Nearly 30 years after it topped the charts, an Australian judge ruled yesterday that the Men at Work song “Down Under” copied the song “Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree.”  The claim revolves around the flute riff from the Men at Work song.  Men at Work now face paying 60% of the song’s income to the rightholders for “Kookaburra.”  Throughout the history of popular music, these kinds of instances have popped up here and there.  The Beach Boys were required to give Chuck Berry writing credit on “Surfin’ USA” when a court ruled that it was a copy of Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen.”  Later, George Harrison had to surrender royalties for the song “My Sweet Lord” when a court found that he unintentionally copied The Chiffons’ song “He’s So Fine.”  And, of course, with the rise of sampling in the 1980s and 1990s, determination of what constitutes being copied and what doesn’t became murkier.

What do you think?  Is each of these songs a copy of the other?  What should count as copying?  And what other pop songs sound like previous ones?

Right Round by Flo Rida is a a twist on the 1980s classic “You Spin Me Round” by Dead or Alive.

Starting on February 18, Eric Clapton starts up his live concert machine again. This year kicking off the tour will be the newly inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Jeff Beck. The second leg of the tour will then feature frontman of the Who Roger Daltrey, while the last leg of the tour features Steve Winwood. Last year Clapton teamed up with Winwood to record a live concert album from Madison Square Garden featuring classics like “Can’t Find My Way Home” and “Forever Man”.

It seems like Clapton is teaming up with other veteran rockers to conjure up a unique concert experience. It’s like he is creating a live mash-up of two of your favorites. Elton John and Billy Joel keep touring together joining forces on stage. Besides Jeff Beck, Roger Daltrey and Steve Winwood, who else would you like to see play an entire show with Eric Clapton? Personally I think Eric Clapton and Phil Collins might be rather interesting.

http://www.ericclapton.com/tour