TQOTD: Rock Music Lawsuits.....

[pat]

[You know, I really should call these the "Trivia Question Every Other Day" because it seems that's how often I've been posting them. Sorry.]

In 1985, Fantasy Records sued John Fogerty for his hit song "Old Man Down the Road" claiming it infringed upon a song they held the rights to, "Run Through the Jungle." What was so odd about this lawsuit?



John Fogerty wrote -- and sang -- both songs. (He wrote and sang vocals on "Run Through the Jungle" while with Creedence Clearwater Revival.) In essence they were accusing John Fogerty of imitating.... John Fogerty. Fogerty won the lawsuit after going on the witness stand with his guitar to demonstrate the differences between the two songs.

The fact that one of his former bandmates, bassist Doug Clifford, was the person who brought the issue to the attention of Saul Zaentz, head of Fantasy Records, had something to do with Fogerty later refusing to play with his former bandmates upon their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
<a href="http://www.johnfogerty.com/biography.php?bio=04b> Source: John Fogerty's Official Website.</a>

Comments

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

It was his own song.

*checks the answer*

Yep. Woo! I've gotten TWO now!

[frankenboob.livejournal.com]

Hi Pat! (hug) I feel like I haven't seen you/talked with you in a while. I miss you...

[calebbullen.livejournal.com]

He couldn't do his own songs in concert for a long time because he would've had to have paid for the rights. If memory serves that finally got cleared up a while ago. But CCR (post John Fogerty) pioneered one of the most hideous trends in music. A band performing without it's key creative person. You can now see on the festival circuit almost any classic rock band without actually having to see the people who made the songs famous. And if that aint progress... Oh wait its not.