A local radio station played the two songs involved in this lawsuit. What a stretch, I can’t believe Men at Work lost. I’d think they’d try to appeal, maybe.
It sounds like there were maybe 10 notes lifted but that was it...that isn’t quite grounds for plagiarism. It was during the flute break, not really the song’s melody.
I guess there’s a book out called Sounds like Teen Spirit, about intentional lifting (or unintentional?), etc. from one song to the other. May have to pick up one day but I probably already of some cases:
Harrison’s My Sweet Lord/He’s So Fine
Led Zep’s Whole Lotta Love/ Muddy Waters (Willie Dixon)’s
You Need Love
John Fogerty plagiarizing himself: The Old Man Down the Road/ Run Through The Jungle
I also remember an ad for Jamaica tourism; now I don’t know if they got the song rights from Lennon’s estate, but the melody sounded an awful lot like a John and Yoko Christmas tune:
Come back to Jamaica, what’s old is what’s new
We want you to join us, it’s waiting for you
SOUNDED LIKE
So this is Christmas, and what have you done
Another year older, a new one just begun
(Hadn’t heard of it going to court or anything but
I noticed the similarities)