Music duo The Bellamy Brothers accuse Britney Spears of plagiarism
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Image: Peter Cruise.
US pop and country duo The Bellamy Brothers are accusing pop music singer Britney Spears — also from the United States — of plagiarism in her latest single "Hold It Against Me". The group believes that Spears is "ripping off" one of their songs, a 1979 track entitled "If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me"; they are thought to be attempting to have Spears prosecuted.
Howard and David Bellamy claim that Britney Spears' single, the first to be released from her upcoming album Femme Fatale, is "too close" to The Bellamy Brothers song. Both tracks have reached number one on various music charts.
Speaking to British tabloid newspaper The Daily Star, David Bellamy said, "Howard and I have no personal beef with Britney. She’s a talented gal. But professionally we feel completely ripped off. We will without doubt take the appropriate legal action if our attorneys agree we’ve been ripped off."
A spokesperson for Britney Spears, made a statement to the same newspaper. "If this is now a legal matter then I am afraid we would have nothing to say until our lawyers have been alerted," the spokesperson stated.
Sources
- Daily Mail Reporter. "Britney Spears faces multi-million dollar lawsuit accused of 'ripping off' song lyrics for Hold It Against Me" — Daily Mail, February 20, 2011
- Daniel Sperling. "Spears sued for 'ripping off' 70s rock duo?" — Digital Spy, February 20, 2011
