Iglesias Song Not Stolen, Judge Decides
International singer Julio Iglesias did not steal a song written by a Georgia engineer, a federal district court judge here decided Wednesday.
U.S. District Judge John F. Keenan concluded that the song in dispute was written by an Italian songwriter in Europe between 1975 and 1977 and was not copied from a song written by Georgia metallurgical engineer Enrique H. Chia in 1978, as Chia contended.
Keenan dismissed a complaint filed by Chia and his music publishing company, Intersong-USA, against Iglesias and CBS Inc. over a song Chia wrote titled “Es,” the melody of which he claimed was copied by songwriter Mario Balducci and performed by Iglesias under the title “Hey.” The hit song was released in 1980.
“I am very pleased that the judge has recognized that my song ‘Hey’ was not copied from the plaintiff’s song,” Iglesias said in a statement released by his press agent, Shirley Brooks.
Iglesias was in Houston on Wednesday preparing for a Valentine’s Day concert to benefit UNICEF, Brooks said.
Iglesias is one of the world’s most popular vocalists with 160 million records sold, she said.
Chia’s attorney, David Blasband, said that he and his client were very disappointed by the decision.
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