Pribek

Who doesn’t love a good rock and roll lawsuit? I know I do. Let’s see who’s on the docket for today. From Billboard.

Lawyers for the Black Crowes have served copyright infringement notices to Gretchen Wilson, TNT, Sony BMG and publishing company J Money Music over the band’s 1991 hit “Jealous Again.”

The Crowes claim Wilson exploited the track for her own song, “Work Hard, Play Harder,” which TNT in turn then used in ads for its show “Saving Grace.”…

…”We find the musical verses of Wilson’s song to be such an obvious example of copyright infringement that I expect all parties to reach a relatively quick resolution to avoid litigation,” Crowes manager Pete Angelus says in a statement.

heh heh…I love lawyers. You know it’s going to be good when you hear a lawyer discussing nuances of song structure like “musical verses”. As opposed to…??? And, playing the “we” card; “we think that the musical verses of Wilson’s song to be such an obvious example of copyright infringement”. Like old Pete Angelus is having a barbecue with the Robinson brothers. You know, kicking back, cooking some pork steaks, having some beers, maybe playing some horseshoes and they have TNT on real loud in the house and the promo for the new hit show “Saving Grace” comes on. “Wait a minute there, Robinson brothers”, says Pete Angelus; “What do you think of that?”

“Gretchen Wilson, she’s hot, in a Ramada Inn lounge, cocktail waitress sort of way,” say Chris.

“No, not that, Chris,” says that other Robinson brother. “That sounds like our 1991 hit “Jealous Again”.

“I think so too.”

“Me too.”

Well let’s put it to the test, shall we?

As always….hit pause…on the music player to your left before playing the YouTube.

First, The Black Crowes, “Jealous Again”.

Now the TNT promo featuring Gretchen Wilson’s “Work Hard, Play Harder”.

Woah! Did that make your hair hurt? Did mine.

Yeah, I guess it’s pretty similar. During the musical verses at least. But, I got to say I’ve heard a lot worse lifts than that one. I don’t know. You can never tell how these things are going to pan out if they make it to a jury. Angelus did say, “I expect all parties to reach a relatively quick resolution to avoid litigation”. Sounds like the last thing he wants to do is get in front of a jury. Like maybe, he’s worried that if this thing goes on, the ghost of Steve Marriott will show up and sue Chris Robinson for ripping off his whole act or something.