[naturalman1975]

It's a pity the money isn't to go to the Girl Guides (the female equivalent in Australia of the Boy Scouts - although the Scouts are now just the Scouts as they take girls as well, unfortunately). There was a real legal case that they should hold the Copyright rather than Larrikin Music, but they couldn't afford to pursue it.

[mkmensinger]

Neb At Work: Out to Lunch

[mkmensinger]

Men At Work: Out to Lunch

[WOBBLY BOB]

I guess the court didn’t speaka their language.

[Rennes Templar]

Ron Strykert, rhythm guitarist, is a good friend of mine. He said they did not copy the flute riff from “Kookoobura”, but admits it is similar, but only coincidental.

[rarestia]

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Merry merry king of the bush is he!
Laugh! Kookburra, laugh! Kookaburra!
How gay his life must be!

[Leroy S. Mort]

Oz: Where women glow and lawyers plunder .. 70 years later.

[Dick Holmes]

Since the verdict, Colin Hay has continued to insist that any plagiarism was wholly unintentional. He says that when the song was originally written in 1978, it did not have the musical passage in question, and that it was not until two years later, during a jam rehearsal session, that flautist Greg Ham improvised the riff, perhaps subconsciously recalling "Kookaburra". Hay has also added that Ham and the other members of the band were under the influence of marijuana during that particular rehearsal.[wikipedia]

I am shocked, shocked that marijuana was used before a jam session!

What's really shocking is that it's not public domain by now.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Too bad they aren’t black and their music isn’t rap or hip hop.

Cause if it was they’d be free to rip-off any riff from any artist in recorded history. And if they said ‘boo’ about it they’d be RAAAACISTS!!!!

[Billthedrill]

If copping phrases from popular tunes is now actionable there are a whole lot of jazz musicians in trouble. BTT.

[WL-law]

Damages are 5% of royalties, backdated to 2002.

File sharing was in full swing in 2002. So 5% of nothing is ????

The plaintiff’s lawyers fees were probably collected as well — they were likely the real winners.

[SkyPilot]

My favorite band of all time, Led Zeppelin, were BIG TIME music thieves.

______________________________________________________________________

"Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" - A folk song by Anne Bredon, this was originally credited as "traditional, arranged by Jimmy Page," then "words and music by Jimmy Page," and then, following legal action, "Bredon/Page/Plant." "Black Mountain Side" - uncredited version of a traditional folk tune previously recorded by Bert Jansch. "Bring It On Home" - the first section is an uncredited cover of the Willie Dixon tune (as performed by the imposter Sonny Boy Williamson). "Communication Breakdown" - apparently derived from Eddie Cochran's "Nervous Breakdown." "Custard Pie" - uncredited cover of Bukka White's "Shake 'Em On Down," with lyrics from Sleepy John Estes's "Drop Down Daddy." "Dazed And Confused" - uncredited cover of the Jake Holmes song (see The Above Ground Sound Of Jake Holmes). "Hats Off To (Roy) Harper" - uncredited version of Bukka White's "Shake 'Em On Down." "How Many More Times" - Part one is an uncredited cover of the Howlin' Wolf song (available on numerous compilations). Part two is an uncredited cover of Albert King's "The Hunter." "In My Time Of Dying" - uncredited cover of the traditional song (as heard on Bob Dylan's debut). "The Lemon Song" - uncredited cover of Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor" - Wolf's publisher sued Zeppelin in the early 70s and settled out of court. "Moby Dick" - written and first recorded by Sleepy John Estes under the title "The Girl I Love," and later covered by Bobby Parker. "Nobody's Fault But Mine" - uncredited cover of the Blind Willie Johnson blues. "Since I've Been Lovin' You" - lyrics are the same as Moby Grape's "Never," though the music isn't similar. "Stairway To Heaven" - the main guitar line is apparently from "Taurus" by Spirit. "White Summer" - uncredited cover of Davey Graham's "She Moved Through The Fair." "Whole Lotta Love" - lyrics are from the Willie Dixon blues "You Need Love."

_______________________________________________________________

But, at least they were kick behind musicians.

Today, we have ghetto rip off goofballs like "The Black Eyed Peas" who make a bajillion dollars a year and rip over everything. On top of that, their music still sucks.

[trumandogz]

It’s a Mistake

[dfwgator]

I thought the lawsuit was Overkill.

[Drumbo]

Sinclair died in 1988, but publishing company Larrikin Music - which now holds the copyright for Kookaburra - filed a copyright lawsuit in 2009.

So it took'em over 20 years to file suit?

The article states that Larrikin wasn't able to seek royalties earned before 2002 because of a statute of limitations, but evidently there's no statute of limitations if you wait around until Colin James Hay's career takes off again and then sue him over a snatch of song he probably didn't even compose since Stu Hamm played the flute part. It's an eight second solo section that was under scrutiny, the longer, second flute solo bears no resemblance to "Kookaburra". That they can snatch 8 seconds from a 3:28 song twenty years after the fact is an outrage.

Did Joe Walsh sue Deep Purple when they ripped off "Meadows" and called it "My Woman From Tokyo?"

Did Alex Van Halen sue Tone Loc when he ripped off "Jammie's Cryin'" for "Wild Thing"?

Did The Chiffons sue George Harrison when he ripped off "He's So Fine" for "My Sweet Lord"?
... oh wait, well never mind.

[glorgau]

Copyright over 30 years is ridiculous. At that point, the artist should make something different and not retire for lack of incentive. At the very least the “heirs” should profit little to none.

[ari-freedom]

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Merry, merry king of the bush is he
Laugh, Kookaburra! Laugh, Kookaburra!
Gay your life must be

[Revolting cat!]

Everything’s upside down down under!

[GreylineRider]

Looks like a case of “Lawyers at Work”.