It’s Just the Publishing Business
Not very cool, about the Chiffons getting strong-armed by George Harrison, but as Michael explained to Paul McCartney after buying his songs later ( when McCartney complained ), it’s just business….
The Beatles get the Chiffons’ “He’s So Fine”
…. These songs have essentially the same verse and chorus, which is what lead to the lawsuit in 1976. George Harrison lost this lawsuit when a judge said he “subconsciously plagiarized” The Chiffons tune on My Sweet Lord. He was ordered to pay Bright Tunes Music ….
…. Harrison’s manager Allen Klein changing sides by buying Bright Tunes, which published He’s So Fine, and continuing the lawsuit after parting ways with Harrison. Harrison ended up being the owner of both songs…..
http://songsalike.com/similar-songs/george-harrison-vs-the-chiffons-or-my-sweet-lord-is-so-fine/
Michael picked up over 250 Beatles songs
…. McCartney reportedly explained to Jackson about the lucrative nature of music publishing …
McCartney told Jackson about how he had been purchasing other artists’ catalogues (such as Buddy Holly’s) as a business investment. McCartney explained to the future King of Pop that whoever owns the rights to a song’s lyrics and composition earns royalties every time that song plays on film, TV, the radio, in a commercial, or in a concert. According to McCartney, Jackson then jokingly told him “one day, I’ll own your songs.”….
With the help of his attorney John Branca, Jackson started buying the rights to ’60s songs that he liked enough to dance to. In 1984, Branca told Jackson that music publishing company ATV was for sale. Owned by an Australian billionaire named Robert Holmes à Court, ATV owned the rights to 251 songs from the Beatles’ catalogue (as well as 4000 other songs and a library of sound effects).
http://mentalfloss.com/article/85007/how-michael-jackson-bought-publishing-rights-beatles-catalogue
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