Red Hot Chili Peppers Accused In Plagiarism

1

According to a recent Drowned In Sound report, a US radio presenter has accused the Red Hot Chili Peppers of plagiarism, claiming that the band's "Dani California" single is near identical to Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance".

Dan Gaffney, of Delaware-based WGMD, told his listeners of the similarities. Subsequently, the show's producer Jared Morris told reporters:

"The chord progression, the melody, the tempo, the key, the lyrical theme... they're identical."

To prove the point, Morris has posted an MP3 on his personal blog. Check it out at this location. Neither Petty nor the RHCP haven't commented yet. source

You can hear a mash-up of the 2 tracks here

What do you guys think about this? Is it blatant plagiarism or pure coincidence?

Reply 1

naivesincerity

2

I know those two tracks, and they're nothing like each other

Reply 2

RJA

2

the start is very similar and the background tune is quite similar, but it's not blatant

http://www.radioblogclub.com/search/0/mary_janes_last_dance

still...americans will sue for anything :rolleyes:

Reply 3

Azimuth

2

It definitely does sound alot like Dani California.

It's so similar, I don't really think it can be coincidence. =/

Edit: After listening to Mary Jane's Last Dance on it's own, I'm not sure. They're not as similar as the mix makes them out to be. They are still similar though...

Reply 4

Refused

They sped up the song to make it sound blatant than it. The verse do sound alike, especially the chord progression but a lot of bands use the same, what i don't get is the themes in the lyrics because they're similar too. Maybe RHCP did this intentionally.

Reply 5

musicdreamer

OP

1

Loads of songs use the same chord progression so if it was solely based on that I definitely wouldn't call it plagiarism.

However, they do sound similiar enough that I wouldn't call it a coincidence since the strumming pattern and singing are so similiar but I wouldn't say they're completely similiar. If it does turn out to be a coincidence, it would be a huge one.

Reply 6

naivesincerity

2

Everyone agrees its only the verse right?? The chorus of Dani California is nothing like the Petty tune

Reply 7

=nuke=

11

In places the songs sound similar but I'm sure you could find similaries in every song ever.

I'm more worried about RHCP stealing their own music and pretending they have a whole new album when it's just more of the same. :p:

Reply 8

musicdreamer

OP

1

n u c l e a r b d h

In places the songs sound similar but I'm sure you could find similaries in every song ever.

I'm more worried about RHCP stealing their own music and pretending they have a whole new album when it's just more of the same. :p:

Well of course but I doubt to the same extent..

Are you implying that Stadium Arcadium sounds like all their old stuff?? Cause if you are, I disagree..It has the same vibe as the other ones but its still significantly different imo.

Reply 9

=nuke=

11

Yeah, I am. Not the stuff from 10 years ago, of course. Just the past few albums. They've all sounded far too similar to me and even their biggest, most loyal fans are finally realising that RHCP are just re-doing their other songs with a couple of note changes and different lyrics.

Reply 10

Mustard-man

18

R.J.A

the start is very similar and the background tune is quite similar, but it's not blatant

http://www.radioblogclub.com/search/0/mary_janes_last_dance

still...americans will sue for anything :rolleyes:

it has it's similarities, as well as similar struture, and the track length is roughly the same.

hmmmmm.......

Reply 11

spikdboy

I think that it's a simple chord progression and replicates are bound to pop up. I bet if you did some research, you could find a song before Tom Petty that has the same thing.

Not plagiarism

Reply 12

musicdreamer

OP

1

n u c l e a r b d h

Yeah, I am. Not the stuff from 10 years ago, of course. Just the past few albums. They've all sounded far too similar to me and even their biggest, most loyal fans are finally realising that RHCP are just re-doing their other songs with a couple of note changes and different lyrics.

Sure..whatever you say..I still think its different enough..more mellow, more guitar-orientated, not as random...

Reply 13

=nuke=

11

Their last few albums have been musically random? I think I've been listening to a different band. :p:

Reply 14

musicdreamer

OP

1

n u c l e a r b d h

Their last few albums have been musically random? I think I've been listening to a different band. :p:

Well it depends on your definition of random and granted they haven't been as random as before but they were more random than Stadium Arcadium..and just had an overall different quality that I can't put into words.

Reply 15

The Pauly Paul

Personally, I don't care about the accusations Red Hot Chili Peppers plagiarising Tom Petty, because they've committed a much worse crime - Becoming a boring, ****ty band.

Reply 16

Mustard-man

18

The Pauly Paul

Personally, I don't care about the accusations Red Hot Chili Peppers plagiarising Tom Petty, because they've committed a much worse crime - Becoming a boring, ****ty band.

shutup.

Reply 17

username54863

11

Mustard-man

shutup.

Seconded

Anyways I don't think it is plagerism, there are LOADS of instances like that in music. Brain Stew is almost the same as Hitchin' a Ride for example, ok different chords there but you get the point. I did notice in Stadium that there is one track which sounds really like the mission impossible theme at the start...I'll check it out tomorrow, I'm enjoying Goldfinger at the moment :smile:

Also there is a bit in one of the songs which sounds like a part in Purple Stain ('we are the red hots and da da so love me not' anyone?) So yeah, point is it happens.

Reply 18

Demon_AS

13

Mustard-man

shutup.

Thirded.

RHCP are, and always will be, a great band. I agree that the two tracks sound similar in certain respects... but I doubt that it was plagiarism. RHCP strike me as being too proud of their "unique" sound to want to plagiarise anyway.

No, it's coincidence for me.

Reply 19

Tyler Durden

17

I really like both songs and I definitely don't think it can be called plagiarism...

Red Hot Chili Peppers Accused In Plagiarism

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