Fight Test, by Cat Stephens

flannel jesus July 27, 2025 at 05:35 375 views 5 comments
Fight Test is a song by the Flaming Lips. It's the opening to possibly their most famous album, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.

Some time after it was released, the singer song writer Cat Stephens sued - he argued that Fight Test is so similar to the Cat Stephens song "Father and Son" that Stephens should get writing credit and some percent of royalties from the song.

He won the case.

Now I want you guys to judge: listen to them side by side and tell me, should he really have won that case?
https://youtu.be/Uj9y-kVpB_o

Comments (5)

RogueAI July 27, 2025 at 05:52 #1003001
They don't sound anything alike to me.
Jamal July 27, 2025 at 07:22 #1003009
Things like this belong in the Lounge, so put it there yourself next time please.
javi2541997 July 27, 2025 at 07:57 #1003012
Quoting Jamal
Things like this belong in the Lounge, so put it there yourself next time please.


:up: :up:
Tzeentch July 28, 2025 at 14:33 #1003411
It depends what the law says, I suppose. But intellectual property rights are an abomination to begin with.
AmadeusD July 29, 2025 at 01:58 #1003563
I'm not against IP rights.

They don't sound sufficiently similar to get me to take up the case, even. I wouldn't have had the client back for a second discussion. Cat Stevens is a dick. Also, for full disclosure: He didn't win.
They settled. An extremely bad settlement borne out of Stevens having more, and more expensive lawyers.

Additionally, Coyne's response to this was the weakest, most blithering apology for a non-event I've seen in popular music.