by Gaby Whitehill Contributor | Photos by WENN

Tags: Pitbull, Kesha 

Kesha and Pitbull sued for $3 million over 'Timber' harmonica riff

Oskar and Eriko claim duo copied their track

 

Kesha and Pitbull sued for $3 million over 'Timber' harmonica riff Photo: WENN

Still angry that Ke$ha and Pitbull's inescapable hit 'Timber' was stuck in your head day after day for about two months straight? Well, karma has come back around. The duo are being sued for $3 million over the track, having been accused of copyright infringement.

Songwriters Lee Oskar, Keri Oskar and Greg Errico are seeking $3 million in damages over claims that infamous, earworm-y harmonica riff in 'Timber' is identical the one in their 1978 track 'San Francisco Bay'.

Both Oskars and Errico say 'Timber''s harmonica player Paul Harrington was told to "emulate" the sound on 'San Francisco Bay' in order to give it an "identical texture and sound". Whilst Pitbull's label Sony may have "obtained a license" to use the song, they didn't seek permission from the songwriters themselves, they add.

Oskar, Oskar and Errico say they haven't seen a penny of the considerable money 'Timber' made - despite the fact that on 'Timber''s Wikipedia page, it clearly states the track is an interpolation of 'San Francisco Bay'.

Compare 'Timber and 'San Francisco Bay' for yourselves below - there's an undeniable similarity between the two.

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