You're listening to 20,000 Hertz.

The stories behind the world's most iconic and fascinating sounds.

I'm Dallas Taylor.

When it comes to music, originality is a tricky thing,

because every song that's ever been written contains some elements of songs that came before it.

So where do you draw the line between inspiration and infringement?

Over the years, that question has landed lots of artists in court, and in some cases, it's even had tragic consequences.

Today's story comes from the Cautionary Tales podcast, and it starts with a TV show.

Good-day, my name's Adam Hills. Welcome to a special children's music edition of Spicks and Spex.

Spicks and Specks is a long-running staple of Australian TV.

That's host Tim Harford.

It's an irreverent quiz show, pitting mixed teams of musicians and comedians against one

another to answer questions on rock and pop.

In 2007, host Adam Hills was presiding over a special episode dedicated to kids' tunes.

Have a listen to this, namely the Australian nursery rhyme, this riff has been based on,

as well as the name of the man playing it.

The opening bars of Men at Work song Down Under played.

The two teams looked mystified.

Which nursery rhyme?

It's Men at Work Down Other.

Greg Ham is the flautist.

Greg Ham of Men at Work, yes.

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