Over the weekend The Sunday Telegraph had an interesting story on how the ABC TV show Spicks and Specks has given rise to an interesting copyright case:
TWO of Australia's most loved anthems are locked in a courtroom copyright battle sparked by a question on the ABC's music quiz show Spicks And Specks.
Publishing company Larrikin Music claims Men At Work's Down Under rips off the popular children's song, Kookaburra.
The claim centres on the melody that accompanies the line: "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree", which Larrikin Music alleges is reproduced in Down Under.
"This is a battle between two icons," Larrikin Music Publishing managing director Norm Lurie said. "We claim the song Down Under contains the 'kookaburra sits in the old gum tree' refrain.
"That refrain is an integral part of Down Under and we are not being recompensed for that song. The Kookaburra aspect of that song has never been acknowledged," Mr Lurie said.
The matter is set to be heard in the Federal Court in November.
Larrikin is seeking compensation from the Down Under songwriters, Colin Hay and Ron Strykert, along with record and entertainment giants Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Sony DADC Australia, EMI Songs Australia and EMI Music Publishing.
Mr Lurie said the alleged Kookaburra connection was raised on the ABC TV show.
"This question was posed on Spicks And Specks: 'What children's song is contained in the song Down Under?' The answer was: 'Kookaburra'," Mr Lurie said.
"The next day, my email and phone lit up with people asking: 'Do you know about this?'
"It's not like we've been sitting on our hands waiting. But there was no other course for us to take."
Read more here. Seeing the song Down Under was written in 1981 it is perhaps surprising it has taken this long for this copyright matter to be litigated. Regardless it will be interesting to see how the case is resolved.
