Led Zeppelin Found Not Guilty in Stairway to Heaven Case

[jeff of pa]

Led Zeppelin were found not guilty in their plagiarism trial regarding the classic “Stairway to Heaven.” The jury came back unanimous in its decision favoring the band in the case. The decision comes after more than a week of deliberations between the group’s lawyers and those representing Spirit member Randy California, whose 1968 instrumental composition “Taurus” includes a similar chord progression as Zeppelin’s 1971 song. (The lawsuit used California’s birth name of Randy Wolfe.) Read More: Led Zeppelin Found Not Guilty in 'Stairway to Heaven' Case | Led Zeppelin Found Not Guilty in 'Stairway to Heaven' Case

 

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[Oregon Viking]

Led Zeppelin were found not guilty in their plagiarism trial regarding the classic “Stairway to Heaven.” The jury came back unanimous in its decision favoring the band in the case. The decision comes after more than a week of deliberations between the group’s lawyers and those representing Spirit member Randy California, whose 1968 instrumental composition “Taurus” includes a similar chord progression as Zeppelin’s 1971 song. (The lawsuit used California’s birth name of Randy Wolfe.) Read More: Led Zeppelin Found Not Guilty in 'Stairway to Heaven' Case | Led Zeppelin Found Not Guilty in 'Stairway to Heaven' Case

Good!!
People do not realize how some chord progressions, if altered in speed, order of notes played, can sound like many different songs.
The same, but different......

 

[ARC]

Good!!
People do not realize how some chord progressions, if altered in speed, order of notes played, can sound like many different songs.
The same, but different......

Ah yes !

Different ... but the same

:P

 

[BigWaveDave]

I'm still bent at Vanilla Ice for using Freddy Mercury and Bowie's "Under Pressure"

 

[jeff of pa]

I never really Thought there was enough Similarity on Stairway .. to even argue the point.
They do have a few blues songs that were Obviously Copied.
I never followed closely enough to know if there were actual Copyright laws broken

 

[Oregon Viking]

I'm still bent at Vanilla Ice for using Freddy Mercury and Bowie's "Under Pressure"

I think "ice ice baby" was sued for that one....

 

[jeff of pa]

i like zepplins lemon song better of course its just the words not the tone.
plus i really don't know if they credited him or not, or even had to

 

[Oregon Viking]

When the Levee Breaks (1971)
is a cover of When the Levee Breaks by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie (1929)

Led Zeppelin's Babe I'm Gonna Leave You
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You (1969)
is a cover of Babe I'm Gonna Leave You by Joan Baez (1962)

Led Zeppelin's You Shook Me
You Shook Me (1969)
is a cover of You Shook Me by Muddy Waters (1962)

Led Zeppelin's In My Time of Dying
In My Time of Dying (1975)
is a cover of In My Time of Dyin' by Bob Dylan (1962)

Led Zeppelin's Gallows Pole
Gallows Pole (1970)
is a cover of The Gallis Pole by Leadbelly (1939)

Led Zeppelin's Nobody's Fault but Mine
Nobody's Fault but Mine (1976)
is a cover of It's Nobody's Fault but Mine by Blind Willie Johnson (1928)

Led Zeppelin's Blueberry Hill
Bleberry Hill (1970)
is a cover of Blueberry Hill by Fats Domino (1956)

Led Zeppelin's I Can't Quit You Baby
I Can't Quit You Baby (1969)
is a cover of I Can't Quit You Baby by Otis Rush (1956)

Led Zeppelin's Travelling Riverside Blues
Travelling Riverside Blues (1997)
is a cover of Traveling Riverside Blues by Robert Johnson (1961)

Led Zeppelin's Slow Down
Slow Down (1972)
is a cover of Slow Down by Larry Williams (1958)

Led Zeppelin's We're Gonna Groove
We're Gonna Groove (1982)
is a cover of Groovin' by Ben E. King (1964)

Led Zeppelin's Something Else
Something Else (1997)
is a cover of Somethin' Else by Eddie Cochran (1959)

 

[ARC]

Led Zeppelin's Something Else
Something Else (1997)
is a cover of Somethin' Else by Eddie Cochran (1959)

HEY ! I did not know he was a songwriter as well as a lawyer...

Oh that was "Johnnie" :P

 

[Oregon Viking]

Led Zeppelin's Something Else
Something Else (1997)
is a cover of Somethin' Else by Eddie Cochran (1959)

HEY ! I did not know he was a songwriter as well as a lawyer...

Oh that was "Johnnie" :P

I think you are thinking of the Munster's son........

 

[ECS]

The most known copyright infringement of a musical composition is of course, "MY SWEET LORD" by George Harrison.
The melody line and chord progression are direct copies of "HE'S SO FINE".
Why surprises me is that no one during the recording process pointed this out to George, who I believe was not aware of the rip, probably worked with a chord progression that led to the final work.
Many, many rock and blues songs have the same chord progression, the difference being in the melody line and lyrics.

 

[rodoconnor]

Most rock/blues songs really only use 5 or 6 notes and typically 3 or 4 chords. The odds of songs sounding similar become pretty high after a while. Nothing wrong with 5 notes, SVR ,Clapton and many many others have gotten a lot of mileage from them

 

[jeff of pa]

imagine if rappers started suing each other

there would only be one left. probably Blondie for Rapture

 

[rodoconnor]

imagine if rappers started suing each other

there would only be one left. probably Blondie for Rapture

Maybe Dr. Suess could get a piece of that action.LOL

 

[austin]

I'm still bent at Vanilla Ice for using Freddy Mercury and Bowie's "Under Pressure"

Karma paid him back for it. He became a joke. Now you can relax...