The Beatles George Harrison: 'I did not feel guilty about plagiarising song'
Former member of The Beatles Harrison released his hit song My Sweet Lord in 1970 through the band’s label, Apple. The song was his first ever single as a solo artist and was a great success. In both the UK and the USA it was the first number-one single from an ex-Beatle. The track was also the best-selling single in 1971. It did come with a massive amount of controversy, however. On this day, February 19, 1981 Harrison was ordered to pay more than half-a-million dollars for subconsciously plagiarising it.
The song was compared to The Chiffons’ 1963 hit single He’s So Fine.
On February 10, 1971 the publisher of He’s So Fine, Bright Tunes, filed a lawsuit against the Beatle for copying the song.
The legal battle raged on for more than two years before Harrison offered to provide Bright Tunes with a 40 percent share of My Sweet Lord’s royalties.
Shortly after this offer the song’s rights were bought by former manager of The Beatles, Allen Klein.
Source: Callum Crumlish/express.co.uk
