Zim paper asks where Marley got his Buffalo Soldier

An article in the Sunday Mail, Zimbabwe, suggests that Jamaican reggae legend Bob Marley may have been a copyright infringer. The article cites similarities between the Banana Splits’ "The Tra La La Song" and Bob Marley’s "Buffalo Soldier". The Banana Splits first achieved prominence in 1968, whereas "Buffalo Soldier" was first released posthumously in 1983. The Bob Marley Foundation maintains that Marley would probably never have heard of the Banana Splits, let alone be inspired by them. However, a musicologist who asked not to be named for professional reasons maintains that the songs are "strikingly similar" -- and Marley's work is often inspired by, or otherwise reflects, African influences.