated.

FReepmail or reply to this post to be added to or removed from this list.

14 posted on 01/29/2015 5:32:26 PM PST by Squawk 8888 (Will steal your comments & post them on Twitter)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hugin

George Harrison ended up buying He’s So Fine, and Vanilla Ice ended up buying Under Pressure.


15 posted on 01/29/2015 5:32:28 PM PST by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: latina4dubya

Best song of the 1980s, in my humble opinion!


16 posted on 01/29/2015 5:33:28 PM PST by Alberta's Child ("It doesn't work for me. I gotta have more cowbell!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Moonman62
Vanilla Ice ended up buying Under Pressure

I'm surprised Bowie would sell it. But then, he is The Man Who Sold the World.

17 posted on 01/29/2015 5:35:08 PM PST by Hugin ("Do yourself a favor--first thing, get a firearm!",)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: latina4dubya

LOL. I love stories like that.


18 posted on 01/29/2015 5:35:55 PM PST by Alberta's Child ("It doesn't work for me. I gotta have more cowbell!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Hugin

And yet you have country songs that virtually sound alike

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY8SwIvxj8o


19 posted on 01/29/2015 5:36:39 PM PST by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hugin
That’s pretty cool. Campbell is a great guitarist that doesn’t get much recognition.

Yep. Campbell is truly a "guitarists' guitarist". He's not out trying to steal the limelight with blazing fast solos. He's tasteful and melodic and plays only to compliment the tune.

Live, Campbell and Petty are both a real treat for gear heads. They'll bring a truckload full of vintage guitars on the road and swap them out nearly every song.

20 posted on 01/29/2015 5:38:45 PM PST by Drew68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-52 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson