1970s rock band claims Avril Lavigne stole tune for her hit song 'Girlfriend'

[one...two...tree 2,762]

AP

SAN FRANCISCO - Avril Lavigne faces a lawsuit by the members of a 1970s rock band who claim her hit song "Girlfriend" rips off one of their tunes.

Songwriters Tommy Dunbar and James Gangwer alleged in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court that Lavigne and her co-writers lifted their 1979 song "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend," which was originally performed by new wave band The Rubinoos.

"We are not so naive as to chalk it up to some sort of cosmic coincidence," Dunbar said in a statement Thursday. "The lyric, the meter, the rhythm - they're identical."

The first court date has been set for Aug. 28 in Oakland.

A spokeswoman for Lavigne declined comment.

The lawsuit is not the first mention of the similarities between the songs. Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine, in a review published on Billboard magazine's Web site, noted that the chorus of "Girlfriend" was a "total lift from the Rubinoos' I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.' "

The Rubinoos toured and recorded from 1975 to 1983 and had a hit with a cover version of Tommy James and the Shondells' "I Think We're Alone Now." They also wrote the theme song for the movie "Revenge of the Nerds."

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/celeb/article...avigne0706.html

[JoeMama 0]

If John Fogerty can get sued for singing like "himself" after the Creedence Clearwater Revival days, why not Avril?

[doodlebug 3]

You know my daughters play that song all the time and I swore I heard it before!!!

[JoeMama 0]

I did a mix of Avril's "Girlfriend" and Toni Basil's "Mickey". The beats are the same. With Avril's being slightly faster paced. But they both matched up when I made the adjustment

Edited July 7, 2007 by JoeMama

[eric&gen 0]

Who in the heck is that band lol.

[Jenn! 918]

I did a mix of Avril's "Girlfriend" and Toni Basil's "Mickey". The beats are the same. With Avril's being slightly faster paced. But they both matched up when I made the adjustment

That's what I was gonna say. Although I guess that would just be a cheerleader beat?

[bostonparis 0]

Chantal Kraviazuk also said that Avril took credit for writing a song that Chantal wrote. Clearly she's not the little songwriter she claims to be... LOL

[Nagishkaw 510]

George Harrison was accused of copying " He's So Fine " ( The Chiffons ) when he wrote " My Sweet Lord " .

[Caladan 19]

If I were a 1970s band and my songs sounded like Avril Lavigne, I'd have the decency to be embarrassed by that.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

George Harrison was accused of copying " He's So Fine " ( The Chiffons ) when he wrote " My Sweet Lord " .

Interesting. I don't think it's a case of plagerism if an artist uses the same melodic sequence of notes that another song has, provided that it's only a part of the total arrangement. We were taught in art classes that if there is more than a certain percentage change in an image, it can be used without copyright infringement.

Artists obviously are inspired and influenced by the artists before them. If I were a musician trying to record a new album, I'd lock myself up in a room and only listen to white noise for a couple of days to cleanse the pallet.

[JoeMama 0]

George Harrison was accused of copying " He's So Fine " ( The Chiffons ) when he wrote " My Sweet Lord " .

Interesting. I don't think it's a case of plagerism if an artist uses the same melodic sequence of notes that another song has, provided that it's only a part of the total arrangement. We were taught in art classes that if there is more than a certain percentage change in an image, it can be used without copyright infringement.

Artists obviously are inspired and influenced by the artists before them. If I were a musician trying to record a new album, I'd lock myself up in a room and only listen to white noise for a couple of days to cleanse the pallet.

Now you know why a lot of musicians go for "mind-altering" methods for music creation. There's no denying the great, original musical art that was created this way by The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club and The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds. There's many more. But you catch my drift.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=adzkV58Gpqs

Sound comparison of the two versions.

[no name 1]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=adzkV58Gpqs

Sound comparison of the two versions.

DAMN CLOSE.

It's been reported (a lot more lately) that Avril writes nothing & is a voice that's all, despite her claims otherwise. I hope her lame (non-punk) a$$ gets sued.

[Elphie 0]

If I were a 1970s band and my songs sounded like Avril Lavigne, I'd have the decency to be embarrassed by that.

So true!

[no name 1]

If I were a 1970s band and my songs sounded like Avril Lavigne, I'd have the decency to be embarrassed by that.

So true!

embarrassed = embarra$$ed