The synth-pop classic "Pop Muzik" by the musical project M (led by English musician Robin Scott) officially hit the airwaves in 1979
Never heard that, but geez...
You all might be familiar with the legal kerfuffle between Huey Lewis and the News and Ray Parker, Jr., who ripped off The News' "I Want A New Drug" for his hit "Ghostbusters." There was never any question about it, the label tried to pay for the rights to use it before forcing Parker Jr. to do it anyway. And they coughed up the penalties (royalties) without much fuss. As Huey Lewis later detailed when recounting when he lost faith in the music industry, "The whole thing was sick. They tried to pay me for the song. I said no, and so they did it anyway and then paid me afterwards. In the end, they got exactly what they wanted...my song for their money." I don't think the rub was so much with Parker, as he had to do what the label mandated, probably not having the massive amount of $ it would've taken to fight a major label.
Anyway, I mention all that to say I can't help but notice this "Pop Muzik" song is almost the same hook as I Want A New Drug.....but apparently five years earlier. There's a little variation on one of the notes, but it makes me wonder if Huey Lewis didn't rip this off in the first place. Probably not, but it's certainly true that musical phrases that people hear get stuck in the subconscious of writers and sometimes find their way out, even when they're not meaning to plagiarize.
