The Songs Coldplay Didn't Write?
from the simple-coincidences dept
The What Is Fair Use? blog points us to a fascinating story, suggesting that one of the popular songs from the new Coldplay album has a nearly identical melody to a song by another band. This was brought to the world's attention by that other band, who put together this great YouTube video cheekily comparing the two:
Still, the good news is that this doesn't appear to be descending into legal threats or anything of that nature. Instead, the video concludes with a rather cheeky: "I wish Coldplay the best of luck. If they ever want to collaborate, I've got some microphones we could use in my bedroom." Coldplay, for its part, "totally refutes" the claims of the band, noting that the song was written well before the Creaky Boards performance in New York where the band thinks Coldplay's front man, Chris Martin, attended (the band also notes Martin was in London that night). It also notes the differences in the songs, and suggests that it's a "simple coincidence" that the songs sound similar.
Indeed, the guy from Creaky Boards later not only retracted his accusation, but suggested that perhaps both bands were actually "inspired" by the "Fairy Theme" in the Legends of Zelda. In a world of strict copyright, of course, that might make both songs "illegal," though I doubt anyone would think that would be the optimal outcome.
Of course, Martin also once admitted: "We're definitely good, but I don't think you can say we're that original. I regard us as being incredibly good plagiarists." The thing is, part of the point we keep trying to make around here is that, for the most part, that's true of just about everyone. It's the overly aggressive use of copyright law that prevents that sort of "goodness" from showing up. Oh, and it's also worth mentioning, that this little story has definitely increased the profile of The Creaky Boards -- proving one of the points we recently made about plagiarism. Even if the plagiarist is "bigger" than you, the original creator can use that to their advantage as well.
Reader Comments (rss)
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Wow.....
That is pretty close. Now if you Could put Mr. Martin in the crowd instead of London you might have something. This is another great example of simultaneous innovation.
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fascinating
I couldn't hear any resemblance at all between the two songs.
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vaguely similar, that's all...
It has a similar rhythm to it, but unless you're tone deaf, those aren't the same notes. The chorus isn't really even close.
The fact is if any two song writers have listened to the same songs over time, it's entirely possible that they are going to come up with something similar. It makes you wonder how often a band comes up with a new song and then somebody walks in and says, "Hey, that sounds just like U2!". Then they change some notes here and there and the rhythm a little and a new song is made.
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....
Only a little bit of the melody is the same, the lyrics and instruments used are different so what the hell.
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More plagarism....
Coldplay's "Talk" main melody sounds almost identical to Kraftwerk's "Comptuer Love", written decades before Coldplay was even a band.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0rYO1GDyis
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Copyright Induces Plagiarism
It is copyright that provides the greatest inducement for musicians to avoid crediting or acknowledging their sources or influences - for fear of litigation.
Without copyright, people can freely build upon each other's work, use the same or similar melodies, and credit each other with respect and honour.
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Re: fascinating
they say hearing's the first thing to go...
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Lots of Songs Sound the Same
Anyone that understands even a little western music theory will know that the combinations of melodies that are most likely to appear in modern pop and rock music are very limited. If you break down the melodies into chord progressions for mainstream music, there are a handful of progressions that appear again and again.
For example, the progression used by the famous Ave Maria aria are used tirelessly in pop music. I highly doubt Coldplay lifted anything from the Creaky Boards. If they did, that would be *quite* an honor.
Copyright has absolutely no place with melodies in this respect. Even great composers like Mozart and Beethoven "plagiarized" melodies. They mostly did this out of respect and admiration of the original composer.
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Coldplay
After listening to coldplay's new album, I think they've got a good case of song stealing against themselves.
They seem to have duplicated one song enough times to fill an album.
Either that or the dude who copied the tracks to the master messed up and copied the same one over and over again.
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You wanna hear some serious copy cats check out a lot of Led Zeppelin songs and how strikingly similar they are to a lot of bands they liked before they made it.
One of many examples:
http://www.turnmeondeadman.net/Zep/StairwayToHeaven.php
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Re: More plagarism....
There would be a reason for that... It's used with permission.
http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/martin%20sent%20kraftwerk%20b egging%20letter
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Re: Coldplay
Nice.
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Sounds like this kid is sad he isn't Coldplay. Its called exposure.
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Re:
Actually he's doing it the right way. He's not making threats or being pompous about it but he is getting his bands name out there and if he can get exposure because of Coldplay, I say exploit it.
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You are finally learning what real musicians have known for years - that 99% of all rock has been identical since the 60s. There is only so much you can do with 3 chords and a backbeat on 2 and 4.
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Re: More plagarism....
Wow, the Kraftwerk music and TALK have parts that are completely identical! I mean note for note!
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We all stand on shoulders
This is as silly as George Harrison stealing "My Sweet Lord" from the Chiffons' "He's So Fine", or Smashing Pumpkins stealing "Disarm" from Lou Reed's "Sword of Damocles", or the Red Hot Chili Peppers stealing "Dani California" from Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance", or the Verve stealing "Bittersweet Symphony" from the Rolling Stones, or the Rolling Stones stealing "Anybody Seen My Baby" from k.d.lang's "Constant Craving", or...
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Misleading title
Dirty folks at techdirt just whored out for my 10 cents of ad money by posting a completely bogus and misleading title. Buy yourself a milkshake out of the money earned by pimping this article techdirt.
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Re: Re: More plagarism....
Did you even read the other comment? It sounds identical because it IS IDENTICAL. Kraftwerk gave them permission to use it in TALK.
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Yea? So what are you goint to do about it?
I read these comments and it seems, while emotions ride high, that all you idiots can't do anything about it. It doesn't matter how you feel. You can't stop the machine. It will plow right over you. Copied it, didn't copy it. Doesn't matter because there is NOTHING you can do about it. Buy the music, don't buy the music. Bitch, don't bitch. You're still as impotent as you were five minutes ago. Your opinion, right or wrong, is meaningless. But, by all means, scream into the void.
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Re: Yea? So what are you goint to do about it?
Emotions riding high? Doesn't matter how you feel? What are you talking about, are you sure you read the comments? Your words seem totally out of place here...
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Re: Re: Re: More plagarism....
There's a huge difference between asking and BEGGING for permission. Kraftwerk were pioneers of electronic music, and Coldplay's blatant rip-off is an insult to them.
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I could barely hear any similarity.
You want to see real similarity? Check out the song Death on Two Legs by Queen then listen to the song Funny Little Frog by Belle & Sebastian. I'm no expert, but Funny Little Frog sounds identical to the intro from Death on Two Legs.
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Under Pressure leads to Ice Ice Baby, which leads to a bad dance routine in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which leads to my kid wanting me to make him a turtle costume for Halloween because he thinks its cool to dance like a turtle.
This has absolutely nothing to do with the article, I just like remembering my 4 year old son dancing as a turtle. Aren't kids great?!
Oh yeah, I've said this before, anyone that thinks they are original is full of crap. Billions of people have come before us and there is bound to be at least one of them that had the same idea as you.
You're not a snowflake, get over it.
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NOT Exclusively on ITunes...
I downloaded my copy of that Coldplay song fron Amazon. So it's not exclusively from ITunes. Are they lying to get sales now? WTF?
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Re: Re: fascinating
yeah, but I forget what the second thing to go is....
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Re: Lots of Songs Sound the Same
Lots of songs do sound the same...like every last one of Whitney Houston's hits in the early 80's. A local radio station made a parody called "Don't All My Songs Sound the Same" to the tune of "Greatest Love of All"/that other song that sounded EXACTLY like GLoA. They pointed out what I had heard for about a week: lack of originality on Houston's part.
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No offense to anyone involved, and yes there is quite a similarity, but what is so surprising about two people coming up with approximately the same melody when the melody in question is as simple and perhaps even as assinine as an obnoxious nusery rhyme?
What puzzles me is what would attract any of them to this meolody to begin with.
Oh well, they know what they like, I guess.
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Re: Re: More plagarism....
The tune might have been used with permission but it was total crap that they didn't use Kraftwerk's lyrics!
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The Coldplay song sounds more like...
a song from Joe Satriani. Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ofFw9DKu_I
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Re: Re: Yea? So what are you goint to do about it?
Actually if someone seems to be riding high on emotions it's DieLaughing. Relax DL, take a deep breath, it's certainly not worth getting that worked up over.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: More plagarism....
Being a pioneer doesn't mean your even slightly good. I'm not much of a fan of Coldplay but permission is permission, who gives a flying fuck on the details? They got it and gave credit, end of story.
I have found great music (not either of these groups) by seeing credits before on liner notes and certainly Coldplay's name is out there much more than Kraftwerk, it can only be a benefit like it is for this group.
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So this is why I actually enjoy Viva la Vida: it's not really a Coldplay song?
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