News Roundup: White Stripes Vs. The Air Force, Men At Work Are Innocent, Don’t Do It “My Way”

It’s getting harder and harder to avoid ripping off White Stripes songs. Their music has been borrowed for commercials before, and now the band and their management are accusing the Air Force Reserves of borrowing their 2002 hit “Fell In Love With A Girl” for a recruitment ad that aired during the Super Bowl. They claim their song was re-recorded without permission, and plan to take “strong action” to stop the ad from re-airing.

“The White Stripes takes strong insult and objection to the Air Force Reserves presenting this advertisement with the implication that we licensed one of our songs to encourage recruitment during a war we do not support,” the Stripes wrote in a statement. “The White Stripes support this nation’s military, at home and during times when our country needs and depends on them. We simply don’t want to be a cog in the wheel of the current conflict, and hope for a safe and speedy return home for our troops.”

At least it wasn’t “Seven Nation Army.”

Colin Hay of Men At Work has lashed out at an Australian court ruling, which said that the flute riff in the band’s song “Down Under” was lifted from the children’s song “Kookaburra Sitting In An Old Gum Tree.” In a heartfelt written statement, Hay begins, “The song Down Under is my friend. It has always been my friend, ever since it was born. I have been playing it for over 30 years, to audiences the world over, and will no doubt play it for as long as I am able. We look after each other very well.”

View the full statement here. It’s well worth reading.

If you live in the Philippines, the song “My Way” is not your friend. According to a New York Times report, those who choose to sing the Frank Sinatra hit in karaoke bars are taking their lives in their hands. Many have been murdered for singing the song out of tune, or simply selecting it in the first place. The reason? It’s boastful lyrics rub many the wrong way.

“‘I did it my way’ — it’s so arrogant,” says karaoke bar owner Butch Albarracin. “The lyrics evoke feelings of pride and arrogance in the singer, as if you’re somebody when you’re really nobody. It covers up your failures. That’s why it leads to fights.”