That was very good -- Copyrighted material as we understand it today is relatively new and until the 1950's and the emergence of juke boxes etc music was something that was handed down from generations to the next and most blues songs etc had been played for decades before they were recorded. Then once the labels got involved they decided they did not just want compensation -- they want every possible compensation. So even if just a part sounds similar they want money.
Like if you found a blown tire by the side of the road. Made a rope swing with it and the tire maker came to you asking for money. They already made all the money they could with it. Like so many times in our lives Elvis Costello gets it right.
Thanks Brett. Blues songs are the perfect example of how songs get handed down and personalised and morph into new ones. And although I feel strongly about protecting copyrights, I agree many publishers are often just over zealous and greedy.
It's a fascinating topic and somehow I've never come across the term cryptomnesia - so thank you for that! Almost every time I write a song, I spend hours afterwards trawling You Tube and Soundcloud etc thinking that there is a lyric or portion of melody I recognise from somewhere else...crossing my fingers that I'm mistaken. Sometimes I do find tiny snippets blended with other tiny snippets...usually in a different key...and usually it's from something I've only heard once or twice in the past. Certainly not deliberate! But I haven't released anything much yet so no law suits! I do like the concept of building on our musical heritage and I actually enjoy mash ups and hearing echoes of songs past in new releases. :-)
I agree with your teacher! I thought it was particularly sad when Men At Work were sued over their little homage to Kookaburra Sits In The old Gum Tree in Land Down Under - the flautist was especially devastated.
No joke. I wrote most of the chord progression for Yesterday when I was around 16. Some 30 years ago. As I don’t write lyrics and don’t sing, it took me at least half an hour to realize that my geniality came some 30 years after some guy named Paul. And just like that Paul guy, I had written it after waking up thinking it had come to me in a dream and, unlike him, I thought it was mine.
That was very good -- Copyrighted material as we understand it today is relatively new and until the 1950's and the emergence of juke boxes etc music was something that was handed down from generations to the next and most blues songs etc had been played for decades before they were recorded. Then once the labels got involved they decided they did not just want compensation -- they want every possible compensation. So even if just a part sounds similar they want money.
Like if you found a blown tire by the side of the road. Made a rope swing with it and the tire maker came to you asking for money. They already made all the money they could with it. Like so many times in our lives Elvis Costello gets it right.
Thanks Brett. Blues songs are the perfect example of how songs get handed down and personalised and morph into new ones. And although I feel strongly about protecting copyrights, I agree many publishers are often just over zealous and greedy.
It's a fascinating topic and somehow I've never come across the term cryptomnesia - so thank you for that! Almost every time I write a song, I spend hours afterwards trawling You Tube and Soundcloud etc thinking that there is a lyric or portion of melody I recognise from somewhere else...crossing my fingers that I'm mistaken. Sometimes I do find tiny snippets blended with other tiny snippets...usually in a different key...and usually it's from something I've only heard once or twice in the past. Certainly not deliberate! But I haven't released anything much yet so no law suits! I do like the concept of building on our musical heritage and I actually enjoy mash ups and hearing echoes of songs past in new releases. :-)
I hadn’t heard the word before today either Deb - always great to learn a new one … would make an excellent rhyme for ‘Indonesia’ some day…
Thanks Lo, in my mind I could never accept the courts had to get involved. My old art teacher said talent borrows but genius steals.
The topic is fascinating and as usual you got me thinking.
I agree with your teacher! I thought it was particularly sad when Men At Work were sued over their little homage to Kookaburra Sits In The old Gum Tree in Land Down Under - the flautist was especially devastated.
No joke. I wrote most of the chord progression for Yesterday when I was around 16. Some 30 years ago. As I don’t write lyrics and don’t sing, it took me at least half an hour to realize that my geniality came some 30 years after some guy named Paul. And just like that Paul guy, I had written it after waking up thinking it had come to me in a dream and, unlike him, I thought it was mine.
No joke.
I'm still reading but immediately thought of Voodoo Child by Rogue Traders, when you mentioned 'Pump it Up' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrlhLaNClgw