lyle@sjuvax.UUCP (lyle) (07/19/85)
I have just finished listening to a few songs by Weird Al Yankovick (sp??). One was 'I want a new duck' and the other was 'Like a surgeon'. Now I know that these songs resemble their popular counterparts in ever respect except the words. What are the legal barriors that entertainers/performers like these must overcome in order to use another performers song in a seemingly strange manner? Wayne Lyle
rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (07/20/85)
> I have just finished listening to a few songs by Weird Al Yankovick (sp??). > One was 'I want a new duck' and the other was 'Like a surgeon'. Now I know > that these songs resemble their popular counterparts in ever respect except > the words. What are the legal barriors that entertainers/performers like > these must overcome in order to use another performers song in a seemingly > strange manner? > Wayne Lyle I believe they have to ask the songwriter's permission, and then credit the songwriter for his/her part in writing the music. "Eat It" was credited to "Yankovic/Jackson". On the other hand, if the songwriter says no, there's nothing he/she can do to stop Weird Al or his ilk from just performing the song with his own unusual arrangement. I heard that because Prince wouldn't let him parody Purple Rain, he just did a "Purple Rain Polka" version. -- Providing the mininum daily adult requirement of sacrilege... Rich Rosen ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr
rcj@burl.UUCP (Curtis Jackson) (07/22/85)
In article <1196@sjuvax.UUCP> lyle@sjuvax.UUCP (lyle) writes: > > I have just finished listening to a few songs by Weird Al Yankovick (sp??). >One was 'I want a new duck' and the other was 'Like a surgeon'. Now I know >that these songs resemble their popular counterparts in ever respect except >the words. What are the legal barriors that entertainers/performers like >these must overcome in order to use another performers song in a seemingly >strange manner? > Weird Al asks permission of the original artists and, if there is any indication that there might be trouble, he drops the idea like a hot potatoe. From the context in the interview it sounded like he did not get anything on paper, and that he did not legally need anything on paper. Anyone else have more info? -- The MAD Programmer -- 919-228-3313 (Cornet 291) alias: Curtis Jackson ...![ ihnp4 ulysses cbosgd mgnetp ]!burl!rcj ...![ ihnp4 cbosgd akgua masscomp ]!clyde!rcj
wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (07/22/85)
In article <1196@sjuvax.UUCP> lyle@sjuvax.UUCP (lyle) writes: > I have just finished listening to a few songs by Weird Al Yankovick (sp??). >One was 'I want a new duck' and the other was 'Like a surgeon'. Now I know >that these songs resemble their popular counterparts in ever respect except >the words. What are the legal barriors that entertainers/performers like >these must overcome in order to use another performers song in a seemingly >strange manner? > Wayne Lyle I saw an interview with Weird Al on one of those late-night entertainment-"news" programs. They asked him about the legal steps that were needed before coming out with a commercial parody, and he answered vaguely that there were negotiations between his lawyers and the writers'/performers' lawyers as to permissions and the like. As far as "Like a Surgeon", he said that Madonna herself brought it up, asking "When is Weird Al going to do "Like a Surgeon"?", so he went ahead and wrote it...(Maybe she suggested that so it wouldn't come out as "Like a Sturgeon" with a lot of caviar jokes... :-) Will Martin UUCP/USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin or ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA
tihor@csd2.UUCP (Stephen Tihor) (07/23/85)
If you examine one of Weid AL's albums carefully you will note the permission lines on all his songs which do not use his originbal music.
blake@utastro.UUCP (R. Blake Farenthold) (07/25/85)
> > I have just finished listening to a few songs by Weird Al Yankovick (sp??). > One was 'I want a new duck' and the other was 'Like a surgeon'. Now I know > that these songs resemble their popular counterparts in ever respect except > the words. What are the legal barriors that entertainers/performers like > these must overcome in order to use another performers song in a seemingly > strange manner? > > > Wayne Lyle I vaguely remember from my "music for radio and television" class that coppyright law affords prople like Weird Al to PARODY a copyrighted work. (I however will not be held liable for this advice) If you are thinking about doing it (I know a lot of radio stations that co their own versions of songs) I would consult an attorny who specializes in copyright law. Weird Al was probably vague about how he gets away with the songs (if it is protected as a parody) because its awful easy to do one, and ~rWeird Al's stuff isnt the best Ive heard, he was much better back in 81.. (perhaps I just liked em cause they were dirtier) -- Blake Farenthold | CIS: 70070,521 | UUCP: {ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao} P.O. Box 3027 | Source: TCX023 | !utastro!blake Austin, TX 78764-3027 | Delphi: blake | ARPA: blake@utastro.UTEXAS. BBS: 512-442-1116 | MCI: BFARENTHOLD | ARPA (1200/300) | Telex: 910333978 | ESL: 62806548
training@rtech.UUCP (Training account) (07/29/85)
> I have just finished listening to a few songs by Weird Al Yankovick (sp??). > One was 'I want a new duck' and the other was 'Like a surgeon'. Now I know > that these songs resemble their popular counterparts in ever respect except > the words. What are the legal barriers that entertainers/performers like > these must overcome in order to use another performers song in a seemingly > strange manner? According to an interview with Weird Al Yankovic in SPIN magazine, he has to get permission from the songwriters for all of his parodies. He tried to get permission from Ray Davies for YODA for about four years before he finally got it. He also said that when Michael Jackson gave him permission to do "Eat It", a lot of other performers began letting him parody their songs. Also, "Like a Surgeon" was apparently actually Madonna's idea. She approached a friend of WAY's about WAY performing the song. Robert Orestein Relational Technology
chris@scgvaxd.UUCP (Chris Yoder) (07/30/85)
[ Go ahead bug, make my day. ] >Weird Al has said that he has to ask permission from the singers (probably >the copyright holders) to dissect their music in such a hysterical way. >Personally, I was very suprised that MJ allowed him to do 'Eat It'. I've >always had the impression that MJ takes himself MUCH too seriously.... >-- > AMBAR > {the known universe}!ihnp4!ihlpg!jeand This weekend I had the pleasure of hearing Weird Al in person (in the Greek Theater in Griffith Park). During costume changes they would show little film clips to keep the audience from becoming bored. One of these film clips showed Weird Al aproach an old house in a lightning storm, knock on a massive door, go inside after the butler (the door closes [slams?] by itself, naturally) and is led into a long "throne" room where a dark figure is sitting. Wierd Al makes a few groveling comments (I bought all your albums... etc) and from the rear view you see that this figure has a red rhinestone jacket and one white glove. This figure never talks, just gestures with the one gloved hand. Weird Al eventually getts to the point, and askes, very hesitantly, if the dark figure would mind him doing a take-off on one of his famous songs, and have this parody be about food, call it "Eat It". The white gloved hand's thumb goes up and down for a while until it comes thumbs up. Weird Al shakes his hand, expresses much joy and goes out of the room. Then the claws burst out of the white glove... I do no justice to the clip, but I assume that this does lend some credibilty to the statement that Weird Al asks permision for his parodies. BTW -- Weird Al is fun in concert, a truely wild and crazy guy who can put on a decent show. -- -- Chris Yoder UUCP --- {allegra|ihnp4}!scgvaxd!engvax!chris <Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that they're not out to get you...> { The opinions here are representative of Huge Aircrash, not me and *especially* not of my poor little keyboard. 8-)= }