A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

Rev. Paul Jones recorded and allegedly wrote a song called "I Won't Complain", which was nominated for a Steller Award for traditional gospel song of the year. It has been sung on the "Oprah" show, and was sung at Ray Charles' and Luther Vandross' funerals by Stevie Wonder.

http://cover6.cduniverse.com/MuzeAud.../76/230976.jpg

The problem is it was not originally a black gospel song at all! It was a country gospel song, "I Can't Complain", written by an Apostolic preacher, Rev. Don Johnson of Memphis Tennessee. The song was written in 1974, when the Rev. Paul Jones would have been just 14 years old!

Bro. Don Johnson did finally file a lawsuit, but the Rev. Jones was murdered before the trial date in 1990! Bro. Johnson really didn't want to file a lawsuit, as he was glad to hear that his song was being universal sung. The problem was that Rev. Paul Jones was profitting and taking credit for someone elses song!

Compare the melody, words, and chords of the song, and you tell me what you think!

Oprah Show - "I Won't Complain"

Don Johnson - "I Can't Complain"

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

This is bizarre! Obviously it is the same song, some minor rewording, but I would have instantly recognized it from either version.

I remember singing this song in the early 80's and it had been around a while then. I am racking my brain as to what group or singer that I had originally heard it from.

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

The version that Bro don Johnson sings is the I am familiar with--I just feel he deserves the credit for writing the song he wrote.

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Rev. Don Johnson is a man of great class and character. Wish I were talented enough for people to steal from me. I have known this man for many years. Friends with his grandson and granddaughter. Great family.

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Great song too-

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I remember when he wrote the song (DJ)..wonderful man of God.

Headed to church...

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I heard the song for the first time at a General Conference in Louisville, KY around 1975 or 1976. It was sung by Loretta Earl, who was the wife of a black UPC evangelist. I'll never forget that song bringing the house down and the glory of the Lord filled the place for about ten minutes!

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

I'm just glad to hear Johnny Legend singing about God on the Oprah show. That's a good day for the kingdom.

I remember that song too.

Loretta Earl! I remember her!

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

Here's Stevie Wonder singing the song!

Stevie Wonder - "I Won't Complain"

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

Did Br Johnson have the song under copyright? If so there should not be an issue with him sharing in the profit. It is diffenently the same song.

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Now HERE's how to play it on the organ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope the rings don't blind you! :lol

I Won't Complain" on the Hammond B3

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To shine a little more light on the time line of Don Johnson's writing of the song:

In 1973 (3 years before I was born) my oldest sister and her husband were holding a revival at the Blue Mountain's Children's home (Bro. Pipkin's church), and my brother, Robbie, went with them. He went swimming with a boy from the orphanage at a lake there (I don't know which one), and my brother drowned.

When Bro. Johnson found out, he called my Dad and said he had recently (or "just") written a song he wanted to sing to him, and then he sang "I Can't Complain" over the phone.

So he had written it at least by August of 1973.

My mother said that he told my Dad he wrote it on the back of a paper bag.

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

It was copyrighted, but Bro. Johnson was just happy to see his song being sung and recorded. He didn't write the song for the money, but to be a blessing. It was only after he heard that Rev. Jones was claiming the song as his own, that he filed a lawsuit.

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

I agree. He wouldn't have filed the lawsuit for money, but just to be properly credited for being the author.

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Wow, what a cool story.

I'm sorry about your brother. That must have been hard on your parents.

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

It was. They're survivors!

When my mother found out she was pregnant in 1976 (with me!!!!), my Dad was convinced that I was going to be twin boys, because God was going to give him back double what he lost. He even picked out the names Joshua and Caleb. And then I was born. LOL!!!! Double TROUBLE is what he got. :D

That's why I was named "Abigail." "Restorer of joy." :coffee2

"Restorer of sleepless nights, empty pockets and worry" is more like it. :D

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That is a wonderful story, and also very sad. I feel for your parents, I can't imagine anything worse than the loss of a child. My brother almost died as a teenager, and I will never forget my parents faces during that time.

But God is indeed a restorer! The first thing I thought when reading that was "Oh my Lord, her sister was married before she was born"!! That is a HUGE age gap (even if you sister married very young!), your parents were very brave!!

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When I was born, my sisters' ages were: 15, 17, & 22.

My Dad always said I was an accident, and my mother would smile and say, "No you weren't." LOL!

Most of my nephews and nieces are about the same age I am.

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

I loved listening to the organ version of it!

Of course, John Legend is one of my all time favs so him singing it on Oprah was pretty sweet too!

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I remember that too. Lorretta Earl was my prayer partner one year.

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

Bro. Johnson should continue the lawsuit and be able to get royalties from the song. It would definitely help supplement his social security or he could use the money to further the kingdom of God. It is rightfully his.

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My Pastor's wife sings this song.

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

I love that song... we sang that years ago in our church.
As much as I enjoy the sound of the piano on the Oprah version... Bro Johnson's brought me back 20 years or more in time. I'll be singing that song all day tomorrow I bet!

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

This is like some horrible joke.

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

I certainly remember this song. I wouldn't be able to put a date to it but I recall it being sung. I always liked it. Enjoyed the video clips.

Interesting story too.

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

I have never heard this song but I totally don't like people that still other peoples music.But also I don't care for remakes either.

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

Yes...this is my memory as well...

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

It's kind of ironic that this song is considered a traditional black gospel anthem among black churches, but it was actually written as a country gospel song by a white man! :)

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

Well, I remember the album by James Cleveland, where he revised the Barry Manilow hit, I Write the Songs...

Rev said, "I even wrote songs like Amazing Grace..."

Please...

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

Thank heavens it was copyrighted!

One of the basic things every songwriter must do is either copyright their songs themself or if they are a member of ASCAP or BMI to register it.

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

Abigail- Your sister and her husband ministered at my church and attended some of the same campmeetings. I knew your brother (as dozens of young ladies did too). If memory serves me right, he used to play the guitar with your sister and her husband. He was someone that all the girls were swooning over. When we found out about his death it was a very sad, sad day. We cried buckets of tears and our hearts ached.

How beautiful to know the rest of the story. That you came along as a gift from God. Wow....

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Bro. Johnson regularly preached at my church in the 70's and sang that song. He told us it had been inspired by a husband who had just lost his home in a fire or lost his family (it's been a long time!) and nevertheless was praising God.

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

Yes, he did play guitar.

It was a terrible loss for my family. Even though I didn't know him, I've felt their pain for years, every time the stories were shared.

It's so cool that you knew him! I'll have to read this post to my Mom!

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Thank you, Abi and Newman...such touching posts today...

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You know, it really is aggravating that Bro. Johnson isn't being credited with that song. I should write a letter to Oprah....:D

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

Off-topic tangent:

Something funny, Newman...lots of people know my oldest sister and her husband, but not that many people know me--or even know I exist!

The first year I went to IBC MusicFest, I would talk to people and introduce myself, and it would be, "Hi, nice to meet you" (and then move right along), but then when they would see my sister they would go into the ultra-animated version of themselves and talk for days. Being the spoiled youngest child, the lack of attention miffed me quite a bit.

So, I had enough of being ignored, and I started introducing myself as "C----- S--------'s" sister. I got a much better response after that. LOL!

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

Yeah, John Legend can blow! Er, I mean sing...LOL!

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

Brattwoman,

I am sorry to hear about your family losing your brother. As parents we know that losing one of our children is probably our biggest fear. I can't begin to imagine what your mom and dad and older siblings went through. I am glad they had the Lord to help them.

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I've enjoyed this thread!

Thanks MissB for sharing your story!

Re: A Stolen Song!!!!!
 

Thanks, CC1. I know, as my own children get older, the full impact of what they went through really hits home.