You Didn’t Write That: A Brief Guide to (Alleged) Pop Plagiarism

Chuck Berry and his legal team also had a bone to pick with another member of rock royalty: John Lennon, who cribbed some lines from Berry’s “You Can’t Catch Me” for the lyrics to “Come Together.” In an unusual arrangement, rather than retroactively amend the songwriting credits, Lennon agreed to record three songs by Berry’s then publisher Morris Levy for the album Rock ’n’ Roll. The ensuing recording process and results were messy at best.

Next The Illusion, “Did You See Her Eyes,” and Ike and Tina Turner, “Bold Soul Sister”