Who wrote A Whiter Shade Of Pale

Nov 23, 2009
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Dissention over copyright
by: Granty

In 2005, Procol Harum organist Matthew Fisher filed suit in the Royal Courts of Justice against Gary Brooker and his publisher, claiming that he co-wrote the music for the song.

Fisher won the case and was awarded 40% of the composers' share of the music copyright, rather than the 50% he was seeking and was not granted royalties prior to the lawsuit date.

An appeal before a panel of three judges during the week of 1 October 2007, upheld Fisher's co-authorship but ruled that he should receive no royalties as he had taken too long (38 years) to bring his claim to litigation. Full royalty rights were returned to Brooker.

On 5 November 2008, Matthew Fisher was granted permission to appeal this decision in the House of Lords; the first time the Law Lords have been asked to rule on a copyright dispute involving a song.

On 30 July 2009 the Law Lords unanimously ruled in Fisher's favour. They noted that the delay in bringing the case had not caused any harm to the other party; on the contrary they had benefited financially from it. They also pointed out that there were no time limits to copyright claims under English law. The right to future royalties was therefore returned to Fisher.

Source - Wikipedia

Who wrote A Whiter Shade Of Pale

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