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Joe Satriani speaks about Coldplay lawsuit
A MusicRadar exclusive interview
Joe Bosso, Sun 7 Dec 2008, 9:58 pm UTC
As previously reported on MusicRadar, Joe Satriani is suing Coldplay, claiming the UK band's Grammy-nominated song Viva La Vida uses one of his melodies.
In court papers filed on 4 December 2008, Satriani's legal team alleges Viva La Vida, the title track of Coldplay's current album, copies "substantial original portions" of his song If I Could Fly.
Satriani's song was included on his 2004 album Is There Love In Space?
Speaking exclusively to MusicRadar on 6 December, Joe Satriani recalls the exact emotion he felt when he first heard Coldplay's Viva La Vida.
"The second I heard, I knew..."
"I felt like a dagger went right through my heart. It hurt so much," Satriani says. "The second I heard it, I knew it was [my own] If I Could Fly."
As it turned out, Satriani wasn't the only one who noticed the similarity between If I Could Fly and Viva La Vida.
"Almost immediately, from the minute their song came out, my e-mail box flooded with people going, 'Have you heard this song by Coldplay? They ripped you off man.' I mean, I couldn't tell you how many e-mails I received.
"Everybody noticed the similarities between the songs. It's pretty obvious." Joe Satriani
"Everybody noticed the similarities between the songs. It's pretty obvious. It's as simple as that - when you listen to a song and you say, 'Wow, that's a real rip-off.'"
What makes the situation especially painful for Satriani is that If I Could Fly isn't just any song. It's a composition he'd been laboring over for well over 10 years before he recorded it.
"I started writing it on the Flying In A Blue Dream tour back in 1990. But because of the way I write, sometimes songs take a while, as this one did. In 2003 I started demoing it in earnest. I played it on the acoustic guitar on a demo so I could sing the melody, then I demoed it on electric to get the sound. And the performance turned out to be so spontaneous, so right and so emotional, that it wound up being a keeper."
Joe Satriani is suing Coldplay, alleging Viva La Vida uses his melody from If I Could Fly
Satriani feels "really hurt"
Since If I Could Fly came out in 2004, Satriani has been gratified by the reaction it's received from his fans, many of whom have called it one of his most captivating songs.
"That was the intent all along," he says. "It was a love letter to my wife, Rubina – a simple, direct expression of feeling.
"That's what really hurts about this whole thing. That I spent so long writing the song, thinking about it, loving it, nursing it, and then finally recording it and standing on stages the world over playing it - and then somebody comes along and plays the exact same song and calls it their own."
"Coldplay didn't want to talk about it. They just wanted this whole thing to go away." Joe Satriani
Since it was announced on 4 December 2008 that Satriani is suing Coldplay for alleged plagiarism, seeking a jury trial and "any and all profits" connected to Viva La Vida, his life has been turned upside down.
"This has been the weirdest thing I've ever been involved in," he says. "The media attention has been bizarre and surreal. I really can't explain how I've felt over the past day or two."
User comments (107)
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JOE SATRIANI - THE BEST, BETTER THAN ALL THE REST, BETTER THAN ANYONE !!!!!
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Most of these so called bands are ripping off those that came before them by sampling bits and pieces of their stuff. There are some that are actually creative enough on their own to write their own music and lyrics, but lately they seem to be few and far between. I 100% with Joe and how he feels. I'd be pissed off if that happened to me. It's just a shame that people resort to this kind of crap just to make money and to get ahead.
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that dumb band can not deny the fact that they stole a song from joe, with a little disguise-that'll do it!-does not hep at all! it is self explanatory, proves itself being a COPY, it's so obvious that it is idiotproof. and whoever does not agree on that, then she/he is like an ostrich who hide their heads underground like that dumb band didn't wanna admit about the rip-off.
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The melody in both songs are almost exactly the same. The only difference? One is played on a guitar and one is done singing.
Viva La Vida's main melody matches so similar that I could hear the similarities the moment I compared it to If I could fly.
Sure, the instruments and rhythm may be different but the melody's the same, and the melody is what drives the song.
I don't blame Joe Satriani one bit for being upset. -
@ MrGuitarTeacher - Every good song has a hook, which draws you in and is memorable. The problem with this is that both song melodies have the same hook; if in the same key (C-Db-Bb (note - rise semitone - fall minor third) "Rule The World" + "Sleep A-Lone")). Also the chord sequence is similar (if in same key and root chords = one note different), the rhythm is similar, so it's very similar.
The question here is: can we actually accuse them of plagiarism? Assuming they've never heard the song, they can't plagiarise something they've never heard. At the same time though, it's still copyright infringement even if they did it by accident. -
Why would Joe want a bit of money?He's millionaire man
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Even though I like If I Could Fly more than Viva la Vida, I hate to say it but I dont believe it to be copied.
I became bored and whipped out some sheet music, a violin, a cello, and my guitar and learned both the songs front to back, backwards and forwards and I can say that the vocals and melodies are not similar enough to hold up in a court room.
If you listen to the background music, it is 2 violin parts playing something that sounds completely different from If I Could Fly.
Also, the vocals are similar but not the same. I dont even think they are similar enough to be considered copied.
For example, the first bit of Viva la Vida is
(All on the same note) I used to rule
(then going up) the (going down) world
*sounds copied so far BUT this is an easy chord progression and is in just about 1,000,000 other songs
what happens next is
seas (then lower) would (then starting low and getting higher) rise
(Then sustaining the same note) when (then getting lower) I
(Then starting high and going low then up about mid way) gave
(then low) the (then slightly higher) world
I have tabs written out... when I figure out how to post them you'll be able to see.
I know the satriani fans are going to rip me to pieces (being one I already have) but its true.
Joe is an amazing musician and he is my second favourite guitar player (Neil Young being my first... home town boy... has to be my favourite haha)
but its just not a copy. Its understandable how this misunderstanding can take place being as if you just listen to the song and dont strip each piece away, it sounds very similar.
I urge all of you to listen to both songs very carefully and try to pick out all the parts. It is not the same.
Sorry guys, I know its hard to believe (trust me I know) but Mr Joe (God) Satriani was wrong about this one. -
I'm sorry that this guy took so long to come up with his complation, but he can't get mad at coldplay for coming up with a tune that is similar. Many artistsare inspired by each other. You also can't put your claim on a set of chordsput together. It sucks that he thinks he can do this because he wants abut of fame as well. Coldplay all the way!
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Having listened to all the pieces of music in question I'd have to conclude that yes, Coldplay's soge is very similar in parts to Satriani's. But both are very similar to Stevens' and Balin's.
So we they all independently originated? Or all from a common source (probably Stevens')? Or did Coldplay directly steam from Satriani?
I don't see how a court could realistically rule in his favour without some direct evidence.
BTW: who knew a relatively obscure artist (check Amazon's rankings for album sales before flaming!) had such hard core fanboys? -
Are you kidding me? First of all, Satch's song does sound as much like Marty Balin & Cat Stevens' song as Coldplay's song sounds like his. How could he deny that? The ego of this guy knows no bounds. His song is just another chord progression that's been used a thousand times. That's the most annoying thing about this. Satriani is getting all sanctimonious about some generic chord progression, acting like he owns it. I guess because he wrote it for his wife or something. His spiel about protecting his art makes him look more delusional than noble. I don't understand why he's so suprised by the negative backlash. He should be embarrassed. Joe, you've had a blessed life. You're scary talented and have inspired countless musicians. This whole ego trip is going to smudge your venerable position as one of Rock guitar's greatest representatives because, frankly speaking, you're being a greedy creep. That chord progression and melody are straight out of the "cheesy pop song 101" manual. To think you own them is audaciously arrogant. In a way I hope you win. Then Marty Balin and Cat Stevens could sue you and take all the money you took from Coldplay. Fair is fair. Get the f*ck over yourself!
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