New York Band Claims Coldplay Stole "Viva La Vida" Melody

Did Coldplay steal the melody of their iPod commercial-fronting single "Viva La Vida" from a Brooklyn indie band? That's what the Creaky Boards are alleging in a new YouTube clip. According to the band, "We were flattered when we thought we saw Chris Martin in the crowd" when the band performed at a CMJ showcase in October 2007. In the side-by-side comparison of the two tracks, the verses do seem a tad similar, though according to a Coldplay spokesperson, "Viva La Vida" was actually written and demoed in March 2007, well before Martin was supposed to have seen the Creaky Boards perform (Coldplay's people also added that Martin was not in New York that weekend). Ironically enough, the name of the tune the band claims Martin nicked is "The Songs I Didn't Write." The Creaky Boards singer seems to be okay with it all, saying "I wish Coldplay the best of luck. If they ever want to collaborate, I've got some microphones we could use in my bedroom."

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Song Stories

“(We're Not) The Jet Set”

George Jones and Tammy Wynette | 1973

George Jones and Tammy Wynette were still married when they recorded the tongue-in-cheek "(We're Not) The Jet Set." The lyrics, written by Nashville songwriter Bobby Braddock, who also penned Wynette's "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today," make fun of the good life by declaring, "We're not the Jet Set/We're the old Chevrolet set." Braddock recalled that while writing the song, he needed the name of a city that evened out the rhyme he had with "Riviera" and "Missourah." “I got out a Rand McNally atlas," he said. "In the first part are the maps. The last part is an alphabetical listing of cities. I wanted a rustic, small-time sound. I went to the listing for Missouri. And I found 'Festus.' I loved the sound of it."

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