General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsLed Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' Targeted for Plagiarism
As Led Zeppelin promote the extravagant reissues of their first three albums for an early June release, a lawyer representing deceased Spirit guitarist Randy California is claiming the hard-rock legends stole the intro for their 1971 single "Stairway to Heaven" from Spirit's 1968 song "Taurus." Attorney Francis Alexander Molofiy wants to prevent the release of the Led Zeppelin IV reissue when the time comes, Bloomberg Businessweek reports. "The idea behind this is to make sure that Randy California is given a writing credit on 'Stairway to Heaven,'" Malofiy said. "It's been a long time coming."
Led Zeppelin and Spirit, who had a hit with "I Got a Line on You," played four gigs together in 1968 and 1969 (shows at which Businessweek claims Spirit played "Taurus" . Led Zeppelin also reportedly played a medley of songs that included Spirit's "Fresh-Garbage" a song that appeared on the same LP side as "Taurus" on their first U.S. tour.
In an interview with Listener magazine published the year of his death, California said he felt "Stairway to Heaven" was a "rip-off." "The guys made millions of bucks on it and never said 'Thank you,' never said, 'Can we pay you some money for it?'" he said. "It's kind of a sore point with me. Maybe someday their conscience will make them do something about it."
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/led-zeppelins-stairway-to-heaven-targeted-for-plagiarism-20140519
Cooley Hurd
(26,877 posts)leftyohiolib
(5,917 posts)seveneyes
(4,631 posts)Roger Waters has a better case against Andrew Lloyd Webber for lifting some riffs out of "Echos".
Cooley Hurd
(26,877 posts)cbdo2007
(9,213 posts)and since he's already dead, it's kind of ridiculous. For all we know, during one of those tours, Robert Plant started singing through it during rehearsal and Randy California gave him flippant permission to use it. Pointless because now we only have one side of the story...and an interview with a dead guy saying he was upset.
KurtNYC
(14,549 posts)I am going to appoint myself as the lawyer for Bach and sue Spirit for lifting my client's famous circular progressions.
Then we are going after these guys:
NoGOPZone
(2,971 posts)Against Little Roger and the Goosebumps for the Stairway mashup. The song was withdrawn from circulation for over twenty years.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)Leme
(1,092 posts)Randy should probably get some writing credit. ethically at least.
exboyfil
(17,865 posts)was lifted from Taurus. You have to really listen to tell the difference between the two songs. Page "borrowed" a lot of other songs as well.
He should have cleared this up 30 years ago.
Orrex
(63,220 posts)It manages to rhyme "sure," gold," and "wall."
All else is academic.
The_Commonist
(2,518 posts)...the defendants will lose, big time, because too much time has passed.
They may even be forced to pay Zeppelin's lawyer's fees.
ProfessorGAC
(65,138 posts)Zeppelin would be the defendant in any such suit.
GAC
The_Commonist
(2,518 posts)Brain fart!
NoGOPZone
(2,971 posts)years the plaintiffs could claim they are entitled to royalties, but not invalidate the suit. The real hurdle the plaintiffs face is proving this qualifies as plagiarism
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)"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."
http://www.warr.org/zep.html
underpants
(182,868 posts)If memory serves
napkinz
(17,199 posts)underpants
(182,868 posts)DUzy
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)Also, "Randy California" sounds like a great name for a pr0n film, or pr0n star.
Rex
(65,616 posts)One is working down the scales and the other is going up. Just because their tempo is close, does not equal plagiarism.
ProfessorGAC
(65,138 posts)In fact, there are only 12 notes, and they only fit in so many ways to make a marketable product, even in the experimental early 70's.
And as someone else said, the fame of the song is based upon its opus like structure which goes through multiple changes and rises to a huge crescendo.
The intro is 5% of the song.
Johonny
(20,878 posts)A lot of their content is derived from other people's material. Both in lyrics and in rifts. Pretty much common knowledge. Page had a good ear for things that would work within the band and Plant was young and apparently didn't understand copyright. This is such old news. For fun you can find several you tube videos demonstrating all the material the band used in their many albums. It isn't just one song it is song after song after song. Pretty clearly that's how the band derived their material. Does it make them less of a band, or just bad at giving line credits in an era when people didn't care as much about such things in the music industry as they do today...
napkinz
(17,199 posts)Joe Bosso
July 01, 2010
Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page is being sued by folk singer Jake Holmes, who claims that the guitarist stole his 1967 song Dazed And Confused and reworked it on Zep's debut album two years later.
All of which begs the musical question: why in the world did Holmes wait so long?
The track Dazed And Confused did indeed appear on Holmes' album The Above Ground Sound Of Jake Holmes, which was released in 1967. That same year, The Yardbirds, which Page was then a member, opened for Holmes at a show in New York.
The Yardbirds were known for performing a song called I'm Confused, which Page later adapted for Led Zeppelin's 1969 debut album. (You can listen to and compare both Holmes' and Zep's Dazed And Confused below.)
This is not the first time Page or Zeppelin have been embroiled in a plagiarism lawsuit: Blues pioneer Willie Dixon successfully won a lawsuit over the song Whole Lotta Love, which the artist claimed borrowed from his song You Need Love, a track he wrote for Muddy Waters. (In later pressings of Led Zepplin II, the songwriting credits read 'Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Willie Dixon.'
Whether or not this matter goes to court, due to the statue of limitations, Holmes can only sue Page for damages for the past three years. A whole lotta cash is at stake, sure, but not 40 years' worth.
So what do you think? Does Holmes have a case? Here's his 1967 version:
http://www.musicradar.com/us/news/guitars/jimmy-page-sued-for-plagiarism-over-led-zeppelins-dazed-and-confused-258795#null
Leme
(1,092 posts)imo
Codeine
(25,586 posts)Truly one of the most overrated bands ever.
X_Digger
(18,585 posts).. and likewise I assume don't know the legal history re LZ & plagiarism.
ProfessorGAC
(65,138 posts)Just sayin'
Zorra
(27,670 posts)back in 1968 or 1969.
CBGLuthier
(12,723 posts)that hacks like Jimmy Page steal too.
See, you only think he is a great composer based upon all the stuff he stole. Flawed logic.
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)Jeff In Milwaukee
(13,992 posts)Start writing checks, bitches...