Satch sues Coldplay

[SEEGERMANY]

"Ray Parker Jr and I are sueing Satch for ripping off Workin For A Livin"

[GinSonic]

Those don't sound similar at all. :think:

No, Spivy. They don't. That they sounded similar wasn't the point of the posting links to those instrumental tunes. That they reached chart topping success was.

I guess it doesn't matter whether or not a song, be it instrumental or vocal, reaches chart topping status. However, it seems to me that if it does, the artist stands a better chance at winning any lawsuits against them.

Hmmm.......I thought my original post to be concise and lucid enough to put the point across.

I don't think Satch will win. It's not a strong enough case.
BTW, any updates on this?
G.

[Spivonious]

Mason Williams - Classical Gas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNtWK04xxog

Paul Mauriat - Love Is Blue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPq2HSzgWR4&feature=related

Those don't sound similar at all. :think:

[GinSonic]

I'm no lawyer and don't know much about copyright infringement laws, but to me, songs with melody, cadence and vocals that are very similar, save for lyric content, could have enough substance for a copyright lawsuit.

Now that being said; I think the instrumental parts within a song are more open. Chord progressions, solos, etc, are not the exclusive property of the musician that plays the part. If that were the case, then all of them old blues players who did the old E-A-E-B-A-E chord structures would've died rich men. {Well, perhaps not!}

Similarly, a synth, sax or guitar solo that sound eerily similar wouldn't be regarded as any threat for copyright infringement.

Now, a strong instrumental that reaches chart topping success; for example.....

Mason Williams - Classical Gas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNtWK04xxog

Paul Mauriat - Love Is Blue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPq2HSzgWR4&feature=related

......would probably have a good chance at winning any infringement lawsuit. There's many other strong instrumentals that fall into this category. The other source of strong instrumentals that hold water are movie soundtracks anthems or themes; Hang 'Em High, The Rockford Files, The Gladiator and The Godfather to name a few.

I'm afraid M.O.R. in western culture, be it whatever genre, metal, country, dance, pop, is exactly that.; Middle Of the Road! There isn't anything new and groundbreaking on the charts and most often there rarely is. Same ol' drivel, different artists, that's all.

Songs based around the same chord progressions get pretty stale. There's bound to be some similarities.

Oh and by the way. I'm sure Coldplay, or a member or two of Coldplay, has heard and probably even appreciates the Satch. Just because their style of music is MOR pop/rock, doesn't mean they shut there ears down on the rest of the music industry.

If I'm not mistaken, I read a post in another thread of a couple of members in The Cardigans who are big Sabbath fans!

Hmmm.....I'm sorry if I went off topic. Kinda' jumped around, didn't I.
Cheers!
G.

[Bert]

I'm with you Matt. I wonder if it is Satriani or his label pursuing this. Seems rather pathetic.

Now the dude accusing Gary Moore seems to have more of a case, if indeed that clip of his was recorded prior to Gary's Still Got the Blues. That just seems way too similar to be coincidence...

[mattsmusiccenter]

Yes, the progression is the same and the first three notes of the melody are the same. But, there are thousands of other songs that fall into the same category. Doesn't Satriani already have enough money? Should be interesting to see where this ends up.

[texasfury]

In related news, the new Satriani model guitars will have a chip that senses when any of his songs are played on it, and alerts his lawyers to file an unauthorized performance lawsuit.

[MartinBarre]

Actually some fat balding white dude wrote that song, you could still make a case!

I hadn't noticed Satch had put on weight.

[åron]

Actually some fat balding white dude wrote that song, you could still make a case!

[jgcable]

It's obvious Christina heard that in 1985, when she was 5 years old, and totally ripped you off! :ROTF:

exactly. thats my point. :ROTF:

[Axewielder]

It's a simple progression with a simple melody, easily a cooincidence. It does seem like the tempo and key match up amazingly well, though. However, it's also easy to do mashups of two songs and make them sound good together. Hell I don't know.

[Ben...]

More proof Coldplay sucks!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

You show them, Joe!

[bibz]

As if coldplay write their own songs. The facts I see are that the entire song structure is the same aswell as the chord structure and alot of melody. Seriously if anyones going to be able to argue a songs theoretic base is copied satch would who I'd think of. Yeah and vai but who the fuck could copy vai?

[toejam]

Did I ever tell you guys that I wrote a song back in the mid 80's at Power Play Studio's in the Bronx that is almost note for note Jeanie in a Bottle by Christina Aguealara? I should have sued. I still have a cassette copy of it from around 1985.

It's obvious Christina heard that in 1985, when she was 5 years old, and totally ripped you off! :ROTF:

[jgcable]

Its a very common chord progression and melody. It has appeared many many times in different variations. I am sure that Coldplay didn't rip of Satch and Satch didn't rip off the many other versions of it. I like Satch's version the best. Did I ever tell you guys that I wrote a song back in the mid 80's at Power Play Studio's in the Bronx that is almost note for note Jeanie in a Bottle by Christina Aguealara? I should have sued. I still have a cassette copy of it from around 1985.