One Less lawsuit.

A copyright suit against Elton John is tossed out.

If Elton John is not touring or doing charity work, then it seems he is either suing a tabloid or he is being sued. Now he has one less suit, as the one filed against him by a photo journalist claiming that Elton's "Nikita" is a rip-off of a ballad he wrote for a Ukrainian waitress has been tossed out.

Guy Hobbs filed the suit against Elton and Bernie Taupin this past April claiming that Elton stole his lyrics for "Nikita" from a song he wrote 29 years ago called "Natasha." U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve listed similarities between the songs, including a similar title and theme, she states, "These themes are not protected under the Copyright Act because they are rudimentary, commonplace, and standard under the scènes à faire doctrine. Moreover, phrases and themes that are common, trite, or cliched are not protected under copyright laws."