Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven May Be Partly Stolen, Judge Says

The Guardian ^ | 4/11

[nickcarraway]

‘Substantial’ similarities are enough to warrant a trial over whether Robert Plant and Jimmy Page lifted opening chords from Taurus by the band Spirit

Led Zeppelin’s lead singer Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page must face a US jury trial over whether they stole opening chords for their 1971 classic Stairway to Heaven.

In a decision on Friday, US district judge Gary Klausner in Los Angeles said the song and the 1967 instrumental Taurus by the band Spirit were similar enough to let a jury decide whether Plant and Page were liable for copyright infringement.

A trial is scheduled for 10 May.

The lawsuit was brought by Michael Skidmore, a trustee for the late Randy Wolfe, also known as Randy California, who was Spirit’s guitarist and the composer of Taurus.

[vetvetdoug]

Randy Wolfe (California) was given his sobriquet by Jimi Hendrix when the two played together. California showed Eddie Van Halen how to tap on the guitar while giving lessons to Eddie. I read that Page actually played “Taurus” with California so it would be easy for one to repeat the chord progression subconsciously when writing another song.

[Lurker]

Spirit’s “12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus” was brilliant. I saw Spirit back in the mid 80s in a very small venue outside of Chicago. They were very, very good.

L

[stinkerpot65]

American courts are corrupt.

[jurroppi1]

From what I recall of copyright law regarding music, lyrics can be copyrighted, but a melody or chord cannot because there are far too many possibilities of similar melodies and chords. (this is what a friend that has copyrighted a few songs has told me.)

This is silly, there are a finite number of chords and notes, so there are always going to be similarities here and there, there is no way around it.

[Yo-Yo]

[RichInOC]

I’m surprised Anheuser-Busch never sued them over “Fool in the Rain”.

...when you say Budweiser...when you say Budweiser...when you say Budweiser...

[4yearlurker]

It's like George Harrison said in court: "its the same chords but not the same song."

[SamAdams76]

No kidding. Stairway to Heaven was played about a billion times during the 1970s and nobody said boo about it resembling another song. So nearly a half a century later, somebody decides to file a claim? This is really weak. BTW, I never even heard of that song by Spirit.

[SamAdams76]

"In Through The Out Door" was a very underrated LZ album. "Fool In The Rain", "All Of My Love" and "In The Evening" rank up with the very best of LZ.

Robert Plant's solo song "Big Log" is an indication of the direction LZ was taking at that point. We missed out on some good music when that drummer had too much to drink one night.

[raccoonradio]

Led Zep Whole Lotta Love based on
Muddy Waters You Need Love.
Songwriter Willie Dixon sued
and won.

[Obadiah]

This happens all the time.

The Rolling Stones wrote a song called, “The Last Time” in 1965, which was based upon the song, “This May Be the Last Time”, which was written in 1958 by the Staple Singers. Then, The Verve wrote a song in 1997 called, “Bittersweet Symphony” which a court ruled was basically a rip-off of the Stone’s song, “The Last Time”.

So yeah, these things happen.

[jsanders2001]

< Isn’t every piece of music ever made in some way derived from music that came before it?

Of course it is until lawyers get involved.

[Dr. Sivana]

The worst rip-off was the Beach Boys “Surfin’ USA” from Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen” (and other, Berry copied himself all the time). Even the theme of listing different parts of the country was included.

[Night Hides Not]

Or, how about the lyrics of “See Ya Later, Alligator” and any number of songs with verses discussing “seeing their baby walkin’ down the street”? One could tie the courts up for years...lol.

[mumblypeg]

Dolly Parton’s version

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vp8-tJTUWto

[wardaddy]

Then why aren’t you Dr Sardonicus instead of Dr Ursus?

Just teasing

We knew the two hits as kids ......Line and Natures Way

But we sorta discovered them in totality later after they had disbanded for five years

In college we played Spirit a lot at parties mid 70s since we were a Disco Sucks bunch

No question a little of Taurus is tweaked and used as STH intro but that’s about it

And like folks said none of the Spirit band sued over it so why now

Make Jimmy and Plant or whoever owns songwriting credits pay over a bit

Pretty effed up 45 years later....

Not to demean Spirit

Definitely an underrated band

This should be a great teaser thread for that GenX freeper who once told me Led Zepplin were crap and Journey so much better

God loves Free Republic...a gathering home for worlds greatest rock Gods

[Pelham]

Spirit got a lot of airplay out here in SoCal, but then they were an LA based band.

‘Love’ was another LA band of the same era that doesn’t get a lot of recognition.

I guess The Doors and Buffalo Springfield sucked up all the oxygen.

[wardaddy]

Amen to that I confess I’m not much of a Love fan

Sly Stone meets Jefferson Airplane but less melodic

[vetvetdoug]

Didn't the Beach Boys credit Chuck Berry for Surfin' USA?

[vetvetdoug]

Pink wrote the theme song for Charlie's Angels using the riff from Spirit's Fresh Garbage. I think she gave songwriting credits to members of Spirit. Spirit was a very talented band and the members have been involved with screen writing credits, college courses in music, and participation with other groups (Mark Andes, Ed Cassidy, John Locke, Jay Ferguson and Randy California). Locke, Cassidy, and California have passed on.