Did guns and Roses "steal" Sweet child 'o mine?

I hear the similarities in the intro and the lyric structure seems similar too.

Still think the GnR version has its own umph to it though.

a reply to: nonspecific

is this a joke? sweet child of mine is nothing like this song. guitar at end nothing like same cords if thats what you are talking about

Personally can't stand GNR, but I have to wonder, why really did it take so long for this to be an issue, if it is?
Why now?

Oh.

Bored people on the internet.

That explains it.

LOL

originally posted by: atslagsifnotmember
a reply to: nonspecific

is this a joke? sweet child of mine is nothing like this song. guitar at end nothing like same cords if thats what you are talking about

Al right Axl calm down

I beg to differ, there are more than a few similarities as others have also said.

It's no where as good as sweet child 'o mine though.

originally posted by: chiefsmom
Personally can't stand GNR, but I have to wonder, why really did it take so long for this to be an issue, if it is?
Why now?

Oh.

Bored people on the internet.

That explains it.

LOL

Mrsnonspecific just asked exactly the same question and I gave her exactly the same answer!

a reply to: chiefsmom

Ya I was wondering the same thing, why is this just coming out now.

I believe as the OP first believed after hearing about it. Sorry , no way.

So is that a no way they did not steal it or a now way did they not steal it.
Sorry I'm insure as to your opinion.
a reply to: Gothmog

originally posted by: nonspecific


So is that a no way they did not steal it or a now way did they not steal it.
Sorry I'm insure as to your opinion.
a reply to: Gothmog

Yeah , kinda vague . But the OPs 1st thought as they stated another loser trying to cash in....

I think there could be a comprehension issue here.

Aus crawl have known about the issue for some time as the link states, fans of Aus crawl have as well for some time.

On stage James Reyne has stated when singing the song that GnRs song sounds the same and has said that for many years.
It is an issue now because the media has taken it up. The band has not taken action because as stated , they cant afford the legal fees, seems they are not even going to court

Yes there are bored people on the net, maybe not as bored as those who talk about boring people on the internet

I am not musically inclined so I cant comment on the likeness, can hear the obvious though

There is now a chance the record company may take this to court on behalf of the Aus band, out of court settlement may be wise.

As a muso myself I'd say it was almost certainly was used at the template for the Buns and Toasties song. Before the net existed or became important, this use to happen quite a lot. If the Aussie band had a publishing deal then there's even more chance the song was err "borrowed". In all probability it has happened to me once in the early 80s. We had several major labels chasing after a band I was in and we recorded several demos for them. A few years alter a friend from a record company asked me if I'd noticed that a world famous rock song bore a remarkable resemblance to one of those songs we recorded in 1981. Funny thing was, I'd never really given it a thought as it's one of those songs that really is all about the chorus and the verse are generally not really remembered. That said, when my friend pointed it out I listened and I have to say, the verses to that song are melody wise, virtually identical to the song we wrote. What's more, one the people associated with the recording of that song knew the songs we recorded.

That's life though, Madonna nearly got away with it with regards to "Ray of Light" and it was only after the original writers threatened court action their names were added to the credits and they received the monies they were due. If Madonna thought she really could get away with this then do you really think Buns and Toasties management didn't think they could?




BTW, just to add, the reason it's probably taken so long was that the Aussie band would have had to find some evidence that Buns and Toasties or someone associated to the recording of Sweet Child, had definitely heard the other song. There is a legal defence that you simply had never heard the other song so therefore, had no idea you were writing something similar.

a reply to: Sremmos80

An Aussie friend and former member (guitarist) of a band I worked for with was mucking around after doing some cabinetry work at the Power Station (now Avatar Studios) in New York.

He was playing a few Aussie tunes, using the equipment there and some of the Gunners joined in and jammed with him playing "Knocking on Heavens Door" (which was a big hit cover by Cold Chisel at the time).

He attributes the jam as the primary reason they later recorded the song.

In regard to the Crawl cover, I wouldn't be surprised if they unconsciously created something similar to what they heard, but I doubt that they understood Reyne's words or actively set out to copy (although it is possible). When you get immersed in music it can become a bit of a blur as to what you have heard and what you invented.

My friend (Craig) is currently engineering/producing a group (currently) called the Dead Daisys (with occasional members of GnR) who are doing (or have just done) a recording with Jimmy Barnes on vocals in Sydney.

originally posted by: FireMoon
As a muso myself I'd say it was almost certainly was used at the template for the Buns and Toasties song. Before the net existed or became important, this use to happen quite a lot. If the Aussie band had a publishing deal then there's even more chance the song was err "borrowed". In all probability it has happened to me once in the early 80s. We had several major labels chasing after a band I was in and we recorded several demos for them. A few years alter a friend from a record company asked me if I'd noticed that a world famous rock song bore a remarkable resemblance to one of those songs we recorded in 1981. Funny thing was, I'd never really given it a thought as it's one of those songs that really is all about the chorus and the verse are generally not really remembered. That said, when my friend pointed it out I listened and I have to say, the verses to that song are melody wise, virtually identical to the song we wrote. What's more, one the people associated with the recording of that song knew the songs we recorded.

That's life though, Madonna nearly got away with it with regards to "Ray of Light" and it was only after the original writers threatened court action their names were added to the credits and they received the monies they were due. If Madonna thought she really could get away with this then do you really think Buns and Toasties management didn't think they could?

BTW, just to add, the reason it's probably taken so long was that the Aussie band would have had to find some evidence that Buns and Toasties or someone associated to the recording of Sweet Child, had definitely heard the other song. There is a legal defence that you simply had never heard the other song so therefore, had no idea you were writing something similar.

I do not have the evidence to hand but seem to remember that the origin of the "Cover song" came about in the 50's and 60's were a record label would see a big hit and have a song written that was very similar and have it released by one of there bands as it was likley to be a big hit.

It was only later that it became associated with an actual copy of another song.

a reply to: nonspecific

I listened, and am not undecided - I agree, G&R stole from this song. The instrumentation is different, and the lyrics, but overall, the similarities are too strong to be ignored. If this is older, then they have a strong case!

originally posted by: nonspecific

originally posted by: jamesthegreat
I'm so glad there were subtitles. Even after 30 years, I still can't understand James Reyne.

I had never heard the song or indeed the band before I saw the article.

Do you think that GnR may have borrowed from the song or is it just random chance?

Personally, I can't carry a note in a bucket. So to me it doesn't.
But my wife seems to think it sounds similar.
Her father was a singer/musician in from the 60's till the 80's, and he had a song blatantly stolen from him, which the other guy became quite successful with. Back then it probably happened more often then we are aware of.

It's different enough to question this as potentially coincidental, IMO.

Listen to STP's "Big Bang Baby" and then the Stone's "Jumpin Jack Flash" if you want an example of absolute musical plagarism. This one, though, doesn't reach that point, at least not to me.