Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content coming your way every day. Thank you!
Mick Jagger found not guilty of plagiarism in 1988
April 26, 1988: After hearing the evidence, the jury ruled that Mick Jagger was not guilty of plagiarism in the case brought against him by Jamaican reggae singer Patrick Alley.
More about Mick Jagger not guilty of plagiarism (1988)
A copyright infringement lawsuit against Mick Jagger for Just Another Night ended with a verdict on April 26, 1988. Patrick Alley (also known as Patrick E. Glanville) filed a lawsuit against Mick in 1986. The 36-year-old Jamaican reggae musician claimed that Jagger had stolen his song, also named Just Another Night.
Alley sought $275,000 in statutory damages as well as “all gains, profits, and advantages” that had resulted from the sale of Jagger’s album. The album’s earnings were reportedly $6 million. Patrick Alley recorded his song in 1979 and released it on his album Touch Of Patrick Alley in 1982.
Jagger released his version as the lead single from his debut solo album, She’s The Boss, in 1985, marking a major step away from the Rolling Stones and into his own spotlight. The song quickly gained heavy radio rotation and strong chart momentum, helping to establish Jagger as a viable solo artist rather than just a band frontman. Riding on that success, the album went on to sell more than two million copies worldwide. Its commercial performance proved that Jagger’s appeal extended beyond the Stones, reaching a broader pop audience and confirming that his songwriting and stage presence could stand on their own during the mid-1980s.
Mick Jagger accused of plagiarism in 1986, but then found “not guilty” two years later
Jamaican drummer Sly Dunbar, who played alongside Robbie Shakespeare in the reggae duo Sly and Robbie, has also contributed to the albums of a number of well-known musicians, including Joe Cocker and Bob Dylan. Additionally, it transpires that he performed on both recordings of Just Another Night. Furthermore, he was the one who alerted Alley to Jagger’s song.
Alley stated that he listened to the track after Dunbar informed him that his song was being “ripped off”. “After I played it”, he said, “I realized it was a similar thing … I was very shocked. I looked at the record for some credit of my name, and I didn’t see it,” explains Alley.
Alley’s attorney Charles E Baxley said at the time the suit was filed that “It’s the same song … The same words, the same music – it’s obvious”. The court case was filed in April 1988. Andrew William Thomas, a Julliard instructor who testified for the plaintiff as a music expert during the trial, gave testimony. When compared to the chorus of Alley’s song, he thought Jagger’s chorus was “virtually identical in pitch and rhythm.”.
Mick Jagger Defends His Work in Court
During his testimony, Mick Jagger used both homemade and professional recordings to explain the creative process behind Just Another Night. As a studio session tape from 1984 played, he described how the song evolved, saying, “Here we are getting the song to the point where it’s arranged so that we can get other musicians to record it.”
Jagger didn’t hold back when expressing his opinion on Alley’s song, admitting, “I think there are a lot of people in this courtroom who don’t really like my music, but I personally don’t like that song. It’s kind of sentimental.” He also emphasized his respect for original songwriters, noting that he always credits artists when covering their work—highlighting legends like Otis Redding, Chuck Berry, and Muddy Waters as examples.
Expert Testimony Supports Jagger’s Defense
The head of the theory department at the Manhattan School of Music, Daniel Ricigliano, was called to testify by Jagger’s defense team as a music specialist. Ricigliano testified that Jagger’s rendition made use of a lyric style that was frequently used in other songs he had written. To demonstrate, he played a few of the songs on the electric keyboard, including Brown Sugar, Beast of Burden and Heart of Stone.
In addition, Ricigliano noted that since 1931 Just Another Night has appeared as the song title in at least 12 different songs. A 6-person jury found Jagger not guilty on April 26, 1988, one week later. According to the jury, Alley was unable to demonstrate that Jagger had ever heard the song. “I don’t think the plaintiff really believed his song was stolen. They saw a chance for themselves and were going to take it.”
Alley appealed on June 2. He asserted that his song had been heard by Jagger, and he had fresh proof to support this claim. Jagger was cleared by the jury, though. (ref. not guilty) The jury concluded that despite the song’s release in both New York and Britain, the rock star could not have heard it.
Like what you see? Help keep it going! This site runs on the support of readers like you. Your donation helps cover costs and keeps fresh Rolling Stones content coming your way every day. Thank you!
