Originally Posted By: musiclover
Joe read this thread which appeared on the forum some time ago, especially the eighth post down and see what you make of that.

https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=591161&page=3

Just because someone includes a well known song in a fake disk, without a melody (because they assume that under no circumstances are chords copyrightable) does not mean this always is the case.


I think the recent stairway to heaven case is a good example. That chord progression, even the way it was played in that song, has been used numerous times. One could say Led Zep stole it from My Funny Valentine, or any number of other standards that have the exact same progression. The plaintiff in this case said they stole it from them because it sounded like their song. They ended up losing. Rhythm Changes (I Got Rhythm). I could list thousands of examples. Without the melody they are just chord progressions. How many songs have II V I, or I vi ii V progressions? There is a great comedy act band that plays the same progression over and over and sings the different songs that used it. It is funny and true.

I agree there could be a case where a chord progression is so unique, never been used before, that the song is instantly knowable without a melody or lyric, but I just can't think of any right off.

Doesn't matter too much to me anyway as I have said before nobody is clamoring to steal anything of mine!

My wife asked if I had seen the dog bowl. I told her I didn't even know he could.