So did the Red Hot Chili Peppers plagiarize Tom Petty?

This is one of my first ventures into this forum so I hope I'm not repeating a topic, I didn't find it in a search.

Some music industry types are saying that the Red Hot Chili Peppers song "Dani California" is ripping off Tom Petty's "Last Dance with Mary Jane."

Lyric comparison:
"Dani California" starts off: "Gettin' born in the state of Mississippi / Poppa was a copper and her momma was a hippie / In Alabama she was swinging hammer," while "Mary Jane's Last Dance" goes: "She grew up in a Indiana town / Had a good-lookin' mama who never was around / But she grew up tall and she grew up right / With them Indiana boys on an Indiana night."

I have to admit I can see the similarities now that it's pointed out. But I've been a Chilis fan for more years than some DUers have been alive, so I choose to believe it was unintentional.

not even close

And Doug Sahm?

i like both songs, and they really aren't that close. It's hard to claim "plagiarism" with music, since every artist influences the next generation.

It seems like ever since that James Frey thing, people are looking for plagiarism everywhere.

I doubt anything will come from this since the Chilis are on the same record label as Tom Petty, and Stadium Arcadium is the most successful release the label has had so far this year.

...not even close.

They have similar tempo and chord progression, based on what I read about it. I don't know shit about that stuff so I couldn't tell you.

...Pepper songs. It pretty much has "their" sound, IMHO.

That jupiter song of theirs sounds a lot like "Estranged".

And in that case, it's really no big deal. How many songs use the same chords as "Louie Louie"? There are lots of songs which use the same chord progressions.

...the issue can be ignored. Two different stories being told, with very little in common.

"Some music industry types!"

Some self important, over-inflated blowhards w/ nothing better to talk about? Puhleeze, I guarantee you Petty's not talking about it. Show me something that's NOT derivative and I'll show you a "music industry type" that's not stupid and shallow(no offense meant to "music industry types", well ok, maybe a little, but the one's that aren't stupid and shallow would laugh at that anyway).

http://www.jared-morris.com/blog/petty.mp3

The songs are merged together. The 2 songs do sound alike with Dani California sounding like an updated version of Petty's.

It's not gonna get me hatin' on the Chili Peppers. I'm also a big fan and I love the song.

It makes me feel less like a crackpot for posting this thread.

It's not going to make me into a Chili Peppers hater either, I've been a fan for decades and love the song too. I think the comparison between the two songs is interesting though.

and that way the songs do sound pretty similar. But the songs aren't *about* the same thing at all, anyway.

or at least his guitar player. The riff played during the solo in "Last Dance with Mary Jane" is the main riff on "Fell in Love with a Girl" by The White Stripes. It's probably a well worn blues riff but it's very obvious.

"Last Chance for Mary Jane" rips off "Sweet Home Alabama". Rock music is inevitably derivative - and that's not always as bad as it sounds.

With "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" and Nirvana ripped off Killing Joke's "Eighties" with "Come as You Are".

(In other words, if it WAS influenced by it, that's nothing new.)