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Cat Stevens: 'Coldplay stole my song!'

Singer accuses Chris Martin and co of ripping him off

May 4, 2009 | 11 Comments
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Cat Stevens has said that he believes that Coldplay's hit 'Viva La Vida' is a take-off of his own song, 'Foreigner Suite'.

Coldplay recently denied accusations by guitarist Joe Satriani, who claims that the band ripped him off for the song – but Stevens has since told The Sun that it's he who the band had been taking inspiration from.

"There's been this argument about Coldplay stealing this melody from Joe Satriani," he said. "But, if you listen to it, it's mine! It's the [1973 song] 'Foreigner Suite', it is!"

Stevens did not suggest that he would take legal action against the band.

In 2003 The Flaming Lips agreed to split royalties for their song 'Fight Test' with Stevens after it was deemed to be similar to his 1970 hit 'Father And Son'.

Blog - Coldplay vs Cat Stevens: plagiarism or coincidence? Judge for yourself.

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Comments (11)

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radio

May 4, 2009

i'm listening to foreigner suite for the first time right now. What are you on about Yusaf?!! There really is zero similarity, unless Spotify is playing me an entirely different song to that it claims to be. And I thought santriani had a weak case!

radio

May 4, 2009

aha, 15 minutes in I see the similarity.Fair play they are very similar! but fair play also for not taking the matter to court! I doubt coldplay intentionally stole a melody.

RussKinks

May 4, 2009

So in light of this will The Enemy be giving all most of their royalties to Paul Weller and The Jam... Just a thought...

timmcollins

May 4, 2009

Stevens must be used to this now - listen to Wild World and It's a Sin back to back.

ClassicRockFan1

May 4, 2009

So does Green Day owe the rights of Brain Stew to Chicago for 25 or 6 to 4?I think The Flaming Lips were ripped off honestly. Not enough similarity there OR in this instance with Coldplay.

once_a_wasp

May 4, 2009

doesnt this just show that coldplay have become so generic that they sound like a lot other music?i wish they were still as good as parachutes

nigel40

May 4, 2009

Popular music is a forum for people stealing from each other. Cat Stevens can go to hell (or Yusaf, or whatever his name is).

EpDefadus

May 4, 2009

I love Cat Stevens, I could go either way about Coldplay, and I don't care much for Joe Satriani (SP). But they are all 4/4 pop songs. It is entirely likely that three talented musicians could have used the same 4 chords and has absolutely no idea the others were making the same song. No one is stealing anyone's music. It is just sheer coincidence.

Donaldj

May 4, 2009

ClassicRockFan1, do you mean cat stevens ripped of fight test by the flaming lips in father to son? cos he wrote that first, that is surely the most blatent bit of copyright infringement ever and he hasn't even bothered mentioning that.