Richard Ashcroft announced today that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards agreed to give up their share and songwriting credits of "Bitter Sweet Symphony." This is a huge win for Ashcroft, even though he had to wait over twenty years.
"Bitter Sweet Symphony" was released in 1997 as the first single off Urban Hymns. The track was The Verve's biggest hit single in North America and has a bit of a convoluted history.
"Bitter Sweet Symphony" includes an orchestral sample of "The Last Time" -- the track "The Last Time" was originally written/recorded by The Rolling Stones (inspired by The Staple Singers song "This May Be The Last Time"), but the version The Verve lifted was from an orchestral arrangement of the song released by Andrew Oldham Orchestra.
As the story goes, The Verve obtained permission from the Rolling Stones to use a sample from Andrew Oldham Orchestra's version of "The Last Time" for "Bitter Sweet Symphony," but Stones management later claimed the Verve broke the agreement by using more of the song/sample than was previously agreed upon. Meanwhile Andrew Oldham Orchestra's record label sued The Verve since The Verve obtained permission from the Rolling Stones, but did not obtain permission from the label to use Oldham's orchestral arrangement. A mess indeed.
After a LOT of legal wrangling and drama, various deals were struck which ultimately led to The Verve giving away most of the songwriting credit/royalties to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. This amounted in a HUGE loss of income for Richard Ashcroft since "Bitter Sweet Symphony" was a global smash and received massive amounts of airplay. Some twenty years later, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards agreed to give back the songwriting credit.
Richard Ashcroft released a joyous statement today announcing that the songwriting credit for "Bitter Sweet Symphony" has now reverted back to The Verve. Read the full statement below:
"It gives me great pleasure to announce as of last month Mick Jagger and Keith Richards agreed to give me their share of the song "Bitter Sweet Symphony."
This remarkable and life affirming turn of events was made possible by a kind and magnanimous gesture from Mick and Keith, who have also agreed that they are happy for the writing credit to exclude their names and all their royalties derived from the song they will now pass to me. I would like to thank the main players in this, my management Steve Kutner and John Kennedy, the Stones manager Joyce Smyth and Jody Klein (for actually taking the call) lastly a huge unreserved heartfelt thanks and respect to Mick and Keith.
Music is power."
Bitter Sweet Press Release. ✌🏻 pic.twitter.com/NnmiGf8e6C— Richard Ashcroft (@richardashcroft) May 23, 2019
Published May 23rd, 2019
