I know some of you think I over post on Britney, but I couldn't resist on this one. The story has Hoosier ties!

An Indiana songwriter is suing singer Britney Spears for copyright infringement, claiming he wrote the song "Sometimes" 15 years ago.

An attorney for Steve Wallace of Anderson filed a complaint May 5 in federal court against Spears, her album promoter, Sony/BMG Music Publishing Inc., and recording and publishing companies affiliated with the singer. The complaint acknowledges Wallace did not formally copyright his song until 2003. A few weeks after writing the song in 1990, he executed what's commonly known as a "poor man's" copyright: He placed his work in a sealed envelope and obtained a postmark. He shopped the song around to publishers in 1994 and submitted it to a lyric contest in Pennsylvania in 1997.

Wallace also submitted as an exhibit a copy of what he claims is an e-mail from Spears in which she wrote: "I now know for a fact that you wrote sometimes. But there's nothing I can do about it. That's all I can say about it." It's not clear from the copy when Spears allegedly wrote the e-mail.

Spears, 23, obtained a U.S. copyright for "Sometimes" on January 22, 1999. It appeared on her 1999 debut album, "... Baby One More Time" and on last year's "Greatest Hits: My Prerogative."

The lyrics of the song sung by Spears are nearly identical to those written by Wallace, a side-by-side comparison submitted as evidence shows.

--Oh, and in other Brit news, she's preparing for a new addition to her home. No, not the arrival of her kid, but a new septic tank. How's THAT for pertinent news?!?!?!

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Posted by Lawren at May 13, 2005 07:52 AM

You Said

They are living in Malibu and are still using a septic system? Malibu isn't Hilljack Town (regardless of who actually lives there) so you would think Malibu has a proper sewer system.

A FOURTH septic system? California does some weird stuff.

Says: Brian D. at May 13, 2005 01:17 PM

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