A Truly Bittersweet Symphony

So i was kicking back listening to the new Verve album, which kicks ass by the way and it got me thinking about that bittersweet symphony that was the single bittersweet symphony.

The tale goes back to when the single came out in the UK and took over the world . . . The Verve had paid the Rolling Stones the rights to use the violins you hear in the song

Note : McJagger bought the rights to them from a classical composer and used it in a Stones single.

One day jagger was driving through London in his car and heard the Verve's single on the radio and went nuts! Why ? Because when the Verve paid him to use the violins it was with the understanding that they would only be used at the beginning and the end of the song.

As we all know, that didnt happen!

The Verve liked them so much they based the song around the violins and released it. Jagger took them to court twice. The first of which ended with 50% of the singles royalties ( the money made through air play ) going to jagger.

The second case saw the remaining 50% of the royalties go to the Rolling Stones . . .

So in a bittersweet moment the Verve had the hottest track going around radio yet Jagger was making all the money from it.

The verve broke up shortly after and its said one of the key reasons was due to the song bittersweet symphony.

Its no surprise that there official myspace page does not have the song on it as they wont play it again.

So what have we learnt ?

a) Jagger is a money hungry grouch
b) The new Verve album rocks its socks off

Lets hope the Verve make loads of cash off the new single . . . They deserve every cent !