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A few years ago I bought a CD by a band called Bananas Foster. I loved it immediately. After a couple of listens I started to realise that I liked it because all of the songs sounded familiar – they, were, in effect, a retromania tribute band. Since then one can hardly buy a record that does not sound familiar. If you haven’t bought a pop-rock LP or single since 1995 – don’t bother – there hasn’t been anything new since (and probably not since Genesis and Yes went pop in 1979).
Although there is virtually nothing that I can find to like about Sam Smith – I rather liked “Stay with Me” – indeed it received the Grammy for song of the year 2014. Unfortunately, it was also song of the year 1989 – otherwise known as “I won’t back down” by Tom Petty. Sam has conceded that he plagiarised the song – but not intentionally – <> – to that I say “Bollocks.” We live in a world where everywhere we go there is music on in the background – it is likely that Sam heard the song, a seed was planted in his head and out emerged “Stay with Me.” At the end of the day – there are only a few combinations of chord changes out there, in pop music at least, and only 8 notes in each octave – probably every tune that was ever going to be composed – already has.
It is good for a young artist like Sam Smith to receive the Grammy (although Hozier’s “Take me to church” is better and, probably, vaguely, original) – but should an award go to a clearly (and admittedly) plagiarised song? Who knows – at least Tom Petty and Jeff Lynn will get a taste of the action.
A few years ago U2 released “Get off your boots” – which sounded exactly like “Pump it Up” by Elvis Costello. Did Elvis sue? Possibly- but there is no way he was publicising it – “Boots” is certainly the all time worst song ever released by U2 or any other Irish artist.