Uh-oh. Just keeping it real, you didn't really bring anything of your own to "Feels Like Tonight." In fact, it sounded like like you just took The Asphalts' "Tonight." Okay, it didn't go down like that, but The Asphalts have brought allegations of plagiarism against Daughtry. They even put together a snazzy video that samples both Daughtry's "Feels Like Tonight" and their own "Tonight" so you can judge for yourself.Unfortunately for Daughtry, Chris apparently climbed in bed with a guy by the name of Dr. Luke who wrote "Feels Like Tonight." This, even though Luke has already settled in a similar case brought against him and Avril Lavigne for her single "Girlfriend," which bore a striking resemblance to a band called the Rubinoos' "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." You know how sometimes you get a tune stuck in your head and you can't get it out? Apparently Dr. Luke has that problem a lot. Only he writes it down and makes "new" songs out of it.
After watching the below video, I don't know if I'm convinced 100% that plagiarism is what's going on here. Sure both songs use the phrase "It Feels Like Tonight" in the chorus and they are sung similarly, but there are not note-for-note identical. In fact, the ups and downs across the four words are different in both pieces. That said, the emphasis is almost the same and the tune utilized is very similar. Other than that, though, the two pieces sound very similar. But isn't coincidence possible? How many different ways can you sing "It Feels Like Tonight" in a chorus?
I'm not looking to defend or denounce Daughtry or Dr. Luke here. I'm no expert in music ... or the law ... or marine biology ... or even TV ... what the hell am I doing with my life?
But I did manage to get a hold of Dr. Luke's notebook where he writes down various song ideas as they come to him. I see a lot of great potential hits here. Now I'm not going to post all his lyrics here because that would be stealing, which is wrong. But I will give you some samples:
- Don't Pause the Music - this one has a great refrain of "Please don't pause the music" throughout, very catchy
- Escalator to Heaven - This one threw me for a loop as who would build an escalator? I don't know, I just wasn't buying the story. It's a lot easier to just build a stairway, you know? He did have a note here that he wasn't sure if he could get away with this one; probably because escalators are so hard to build
- I'd Do Anything for Love - I really liked this one, and I like how there was a bit of a twist in the chorus because you think he'd do anything for love, but apparently not. In fact, he says "he won't do that!" Very clever of Dr. Luke to not put that phrase in the title. Innovative, really
- Green Eggs and Jam - I have to admit I didn't think I would like this, but in the end when the narrator realizes he does like green eggs and jam ... very moving! I see this on Jessica Simpson's next album
1. The Asphalts has a very good case. The lines and the hooks of both songs are almost exactly alike.
Posted at 2:09PM on Apr 11th 2008 by Sy