Song Clearance Sheet
7 sources citedAlone Again (Naturally)
Pop1970s171BPM
G♯ minKey
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The verdict
Cleared After Dispute
The landmark Grand Upright Music v. Warner Bros. (1991) ruled decisively in O’Sullivan’s favor — Judge Duffy opened with “Thou shalt not steal,” granted an injunction and ordered $250,000 in damages — the case widely credited with making sample clearance mandatory industry-wide. The underlying single-owner rights were confirmed by the court itself.
reportedly open to sampling
Used by independents?
Yes — used by Biz Markie, an independent act on Cold Chillin’, in 1991 — the famously unlicensed sample that reshaped clearance law.
Who you need to ask
The songwriter & rightsholder — Gilbert O'Sullivan (Grand Upright Music, Ltd.) — court-confirmed owner of composition + master
Justia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
A #1 US hit in 1972 (six weeks) in its own right — but the famous sampling (Biz Markie, 1991) was NOT cleared and lost in court, banned from further distribution.
Do they allow reuse?
O’Sullivan explicitly refused Biz Markie’s clearance request (reportedly feeling the comedic treatment would tarnish his serious original), and the court upheld that refusal — the definitive “no.”
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
The 1991 Biz Markie track whose uncleared sample of this song lost the landmark case
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing + master)Gilbert O'Sullivan, via Grand Upright Music, Ltd. (his own company)
The landmark rulingGrand Upright Music, Ltd. v. Warner Bros. Records Inc., 780 F. Supp. 182 (S.D.N.Y. 1991)
The remedyA preliminary injunction, $250,000 in damages, and a referral to criminal court
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
The case that ended hip-hop’s “ask forgiveness” era
Widely credited as the ruling that changed industry practice: before it, sampling without clearance was common; after it, clearing a sample before release became a practical requirement for major labels.
Songfacts · read it →
They actually tried to clear it first
Markie’s attorneys wrote to O’Sullivan’s brother/agent requesting permission; O’Sullivan explicitly refused, reportedly feeling the comedic treatment of his serious original would tarnish it. Markie used the sample anyway.
Victor Li · read it →
Markie’s self-aware response
Biz Markie’s next album, released after the case, was pointedly titled “All Samples Cleared!” — a direct, funny acknowledgment of the lawsuit’s impact on his career.
Cowan Liebowitz & Latman · read it →
Scholarly criticism of the ruling, for balance
At least one legal scholar criticized Judge Duffy for never examining whether unauthorized use of just three words and a short musical phrase truly met the bar for infringement, arguing the ruling read more as moral judgment than rigorous analysis. Presented as a real documented perspective, not the only reading.
Victor Li · read it →
A contemporaneous case settled differently
A separate 1991 suit by members of The Turtles against De La Soul over uncleared samples on “3 Feet High and Rising” reportedly settled out of court for as much as $1.7 million, rather than going to trial like this case did.
Grokipedia · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
A #1 hit; famously (and unlawfully) sampled by Biz Markie
Covers
1991
First flip
Big names who used itBiz Markie
Who to Contact
GO
Gilbert O'Sullivan (Grand Upright Music)
The court-confirmed single owner of the composition + master
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
Don't Want the Hassle?
Sample something pre-cleared insteadCheck Tracklib →
Find a similar sound that's 100% freeBrowse the catalog →
References
Every source cited on this page — 7 in total
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending a separate manual keyfinder pass