Chris Martin Responds To Coldplay Plagiarism Claims From Joe Satriani

Last week ended with the news that American guitarist Joe Satriani was suing Coldplay claiming they had plagiarized one of his songs. Satriani claims that the 2008-released Viva La Vida rips off his 2004 single If I Could Fly. Coldplay has now responded to the claims, with Chris Martin vehemently denying them.

Satriani is seeking all profits Coldplay have made from Viva La Vida because he thinks the British band stole “substantial original portions” of one of his works. He wants a jury trial for the case, which will be to determine if Viva has copied from Satriani’s album track, If I Could Fly.

Satriani told MusicRadar:

“I’m just doing what I need to do as an artist, to protect what’s mine, to protect those feelings I put down in song. I felt like a dagger went right through my heart. It hurt so much. The second I heard it, I knew it was [my own] ‘If I Could Fly’.”

“Almost immediately, from the minute their song came out, my e-mail box flooded with people going, ‘Have you heard this song by Coldplay? They ripped you off man.’ I mean, I couldn’t tell you how many e-mails I received. Everybody noticed the similarities between the songs. It’s pretty obvious.”

Now Chris Martin has finally spoken up about the claims, which he vehemently denies. He told NME Radio:

“When these things happen it’s a coincidence and we’re as surprised by it as anybody else. Oh, I know exactly where the song ['Viva La Vida'] came from. It came from the middle of the night, on a piano. I just get embarrassed about having to talk about these things.”

I completely side with Martin and Coldplay on this, mainly because having listened to both songs side by side, I don’t think Viva La Vida is a rip-off at all. Sure, there are a few similarities, but none that can’t be batted away as pure coincidence.

Here are video embeds of both songs, as well as a mashup – check them out one after the other and see what you think. Do you side with Coldplay or Satriani?

Coldplay – Viva La Vida

Joe Satriani – If I Could Fly

Coldplay Vs. Satriani Mashup

Unless a song borrows the exact same riff from another, I really can’t see how plagiarism claims stick. Like it or not, there are only so many ways of blending notes together, and as the heritage of modern music extends further into the past, the chances are high of some similar sounding songs being released.

My girlfriend is a big fan of Satriani and backs his view that Viva La Vida is too similar to If I Could Fly, but I’m on the other side of the fence. So if and when this case does come to court, I’ll probably be able to blame Joe Satriani for some arguments between us. Maybe I should sue him for that!

[Photo Source: From Newscom with permission]