The Plain White T's Plagiarized "Hey There Delilah"

The Plain White T's stole the main melody from The Byrds' 1968 song "Natural Harmony". Listen closely. The resemblance is uncanny.

"Natural Harmony" is a song from the Byrds' 1968 album "The Notorious Byrd Brothers", which was listed by Rolling Stone as the 171st greatest album ever made.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• plagiarism
• plain
• white
• ts
• t's
• byrds
• natural
• harmony
• hey
• there
• delilah
• stole
• melody
• mcguinn
• hillman
• notorious
• brothers

[Veronika911]

Yea... I guess they do sound similar.

But so does every other major scale arpeggio. If PWT's plagurized this song, they also plagurized the major scale arpeggio excercises we practice in class everday... Sure, a few inversions here and there, and PTW's repeat the top note of the triad.

Ouch.. Plagurism.. OH wait, that's called music.

Dumb ass.

[alexgs43]

These 2 songs don't even really sound the same. Unless you are acoustically challenged.

[spectramh]

no similarities

[Lyiat]

Its called Pachelbel's Canon, and its in far FAR more songs than just these two. Its not plagiarized at all. There is a comedian out there that goes through an entire list of songs that have this same progression on it.

[milliebrewster]

..... Ithe Byrds melody occurs in what's known as the bridge, in this case a very brief middle section connecting the similar (and main) parts, occurring twice .... The claim is not insane, IMO, and it's fun to see someone make connections like this. But in this particular case, a claim of plagiarism simply wouldn't prevail in any legal setting.

[milliebrewster]

.... the Byrds melody occurs in what's known as the bridge, in this case a very brief middle section connecting the similar (and main) parts, occurring twice .... The claim is not insane, IMO, and it's fun to see someone make connections like this. But in this particular case, a claim of plagiarism simply wouldn't prevail in any legal setting.

[milliebrewster]

The main issue isn't the 'sound' of the songs, which to me is very different. The main issue is analysis of the melody, which is protected by copyright. The 2 melodies are slightly similar, but not enough to constitute plagiarism. (1) legally, there has to be a greater quantity of theft than done here, and (2) that is not the main melody of the Byrds song. Ithe Byrds melody occurs in what's known as the bridge, in this case a very brief middle section connecting the similar (and main) parts, oc

[WWEdeadman]

Are you deaf??

Siriously. they sound NOTHING like eachother.

[sedativechunk]

There is a similarity as far as the vocals go but I think this is a coincidence. Honestly, I think the song is more a rip off of "Yesterday" by the Beatles. The whole beat of the song and guitar parts are extremely similar and the Plain White T's have credit the Beatles as one of their inspirations from what I read on the web. But who really cares? Both good acoustic songs, at least it's not death metal shit.

[OliviaYume]

wow, no one had noticed this? cause this is absurd LOL

what kind of drug you use?

[PadreArnaldo]

The difference is that Plain White T's suck and the Byrds rule.

[OrielFilms]

@HaganeNoDan He's a movie :)