[peel] A new England

[John Gray]

Plagiarism? Such a hurtful word!  Tribute, perhaps?  Homage?

John Gray
On 20 May 2012, at 10:30, Mike Parker wrote:

> 
> i wonder if the wedding present[nice bloke, shame about the songs] were guilty of shamefull plagarism also; if so i think we need to be told.
> 
> From: John Gray <jt.gray@btinternet.com>
> To: peel@yahoogroups.com 
> Sent: Sunday, 20 May 2012, 9:41
> Subject: Re: [peel] A new England
> 
>  
> I remember hearing him explain once how he thought they were great opening lines for a song, and didn't think anyone would mind if he used them - then he got a letter from Paul Simon's lawyers!  He didn't say how things were resolved though.
> 
> john Gray
> 
> 
> On 19 May 2012, at 22:32, lorcan58 wrote:
> 
>>  
>> I'm sure most of you already know this but I never realised that Billy Bragg's iconic opening lines:
>> 
>> I was 21 years when I wrote this song
>> 22 now but I won't be for long
>> 
>> were actually lifted from a 1967 Simon & Garfunkel song "The Leaves That Are Green". You can listen to the original here:
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeTMPyLP5YM
>> 
>> Mind you, I always wondered how he aged a year between the first and second lines...
>> 
>> Lorcan
>> 
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