Coldplay Copied Cat Stevens?

05/04/09 2:27pm

by Jen White (CHARTattack)

Coldplay didn't steal their hit "Viva La Vida" from guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani or New York indie band Creaky Boards — they apparently ripped off Cat Stevens.

Yusuf Islam, the man formerly known as Stevens, told British tabloid The Sun that "Foreigner Suite" from his 1973 Foreigner album is the basis for "Viva La Vida."

"There's been this argument about Coldplay stealing this melody from Joe Satriani, but, if you listen to it, it's mine!" he told the tabloid.

"It's the 'Foreigner Suite,' it is!"

Satriani sued Coldplay for plagiarism in December, claiming "Viva La Vida" "copied and incorporated substantial original portions" of his song "If I Could Fly." He's seeking "any and all profits" that Coldplay have made off of the track, which became their first #1 U.S. hit and earned a best song Grammy Award earlier this year.

Coldplay denied the accusations. They filed papers at a Los Angeles federal court in April stating that Satriani's track "lacks originality" and there weren't enough similarities between the two songs for the guitarist to ask for damages.

Creaky Boards earlier claimed that Coldplay frontman Chris Martin stole the melody for "Viva La Vida" after he heard "The Songs I Didn't Write" at one of the band's shows that he attended.

We'll let you decide. Here's Islam's "Foreigner Suite" (check out the clip around the 5:15 mark):

Here's Satriani's "If I Could Fly:

Here's a video comparing Creaky Boards' "The Songs I Didn't Write" and Coldplay's "Viva La Vida":

And finally, here's Coldplay's smash:

Luckily, you won't have to steal a copy of Coldplay's upcoming live album, LeftRightLeftRightLeft, since they're giving it away to fans attending their summer shows (minus their festival appearances).

Pick up your free copy of LeftRightLeftRightLeft here:

May 15 West Palm Beach, FL @ Cruzan Amphitheatre
May 17 Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
May 18 Birmingham, AL @ Verizon Wireless Center
May 20 Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
May 21 Bristow, VA @ Nissan Pavilion
May 23 Hartford, CT @ Meadows Music Center
May 24 Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium
May 26 Philadelphia, PA @ Susquehanna Bank Center
May 27 Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
May 30 Pittsburgh, PA @ Post-Gazette Pavilion
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June 2 Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
June 4 Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
June 5 Indianapolis, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
June 6 Nashville, TN @ Sommet Center
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June 12 Des Moines, IA @ Wells Fargo Arena
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June 15 Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
June 17 Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
June 18 Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
June 20-21 Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place
July 2 Arras, France @ Grand Place (Main Square Festival)
July 3 Werchter, Belgium @ Rock Werchter Festival
July 5 Roskilde, Denmark @ Roskilde Festival
July 10 Portland, OR @ The Amphitheater at Clark County
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July 30 Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre
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Aug. 2 New Jersey, NJ @ Liberty State Park (All Points West Music & Arts Festival)
Aug. 3 Mansfield, MA @ Comcast Center
Aug. 6 Raleigh, NC @ Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
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Aug. 8 Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheatre
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Aug. 22 Stockholm, Sweden @ Stockholms Olympiastadion
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Sept. 7 Paris, France @ Parc Des Princes
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