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Celebrity Justice
MJ Camp -- It Ain't Just Michael's Song

Posted Oct 12th 2009 6:25PM by TMZ Staff

John Branca, the special administrator for Michael Jackson's estate tells TMZ Paul Anka is right -- "This Is It" was not written by MJ alone, it was co-written with Paul Anka.

Paul Anka

Branca and his people are negotiating a settlement with Paul Anka's lawyer.

Branca tells TMZ, "We acknowledge that Michael and Paul wrote this song together."

As we first reported, the other special administrator, John McClain, told Anka "We'll give you whatever you want, whatever it takes we'll do the right thing."

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Tags: john mcclain, JohnMcclain, michael jackson, MichaelJackson, paul anka, PaulAnka, this is it, ThisIsIt

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(Page 1 of 7) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

1. Branca & mcCLain are messing up big time.

WTF is Anka calling MJ a thief, if he co wrote the song?

jackass.

Posted at 6:33PM on Oct 12th 2009 by marieant0811

2. Hey fellow MJ fans STOP hating on Paul - he is a legendary songwriter and has every right to question this and demand money as he owns 50% of the song. Its Sony's fault for not planning it well not Paul's.

Posted at 6:37PM on Oct 12th 2009 by blame Sony not Paul

3. If they both own the copyright then noone stole anything

Posted at 7:07PM on Oct 12th 2009 by Roxanne

4. If Mj and PA co wrote the song..did PA have the right to sell the song to safire? how does that work? maybe PA owes MJ some royalties.

Posted at 6:40PM on Oct 12th 2009 by 123

5. Why did they pick that song? And, how much did Paul Anka contribute to the song? If this continues, I will not buy anything Michael Jackson, it just seems like everyone is trying to capitalize. It's sad.

Posted at 6:41PM on Oct 12th 2009 by LiberalElite

6. wow, its paul anka's lucky day!!! he will be rolling in the dough! if that isnt lucky i dont know what is. how awesome would that be for your song to be released 20 years later and be so popular!

you are right though, its sony's fault not michael's. they are the ones who should pay.

Posted at 6:43PM on Oct 12th 2009 by kitty

7. I am happy that they are willing to make this right. Paul Anka is a good man. Far better than the other man was......

Posted at 6:44PM on Oct 12th 2009 by Me

8. Surely it's gotta be 50/50,and how lucky for Paul Anka,with a capital W, that Michael died,Christmas has come early!!!!

Posted at 7:04PM on Oct 12th 2009 by uk girl

9. I remember this actually, wonder what happened.

Posted at 6:55PM on Oct 12th 2009 by w

10. MJ did not "rip-off" Anka and he is not a thief, so stop telling that TMZ! They wrote the song TOGETHER, it's not just Anka's song!

MJ then recorded it for himself, which he had every right to do. He never claimed he wrote it alone (the Safira song was credited to both men). He never released it, probably never even intended to release it, because let's be honest: most songs he wrote alone are a lot better than this, so he didn't need to steal songs from Paul Anka. Stealing a song is when you claim credit to a song you didn't write, but since Michael co-wrote this song he is not a thief.

The mistake was made by Sony who didn't credit it to Anka and who didn't grant him his royalties. Michael, who didn't choose to release this song, shouldn't be bashed over this!

Posted at 7:00PM on Oct 12th 2009 by respect77

11. Good for Paul Anka! I knew MJ was a deadbeat (not paying his bills), not to mention what he did to Paul McCartney. But now, he's a thief as well. If I were Paul, I would pay close attention to any of MJ's unpublished catalog and make sure he didn't copy any more of Anka's songs or try to make money off songs that weren't entirely his to begin with.

Posted at 6:56PM on Oct 12th 2009 by Sharon

12. Way to go Paul get all the money you can. Boy I like when they bring all this sh*t out on MJ. Just proofs he's not a saint. Paul you are entitled to half of all the money it brings in. GO PAUL GO

Posted at 7:02PM on Oct 12th 2009 by way to go paul

13. Sharon - Could you be any more ignorant? I think you are just a caucasion racist who is till sore that MJ bought the rights to the Beatles songs. That and the fact that he married your King's daughter.
Idiot.

Posted at 7:12PM on Oct 12th 2009 by darthbane2k

14. Sharon!

Did you actually read the articles or just the sensationalist headlines by TMZ? Jackson and Anka wrote this song TOGETHER. So how do you steal and rip-off a song you co-wrote? Not to mention that MJ probably never intended to release it.

And what did he do to Paul McCartney? He beat him in an open auction for the Beatles catalogue. Tough luck for McCartney, but he could have paid more and then the catalogue would have been his. That's business.

Posted at 7:05PM on Oct 12th 2009 by respect77

15. As we first reported, the other special administrator, John McClain, told Anka "We'll give you whatever you want, whatever it takes we'll do the right thing."


Take it all Paul you deserve it all.

Posted at 7:06PM on Oct 12th 2009 by way to go paul

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