Avril Lavigne Sued for Stealing Tune

[Dodge_Sniper]

My Way News - Avril Lavigne Sued for Stealing Tune

Jul 6, 2:10 AM (ET)


[FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif]([/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif]AP) Canadian actress-musician Avril Lavigne poses during a photo call at the 59th International film...[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Sans-serif]Full Image[/FONT]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Avril Lavigne faces a lawsuit by the members of a 1970s rock band who claim her hit song "Girlfriend" rips off one of their tunes.
Songwriters Tommy Dunbar and James Gangwer alleged in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court that Lavigne and her co-writers lifted their 1979 song "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend," which was originally performed by new wave band The Rubinoos.
"We are not so naive as to chalk it up to some sort of cosmic coincidence," Dunbar said in a statement Thursday. "The lyric, the meter, the rhythm - they're identical."
The first court date has been set for Aug. 28 in Oakland.
A spokeswoman for Lavigne declined comment.
The lawsuit is not the first mention of the similarities between the songs. Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine, in a review published on Billboard magazine's Web site, noted that the chorus of "Girlfriend" was a "total lift from the Rubinoos' 'I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.'" The Rubinoos toured and recorded from 1975 to 1983 and had a hit with a cover version of Tommy James and the Shondells'"I Think We're Alone Now." They also wrote the theme song for the movie "Revenge of the Nerds."

I think this is proper stupid. I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend is a song that only has like, 5 or 6 lines in the whole song it's not even 30 seconds long, so that means she only stole the chorus. Besides, I'm a big fan of Avril's music.

 

[Charmer]

So I listened to the Rubinoos' song, it's 3 minutes and 18 seconds long, and the only part similar is, as you said, the first part of the chorus. I would also think that people would notice that the song Girlfriend also sounds similar to the song Mickey by Toni Basil.

Over the years it just seems like alot of songs aren't that original-sounding because someone always says, "That song sounds just like_____" or "That song sort of sounds like_____" or "The lyrics in that song look like lyrics of the song_____"

 

[NicAuf]

Yeah I think the suit is dumb, but I also hate Avril Lavigne. I love how she thinks she's some punk rocker.

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

She is. Half of society's teenage girls act the way the do or dress the way the do in an attempt to be more like her. I like her a lot.

 

[NicAuf]

She is. Half of society's teenage girls act the way the do or dress the way the do in an attempt to be more like her. I like her a lot.

So just because half of society's teenage girls take after her doesn't make her punk. All that makes her is influential. Her music is more pop than anything. Just because a band has a guitar and drums doesn't make it punk. What do you consider punk music? Have you ever heard of the Sex Pistols or The Clash. Now that's punk. Not punk-wannabe Avril Lavigne.

 

[GuesSAngel]

i can't stand that girl

 

[Suzie]

I think I liked maybe 1 of her songs...but she just seems to fake.

 

[GuesSAngel]

yeah i agree.

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

How exactly does she sem fake? Maybe I'm just blind, but she seems like she's a pretty cool person, and doesn't seem like she's faking the punk thing at all.

 

[NicAuf]

Uh yeah just listen to one of her songs, she's def. not punk, and her acting like she is actually hard to watch *cringes*.

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

Well if you don't like her, then don't listen to her music. I happen to like her very much. I love her music. And besides, she's even said it, she's not trying to be punk, she's just being herself, doing what she wants. Props to her for doing that in a world where people try to be copies of celebrities and each other using plastic surgery and shit.

 

[Charmer]

I don't like her look, so I don't look, but I still say that that song, "Girlfriend," is catchy as hell.

Got her first CD, also....I like it.

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

Very catchy song

 

[NicAuf]

She's at it again....

YouTube - Avril Steals Again? From Peaches?

And she can't play the "I've never heard of her" like she did with the other band. Matter of fact, that song of Peaches, Avril put as her favorite song in a magazine. So it seems like Avril's heard of her.

 

[NicAuf]

bump.

 

[Charmer]

Yep!

Maybe someone should go through all the songs on her new album.

Sounds like she didn't have to work that hard to make it!

 

[Boomer]

Avril Lavine is the industries whore.


Im off to hear the songs thought. Curious curious curious....

 

[Boomer]

Yup, she jackin folks.

 

[NicAuf]

I wonder how many other songs she's ripped off?