The wife and publisher of Jacques Levy, who co-wrote songs from Bob Dylan’s 1976 album Desire, are suing the songwriter for $ 7.25 million (£ 5.25 million) following the recent sale of Dylan’s songwriting catalog to Universal. Music. The deal was reportedly valued at $ 300 million (£ 217.3 million).
Levy’s lawsuit alleges that Dylan Levy’s family owes 35% of the income to the long, narrative songs he co-wrote with Desire – Hurricane, Isis, Mozambique; Oh, sister; Joey, Romance in Durango and Black Diamond Bay – and said Dylan’s co-workers’ refused to [Levy’s family] their rightful share of the revenue and / or revenue earned from the catalog sale in respect of the compositions ”.
Dylan’s attorney, Orin Snyder, told Pitchfork that the lawsuit is a “sad attempt to unfairly take advantage of the recent catalog sale. The plaintiffs have paid everything they owe. We are confident we will win. And if we do, we will hold plaintiffs and their lawyers accountable for bringing this case without merit. ”
Dylan met Levy in the spring of 1974. They got to know each other the following year and began their collaboration with the song Isis. After periodic writing, they completed work on Desire during a three-week stay in Hamptons, New York. The album was released in January 1976 and received a mixed reception.
The sale of Dylan’s catalog to Universal is considered the largest acquisition of songwriting rights by a single songwriter. The auction took place amid a flurry of well-known artists selling or partially selling the rights to their songs, including Neil Young, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood and Shakira.
Many artists have sold their catalog to Hipgnosis Songs Fund, a British investment firm owned by Merck Mercuriadis. Industry analysts believe that back catalogs of heritage artists offer a steady and reliable investment, and that it is easier for artists in their later years to leave a lump sum to their heirs than an estate for songwriting.