Publisher Appeals Case Over Song Featured on ‘Muppet Show’

An Italian music publishing company has appealed its case that a song popularized by the Muppets infringed its copyright interest in music from a 1966 Italian action film
(Creazioni Artistiche Musicali v. Carlin America, Inc., 2d Cir. App., 17-266, appeal filed 1/27/17).

“Mah Na Mah Na” became widely known after it was performed on the first episode of “The Muppet Show” in 1976. The song was originally written by Piero Umiliani for the 1968 Italian movie “Sweden: Heaven and Hell.”

Creazioni Artistiche Musicali claimed the composer infringed his own composition—the song “M33" written for the 1966 movie ...