Edwin Starr / Wilson Pickett - Was there a story here

[snakepit]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9HzvVqhkzJk

Most Motown fans will know Edwin Starr's track "25 miles".
If your not aware if this Wilson Pickett track, you may sit up and think somebody somewhere was a bit guilty of ripping off a tune.
Not sure who came first.
Or if any legal action resulted.
What do you think?

[splanky]

Well what I do know it was caught and legally resolved. I always wonder whose idea it
was between Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua and Edwin Starr to try to get that 5 finger discount. I'm thinking Harvey but I don't, probably never will know....

This may not be the nicest thing for me to say but even though Eds crew jacked the original tune,
25 Miles was a better song and bigger hit...

[snakepit]

Splanky
Thanks for reply. I've never seen any reference to any legal action and I didn't realize that Edwin and co ripped off the tune.

[snakepit]

Something on Wikipedia about earlier versions.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-Five_Miles

[marv2]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9HzvVqhkzJk

Most Motown fans will know Edwin Starr's track "25 miles".
If your not aware if this Wilson Pickett track, you may sit up and think somebody somewhere was a bit guilty of ripping off a tune.
Not sure who came first.
Or if any legal action resulted.
What do you think?

Oh they stole that clean.........LOL!

[TomatoTom123]

OMG, they definitely stole it, I had no idea. Especially the intro, the first line even goes "32 miles..."!!!

[splanky]

I guess I should say why I believe Harvey might have suggested the sleight of hand...
Back in the early years of The New Birth when he controlled the band he had them
record the following tune:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzMy9hL0dlg

with all of the credits being given to his people and not a peep made about this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ0gobSHgIs

I don't think he ever got caught. I don't think the writer, John Loudermilk , who was
quite a storyteller himself, even became aware of The New Birth tune....

[snakepit]

Naughty..

I checked TCMS for 1969 and it does refer to credits being adjusted. But Edwin claims he wrote 25 Miles several years earlier. Oh well