The Flaming Lips were sued by Cat Stevens over the song “Fight Test” as it is sounds like Cat Stevens’ song “Father and Son.”

The Flaming Lips – Fight Test vs. Cat Stevens – Father & Son

Cat Stevens — “Father and Son“

The Flaming Lips — “Fight Test”

Stevens, now Yusuf Islam, is now receiving royalties following a settlement.  In an interview, Wayne Coyne stated,

“I want to go on record for the first time and say that I really apologise for the whole thing. I really love Cat Stevens. I truly respect him as a great singer-songwriter. And now he wants his money. There was a time during the recording when we said, this has a similarity to “Father And Son”.  Then we purposefully changed those bits. But I do regret not contacting his record company and asking their opinion.  Maybe we could have gone 50-50.  As it is, Cat Stevens is now getting 75 per cent of royalties from “Fight Test“,  We could easily have changed the melody but we didn’t. I am really sorry that Cat Stevens thinks I’m purposefully plagiarising his work. I am ashamed. There is obviously a fine line between being inspired and stealing. But if anyone wanted to borrow part of a Flaming Lips song, I don’t think I’d bother pursuing it. I’ve got better things to do.  Anyway, Cat Stevens is never going to make much money out of us.’

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