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I'm in a spot. I would like to record some song parodies. I have contacted the copyright office and they say most song writers don't want their songs to be parodied so they won't even ask. What do I do now?
And what if you want to record a song that's not technically a parody. Ie.-you just want to use the same melody of a popular song that fits something you have written in a rhyming sense.
Last edited by edbulmer; 05/09/09 04:17 AM.
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Hi Ed,
I'm not sure about parodies but I seem to remember reading something about a case recently in the US where a judge dismissed a copyright claim because s/he said the song was a parody and not intended as a commercial venture. That being said, though, I'd research this extremely carefully because melodies and lyrics are strictly off-limits from a copyright perspective unless you have permission. Chord progressions and accompaniment patterns (mostly) are not copyrightable.
If you have written some lyrics that fit the melody of an existing song, you would not be able to use that existing melody. However, the melodic rhythm of the notes cannot be copyrighted so you are free to use different notes playing the same melodic rhythm; this would be a completely different melody.
Regards,
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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Always go directly to the online source for the first questions, Ed. There is likely already a clear answer. http://www.copyright.gov/ Use the FAQ and the Search feature wisely. --Mac
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Ed is in Toronto, I don't think American Laws apply. Some international agreements maybe.
John Conley
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Cheers,
Keith
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my son, don junior, has done a lot of parodies with bob rivers, a seattle dj who does 'twisted tunes.' i remember they had to create their own backing tracks and be sure NOT TO USE ANY OF THE ORIGINAL MUSIC. they went to vancouver, bc to borrow a special yamaha keyboard to duplicate the original sound and canadian customs sicked the dogs on them. bob looked so suspicious that they did a thorough search to the point of removing the headliner from the car.
bob looked nervous because he had borrowed the car from a pot-smokin' friend and kept hoping 'boy, i hope he didn't leave ANYTHING in this car!' it made the dogs very interested though.
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Quote:
my son, don junior, has done a lot of parodies with bob rivers, a seattle dj who does 'twisted tunes.' i remember they had to create their own backing tracks and be sure NOT TO USE ANY OF THE ORIGINAL MUSIC. they went to vancouver, bc to borrow a special yamaha keyboard to duplicate the original sound and canadian customs sicked the dogs on them. bob looked so suspicious that they did a thorough search to the point of removing the headliner from the car.
Be sure to tell Jr. that I love "Twisted Tunes"!
Do you know what songs he was on? Just curious.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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mario, yes, he can sound exactly like ccr's john fogarty so he did a lot of ccr parodies including 'read it in the tabloids' (heard it through the grapevine); 'burned on the barbecue' (born on the bayou); 'there's a bathroom on the right' (there's a bad moon on the rise), also 'the baseball strike song' and many others. he was on every 'twisted' cd to date but i have lost track of all the songs he did for bob. btw, 'there's a bathroom on the right' was done at my request. at the time i was commuting to work in seattle and i would start my day with several cups of coffee. the commute took anywhere from 25 minutes to 6 hour (opening day at the u of w during a cloudburst) so knowing where the bathrooms were was vital to me.
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Quote:
Is anyone friends with Weird Al Yankovic - he'd know. 
Yes, I am (but only in Facebook terms!)
I think there's some stuff on his site about how he gets the rights.
In any case, one thing is clear. Without the consent of the artist, it's strictly a non-starter.
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Crossing the border into canada with say a roach in the ashtray will get your car searched.
Then you can continue.
Don't try it the other way, the car is gone, yer in jail and you won't ever cross the border again.
I came back from Jamaica once and realized as they went through my one small carry on for 30 minutes that the dogs in the hallway where you can't see them (they sit on the other side as the air is moved across you to them through vents) must have hit on me. They were so disappointed.
As I didn't do the drugs thing (we had to pee in bottles once in a while), I realized I sat on the beach talking to a Jamacian who had a doobie would make Cheech and Chong proud. Probably lingered.
John Conley
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I love those twisted tunes Don. In fact I learned the Bathroom on the right song and play it for my boating friends and they love it. But to cut to the chase yes I have talked to the governing body here in Canada Mac and as I said in my opening statement I"m in a fix because they tell me the won't even ask because they know the publishers don't want their songs parodied.
So I guess what I'm saying is how do others get away with it. I know it would easy to make origianl backing tracks but still they are still using another writers melody.
Last edited by edbulmer; 05/10/09 03:42 PM.
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Hey Ed you writing a song to enter in the 175th b day for Toronto Contest?
John Conley
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How about a parody to " I left my heart in San Francisco"-
"I let a fart in a Toronto Bistro". Think I'd win?
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Mel Lastman sang in Dundas Square?
There my Leaf's and I'll cry if I want to?
I love Hawgtown in the Springtime?
TO know know TO is to love love TO?
Tarronna, my kinda town?
I left my heart at the St. Charles?
We'll take Toronto and Centre Island too, it's fun going to Scarberiazoo..
It's pretty fancy, on Queen Street West you know, the subway charms us so, when icy breezes blow, snow to and fro, and tell me what street, compares with Yonge st. in July, on grates where wino's lie, as we walk by, the great big city's a wonderous toy, just made for a Susy and Fred, jumping a streetcar, and seeing Honest Ed.
John Conley
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Quote:
How about a parody to " I left my heart in San Francisco"-
"I let a fart in a Toronto Bistro". Think I'd win?
"I left my heart
In San Francisco
I left my spleen
In Abilene
And my eyes
In Van Nuys . . . "
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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I could have so much fun with some of these old tunes like-
All my exes changed their sexes
They're missing all the parts I really long to see etc etc.
But the world will never know the rest cause the damn publishers won't let me.
So sad.
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Contact some radio stations. I've had a piece I wrote new words to, the Boston Subway protest song, and it got played. Something about they pay roalties based on what they play or some other stuff like that.
I think it's called the MTA song/Pete Seeger? Nice folk tune, I remember the tune, not the words so much.
John Conley
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Found this on-line:
If you plan on going commercial with your parodies, then it is courteous to ask the artists if you can parody their song, just like Weird Al does. Even though the "fair-use" statement of the copyright law might suggest you don't have to do so, this remains a very gray area of the law. Getting permission can prevent you from being sued.
And elsewhere, Canadian jurisprudance:
Generally, No. The Supreme Court case Cambell v. Acuff-Rose addressed this issue and ruled that Luther Cambell (of 2 Live Crew) did not owe royalties to the estate of Roy Orbison (Acuff-Rose) for doing a parody of the song "Oh Pretty Women".
However, if you do a parody, it would be wise to contact the rights owner of the original song to get permission (this is what Weird Al Yankovic makes a point of doing for his parodies) if only to save yourself the messiness of legal action (even if you win in the end, will it be worth the trouble?) Incidentally, even though the Court held in Luther Campbell's favor, he ended up settling with Acuff-Rose and paying royalties anyway.
John Conley
Musica est vita
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Hi Ed,
They may not let you sing your parodies but what if you just copyrighted your parodies as poems? No melody line just words? Don’t know, just a thought.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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