That's a cool tune .... HEY WAIT A MINUTE!!!!

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OK, one for you musicians/songwriters.

Ever get that feeling that someone nicked one of your ideas? (even though it's not feasibly true legal notice...)

This happened most recently when "A little less conversation" was remixed and became a hit. About two months later, I recognised the beat and bassline off of one of my old demo tracks called "Hot Water". Now, I can account for all the tapes of this particular track, so I know it's not possible. Also, the original version of the Elvis song comes from 1969 or so.

Other such tracks have been numerous, from "A town called malice" up to "Whatever" (Liam Lynch), but again I know it's a 'like minds' scenario, not a 'like your demo tape' one.

When did this happen to you? (keep it legal, it's your responsibility...)

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 10:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I wrote toxic, me n Ka7hy d3nn15 had a steamy night of passion, and in the morning she was gone, along with the song.

― lukey (Lukey G), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 11:00 (twenty-one years ago)

We Westerners use 12 notes and predominantly 4/4, so it's bound to happen. Unless you really think they stole your stuff, take it as a good sign that you came up with a good idea.

― Rick Massimo (Rick Massimo), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 13:05 (twenty-one years ago)

both gerling and grinspoon (aussie bands) have songs with near-identical chords to (unreleased but already in existence) songs of mine.. bastards.

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 13:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I bought a record this last Spring from some artists I like, and was listening to it the first time while cleaning my apartment. Something struck me oddly about one of the pieces on it, but I wasn't sure what it was. About two hours later, I played that piece again while listening more closely, and realized that it contained a recording of me from 8 or 9 years ago, playing an instrument I had built. I had thought it must just have been a synthesizer sound that moved in a way that was strikingly familiar, but what made it certain for me was a buzzing sound that happened when I wasn't holding the instrument very well and a couple of the parts touched. It took me about an hour to realize that it really was a recording of mine. It was only then that I remembered sending a cassette of sounds I had made to one of the people on the record years ago, with the idea that they might be used in a then-upcoming project. The recording of that instrument must have been on that tape - I didn't know what to do with it at the time. I didn't know about this later project, but it's likely he didn't know what had happened to me, either, as I'd lost touch with him for so long. I want to correspond with him again.

― Pangolino (ricki spaghetti), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I once wrote a song around a fairly generic, innocuous two-bar bassline and buried it in the mix. The same bassline with one slight syncopation became THE MILLION DOLLAR HOOK to "Seven Nation Army."

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Tuesday, 19 October 2004 17:53 (twenty-one years ago)

A band I was in was in that first flush when the songwriters (basically everyone bar the drummer) are going through their currentish songs for the first time for suitable stuff.

Our guitarist/keyboardist had a song called "Young Lovers Forever" with a great tune but some naff lyrics about young lovers dashing off together down to the seaside on trains. After a while, we voted on writing new words, and the winning set of lyrics were penned by the drummer, ironically enough, a strong set about how "Sunday" is not a special day anymore (not for religious reasons, but anyway). Result, a strong new song for the band and a really pissed off keyboardist..

So 20 years later, Wolfman/Peter Doherty? "For Lovers".... It's not a ton different!

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 06:20 (twenty-one years ago)

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