July 5, 2007 22:14

Avril Lavigne being sued by songwriters

They say she ripped off their song

Avril Lavigne is being sued by a Seventies songwriting team who say her song ‘Girlfriend’ is just like one they wrote years ago.

Tommy Dunbar who founded the band The Rubinoos says that the Canadian songstress’s track ‘Girlfriend’ bears a striking resemblance to a 1978 Rubinoos song ‘I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend’.

The co-writer of Lavigne’s track, Dr. Luke, is also being sued, as is her company Avril Lavigne Publishing.

Dunbar founded the Rubinoos as a teen with his friend Jon Rubin in 1973.

Lavigne’s manager Terry McBride is insisting that there is nothing similar between the songs and has apparently had a musicologist confirm it.

However, McBride is apparently prepared to settle out of court of the suit becomes too expensive to fight. Lavigne has insurance that covers such lawsuits.

This is the second incident of songwriting problems for the singer in recent weeks.

Last week Canadian songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk told ‘Performing Songwriter’ magazine that she will never again work withLavigne saying she will “cross the ethical line and no one says anything. That’s why I’ll never work with her again. I sent her a song two years ago called ‘Contagious,’ and I just saw the track listing to this album, and there’s a song called ‘Contagious’ on it—and my name’s not on it.’

--By our New York staff.
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