# George Harrison "My Sweet Lord" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [July 18, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-harrison-my-sweet-lord/503412 "2009-07-18T04:25:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dankravetz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dankravetz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dankravetz)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-harrison-my-sweet-lord/503412/1 "2009-07-18T04:25:20Z")
The entry states falsely that George Harrison was “convicted” of plagiarizing an earlier song “He’s So Fine,” when he composed “My Sweet Lord.” The case was a civil matter, not a criminal matter. Harrison was found liable by the court for plagiarism, but was not accused or convicted of any criminal activity in connection with this matter. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-harrison-my-sweet-lord/503412/2 "2009-07-18T07:27:33Z")
\*Actually, Richard Owen, the U.S. District Court judge who convicted Harrison of copyright infringement in September, 1976, also found it hard to believe that a well-known artist would lift a song (particularly that one). While allowing an uncanny resemblance between “My Sweet Lord” and the 1963 Chiffons hit, “He’s So Fine” (written by the group’s manager, Ronald Mack), Judge Owen-- apparently gifted with psychic powers–delved into the mysteries of Harrison’s mind to conclude that the theft had been inadvertent. “His subconscious knew that song had worked out,” Owen said, “but his conscious mind did not remember.” Ordered to pay $587,000, Harrison remarked, “It’s a pain in the neck,” adding that the lawyer who brought suit against him was “a sneak, who saw money pouring out of the sky.” No doubt, but most of us drool at the thought of having a $587,000 haircut merely rate as a pain.\* . . . (Subconsciously copied from a [Column](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/128/did-george-harrison-really-plagiarize-my-sweet-lord) originally written by Cecil Adams.) ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-harrison-my-sweet-lord/503412/3 "2009-07-19T11:52:21Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/128/did-george-harrison-really-plagiarize-my-sweet-lord](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/128/did-george-harrison-really-plagiarize-my-sweet-lord) Now changed to read: "Actually, Richard Owen, the U.S. District Court judge who found Harrison liable for copyright infringement in September, 1976, also found it hard to believe that a well-known artist would lift a song (particularly that one). " ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-harrison-my-sweet-lord/503412/4 "2009-07-19T14:59:03Z")
I think intellectual property law is getting out of hand. Things like “same chord progressions” is just too little to justify a claim of stealing a song. How many rock and roll songs are blatently based (or lovingly reflect) the chord progressions in old blues songs? Those original blues guys mostly never got a penny. How about Disney who based a bunch of movies on traditional European folk tales. Now they want to have _their_ contect protected for 75 years or more. Likewise, most software patents are crap. ---
**Author:** ![Dahu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahu/32/3416_2.png) [@Dahu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahu)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-harrison-my-sweet-lord/503412/5 "2009-07-19T21:45:38Z")
I’ve just listened to He’s So Fine for the first time. I think George was a bit unlucky. Doesn’t really sound much like it to me. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-harrison-my-sweet-lord/503412/6 "2009-07-20T03:10:37Z")
It’s not a mere matter of “chord progressions”. The two melodies are essentially identical for the first three-quarters or so. It’s not particularly odd that GH would have unconsciously remembered the old melody, without realizing what it was; it happens to songwriter and composers all the time. Usually, you catch it before publishing. This time, because the songs are so different in lyrics and mood, no one noticed it at first. I know I didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-harrison-my-sweet-lord/503412/7 "2009-07-23T11:46:52Z")
> [@John\_W.Kennedy](#): > > It’s not a mere matter of “chord progressions”. The two melodies are essentially identical for the first three-quarters or so. > > It’s not particularly odd that GH would have unconsciously remembered the old melody, without realizing what it was; it happens to songwriter and composers all the time. Usually, you catch it before publishing. This time, because the songs are so different in lyrics and mood, no one noticed it at first. I know I didn’t. A few years ago, Keith Richards’ daughter heard the Stones’ newest song, “Has Anybody Seen My Baby,” and immediately started singing k.d. lang’s “Constant Craving,” which had a very similar melody. The Stones immediately gave lang co-writing credit and royalties. This kind of thing probably happens a lot. There are thousands of bands and songwriters out there, it’s a wonder this doesn’t happen more often. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-harrison-my-sweet-lord/503412/8 "2009-07-23T12:48:11Z")
There was a similar plagiarism accusation concerning The Kinks _All Day and All of the Night_ (1964) and The Doors _Hello I Love You_ (recorded 1965 & released 1968). Some sources indicate that Ray Davies successfully sued for the UK royalties but [this interview](http://209.85.129.132/search?q=cache:NGucJFpARfcJ:www.terrascope.co.uk/MyBackPages/Dave%2520Davies%2520of%2520the%2520Kinks%2520PT28.pdf+hello+i+love+you+ray+davies+sue&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&ie=UTF-8) with Dave Davies gives the lie to such reports. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-harrison-my-sweet-lord/503412/9 "2009-07-29T09:01:56Z")
When I first heard _My Sweet Lord_, it sounded familiar but I had no idea why. When I heard about the suit, I had no trouble seeing the parallels. George was always such a nice guy that I’m surprised that he wasn’t more gracious about it. I’m sure it wasn’t intentional. I’m glad he didn’t include “Do-lang, do-lang, do-lang.” ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-harrison-my-sweet-lord/503412/10 "2009-07-30T02:35:31Z")
> [@Chez\_Guevara](#): > > There was a similar plagiarism accusation concerning The Kinks _All Day and All of the Night_ (1964) and The Doors _Hello I Love You_ (recorded 1965 & released 1968). The Kinks could have sued _themselves_ for plagiarizing _All Day And All Of The Night_ from _You Really Got Me_. ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-harrison-my-sweet-lord/503412/11 "2009-07-30T15:06:53Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > The Kinks could have sued _themselves_ for plagiarizing _All Day And All Of The Night_ from _You Really Got Me_. On the other hand, John Fogerty _did_ get sued for plagiarizing himself. Fantasy Records, which owned the publishing rights to Fogerty’s CCR songs, claimed that Fogerty’s solo hit “The Old Man Down the Road” was copied from his CCR hit “Run Through The Jungle.” The jury sided with Fogerty.