Joe Satriani Sues Coldplay for Plagiarism.

[Cain]

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2008/12/06/216213.aspx

According to the BBC:

Grammy nominees Coldplay have been sued by rock guitarist Joe Satriani, who claims the band's song Viva La Vida uses one of his riffs. In court papers filed in Los Angeles on Thursday, he said the song used "substantial original portions" of his 2004 instrumental If I Could Fly.

The vocal line of the chorus of Coldplay's Vida La Vida does appear to follow one of the riffs from Satriani's If I Could Fly — watch the video above to hear the case rather convincingly presented. (Let's forgive the poor punctuation.)

But before we fly off to wild conclusions (especially those of us seeking new reasons to dislike Coldplay) it should be said that it's surprisingly easy to unconsciously steal melody ideas. It's called cryptomnesia and it's happened before.

k.d. lang successfully got a retroactive song credit from the The Rolling Stones for probably accidentally recycling the hook from lang's 1992 hit Constant Craving in their 1997 single Anybody Seen My Baby. George Harrison was found to have unintentionally ripped off The Chiffons' He's So Fine with his 1970 track My Sweet Lord, marking the only known instance of a girl group pop number forming the basis of a hymn to the Hindu deity Krishna. Finally, Paul McCartney sat on Yesterday, one of the biggest pop songs ever, for a month while he tried to figure out whether he'd unconsciously stolen it. (He hadn't.)

And if you're wondering who Joe Satriani is, he's a technical genius well known to professional guitarists even if not a star to everyone else — the sort of figure Fellini is to film directors. Coldplay axeman Jonny Buckland is likely to have at least a passive familiarity with his work.

Anyone else find it amusing that Satriani ends up being the one to sue Coldplay for being unoriginal? Although, to be fair, the progression in question is the most-used in popular music after I-IV-V and ii-V-I.

[McP3000]

He just wants money because he's washed up.

[Prince of Darkness]

I've never really listened to Satriani, but both songs sound pretty gay

[idiot]

http://www.1077thebone.com/contests/satchLyrics/images/satrianiStudio2.jpg

[BornDeadBuriedAlive]

Any and all profits. From a hit single. The guy wants money. He may have a real case, but I'm just not sure.

[hismajestythepope]

the vocal melody follows a riff? is this guy ****ing kidding? ahahaha

[DeathMagnetik]

joe satriani is a bald pimp

[Interviewer/surveyer]

I can see where Satriani is coming from, but I don't think he is going to get anything out of it.

[Skyler]

there are some definite similarities, but no, just no.

[0m3ga0n3]

Those chord changes are too common... He should be suing countless other bands as well. Satriani's stuff is awesome and i'm not one for coldplay much, but he'll never win.

[DeathMagnetik]

he shouldn't be sueing i thought he was a homie i even met him and had him sign my guitar at skipz musix

[big80smullet]

if you listen its actually exactly the same for quite a few measures. It goes beyond just the same chords and key.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ofFw9DKu_I&feature=related

[TheSyncopath]

It's very convincing, especially when both tracks are played together. But I don't think it's a genuine case of plagiarism. More likely just a coincidence, because it's a very common progression, and the melody isn't exactly startlingly unique or unexpected. It could be cryptomnesia too :P

[Knifeboy]

Even if the melody was exactly the same, I'd still think Satriani would be a dick for suing
thinking he owns the notes, **** him

[mbs2]

it's interesting that the album has been out for a while now, but once it gets the grammy nod out come the lawsuits

[Pebster49]

Im sure people knew Coldplay's album was out before the grammy

[Ceminon]

It's very convincing, especially when both tracks are played together. But I don't think it's a genuine case of plagiarism. More likely just a coincidence, because it's a very common progression, and the melody isn't exactly startlingly unique or unexpected. It could be cryptomnesia too :P

I agree.

[big80smullet]

it sounds like some euro chicks song as well

[Mother]

LoL

[McP3000]

Im sure people knew Coldplay's album was out before the grammy
well duh, but he was saying that the lawsuit during the grammy's bring more attention to the case

[toolguitarkid]

this isnt the first time someone tried to sue coldplay for jacking music.
if im correct it was just a few months ago.

[TojesDolan]

no case, no problem

[flyhalf]

About musical plagariasm...can you be done in for negligence as well (Copying by accident)? That's the way it works with any other forms of intellectual property...either intentional plagarism or plagarism by negligence.

There was one time i thought i had written a killer melody line, then a few days later i hear the same tune being played on Mythbusters (no cryptomnesia here either, it was a new episode, no-one had seen it before).

I'm sure it was accidental by Coldplay anyway...and it doesn't really sound like Satch to do something like this. I reckon there was some prodding from the music label's legal team. That said, i would be pretty peeved if i wrote a song and several years later i hear a band is using the same melody line and getting nominated for 7 grammies for it.

[DeathMagnetik]

nigga joe satriani needs to get off his high horse i can play his soloz taking a ****

[SchizoPhobic]

Good for Satch.

Truthfully, I don't see what all the hype is about Coldplay. Whether the similarities are intentional or not, Coldplay is nothing but an overrated U2 wannabe- band

[malaise]

He just wants money because he's washed up.

...

[ghettoeddo]

lolololololololololol
coldplay

lolololololololololol
satriani

[Whitechapel447]

like said earlier

you can't own notes

[Dimmu Burger]

They do sound similar but like I read above it's not a complicated or original melody anyways, so I don't see him getting much out of this.

[ghettoeddo]

coldplay has more clout than satch does anyway yea?

[Knifeboy]

coldplay should go to court with the millions of other songs that sound like this and then punch Satriani in the face

Then an angry satch fan should punch Chris Martin in the face

everyone wins

[christsimpson]

you can't own notes

this.

[0m3ga0n3]

lolololololololololol
coldplay

lolololololololololol
satriani

lulz

[Blanka Flip]

Hmm... I say, they meet up, settle their differences, and then go on tour together as one act, and play these simultaneously as the final song of the night. :) . . ... .. .

... . .. . . ....

Then Satch kill them with a chainsaw.

[violet empathy1]

they sound a lot alike!

[Whitechapel447]

they sound a lot alike!


lol @ username

[violet empathy1]

....:d

[Whitechapel447]

are you a female

i sure hope you are cuz we need more of those

[I_am_the_one]

Subconscious plagiarism...

[violet empathy1]

yes I am a gurl~!!!!my name is valentina!nice to meet u all!

[Whitechapel447]

nice 2 met you 2!!!!1111one

[Apocalyptic Raids]

About musical plagariasm...can you be done in for negligence as well (Copying by accident)? That's the way it works with any other forms of intellectual property...either intentional plagarism or plagarism by negligence.
I think so. Cat Stevens receives some royalties from The Flaming Lips for similarities between Steven's Father and Son and The Flaming Lips' Fight Test, even though The Flaming Lips were unaware of the similarity. I think they settled out of court though.

[tomtom]

i'm a bass player myself, and sub-conscious plagiarism happens all the time, especially if you've just been listening to music.

the similarities are there, but like it's been said, it's a common chord progression, and the melodies easy.

satriani will be lucky if anything comes of it.

[McP3000]

I think so. Cat Stevens receives some royalties from The Flaming Lips for similarities between Steven's Father and Son and The Flaming Lips' Fight Test, even though The Flaming Lips were unaware of the similarity. I think they settled out of court though.
that's really ****ing stupid.

i love fight test :[

edit: listened to the song. I can definitely hear the vocal melody similarities. Shame