Hi,
I recently heard that this song from the Verve was also credited to Jagger and Richards.

On Wikipedia, you can read that :
"Although the song's lyrics were written by Verve vocalist Richard Ashcroft, the song has been credited to Keith Richards and Mick Jagger after charges by the original copyright owners that the song was plagiarized from the Andrew Oldham Orchestra's 1966 recording of The Rolling Stones' 1965 song "The Last Time". The Oldham Orchestra's version of "The Last Time" and its distinctive passage for strings that was sampled by The Verve was actually written and arranged by David Whitaker.[14][15]

Originally, The Verve had negotiated a licence to use a sample from the Oldham recording, but it was successfully argued that the Verve had used "too much" of the sample.[16][17] Despite having original lyrics, the music of "Bitter Sweet Symphony" was sampled from the Oldham track, which led to a lawsuit with ABKCO Records, Allen Klein's company that owns the rights to the Rolling Stones material of the 1960s. The matter was eventually settled, with copyright of the song reverting to ABKCO. Songwriting credits were changed to Jagger/Richards/Ashcroft, with 100% of royalties going to the Rolling Stones.[18]

"We were told it was going to be a 50/50 split, and then they saw how well the record was doing," says band member Simon Jones. "They rung up and said we want 100 percent or take it out of the shops, you don't have much choice."[19]

After losing the composer credits to the song, Richard Ashcroft commented, "This is the best song Jagger and Richards have written in 20 years",[20] noting it was their biggest UK hit since "Brown Sugar".[19]

On Ashcroft's return to touring, the song traditionally ended the set list. Ashcroft also reworked the single for VH2 Live for the music channel VH1, stripping the song of its strings. Ashcroft is quoted as saying during the show: "Despite all the legal angles and the bullshit, strip down to the chords and the lyrics and the melody and you realise there is such a good song there."[21]

In a Cash for Questions interview with Q magazine published in January 1999, Keith Richards was asked (by John Johnson of Enfield) if he thought it was harsh taking all The Verve's royalties from "Bitter Sweet Symphony," to which he replied, "I'm out of whack here, this is serious lawyer shit. If The Verve can write a better song, they can keep the money."

Shameful moment of avarice on the part of the glimmer twins - suing these poor guys for "oversampling" an orchstral arrangement loosely built around The Last Time - a song the Stones straight up stole from a gospel record without giving credit or money! Talk about the height of hypocrisy!

This is old news here, discussed many times. I'm sure someone here will post the links to past discussions on this matter.

Still it is about the best song Jagger/Richards have written for some twenty years...

- Doxa

Quote
Doxa
Still it is about the best song Jagger/Richards have written for some twenty years...

- Doxa

Indeed, Ashcroft's lyrics and his singing are the best things about it.

Quote
His Majesty

Quote
Doxa
Still it is about the best song Jagger/Richards have written for some twenty years...

- Doxa

Indeed, Ashcroft's lyrics and his singing are the best things about it.

+2

Quote
Send It To me
Shameful moment of avarice on the part of the glimmer twins - suing these poor guys for "oversampling" an orchstral arrangement loosely built around The Last Time - a song the Stones straight up stole from a gospel record without giving credit or money! Talk about the height of hypocrisy!

Nothing to do with the Glimmers, they had no part in suing Ashcroft. It was entirely down to ABKCO.


"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"

Quote
Deltics

Quote
Send It To me
Shameful moment of avarice on the part of the glimmer twins - suing these poor guys for "oversampling" an orchstral arrangement loosely built around The Last Time - a song the Stones straight up stole from a gospel record without giving credit or money! Talk about the height of hypocrisy!

Nothing to do with the Glimmers, they had no part in suing Ashcroft. It was entirely down to ABKCO.

...as Keith said...."It's all Lawyer $#!T"....

Has been discussed at length throughout the past 15 years. Bottom line is you don't mess with ABKCO. As Mick said back in the late 80's, the Stones were only with ABKCO for a few years yet the legal ramifications still exist to this day.
Just go on youtube to hear the Oldham Symphony version and you'll see the Verve basically took that music and added their own lyrics to it.

Quote
His Majesty

Quote
Doxa
Still it is about the best song Jagger/Richards have written for some twenty years...

- Doxa

Indeed, Ashcroft's lyrics and his singing are the best things about it.

The string arrangement gives me goose bumps as well.

Quote
Doxa
Still it is about the best song Jagger/Richards have written for some twenty years...

- Doxa

and of course Brian in this case.