Rick Beato used software to play both songs simultaneously so that the tempos would match perfectly without pitch-shifting (the tempos were’t all that different to begin with). On the chorus, it was difficult to tell there were two songs playing simultaneously.
It is the same key, same chord progression (Bm7-F#M7-Em7 - for some reason the Dua Lipa version awkwardly returns to the “I” chord one bar early…perhaps a lazy/clumsy attempt by the author to skirt a potential copyright suit?) with an extremely similar percussion track, exact same vibe, truly the same “idea” (a liberal use of the word) as the Artikal Sound System song.
While these similarities do not make a valid copyright infringement case in and of themselves, the fact that they all exist in concert with the EXACT same vocal melody (even similar lyrics) of the original song ends any debate as to whether the Dua Lipa people engaged in plagiarism.
Rick noted that because there are several people credited as songwriter (amazing for such a dirt-brained, primitive, 3-chord song) it is possible that the plagiarist brought the song in as though it was an original idea, and the other writers contributed further (again, how much more ‘contribution’ three more people could have made is beyond me) without knowing the “germ” was plagiarized. Interesting to consider how this dynamic could be parsed out in a court of law.
I would think the prosecution would have a slam-dunk here if there wasn’t the terrible ruling in favor of the Marvin Gaye estate only 3 years back.
In that case, the Marvin Gaye estate had no argument. They said Pharrell and Robin Thicke plagiarized the “groove” of Marvin’s, “Got to Give it Up.” A ridiculous claim. And they won. Amazing.
I am an enormous Marvin Gaye fan and have no desire whatsoever to defend Pharrell or Alan Thicke’s progeny (no disrespect to Alan Thicke). Marvin’s song has a completely different vocal melody, a completely different chord progression and lyrics. The idea that “groove” can be copyrighted is patently ludicrous. Yet, somehow, it worked.
A terrible precedent for songwriters.
I’m curious to see how this case plays out.
In this case, the prosecution is sitting on a sure thing if they don’t screw it up, or some other travesty of justice occurs.
