Some of the biggest songs from rock history’s past have been lifted in some capacity. Whether it’s a guitar riff, a few lyrics, or an entire song, quite a few tracks from back in the day were allegedly stolen. Let’s look at just a few of those allegedly stolen classic rock songs through the years!
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1. “Shakermaker” by Oasis
Noel Gallagher has always been pretty honest about instances where he lifted songs. In one instance, the Oasis song “Shakermaker” bears a striking similarity to a New Seekers song that was once used in a Coke ad, and the theft was quite intentional.
Despite a few savvy changes to Oasis’ version, Coca-Cola still went after them for a hefty sum. Gallagher later said that Oasis “ripped it off” and that Coca-Cola had the right to seek compensation.
2. “How Deep Is Your Love” by Bee Gees
Stolen classic rock songs come and go, but this one from the iconic Bee Gees is pretty shocking… Though it was never proven. This famous 1977 ballad “How Deep Is Your Love” by Bee Gees was a no. 1 hit across the board in the late 1970s. However, one Ronald Selle decided to file a lawsuit against the band in 1983 for allegedly stealing his idea for the song via a 1975 demo.
Selle couldn’t prove that the band stole the track or that there were any notable similarities between the demo and Bee Gee’s track. A judge later threw out the case. So, this one’s probably not true… though Selle continued to maintain that it was.
3. “Swan Song” by Lindsey Buckingham
During his solo career, Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham penned quite a few excellent songs. However, the tune “Swan Song” allegedly features stolen elements. Jordan Zadoronzy and Brad Laner (of Blinker The Star and Medicine, respectively) got in touch with Buckingham because “Swan Song” sounded quite similar to the pair’s collaborative effort “Mind’s Eye” from 20 years earlier. One can’t deny that the choruses on both songs sound quite similar.
However, there was no intentional theft on Buckingham’s part. Buckingham had produced some of the pair’s music in the past, located an old demo, and mistakenly thought he had written it. The act of accidental plagiarism was eventually turned into “Swan Song”. There is thankfully no ill will between the three parties.
4. “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” by Rod Stewart
Like Lindsey Buckingham, Rod Stewart did not intentionally steal “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” Rather, he accidentally plagiarized Jorge Ben Jor after hearing his hit Brazilian track “Taj Mahal”. Stewart did right by Jor and settled the whole thing out of court and the money he made from the song has since been given to charitable causes.
Photo by Giuseppe Aresu/Shutterstock
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