Darker Me

Men at Work stars ordered to give up royalties

A judge in Australia has ordered the songwriters behind Men at Work ’s 1980s hit “Down Under” to give up 5 percent of the song royalties after a court battle over copyright.

Bosses at Larrikin music publishers in Sydney filed suit against bandmates Colin Hay and Ron Strykert, and the group’s record label, EMI, claiming the flute solo in the track sampled parts of “Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree,” a song written by an Australian music teacher for the Girl Guides in 1934.

Sydney’s Federal Court on Tuesday says the stars will have to hand over only 5 percent of the song’s proceeds dating back to 2002, as well as royalties from future earnings.