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Celebrity Justice7/7/2007 1:22 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF
Angry Avril Responds to Rip-Off Claims

Earlier this week, TMZ reported that attitudinal Avril Lavigne's song "Girlfriend" was a rip off of a 1979 song by the Rubinoos called "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." Avril's management flatly denied the band's claims, and now Avril's called BS too.


Writes Avril:

"You may have heard some news that two guys who wrote for some band from the 1970s I have never in my life heard of called the "Rubinoos" are trying to sue me. They have a song called "I Want To Be Your Boyfriend" that has no musical similarities to the song "Girlfriend" that Luke Gottwald and I wrote together. They claim that a small part of the lyrics are the same and are saying that I took these from them. I had never heard this song in my life and their claim is based on 5 words! All songs share similar lyrics and emotions. As humans we speak one language.

Off the top of my head, two other songs that I can immediately think of with this type of lyric are "Hey, hey, you, you get off of my cloud" by the Rolling Stones and "Hey little girl I want to be your boyfriend" by the Ramones. Simply put, I have been falsely accused of ripping their song off. Luke and I have done nothing wrong and there is no merit to their claim."

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Reader Comments

(Page 4 of 10) Previous 15 Comments | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments
46.

Jury of Jerry Colonnas:  1682 days ago

Hey, hey, you, you, IGWYA100 . . . it don't matter what you say, oh keyboard jockey to the stars, she still wins and the Rubinoos end up looking even more pathetic than they do now, if that's possible. Toooooo bad, kid.

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47.

shry:  1682 days ago

#42 How can you even compare her to Brit Paris or LLo. She is not is the news daily for doing the things these THINGS are. You are probably a 14 year old that needs parental guidance to be on the computer. Go to your corner for a time out silly little girl.

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48.

shan:  1682 days ago

Avril totally does suck.

However, obviously so did the Rubinoos, whoever they are.
They should sure thank her for bringing them attention they could never get themselves in the 70's. I just downloaded the song to check out the similaritites, and really, the Rubinoos should have sued The Rolling Stones - or vice versa, i don't really know or care which came first - but these 2 songs sound way more alike than anything talentless Avril could produce.

Furthermore, her song sounds more like Toni Basil's "Hey Mickey" to me anyway. In fact, if you mix the instrumental of Hey Mickey with either The Rubinoos or the Stones chorus vocals, you get a song that does sound alot like Avril's latest, but, really, a whole lot better.

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49.

Jury of Jerry Colonnas:  1682 days ago

Legitimate lawsuit, or a band just looking for publicity? You be the judge:
http://www.rubinoos.com

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50.

Sarah Silverman SUCKS!:  1682 days ago

JoJC..Only time will tell dear Pompo! Now when you address the jury at Avril's trial, try not to explain things to them in the same condescending tone, it might turn things against her! Good luck!

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51.

Jury of Jerry Colonnas:  1682 days ago

IGWYA100 - It won't get that far, junior. Most likely an out-of-court settlement for a few ten thousand bucks, which Avril will pay with her purse change, and the Rubinoos will buy new Priuses and then go back to Rock and Roll Purgatory with Jigsaw and Starbuck.

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52.

Frank:  1682 days ago

Hey..Hey..You..You..We know you stole it! Hey.. Hey.. You.. You..now it's not a secret!

Okay all kidding aside...maybe it is something you heard at an early age and then it came back in your writing and you did not realize it was a song that you had listened to before..but they are simular and you better figure out what you are going to do about it.

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53.

Whippet Good:  1682 days ago

Thanks, Jury of Jerry, you explained it pretty well to these retards. :) Anyone with a music education knows these aren't even remotely the same songs. The musicologists know what they're talking about, people, so hate Avril for some other reason!

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54.

Nick:  1682 days ago

Why would she need to make a statement if the accusations were so false? Maybe its time to get rid of the co writer/stealer Avril. I'm sure they thought it was so long ago and the other band would not be able to afford a lawsuit. OOPS!! Hey, hey, you, you, looks like you gonna have to pay up!!

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55.

Jury of Jerry Colonnas:  1682 days ago

Thanks for the backup, Liz. If ever you needed proof that rap is killing music, this board is it. These kiddies can't even tell the difference between a song and a backing track, and clearly can't pick out a melody to save their lives..

>>Why would she need to make a statement if the accusations were so false?

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56.

kc:  1682 days ago

Same song, same tune, different airhead. Poor Avril con-"artist" covers been blown. She's nothing but an industry-made-musician like the rest of them. Hey hey you you poser chic go back to Canada.

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57.

todd lissner anti adult anti wholesomeness activist-----(kadintodd2@aol.com):  1682 days ago

hey avril y do u have 2 make things so complicated?ripping off that old song makes me frustrated!!!u bawl and u go off the wall honsetly u promise me im never gonna find u fakin! NO NO NO

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58.

Jury of Jerry Colonnas:  1682 days ago

Why would she need to make a statement if the accusations were so false?

To make people like you ask questions like that.

But seriously . . . if you think that statement was written by Avril, then add another point to your gullible-o-meter. That's a lawyer statement, put out in public to let the Rubinoos' legal beagles know what Avril's legal position is, and that they better not expect a nice quiet settlement agreement like they're hoping.

Like Avril would ever use the phrase "there is no merit to their claim."

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59.

Alex:  1682 days ago

Avril is a complete hypocrit...she is always on the media talking crap about other singers and how britney doesn't sing live, blahh blahh...at least britney doesn't steal her songs. Anyway, I'm done listening to her.

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60.

Bo:  1682 days ago

TMZ, you know your site is influential when paid PR celebrity moles start showing up on your message boards and try to influence public opinion. I wouldn't be surprised to learn their propaganda is stolen too.

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