Nevermind the Music
Nevermind the Music
The Lorehounds
‘Down Under’ by Men at Work and Copyright Conundrums
1 hour 43 minutes Posted Jan 27, 2026 at 11:00 am.
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Show notes

When can a bit of nursery rhyme cost you six figures of royalties? In this episode, the hosts deep dive on Men at Work’s 1981 international hit “Down Under” and the crazy story of its authorship and accusations of plagiarism. Mark goes on walkabout through the basics of copyright law, and Nichole gets to feast on a few famous cases of plagiarism, spread on a vegemite sandwich! Tune in for an epic continent-spanning episode.


Other music heard in this episode: “Spicks and Specks Theme”, Bee Gees - “Spicks and Specks”, Men at Work - “Who Can It Be Now?”, Men at Work - “Overkill”, Larry Groce - “Kookaburra”, Colin Hay - “Waiting For My Real Life to Begin”, The Beach Boys - “Surfin’ U.S.A.”, Chuck Berry - “Sweet Little Sixteen”, Led Zeppelin - “Stairway to Heaven,” Spirit - “Taurus”, Robin Thicke feat. T.I. and Pharrell - “Blurred Lines”, Marvin Gaye - “Got to Give it Up”


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Nevermind the Music is part of The Lorehounds Network. Join the Nevermind the Music Discord channel by visiting thelorehounds.com



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