Here’s another Lukasz Gottwald (aka Dr. Luke) produced track for the site. This time for the 2007 Avril Lavigne song “Girlfriend”. The chorus similarity did not go unnoticed by seventies power pop band The Rubinoos whose 1979 single “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” shares a striking resemblance. In 2007 Rubinoos frontman Tommy Dunbar and co-writer James Gangwer filed suit in U.S. District Court in Northern California against Lavigne, Dr. Luke, RCA Records and Apple Inc.
“We are not so naive as to chalk it up to some sort of cosmic coincidence,” Dunbar said in a statement on Thursday. “The lyric, the meter, the rhythm … they’re identical.”
More about the lawsuit here: Avril Lavigne Responds To Lawsuit, Says She’s Been ‘Falsely Accused’ on MTV.com
According to PopCrunch.com the case was settled out of court in 2008.
Avril Lavigne has reached a settlement in a lawsuit that accused her of plagiarizing her hit single, “Girlfriend.”
Avril Lavigne “Girlfriend” Lawsuit Settlement; Rubinoos Avril Lavigne at PopCrunch.com
I’d also like to note that The Ramones have a song called “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” released in 1976. It doesn’t sound like either of these.
While we’re here I might as well include the audio samples from the Green Day vs. Blink-182 post for the similarity in the guitar riff.
Avril Lavigne – “Girlfriend” (2007)
The Rubinoos – “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” (1979)
vs. Green Day vs. Blink-182
Blink-182 – “What’s My Age Again?” (1999)
Green Day – “Basket Case” (1993)
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