The chord structure, bass and drum tracks are absolutely identical. Much in the way most the radio 1 top 40 songs in the last 20 years have been identical to each other with a different voice singing different words over the top.
Every time the great Peter Green, who was a troubled soul at the best of times, wrote a song or came up with a riff he would ring people up and play it down the phone to see if they recognised it from elsewhere in case he had inadvertently copied something.
Ringo Starr used to present songs to the other Beatles, but every time they'd say, "that's such and such a tune by so and so" until in the end he gave up trying. He wasn't cheating, he was just subliminally ripping off the songs in his brain and he was prone to it. I do think Ed Sheeran intentionally used the Gaye riff, but I don't think it's any big deal. Check these two tunes. Imo, the Wellers 'Changing Man' is by far the better track... And I don't remember Jeff Lynne having a hissy fit. Genuine musicians respect each others work...
My monies on 'Sheeran' taking out 'Gaye' in a messy first round [KO] , mainly as Gaye has been dead since 1984, but as Gaye died on April 1st the fool could be me ...
It is hilarious reading Yanks on YouTube going on about Brits nicking their music in the British Invasion. Many American songwriters made more off covers by the Stones, Beatles and others than they had previously earnt. Even more ridiculous when they go on about cultural appropriation of black musicians. Whilst the likes of the Stones, Yardbirds meant black artists whose songs they covered were invited over and were amazed to be paid more money than they they had ever received in front of white audiences when back home the whites were unaware of them. Otis Redding was touring here to packed houses, doing an RSG Special whilst in the US his audience was predominantly black B B King said he appeared in front of 99% of black audiences until Eric Clapton mentioned him on TV. He got booked for the Filmore West and after that he appeared in front of 90% white audiences. In the 1960s and 1970s widows of black musicians living in poverty were surprised to receive large royalty cheque. One living in a tin shackreceived a cheque for $60,000 for royalties after Clapton tracked her down to make sure she got the royalties off tracks he had covered with Cream. Royalties from Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac did similar for some. Apparently at the time of his death Elvis Presley was trying to get money paid to Arthur Cruddup's estate as he had found out he had received nothing for his covers of "It's Alright Mama" and "My Baby Left Me".
Brian Jones had a similar problem. He could turn his hand to playing virtually any instrument but couldn't come up with anything original for the Stones.
If I recall correctly, Brian Jones was shunned from contributing creatively as a result of Jagger/Richards compliance with Loog-Oldham's insistence on a particular musical direction - commercial "pop" as opposed to a blues bias which Jones was obsessed with...and I would add was bloody good with. Shame really, could have blended really well if given a chance.
