'Spaw,
It is one thing to (in musical terms) "quote" another song or piece of melody, during the course of performing a solo (which of course is considering a compliment or tipping of the hat to the original composer), as opposed to using the actual MELODY of another well known song, as the focal point and backbone of a new so-called original tune.

Having spent a good part of my professional music career as a "jazzer" of course I am aware of the difference.

But I'm talking about something altogether different here that no one seems to grasp, possibly because they haven't referenced the specific song on the album I am talking about.

Yes there are clearly similarities to Autumn In New York and Moonlight in Vermont, but there are enough differences as well to know that these are two entirely separate songs.

The main head (chorus, refrain, whatever you want to call it) of the Santana tune I mentioned, to my mind clearly violates copyright...and it is so blatant, that it astonishes me that something so obvious could have gotten by Carlos, the producer of the album, the publisher, the general public, and the Grammy nominating committee. That is not to say that the song isn't nice. It is. In fact with just a few exceptions, the album is bloody brilliant and wonderful to listen to.

Anyway. I'm done talking about. Obviously I am in a class by myself on this one, and have therefore concluded I must be insane. *BG*