Plagiarism????
Filed under: Exclusives! > Music Minute
Is this just coincidence???
We were listening to the song Lucky off Jason Mraz's new album, and the tune sounded instantly recognizable. Eerily familiar, actually.
A duet with Colbie Caillat, Mraz's Lucky sounds just like David, a gem from little-known yet adored Nellie McCkay, who released her song FOUR YEARS ago.
The chorus of Mraz's Lucky sounds IDENTICAL to McKay's David, and the song structure for both songs are very similar as well.
Check them both out below!
Posted: May 5, 2008 at 10:39 am
Hey, Perez. When you become a lawyer or a musician, get back to us. Song structure isn't copyrightable. And these two songs are not all that similar. Dream on, please.
"Jason is an unbelievable song writer - he can improvise better music than most performers can write over the course of months.."
HAHAHAHAHAAAA!
i don't doubt that jason has heard nellie mckay's david before, but i think he has enough musical integrity not to rip off her chords..plus the similarities are only slight, by the way you described it in this post you'd think it was a vanilla ice/queen-bowie catastrophe
The beginning of the first one… thump thump thump… sounded like the beginning to What a Day for a Daydream by Lovin' Spoonful. The other song didn't sound like the first one or anything else for that matter.
Jason Mraz is one of the most talented songwriters/musicians around. If you don't know him, you should.
the songs only share a few notes in the chorus…COINCIDENCE.
Jason and Nellie are both real musicians with integrity and talent.
He doesn't need to plagiarize to make great music.
Coincidentally, just Friday I was listening to Prodigy (Music for the Jilted Generation), and their song "Poison" has the lines, "If you got the Poison, I got the Remedy" over and over again, just like Mraz's song (is it "Remedy" ?)… just sayin'.
Re: char – I AGREE. Jason's way too talented to have to resort to using other people's music. They do sound similar, but that's it.
they are not even in the same key. in fact, Nellie's song is in a minor key–with a bridge that goes into a major key. Jason's is completely in a major key. Why would either of these people even bother to plagiarize? when you're a songwriter it's EASIER to just write a new song than to consciously try and copy someone else's work. But then again, Perez, I you aren't an artist so I guess you wouldn't understand that.
i dont hear it
um. no.
I actually laughed out loud when I heard the beginning of the Nelly McKay song, because I remember listening to it a long time ago and how totally unlike it is to the Mraz song. Clutching at straws, Perez, for sure. Where exactly are the similarities?
Ehhh…I can see where some people might think so, but all it is really is a common melody for the background and a simple chord structure for the singers. You could probably pick up any easy listening CD and find a track like these two…Nothing worth accusing of plagiarism.
perez,
jason is much better and i dont hear the eerie resemblance at all.
please shush—
When you play them back one at a time, you begin to hear similarities right away. So I opened them in different browsers and played them at the same time. This could be bad! It's the same song, only different lyrics, different tempo and key!
Otherwise, same song. Only tweeked.
THESE SOUND NOTHING ALIKE!!!
does not sound alike at all, not even close
There's nothing new under the sun…it's just thirds
I am a HUGE Jason fan and this song lines up with his consistent style throughout his career. I've never heard of this other chick, but why would she even be on Jason's radar? Plus, the songs barely sound alike, and are about completeley different things. Thanks for bringing attention to Jason though!!!
I say no. Jason =
sound verrrrry different to me. a little likeness, but guess what? that's music. a LOT of songs sound alike. plagiarism isn't the right word to be using for this.
They don't really sound alike. I think this is a bit of a stretch.
It doesn't sound the same at all. Two completely different sounds.
They really don't sound alike, actually… I think you need to get your ears checked. Besides, even if they were similar, similar doesn't equal plagiarism… plagiarism would be if they actually stole the music flat out and it was exactly the same.
You're retarded.
WOW!!! NELLIE MCCKAY IS WAY BETTER!!!(and I'm still listening to waiting for my rocket to come)
Yeah- C, Am, and G are like the most common chords in pop songs. Unoriginal maybe but I doubt he stole it from her.
They don't sound alike at all, you idiot.
Plus I think Nellie McKay is an asshole because when she first came out she tried saying that she was 18 and she was really like 24 or something
i dont think they sound that much alike really. but thanks for introducing me to nellie mckay. she has an interesting voice.
what are you talking about?? sorry but they might have similar styles but its not plagiarism. jason mraz is way too talented to go stealing other peoples ideas.
AHHH! Perez! I usually love you, but ShAME ON YOU for dissing Mraz. I mean, one of the most original, amazing performers of our time. I've seen him live a number of times and I have never heard him sing a song the same way twice. He has the most creative musical mind I've ever heard. I'm seeing him on the 24th here in Detroit… can't wait. Amazing performer, amazing songwriter… this is one man who DOES not need to steal.
They don't sound anything alike and I'm a big fan of Nellie's. Can't wait to see her in August in SF!!
i don't hear a similarities that close enough to call it Plagiarism
it sounds nothing alike. i mean both of them have that indie sound but aside from that both have there own sound.
i have to defend jason because of all that his music's done for me.
just because the songs sound similar, doesn't mean nellie's song was plagiarized. stop trying to create a problem where there is none. it's hard to be truly original these days because every song about a particular situation that could be written, has been written. now it's just everyone's different take and interpretation of that situation.
I don't think that sound alike at all…
Weird… As nice as Jason Mraz is to listen to, Nellie McKay is incredible, trumps any sort of copy-cat shit Mraz tries to pull.
These songs don't sound similar at all.
Totally diagree Hon! You are just pickin this apart, i mean it's simular but definately not a rip off or plagiarism…BUT remember back when Avril did the same to someone elses song now THAT one was STOLEN! Post that up let us remember….
Are you stoned? They sound nothing at all alike! And besides, Mraz is actually good.
jason is a genius, he doesn't have to copy someone else's work. you're an idiot for even thinking it.
i don't think so.
ahhh my cousin was supposed to be working with him on this song…
DIFFERENT. jason is awesome and p.s. Nellie's song is on the Weeds soundtrack so its a little more than little known.
u need new ears. they don't sound alike.
grrrrrrrr. i love nellie mckay. i liked jason mraz, but that's just PATHETIC.
It's similar but not plagirized. It sounds like a lot of other songs too. doesn't matter, it's still good.
Where do I get Colbie's song? Checked napster and itunes, but it's not there, and I love it!
My opinion: coincidence. They are similar only, not exactly alike… and only vaguely similar at that. Lots of musical minds come up with similar themes.. it happens. No plagiarism here.
The cords are different and the lyrics aren't the same. I don't think this was plagiarized
Jason would never intentionally plagiarize someone. He doesn't need to. I saw him in concert last month and he was freaking brilliant. He's the nicest guy, an amazing performing, and extremely talented song writer.
Besides, I couldn't really hear the similarities at all. So much for identical choruses.
it sounds a little bit the same in the chorus however it wouldn't be "plaguirized" because it is completely different lyrics and no riff or melody can be copywritten. You know that Perez. I love Jason and Nelly and I feel that though there is a 50/50 chance he could have been inspired by her song or whatevs that it is sheer coincidence.
No Perez; no plagiarism here. No.
Those dont sound alike at all.
2 completely different songs
no way. mraz is amazing and would NEVER copy someone else's stuff…
i think they just share the same chord progression. it happens.
they don't sound alike at all! jason mraz is my homeboy and he wouldn't do anything like that on purpose!!
GO JASON!
Pure coincidence in my opinion… I think they're both very good songs though.
They only sound the same if you're looking for similarities.
Perez should also stop trying to sound smart/musically knowledgeable lol.
i'm not a fan of either and i dont think they sound alike
they both suck ass!!!
I don't think they sound similar at all.
Nope, doesn't sound alike to me! Stick to Gossip…
they really dont sound anything alike, jason's song is much better anyway. stick to gossip
I'm sorry, these songs are not identical! They have a similar opening melody, but I do feel like I've heard this same melody many times before. Perez says the Nellie McCkay is not well known, but Jason Mraz is hardly better known. I've been a huge Mraz fan for years, and quite frankly I'm very upset that Perez is willing to so lightly through around these allegations. Sorry Perez, you just lost a very faithful reader!
I've been a fan of Nellie's for quite some time and have listened to David on repeat…and from my perspective, the two songs don't sound alike. Chorus or premise. Sorry Perez!!!
Oh, Perez… I come back here hours later, and see that you still haven't apologized to Jason for this horrific "newsflash". And I see that the Mraz fans have come out full force…which doesn't mean much to you, but at least we're loyal. You're ignorant and mean if you leave this story up and don't tell him you suck and that you're sorry. Go on P. Nasty–tell him you suck!
It's a bit of a stretch. I think if you'd heard them both, you'd be able to clearly tell which was which. And you probably have to listen to them on top of each other to tell the similarities.
They sound nothing alike, you skunt!!
mraz's song is way better
they don't really sound similar
Uh… no. I'm not hearing much of a similarity. o_O
i call shenanigans….seriously, stop trying to create drama….
sounds like the same song with only the lyrics changed…I like the Nellie song way better though!!
I love Nellie's song heard it on season one of Weeds.
stick to your gossip and leave real music to people that actually can tell a difference.
and no they do not sound alike.
i dont think they sound anything alike
i don't hear it. maybe silmilar in the general beat, but the songs are nowhere NEAR identical as you claim.
I think it would be streaching the truth too far to say that they sound EXACTLY alike. The song lyrics are COMPLEATLY different, and the melodies are maybe simialar, but by no means would I have ever heard the likeness if you hadn't told me. Nothing to make a big deal about…
bit of a stretch to call it plag
I LOVE Nellie McKay
personally, i dont care if the songs sound the same, there both awsome and really fukin catchy…….. although, the vid for both of the songs….. wtf, were they high or are they just retarded??
I loved David By McCkay…LOVED it, and I love this song too, but they don;t sound the same to me. There may be a few similar sounds, but no more then anything else.
they sound NOTHING alike! besides, jason mraz is way too original of an artist to even plagiarize a song which isn't even as good as what he came up with
I'm a huge Nellie McKay fan… though I hear a similarity, I don't think it's plagiarized.
perez you idiot
theres nothing similar enough to warrant a random bitchy post
are you a music professional? are you really any authority on the matter?
stick to hilar comments on famous people.
I hear what you're saying BUT nah they're definitely different
Why would you want to copy a no name's music? That kind of tells you yours will not be a hit AND you might get sued!
The chorus to these two songs sounds identical. Those who refuse to admit it are either irretrievably stubborn or deaf.
They do sound really similar… I like the second one better.
no. this is a far-fetched claim. the 2 songs don't sound alike nor are the lyrics the same.
Nope doesn't sound similar at all. Perez just likes doing this kind of stuff to get more attention. Little full of himself now.
Perez, stop starting shit… It doesn't sound the same and I'm a musician, I can tell.
Jason Mraz rocks my face! STFU!
It sounds very similar except, David song is more depressing whilst the other one is about them getting to be together unlike David. I think Mraz took this song and tried to change it but def. the same song.
First of all…I would certainly consider Nellie McCkay or whatever it is a relatively obscure musician…which Jason Mraz is a wonderful fan of…on that first note…inspiration does not constitute as plagiarism.
Second, the riff, if anything, would constitute as coincidence. I've heard similar runs in tons of songs over the past years.
You jumped the gun on this one, and I'm not pleased…
the difference is that jason's is way better
who emailed this to you to get such a stupid idea in your head, perez??
and why are there sirens at 1:30…just me??
Hmm similar vein but not plagarism. If thats plagarised, 90% of top40 tunes should be in the midst of legal battles. Jason is a god. Astounding live.
doesn't sound enough alike for you to call it out…have to say NO perez, did Jason turn you down or something?
not hearing it… maybe a tiny bit of similarity but jason mraz is way too creative to plagiarize.. granted this song isn't all that great, but see him live, it's amazing.