Prince is a Creep

[Baby Lee]

Covering Radiohead at Coachella. Color me geeked!!!

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by lawrenceRaider

Dane is wrong about most things. Though I think you missed his point about the artist who's song is going to be parodied being the short lived one. Which is also wrong as plenty of songs parodied by Weird Al have been by artists with long and respected careers.

no point was missed. I was ribbing him- not trying to shoot down his statement.

[ToxSocks]

That sucked.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by lawrenceRaider

Dane is wrong about most things. Though I think you missed his point about the artist who's song is going to be parodied being the short lived one. Which is also wrong as plenty of songs parodied by Weird Al have been by artists with long and respected careers.

Do you even understand anything about music publishing? Anything at all?

The composer is the person that allows a parody to be made, not the artist. Some publishing contracts have a clause in which the songwriter can choose when and where his work can be used and others do not. Anyone with any "power" or leverage can absolutely decide whether or not their song can be used in an alcohol, tobacco, parody, commercial advertising, etc. If not, the publishing companies decides for them.

In most cases, serious artists don't want their music to be parodied, by Weird Al or anyone else. In the case of older songwriters, those provisions weren't put into their original contracts so they have no power over the publishing company.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

no point was missed. I was ribbing him- not trying to shoot down his statement.

LawrenceRaider is a moron that has zero knowledge of music publishing

[DaneMcCloud]

I've never paid any attention to Weird Al because quite frankly, I don't find it funny.

But I just took a look at all of the songs in his career that he's parodied and there are very few by serious artists.

Now, his Polka Medley's are different. Those aren't parodies, they're cover songs done in a completely different style than originally recorded, much like Paul Anka's (IMO, awesome) album, Rock Swings, in which hit songs are re-recorded and re-imagined as big band swing tracks.

In the case of a medley, all he had to do was request a license from the Harry Fox Agency. No composer or publishers permission was necessary.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

But I just took a look at all of the songs in his career that he's parodied and there are very few by serious artists.

Gotta disagree, plenty of serious artists, and further plenty of serious hits even when by more fly by night artists.

[eDave]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Do you even understand anything about music publishing? Anything at all?

The composer is the person that allows a parody to be made, not the artist. Some publishing contracts have a clause in which the songwriter can choose when and where his work can be used and others do not. Anyone with any "power" or leverage can absolutely decide whether or not their song can be used in an alcohol, tobacco, parody, commercial advertising, etc. If not, the publishing companies decides for them.

In most cases, serious artists don't want their music to be parodied, by Weird Al or anyone else. In the case of older songwriters, those provisions weren't put into their original contracts so they have no power over the publishing company.

This is why Nelli (or 50 Cent, whatever) now regret not authorizing one of his tunes for Weird Al. Al would have been a plus for them.

[Simply Red]

there was a period about 75% of the way in that I really liked - and it lasted for about 50 seconds - aside from that it was awful and I really like Prince.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Gotta disagree, plenty of serious artists, and further plenty of serious hits even when by more fly by night artists.

The Polka Medley's, which are not parodies and do not require permission from the publisher or songwriter(s) are those songs in which he included music from Foo Fighters, Disturbed and many other well-known bands.

Also, keep in mind that in many cases, the publisher controls every aspect of song usage, other than mechanical or cover licensing, so even if the original songwriter or artist didn't want their song parodied, if a provision for such uses didn't exist, the publisher makes the decision, regardless of the songwriter(s) or Artist's position.

And I will re-iterate, once again: Most artists and songwriters don't want their songs parodied, by anyone, including Weird Al.

[BigMeatballDave]

I remember Coolio bitched about Amish Paradise.

Yeah, but I bet you didn't complain about the royalties check.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

And I will re-iterate, once again: Most artists and songwriters don't want their songs parodied, by anyone, including Weird Al.

Really? I recall some artists recognizing it as a sign that they've really made it in the industry. Like a badge or honor.

[ToxSocks]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I've never paid any attention to Weird Al because quite frankly, I don't find it funny.

You're dead to me.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

You're dead to me.

[Mennonite]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

LawrenceRaider is a moron that has zero knowledge of music publishing

Do you even lift, bro?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by BigMeatballDave

I remember Coolio bitched about Amish Paradise.

Yeah, but I bet you didn't complain about the royalties check.

The royalties would have been nearly non-existent.

First off, the song sampled a Stevie Wonder tune, so right off the top, 50% is out the door. Stat rate in 1996 was 6.95 cents per song, so Weird Al and Coolio would have each had 25%, 1.75 cents, but that's before 25% publishing and 25% for the Controlled Composition Clause, which is in effect until the first 1,000,000 copies were sold.

The record sold just a little under 2 million copies, so if there wasn't a Song Cap, Coolio earned approximately $27k from that song, give or take a few thousand.

Edit: Holy crap! I just read an interview in Rolling Stone with Cooli0 in which he states that Stevie Wonder retained 95% of the publishing for that song. That pretty much changes everything and the publishing royalties to Coolio and Weird Al would have been essentially non-existent.