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Men at work lawsuit


Eric Jx

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I agree with Jim here. The quotation is absolutely momentary and doesn't form any substantive part of the song itself - the flute phrase that is the song's signature is the initial figure, which isn't derived from the other song.

Studio: Yamaha P515 | Yamaha Tyros 5 | Yamaha HX1 | Moog Sub 37

Road: Yamaha YC88 | Nord Electro 5D

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http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/5130744/251652-main_Full.jpg

 

And even more importantly, I've heard that Vegemite Sandwiches...

 

are not very good. :(

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo
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It took Google and reading a Wiki article to understand that photo and its relevance to the thread. I guess I missed Men at Work growing up.

No guitarists were harmed during the making of this message.

 

In general, harmonic complexity is inversely proportional to the ratio between chording and non-chording instruments.

 

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It took Google and reading a Wiki article to understand that photo and its relevance to the thread. I guess I missed Men at Work growing up.
I think they happened well after you grew up, Dave. ;)

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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That's silly. The news broadcast says that it comes down to if it uses a substantial amount of the song or not... And the copyright holder says it uses 50%. However it's only a 2 second clip.

 

How many songs quote a riff from another tune? I can think of several, and if I knew more jazz, I am sure I could think of more...

 

 

 

 

I'm just saying', everyone that confuses correlation with causation eventually ends up dead.
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And a lot of times you're quoting from something you've heard without realizing which exact song it is - since so many tunes use similar melodic lines and chord progressions.

Also, people often take someone else's ideas and change it around a little - certain Bach phrases have been utilized in jazz improvisation for years!

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You can thank the Procol Harum spat for this, that's why it was 28 years in the making - once the judge ruled in favor of Matthew Fisher, it opened the proverbial can of worms for any successful song which bears any passing resemblance to an obscure one to be fair game in copyright court. :rolleyes:
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The Procol Harum suit was different because it involved a member of the band suing for his contributions to the song. This one - who knows it's Australian law - but if it were here in the States I can't see a favorable ruling as the outcome.

 

About the Vegemite connection - you guys are on a tear this morning! :D

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So, is every I-IV-V-IV progression a rip off of "Louie Louie"? I listened to the vid. Sorry, the flute version and the melody the kids are singing sound substantially different to me. And why did they wait 28 years?

 

 

There are 10 kinds of people in the world...those who can read binary, and those who can't.
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http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/5130744/251652-main_Full.jpg

 

And even more importantly, I've heard that Vegemite Sandwiches...

 

are not very good. :(

They say the same about peanut butter.

 

It's an "acquired taste". I prefer Marmite, which is essentially the same stuff, but not veggie. Not that I've had it in decades.

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I think the plaintiffs have a difficult case to make, even with more restrictive laws of Australia, and even ignoring the issues over whether they actually have rights to the original.

 

The article states that they say that it's a 4-bar song, and the MAW tune uses over half of it. That's stretching the case.

 

First, the 4-bar song has the same motif repeated twice, played a third lower in the second bar. The second half of the song, the "laugh, kookabura laugh", isn't used at all. The MEW tune quoted the motif, but shifted higher on the scale, so it doesn't literally match either of the two bars it's said to copy.

 

So, at most, they copied ONE bar (the fact that that bar is repeated twice shouldn't carry much weight), and they didn't copy ALL of that. It copies the motion and the rhythm, but not the intervals.

 

In the US, this would definitely be legal under "Fair Use". I doubt it'll hold water in Australia, either. This is just a gross money grab on the part of the plaintiffs, with no serious merit. I hope the Australian courts recognize it as such.

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Vegemite's near-relative, Marmite, has been marketed here for several years now with an ad campaign themed on the "love it or hate it" theme. Personally, I like Marmite but don't care for Vegemite, which doesn't taste as strong or "beefy" to me.

Studio: Yamaha P515 | Yamaha Tyros 5 | Yamaha HX1 | Moog Sub 37

Road: Yamaha YC88 | Nord Electro 5D

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We could have a gross-out feast of Vegemite, Scrapple, and for dessert, haggis.

 

Regarding Men at Work, it would be a real bummer to have this end up in favor of the kooky Kookaburra people. Like many have said, referencing another song doesn't make for good copyright infringement precedence.

 

And I liked Men at Work a lot back then, by the way, though "Who Could It be Now" was my preferred tune of theirs. :)

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I saw them on their first (last?) tour of America, they headlined over INXS at Poplar Creek Music Theatre in Hoffman Estates, IL (closed). A great outdoor venue. We had 3rd row seats, and the MEN kicked butt. My gf wanted to go, but I thoroughly enjoyed them; great players, fun songs. INXS killed as well. That was their 1st tour of the US, and I did see their last tour of the US with Hutchence, and they hadn't lost it or their enthusiasm.
Hitting "Play" does NOT constitute live performance. -Me.
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We could have a gross-out feast of Vegemite, Scrapple, and for dessert, haggis.

 

R

 

Haggis is inedible! I had some in Scotland once. Nasty stuff. If anyone recalls the movie Highlander, Ramirez (Sean Connery) asks McCloud (Christopher Lambert) what haggis is, and when McCloud tells him he says "That's revolting!"

 

My wife thinks Haggis is a great name for a dog.

There are 10 kinds of people in the world...those who can read binary, and those who can't.
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