Veteran singer Paul Anka was shocked to hear the posthumously released This Is It song by Michael Jackson yesterday. The 68-year-old former teen heartthrob immediately contacted TMZ to claim that he co-wrote the song with Jackson in 1983 under the title I Never Heard.
Anka claims Jackson “stole” the original recordings from his studio back in the 80’s, but did return them after Anka threatened legal action. Unbeknownst to Anka, Jacko apparently made the copy that his family found after his death. The original title I Never Heard was placed by Anka with an unknown singer Safire, who released it in 1991 – video below.
After learning of Anka’s claims yesterday, it didn’t take the estate of Jackson long to acknowledge their mistake. In what is being described as the quickest resolution in Hollywood history, they have made Anka a 50% partner in the publishing rights to This Is It and he will be compensated accordingly. In a total about-face, he now claims that the snafu “was an honest mistake.”
We actually got our first heads up to the Anka news by way of Tone E. Fly on one of our favorite radio stations B96 KTTTB-FM.
Sony has declined to comment. LISTEN to the Jackson song here and then check out the Safire release on video below.