I just wanted to know everyone’s opinion on this. I like Huey Lewis’s “I want a new drug”, but I think I like it cause it does in fact remind me of the Ghostbusters backing track lol.
… Full details of the article are on Wiki!
This is way old school news. Heck, I remember hearing about this when I was a kid, like back in '85, some time. As far as what I think about it? Eh. I mean, yeah, it kinda put a damper on my views of Ray Parker Jr. when I was younger, but they’re both such iconic songs that I really don’t think about it anymore.
//tomasi
ok it maybe old news but there are still alot of GB facts out there alot of people don’t know yet. I find threads like this useful and I’m sure many others do. It’s good to post facts from time to time so newbies can share this fact. You may have been around in the 80s to witness this but there are members on this board who werent.
Enjoy people!
Where is the page? Or are you just saying Huey sued him and that is all?
The article
"Ghostbusters suit
In 1985, Huey Lewis sued Ray Parker, Jr. over similarities between Parker’s theme for the 1984 movie Ghostbusters and Lewis’ own “I Want a New Drug.” The case was settled out of court, with both parties agreeing to keep the settlement secret. Parker sued Lewis in 2001, alleging that Lewis violated the agreement in a “VH1- Behind the Music” Episode, when he stated that Parker paid some amount to settle the case.[7]"
… Just thought I’d post it as there might be few people who know this fact.
I’d always take everything on Wiki with a pinch of salt… In my experiences it has it has lead to a lot of non truths
Lawrence
It’s popped up enough times outside of Wikipedia where the case is accepted as fact.
Frankly Huey had no case whatsoever, his was a bland song at best.
I remember when it was on Behind the Music…
Huey Lewis talked about it.
Agree the song was crap but to be fair Ray Parkers song was a total rip off of the guitar riff! Even an ardent fan like me can’t hide that fact 
Yeah.. this actually happened.
But what also happened… was that Ray Parker Jr. counter sued Huey Lewis a few years ago due to the comment that he made on VH1 Behind the Music. As part of the agreement of their settlement, Huey was not susposed to talk about the law suit ever.
etc.
Huey Lewis got a few million dollars over the Ghostbusters vs. I Want a New Drug deal back in 1984 / 1985.
Yeah fair play to Parker for that. If it was part of the agreement that Hughy kept his gob shut then thats what he should of done.
Oh, no denying it. But the whole court case just seems sour grapes with Lewis, that his song never went on to amount to a hill of beans, and Parker’s was one of many that defined a whole era.
It’s sad and a little greedy, seeing as Lewis alread had The Power of Love.
The sad part its is Huey Lewis did not in anyway own that guitar riff…
Its a common form of chording (well maybe not heard eveyday but not excluisive to those songs or time periods by a long shot)
Also while they two have miliseconds of similarities the overal tone just isn’t really there to say they are just copy and pastes.
Too true. If you listen to a lot of music you will find this particular riff used a lot in songs. The only thing anyone could possibly be blamed for is a lack of inspiration, and even then it’s a stretch. Both songs have thier rightful place and are in the relm of good music.
it’s like the whole “My Sweet Lord”, and “He’s So Fine” case, George Harrison got his butt sued off for that, the only difference between the two songs was the tempo, so it’s kind of understandable. And, personaly, I think “My Sweet Lord” is way better…just like Ghostbusters, no offense to Huey Lewis, but that’s a fact. 
Yeah he was just pissed off that the Ghostbusters song was so popular and his song wasn’t. Still he got his just deserts when he broke the confidenciality agreement.
Spook
Two milliseconds of similarities is all it takes and once it is in his song it does ‘belong’ to him. Parkers guitar riff along with the beat is the same as Lewis’ and that was enough to bring around an out of court settlement and a confidentiality agreement. That does indicate that Parker was expecting to lose the case.
Then Heuy has a lot more people to sue.
I swore that I saw that on VH1, Huey Lewis said the actual amount they settled on, but I can’t remember it.
I’m surprised that Parker didn’t fight the original suit in court, and win. The songs aren’t nearly as similar as some people claim. I know what they’re getting at, with the two songs having the “daaah daaah” at the end of the riff, but that’s not enough to try to cash-in on someone’s superior song.
Thats is all it takes though to claim the song is copied. It’s not jus the riff but the way it is played which kinda gives the belief it was copied. Still RPjr’s version is a lot better.
Not gonna talk about stealing beats or music or what not but I will say this. Take a listen to this song I posted on youtube and tell me if “Soulfinger!” reminds you of anything in particular.