French singer Gilbert Montagné was ordered to permanently relinquish his rights to his iconic hit “On va s’aimer”, following a court decision in Italy which recognized plagiarism.
As the French prepare to celebrate the end of the year to the sound of the biggest national hits, a classic could have a bitter taste for its performer. When the title “We will love each other” resounds in thousands of homes, Gilbert Montagné will no longer receive a single cent from this song.
And for good reason, according to the media l’Informé, Italian justice ruled in favor of the rights holders of “Une fille de France”, performed by Gianni Nazzaro. Recognizing obvious similarities between the two titles, the court ordered that the 72-year-old French singer and his lyricist Didier Barbelivien stop receiving royalties from the song.
The irony of fate
This affair resonates as a strange backlash. In 2009, Gilbert Montagné himself sued the Flunch brand for using his hit in a hijacked advertisement entitled “On va Flunch”. The artist had obtained 30,000 euros in damages. But at the same time, the singer was already in the sights of justice.
Accused of plagiarism by Gianni Nazzaro, he was ordered in 2012 to pay royalties to composers Michel Cywie and Jean-Max Rivière. A decision he had ignored for more than ten years.
After years of denial, the law finally caught up with the “Sunlights of the Tropics” singer, forcing him to permanently relinquish his rights to one of his most popular songs.
Music
