Did Britney Spears Copy Her New Single?

By Kelly Fisher Posted Jan 13th 2011 07:00AM

As Britney Spears enjoys the No. 1 spot on iTunes with her new single, 'Hold It Against Me,' one music group is crying foul, saying she ripped off the title of the hit song.

Country group The Bellamy Brothers released a song in 1979 called 'If I Said You Have a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me,' and singer David Bellamy is speaking out against Spears' new song, according to Entertainment Weekly.

The chorus of Spears' latest hit contains the line, "If I said I want your body now, would you hold it against me?'

"It's not every day you get in the middle of a Britney Spears brawl," Bellamy told the magazine.

Listen to both songs inside.

The country crooner, who penned the group's 1979 hit, said his son first clued him in on Spears' single. While no legal action has been taken regarding the song's crossover title, Bellamy is looking into the situation.

"I just have to see what the intent was," he said. "I just kind of found it unoriginal, and I guess it makes us realize how old we are, because they're recycling our titles already."

Bellamy, who has not heard from Spears' camp regarding the similarities, understands that the "beautiful body" line is often used, but not always as overtly as with this latest hit single.

"This particular title is kinda hard to disguise, because the title is the song," Bellamy said of Spears' track. "It's not like saying, 'I love you, baby.' ... I think there's just more original stuff out there to do than just rehashing old titles."

The Bellamy Brothers would know. The country band hits the road this year for a 180-show tour as they celebrate the 30th anniversary of their hit album, 'Let Your Love Flow.'

Spears' song, produced by Max Martin and Dr. Luke, hit the Internet on Monday and quickly shot to the No. 1 spot on iTunes. Her new album is expected to be released March 15.

Tags: britney spears

Comments

(326)

Friday 14 January

By bill

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I can see the similarities in the lyrics but I do not believe there has been any copyright laws breeched here. I do believe that Mr. Bellamy is making a desperate attempt to get back in the spotlight. After all its been what 15-20 years since anyone has heard from the group. Let it go it makes you seem desperate and pathetic.

By Musicexpert

This one is a stretch, a REALLY far stretch. The two songs are nothing alike, the contexts are very different. If this were a paper in college, yea, Brittany would need a reference to avoid plagiarism. However, in music, borrowing short phrases is not considered inappropriate. However, sampling "music" is inappropriate (this is not the case). One could also do another far stretch and blame spears from borrowing from David Lee Roth when she says "paradise." David Lee Roth sang, "This must be just like living in paradise." Overall, there is nothing inappropriate about Brittany's use of the phrase in her lyrics. These country music singers just want some publicity. You'll be fine Brittany, nothing to worry about here, you can sleep tight tonight and wake up tomorrow and focus on your tour.

By jason

bellamy who?????? its a title not the lyrics or beat from there song

By BUCK

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Yes , but the real question is , is she lip singing the song ?

By Sue

Often new songs will build around existing songds as in Ronnie Milsap's Lost In the Fifties Tonight used In the Still of the Night.

By boscoboxer

Yeah well everyone else does it....all new songs are genere from old songs back in the day so why pin point her...i dont care for her but wow lets get real

By joe american

what is amazing is why any one would buy this bwitch
records. this thin voice monolog flapper voice is so
irritating you cant set thru the song. their are no ups
or downs. just stright thru monolog, like ever song she
ever recorded, the girl never could
sing, now as a pole dancer she would be great...
but after hearing the song, she will lose the case.
little doubt of that..
as for the bellamy bros. worked with them before,
and they are as bad a brittney. no show, just stand
on the stage and sing in their jeans and cowboy hats.
both of them now have a blue prince guitar which
looks funny in a wester act....
but after this and all that, who really cares,,

By jeff

Lyin' Eyes- The Eagles (1975) Chord progression:G,C,Am,D,G,C,Am,G
If I said you had a beautiful body,would you hold it against me:
(1979) Verse 1&2 Chord progression:G,C,Am,D,G,C,Am,G. I'm just sayin'

By Dian

That's what I said, Bellamy bros. song is just like Lyin Eyes.

By Paula

I thought I recognized it. Nice call Jeff!!

By John S

There is more than a generation involved here. As young as Brit is, she probably never heard their song. Growing up in Pop music, she may never listen to Country.

By kelly

sounds nothing of the same!!! TEAM BRITNEY..

By MyNameIsMud

Those who are getting all heated about this whole situation need to have their "intakes" removed from their "exhaust"! It's a song, who cares, my Lord, there is much more happening that is wrong in this country (where we live,not the type of music) that we should be worried about. I mean, REALLY?

P.S. you have my permission to use any of this in a song if anyones so chooses!

By Arthur J Caputo

Who cares? What is this a Cole Porter tune? Swirl? Who creating this? The publist for Spears? LOL

By Ken E Nash

I think some old country boyzz are just looking for some drinking money because their funds are low from all the blow they did in their past .....They didn't save and it didn't last.......

Kenny Nash

youtube KENNY NASH "DESIRE"

By golfshaper

If I were the bellamy bros. I would worry more that the song they’re singing sounds like a very popular Eagles tune ……….

By Jeanne

Those two songs sound NOTHING alike. For heaven's sake, so she said the same sentence. Get over it!!

By mb myers

I am agoraphobic (all my life) so I have watched more TV than the average person. I can't tell you how many times I have seen the same story line used over and over in ther last 40 years. It's gotten to the point where I know the ending after watching the first ten minites of the program.
I guess what they say is true "...everything old is new again...".
Why should music be any different?

By wb

How many remember Chuck Berry winning a lawsuit against the Beach Boys for "lifting" his riffs. It may have been, "Surfin USA."
Should we notate everything on the liner notes? Check this out on Youtube: "Britney Spears and Bellamy Brothers MASHUP"

By EJM

Who cares? Her voice sounds nasty!

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