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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Wanting to Smack Tom Petty for being a Playground Bully.

48 replies

KKCupCake · 25/02/2015 22:00

First the Eli Young Band, Then Sam Smith. Is the man not rich enough, does he have to sue every up and coming artist who has loved his music and gets a hit by being influenced by him? Serve him right if no one ever creatively references his music again for fear of being sued. Grrr Sorry. Rant over. AIBU? Probably, but I really like TP and feel really let down by his very unhippy money grabby tendencies

OP posts:

TidyDancer · 26/02/2015 07:13

Gosh I love Tom Petty and I'd never even noticed this similarity. I can hear it now I've looked for it, but it's nowhere near as blatant as Dani California/Mary Jane's Last Dance (they shared the same producer iirc so that could be something to do with it).

Tom Petty has been extremely gracious about this.

colleysmill · 26/02/2015 07:25

This thread is making me want to watch the Tom Petty and the story of the heartbreakers film again.

GoEasyPudding · 26/02/2015 07:36

Love Tom Petty, and read about this out of court settlement recently.

I had looked up Sam Smiths music after reading an article about him and was surprised as I had not heard him yet. (my radio station doesn't play him)

Very interesting. He will be taking 12.5% which doesn't seem so bad.

Hey OP please don't smack Tom Petty! Its not required!

meglet · 26/02/2015 07:37

Bianca .

Bathsheba · 26/02/2015 07:40

Tom Petty is brilliant...original, very talented and he has proved his longevity.

He also has been very gracious.

Lets see if we are all still driving around listening to The Best of Sam Smith in 30 years time...

FayKorgasm · 26/02/2015 07:49

Tom Petty is brilliant and so gracious about the whole thing. Certain egos in the music industry could learn a thing or two.

FayKorgasm · 26/02/2015 07:56

And has no one mentioned Don't Come Around Here? Love that song.

flipchart · 26/02/2015 08:49

I think the Op has unwittingly started a TP appreciation thread!
I so love him!

Didactylos · 26/02/2015 09:00

Damn you Bianca

I just came on to say that he knows whats right
and hes got just one life....

Nocturne123 · 26/02/2015 09:05

Did the same thing not happen with Mary Janes last dance and one of the chilli peppers songs?

Love Tom Petty

funnyossity · 26/02/2015 09:06

I thought I knew that Sam Smith song!

Pedallleur · 26/02/2015 09:15

Actually there were 2 plaintiffs, Jeff Lynne of ELO fame being the other. This is actually about royalties. Someone gets paid for the song and if someone else borrows that song or part of then monies or credit may be due. TP may not be too bothered but there has to be line drawn even if the singer just acknowledges the original eg Paul Weller using 'Taxman' as a basis for 'Start'

SoupDragon · 26/02/2015 09:16

The link posted by Mrs Tawdry is pretty conclusive!

HoraceCope · 26/02/2015 09:37

jeff lynne is a hero

GoodbyeToAllOfThat · 26/02/2015 09:44

I love Tom Petty, it's the soundtrack of my youth!

MythicalKings · 26/02/2015 09:49

Tom Petty. Genius. Rip off artists? not as good as the real thing.

Robbie Williams had to pay rights to Loudon Wainwright for something similar. You steal - you pay the price.

George Harridson copped it sweet when he realised My Sweet Lord was a total copy of He's so Fine.

StrangeLookingParasite · 26/02/2015 09:55

Some have claimed that the Red Hot Chili Peppers single "Dani California", released in May 2006, is very similar to Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance". Petty told Rolling Stone, "I seriously doubt that there is any negative intent there. And a lot of rock 'n' roll songs sound alike. Ask Chuck Berry. The Strokes took 'American Girl' for their song 'Last Nite', and I saw an interview with them where they actually admitted it. That made me laugh out loud. I was like, 'OK, good for you' ... If someone took my song note for note and stole it maliciously, then maybe [I'd sue]. But I don't believe in lawsuits much. I think there are enough frivolous lawsuits in this country without people fighting over pop songs." In January 2015, it was revealed that Petty and Jeff Lynne would receive royalties from Sam Smith's song "Stay with Me" after its writers acknowledged similarities between it and "I Won't Back Down". Petty clarified that he did not believe Smith plagiarized him, saying "All my years of songwriting have shown me these things can happen. Most times you catch it before it gets out the studio door but in this case it got by. Sam's people were very understanding of our predicament and we easily came to an agreement".

Doesn't sound like a bully to me...

shaska · 26/02/2015 10:39

As others have said this won't have been anything to do with Tom Petty personally. The rights to his song will be owned by someone - a major publishing house most likely, and those people are highly litigious. For good reason, in that that's their livelihood, earning money on the use of musical compositions, but the fact that there wasn't a lawsuit actually indicates that T.Petty must've asked them to treat it lightly and kindly, and come to a decent arrangement. Which they did. I've seen other people mention this Tom Petty 'bullying' and it's so out of order, it's not correct, he's been nothing but gracious about it but in actual fact the decision to or not to do something about it would never have been in his hands, even if he wanted it to be.

Making money from someone else's work is pretty universally regarded as not on, so I don't get why people think he should've just let it go. Anyway, it seems that everyone is happy. It does happen all the time, as well, just doesn't usually get this sort of attention.

Sheitgeist · 26/02/2015 10:53

FayKorgasm Just went to spotify for a listen of Don't Come Around Here No More, if that helps!

Great song, hadn't heard it in years. Love TP

FayKorgasm · 26/02/2015 10:55

On the back of this thread I have been grooving around the office listening to The Best Of. The young man I work with is looking at me like I am bonkers.

countessmarkyabitch · 26/02/2015 11:07

YABU. He didn't sue, or even intend to sue. He was lovely about the whole thing, saying:

*"Let me say I have never had any hard feelings toward Sam. All my years of songwriting have shown me these things can happen. Most times you catch it before it gets out the studio door but in this case it got by," Petty said in a statement.

"Sam's people were very understanding of our predicament and we easily came to an agreement. The word lawsuit was never even said and was never my intention. And no more was to be said about it.

"How it got out to the press is beyond Sam or myself. Sam did the right thing and I have thought no more about this. A musical accident no more no less," he continued.

"I wish Sam all the best for his ongoing career," Petty said. "Peace and love to all."*

spidey66 · 26/02/2015 12:46

I'd never heard the Sam Smith song till today-I don't think it's on my station's playlist. Heard it in the hairdressers today, and straightaway thought I was hearing Won't Back Down but with different lyrics. It's a clear rip off but agree TP ain't bullying no one.

colleysmill · 27/02/2015 08:18

Whilst I know a lot famous people do present their "best" side to the media to create a persona I'd always thought tom petty was as genuine as you get. Many of the famous people who've worked with him don't seem to have a bad word to say.

Love this has turned into a tp appreciation thread :)

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