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Lawsuits in music have become commonplace as the slightest similarities or changes can lead musicians to seek justice. Eddie Vedder discovered this back in 2009, after he thought he had made only some innocent adjustments. Vedder is not alone, as some of the biggest artists have faced legal battles over songs, such as Avril Lavigne, the Rolling Stones, and Nickelback. Although, unlike some of these other cases, Vedder truly didn’t think he was doing anything wrong, his cover took a turn for the worse.
Most famously, Vedder has been recognized as one of the premier voices of grunge. His band, Pearl Jam, was part of Seattle’s “Big Four” alongside Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden. Since the early ’90s, he has captivated audiences with his unique voice, as his band released major hits such as “Black,” “Better Man,” and “Do the Evolution.” However, the lawsuit he faced does not pertain to Pearl Jam; it was specifically for Vedder as he ventured out from the band, seeking success as a solo artist.
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Canadian Songwriter Indio Sued Eddie Vedder Over Hard Sun
The Lyric Changes Were An Issue
Eddie Vedder waited a long time to try to make waves as a solo artist. With Pearl Jam’s first album arriving in 1991, it wouldn’t be until 2007 that Vedder released his debut solo studio album, Into the Wild. To make this even more special, it was used as the soundtrack for the film, also titled, Into the Wild.
This movie was directed by Sean Penn, with whom Vedder had worked with in the past, contributing songs to two of his other films, Dead Man Walking and I Am Sam. In fact, one of the tracks Vedder provided was a cover of “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” by the Beatles.
This time around, Vedder tried another cover, “Hard Sun” by Indio. The original track was from Indio’s 1989 album, Big Harvest. While that release did gain a lot of attention in Canada, Vedder’s version gained attention worldwide. The only issue with it was that Vedder had changed a few lyrics. No, this was not like the lawsuits Led Zeppelin had faced for egregiously altering lyrics. These really were only a few words.
Indio:
When she comes to greet me, she is mercy at my feet.
When I stay to pillage her, she just throws it back at me.
Vedder:
When she comes to greet me, she is mercy at my feet.
I see her inner charm, she just throws it back at me.
Little adjustments like this still caused an uproar from Indio (Gordon Peterson). Consequently, Vedder was sued for eroding the integrity of the composition. Universal Music was also named in the lawsuit, as Peterson claims they failed to obtain his permission before licensing the song. The lawsuit was filed in July 2009 in a New York federal court. Peterson sought all profits from the use of the song for alleged copyright infringement.
Eddie Vedder Won The Lawsuit (Obviously)
The Judge Has Seen Worse
After the lawsuit was filed, Vedder’s lawyer stated they saw no basis for the copyright infringement claim. Apparently, the judge who reviewed the case felt the same, as Peterson lost his case against Vedder. The judge believed the changed lyrics were not sufficient to constitute copyright infringement. They maintained that other past cases involved songs that were even more altered yet still did not amount to any infringement.
This lawsuit has become a permanent stain on a movie that was nominated for many awards. However, even with this case as a permanent footnote in its history, it does not detract from the major highlights. Vedder won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song – Motion Picture for “Guaranteed.” It was also nominated for a Grammy Award, thus making the partnership between Penn and Vedder as successful as they hoped.
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The lawsuit also did not deter Vedder from making music his way. Since that occurred, Pearl Jam has released many more albums, and he has continued his solo career as well. He has shown no signs of slowing down, remaining one of the top voices in music, so much so that he was even celebrated during the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary concert. Fans of Eddie Vedder maintain that the singer is solely out to help improve others’ lives through the gift he was given: music.
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