Carrie Underwood hit with song theft lawsuit by Canadian songwriters

Carrie Underwood and her co-writers behind the hit song "Something in the Water" were sued in federal court last week for song theft.

Two obscure Canadian songwriters claim their song with the same name was pitched in 2014 to Underwood's producer Mark Bright for her to consider recording. The songwriters, Ron McNeill and Georgia Lyons, never heard back, but Underwood recorded "Something in the Water" the next year, the lawsuit contends.

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In addition to Underwood and Bright, co-writers Chris DeStefano, Brett James, their publishing companies and Sony Music Nashville were named as defendants in the suit.

McNeill and Lyons argued that that the two versions of "Something in the Water" are the same and that Underwood's version is a ripoff.

"The hook on the infringing work, as released on the album, is structurally and lyrically identical, and substantially similar melodically to plaintiffs' composition of the same title," McNeill and Lyons argue in their lawsuit.

Underwood's "Something in the Water" won the Grammy Award for best country song performance. 

"We are aware that a lawsuit was filed regarding the authorship of 'Something in the Water,'" a spokeswoman for Underwood said in a statement Tuesday. "We want all of Carrie’s fans, and everyone, to know that 'Something in the Water' was written by Brett James, Chris DeStefano and Carrie Underwood. This is a deeply personal song regarding Carrie’s faith and she is saddened that anyone would attempt to challenge that for financial gain. Neither Carrie nor any of her co-writers ever received or heard the plaintiffs’ song. We fully expect that Carrie, Brett and Chris will be vindicated in the courts."

On his songwriting website, McNeill listed winning ole publishing's 2008 and 2009 country music Canadian Country Music Awards songwriting competitions.

Underwood and Brad Paisley defeated a lawsuit in August of 2016 claiming they committed copyright infringement for the duet "Remind Me."

Reach Nate Rau at 615-259-8094 and nrau@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter @tnnaterau.