Alicia Keys faces copyright infringement lawsuit

Alicia Keys performs at the Dolby Theatre in California. Photo/AP

Alicia Keys is facing a copyright infringement lawsuit over her hit single, Girl on Fire.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, songwriter Earl Shuman has filed a suit, alleging that the songbird's track borrows elements from Lonely Boy, a song he co-wrote in 1962. The song became a hit in 1970 for Eddie Holman under the title Hey There Lonely Girl.

Shuman became aware of the supposed similarities after Roger Friedman, a blogger for Showbiz411 wrote in a post last month: "In the middle of the song, Alicia sings a couplet or so from Eddie Holman's 1970 classic Hey There Lonely Girl.

Claiming it to be an uncredited sample, he continued: "The song was written by Leon Carr and Earl Shuman, who are both gone to rock and roll heaven."

He added, "Keys only uses two seconds of the original, but it helps make her record."

Shuman later contacted the writer, leaving a comment on his post that said, "Hi Roger, I am the cowriter of Hey There Lonely Girl and I appreciate your recognising an important part of Lonely Girl in Alicia Keys' new recording.

"Thanks for your expertise. By the way, though my dear friend Leon Carr is in Rock and Roll Heaven, I'm still here on the ground, writing songs."

Per THR, the songwriter then filed a suit, basing it on "a substantial portion of Friedman's original post".

In his suit, Shuman notes: "While the Showbiz411.com statements that Shuman has 'gone to rock and roll heaven' and concerning 'two seconds' of use are not accurate, Plaintiff alleges that the above observations by Showbiz411, in their essence, are apt."

Click here to read the complaint in full.

Check out both songs below:

Keys has yet to respond to the claim.

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