Men at Work

[sodascouts]

I remember their hit "Down Under" which I loved. I also remember singing the children's song "Kookaburra" when I was in the Brownies. Apparently there is now a lawsuit that "Down Under" is a rip off "Kookaburra" and therefore violates copyright! More here:

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/...ory?id=8208498

I don't even think they sound hugely similar.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEYNmlYVJ40[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1Uq6AB_4hM[/ame]

[TimothyBFan]

HUH? Are you kidding me? That's insane!! I don't hear it either! Geesh!!

[Freypower]

Ah..... let our token Aussie weigh in here. I think this decision is outrageous. If you listen to the flute solo in Down Under, which is the part for which copyright infringement was claimed, there is a similarity to the main melody of Kookaburra ('kookaburra sits in the old gum tree') but nobody noticed it until it was a question on a TV game show. Larrikin Music only bought the rights to the song in 1990. Their 'royalties' will go to them, not to the actual songwriter's estate. To me, this would be like Michael Jackson's estate claiming copyright infringement for someone 'borrowing' a Beatles song (he bought the rights). To me the only people who should be able to claim are the songwriters and/or their representatives - not a music publisher who had nothing to do with it when it was first released.

One Larrikin lawyer was asked how much he expected to receive and he said something like 'the more the better'. This tells you everything you need to know.

Regardless of this, Down Under continues to be a song which makes most Australians feel very warm & fuzzy and Kookaburra reminds us of our youth. It's sad they have been tarnished in this way by what I can only describe as opportunism and greed.

[sodascouts]

I got this off of Songfacts and I thought it was charming!

"This became an unofficial national anthem when Australia won the America's Cup in 1983, an event the United States had never lost. The then Prime Minister of Australia, Bob Hawke, was so delighted with Australia's win, he gave the whole country the day off and announced on the news that any boss who fired an employee for taking the day off 'is a bum!' (thanks, Jude - Melbourne, Australia)"

[Glennsallnighter]

I must say, I always LOVED 'Down Under' I was about 13 or 14 when it came out and it was everywhere. A real anthem. I hope it impact isn't lost by this pointless lawsuit.

[Freypower]

I don't think its impact will be lost because the song is too well loved - just as My Sweet Lord is (that song also suffered a lawsuit against it).