Olivia Dean Song Accused of Copying Bill Withers Hit in New Lawsuit
Copyright disputes in music are never straightforward, are they? When a song has been loved by listeners for over forty years, the melodies and chord progressions become part of the cultural furniture, which makes it tricky territory when similarities emerge in new work. If Olivia Dean's track really does bear notable resemblance to that Bill Withers classic, it's the kind of thing that matters to Cledvibes Radio listeners because we care about the stories behind the songs we play and the artists who make them. These legal tussles remind us that soul and jazz standards have such enduring DNA that newer artists need to tread carefully when drawing inspiration from the greats.
From Stereogum: In 1980, the soul great Bill Withers teamed up with jazz saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr. to release the heartfelt love song "Just The Two Of Us." It's technically Washington's song, as it came out in his album Winelight, but Withers co-wrote it with Ralph MacDonald and William Salter, and his vocal is the part that everyone remembers. "Just The Two Of Us" was a major hit upon release, reaching …