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Introduction
Tottenham Faces Legal Threat Over Use of Barry Manilow Classic
Tottenham Hotspur is facing a legal headache after adopting Barry Manilow’s iconic song Can’t Smile Without You as a pre-match anthem at their home games. The Premier League club regularly blasts the crooner’s version of the 1975 hit to entertain fans at the £1 billion Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, turning the classic tune into a fan favourite.
However, one of the song’s three co-writers, Geoff Morrow—an Arsenal supporter—has now demanded royalties, warning that the club could face legal action. Morrow expressed frustration that Spurs have refused to engage with him regarding payments, branding the club’s stance as “ridiculous.”
The song, originally written as a love ballad, was never intended to become a football anthem. “When we wrote the song, we never imagined it would become a football anthem,” Morrow told The Sun. “It was written as a love song. What is really frustrating is Spurs won’t accept they are using our song.”
The adoption of Can’t Smile Without You at Tottenham matches has become an established tradition. Supporters routinely sing along before kick-off, creating a vibrant, communal atmosphere in the stadium. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when fans were absent from the stands, the club even used a giant banner featuring the song’s title to cover empty seats, further cementing its association with Spurs.
Despite its popularity, Morrow emphasizes that the legal and financial side of the song’s usage has been overlooked by the club. He reportedly hoped Spurs would be willing to negotiate, but says the club has shown little interest in formal discussions. “I hoped that Spurs would be willing to sit down and meet with me to discuss this, but they haven’t been interested,” he added.
The situation has drawn attention not only for the potential legal ramifications but also because of Morrow’s allegiance to Tottenham’s North London rivals, Arsenal. The irony of an Arsenal fan demanding payment from Spurs has added an extra layer of intrigue to the story.
Tottenham now finds itself caught between maintaining a beloved match-day tradition and addressing the rights of the song’s creators. While the club has yet to publicly respond, music rights experts suggest that failure to negotiate could result in costly legal consequences, given that performing copyrighted material without permission can lead to both financial and reputational repercussions.
Can’t Smile Without You has endured for decades as one of Barry Manilow’s most popular songs, and its adoption in football stadiums highlights the enduring cultural impact of the tune. But for Spurs, what started as a catchy anthem could turn into a cautionary tale about intellectual property, royalties, and respecting the creators behind the music.
As the Premier League season progresses, all eyes will be on Tottenham—not just for their performance on the pitch, but also to see whether the club will reach an agreement with Geoff Morrow and secure the rights to continue using the song without further controversy.