Coldplay Responds to Plagiarism Lawsuit

A song by a Los Angeles guitarist suing Coldplay for alleged plagiarism is so unoriginal that it doesn't even deserve copyright protection, the British band's attorneys argue in court papers obtained Tuesday.

Rock instrumentalist Joe Satriani filed his copyright infringement lawsuit in December, claiming the band "copied and incorporated substantial original portions" of his 2004 instrumental "If I Could Fly" without permission as the basis for "Viva La Vida," the title track of Coldplay's Grammy Award-winning album.

At the time, Coldplay singer Chris Martin issued a statement saying any resemblance between the songs was "entirely coincidental," adding that Satriani "is a great musician."

But in a legal response to the lawsuit filed late Monday in U.S. District Court, Martin and company now contend that the melody of "If I Could Fly" should not be protected by copyright law because it "lacks originality."

Coldplay also alleges that any similarity between the songs is so slight that no legal action is warranted.

The group is no stranger to "sampling." The title "Viva La Vida" itself was borrowed from a Frida Kahlo painting, according to Martin.

No court date is set for Satriani's lawsuit, which seeks damages and "any and all profits" attributable to the alleged copyright infringement.