Lady Gaga says NO to Weird Al parody... for charity!
#101
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: Lady Gaga says NO to Weird Al parody... for charity!
The straight answer to this, as I understand it anyone can perform any song live without permission and without royalties. To record someone else's song in a straight-up cover version, you do not need permission, but of course, must pay royalties. To record a significantly changed version of someone else's song (which a Weird Al parody would certainly be), the recording artist needs to first obtain the permission of the songwriters (but not the artist, if the artist is not a songwriter).
#103
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Re: Lady Gaga says NO to Weird Al parody... for charity!
The argument is that because it's a parody, it'd fall under fair use, so Weird Al wouldn't have to ask permission and wouldn't have to pay royalties. It's just that whether or not a Weird Al parody is acknowledged as fair use rather than a transformative work would ultimately be determined in court. The generally accepted belief (but not a hard and fast "this is the definitive answer") is that Weird Al could release whatever he wants without any real consequences, but he's a super-awesome guy and asks for permission and shares the wealth regardless. No matter what was legally required, he'd be doing this anyway.
#104
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Re: Lady Gaga says NO to Weird Al parody... for charity!
You're right, Adam -- parody is a form of protected free speech, so that does provide some extra legal protection, but like you said, there would still be an argument to be made in court either way, so the best thing to do is ask permission first.
I know that Prince and Eminem, two guys well-known for their light-hearted, self-depreciating humor, have turned Weird Al down and I'm sure others have as well, but I imagine most artists would probably be happy with the paycheck even if they weren't thrilled with the results.
Didn't know about the venue paying ASCAP. That's interesting.
I've always wondered what the actual wording of the law is and how they define a signifcant change to a song. Did Manfred Mann need to get permission from The Boss to change "cut loose like a deuce" to "wrapped up like a douche"? Would a dramatically slowed down, but otherwise unchanged cover, like Tori Amos' version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" need Courtney Love's okay first?
I know that Prince and Eminem, two guys well-known for their light-hearted, self-depreciating humor, have turned Weird Al down and I'm sure others have as well, but I imagine most artists would probably be happy with the paycheck even if they weren't thrilled with the results.
Didn't know about the venue paying ASCAP. That's interesting.
I've always wondered what the actual wording of the law is and how they define a signifcant change to a song. Did Manfred Mann need to get permission from The Boss to change "cut loose like a deuce" to "wrapped up like a douche"? Would a dramatically slowed down, but otherwise unchanged cover, like Tori Amos' version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" need Courtney Love's okay first?
#105
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: Lady Gaga says NO to Weird Al parody... for charity!
Daniel Powter. In a classic, classic case of someone misunderstanding his status on the music food chain, Daniel Powter wouldn't give permission to Al to parody "Bad Day". He just refused.
Until... right before Al was set to hit the studio to record his new album and Daniel Powter had a change of heart. In a rare double denial, Al said it was too late, and he rejected Powter. Powter hasn't been heard from since.
Until... right before Al was set to hit the studio to record his new album and Daniel Powter had a change of heart. In a rare double denial, Al said it was too late, and he rejected Powter. Powter hasn't been heard from since.
#107
Re: Lady Gaga says NO to Weird Al parody... for charity!
I know that Prince and Eminem, two guys well-known for their light-hearted, self-depreciating humor, have turned Weird Al down and I'm sure others have as well, but I imagine most artists would probably be happy with the paycheck even if they weren't thrilled with the results.
Saw him a couple weeks ago. Took the wife and daughter (she's 9). All of us loved the show. Of course, this is my 4th time seeing him, so that's no surprise.
Also, waited after the show out back by the tour bus to see if he'd stop by for pictures. Sure enough, he came out, and hung around long enough to make sure everyone in line got a picture/autograph/etc.
Such a groovy guy.
Also, waited after the show out back by the tour bus to see if he'd stop by for pictures. Sure enough, he came out, and hung around long enough to make sure everyone in line got a picture/autograph/etc.
Such a groovy guy.
#108
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: Lady Gaga says NO to Weird Al parody... for charity!
Those who are reading this thread would probably all really like this podcast recorded 6/21/11/ The podcast is from The B.S. Report with Bill Simmons. Only Bill isn't doing it. Chuck Klosterman is interviewing Weird Al. It runs for a breezey 30 minutes. He covers the Lady Gaga thing at the 7:00 mark, and that segues directly to other artists who have turned him down. It's a good listen
Download
Download
#110
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#111
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Re: Lady Gaga says NO to Weird Al parody... for charity!
I did like when they talked a little about Al's musicians. Honestly, I never really gave much thought to the fact that they must be incredibly talented to copy so many different styles with such a level of proficiency.
BTW : As a huge fan of Meatloaf/ Steinman stuff, I really, really liked that last track "Stop Forwarding That Crap To Me". He really nailed the classic Steinman song without actually using one of his songs for parody.
Last edited by Decker; 06-26-11 at 02:41 AM.
#112
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#113
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Lady Gaga says NO to Weird Al parody... for charity!
Picked up the CD/DVD pack at BB for 11+tax today. Making the only Al albums I don't own his compilations. (Except The Food Album which was my first Al purchase)
#114
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#115
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Re: Lady Gaga says NO to Weird Al parody... for charity!
The way the story goes, Al's parents decided to sign him up for music lessons, and they had a choice between guitar and accordion. (This was at the peak of the popularity of both The Beatles -- so, guitar -- and The Lawrence Welk Show -- so, accordion.) Al's parents, having a pretty awesome sense of humor, decided Frankie shouldn't be the only accordion-playing Yankovic and went the squeezebox route. THE REST IS HISTORY.
I remember way, way back in, like, 1993, before I'd really even heard of the Internet, I saw a commercial for a Frankie Yankovic CD set, and I convinced myself that he was Al's uncle, something I'd routinely state to other people as fact.
I remember way, way back in, like, 1993, before I'd really even heard of the Internet, I saw a commercial for a Frankie Yankovic CD set, and I convinced myself that he was Al's uncle, something I'd routinely state to other people as fact.
#116
It's Still Billy Joel To Me (Demo 1980)
The Billy Joel song and video would have been funny.
It's Still Billy Joel To Me (by Al Yankovic)
Lyrics:
What's the matter with the songs he's singin'
Can't you tell that they're pretty lame
After listenin' to a couple albums
Well, they all start to sound the same
So he tried to change his musical style
He tossed all his ballads in the circular file
Then he found the punk sound
Breakin' ground all around
It's still Billy Joel to me
What's the matter with the tune he's writin'
Well, you know it's gonna be a smash
It's so nice when you're a big name artist
Doesn't matter if it sounds like trash
Now everybody thinks the new wave is super
Just ask Linda Ronstadt or even Alice Cooper
It's a big hit, isn't it
Even if it's a piece of junk
It's still Billy Joel to me
Woah, it doesn't matter what the critics say about him
'Cause he doesn't worry how they feel
When you're record's sellin' millions and it's goin' triple platinum
You don't worry 'bout your next meal
'Cause money is no big deal
Maybe he should dye his hair bright pink
And stick a safety pin through his cheeks
Then he'd really fit the new wave image
But he couldn't sit down for weeks
Don't you know about the record business, honey
You gotta be trendy if you wanna make some money
Now everybody's sayin' that he sure sounds funny
But it's still Billy Joel to me
All right, Alfred
Oh
I can hardly wait 'til his next album
Well, I'll bet it's gonna be the rage
Buy a ticket to his next big concert
Well, I wonder what he'll do on stage
It might be disco and it might be the blues
Or maybe even somethin' like the B-52's
Just a handclap, finger snap
Even if it's mindless pap
It's still Billy Joel to me
Everybody's sayin' that he sure sounds funny
But it's still Billy Joel to me
#117
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Re: Lady Gaga says NO to Weird Al parody... for charity!
That's kind of a Mad Magazine-type satire. I'm sure Mad was a big influence on Al during the early years. He'd never try any satire that critical of another artist any more. I was thinking the other day about his biggest hit "Eat It". Not only is there no humor directed at MJ (who was, let's face it, not a very difficult target of parody even before any unseemly allegations emerged), there aren't even jokes in the song. Yes, the video's hysterical, but the song itself is not even a little funny.
Same thing goes for the Episode 1 parody. Not a single joke in it, and again, The Phantom Menace was certainly a film worthy of some mockery. I hate song parodies like that. Have an angle; make a joke. Any idiot can rhyme words to the tune of American Pie -- we expected a little more from Weird Al.
Say what you will about the new album and the schtick, at least all the song parodies have some POV or theme to them and are at least slightly humorous in their own right. Another Tattoo was the most clever, IMO.
Same thing goes for the Episode 1 parody. Not a single joke in it, and again, The Phantom Menace was certainly a film worthy of some mockery. I hate song parodies like that. Have an angle; make a joke. Any idiot can rhyme words to the tune of American Pie -- we expected a little more from Weird Al.
Say what you will about the new album and the schtick, at least all the song parodies have some POV or theme to them and are at least slightly humorous in their own right. Another Tattoo was the most clever, IMO.
#118
Moderator
Re: Lady Gaga says NO to Weird Al parody... for charity!
"Skipper Dan" is a good idea for a song, but it never goes anywhere after hitting the punchline.
#119
DVD Talk Legend & 2021 TOTY Winner
Re: Lady Gaga says NO to Weird Al parody... for charity!
That's kind of a Mad Magazine-type satire. I'm sure Mad was a big influence on Al during the early years. He'd never try any satire that critical of another artist any more. I was thinking the other day about his biggest hit "Eat It". Not only is there no humor directed at MJ (who was, let's face it, not a very difficult target of parody even before any unseemly allegations emerged), there aren't even jokes in the song. Yes, the video's hysterical, but the song itself is not even a little funny.
Same thing goes for the Episode 1 parody. Not a single joke in it, and again, The Phantom Menace was certainly a film worthy of some mockery. I hate song parodies like that. Have an angle; make a joke. Any idiot can rhyme words to the tune of American Pie -- we expected a little more from Weird Al.
Say what you will about the new album and the schtick, at least all the song parodies have some POV or theme to them and are at least slightly humorous in their own right. Another Tattoo was the most clever, IMO.
Same thing goes for the Episode 1 parody. Not a single joke in it, and again, The Phantom Menace was certainly a film worthy of some mockery. I hate song parodies like that. Have an angle; make a joke. Any idiot can rhyme words to the tune of American Pie -- we expected a little more from Weird Al.
Say what you will about the new album and the schtick, at least all the song parodies have some POV or theme to them and are at least slightly humorous in their own right. Another Tattoo was the most clever, IMO.
Yes, any idiot can rhyme words, but to have a concept and make it work is not easy. There's a LOT of really bad parodies out there.
With the Saga Begins, I just think it's great how he worked the whole story of the film into the tune of American Pie. I certainly couldn't have done that. I agree it's not laugh out loud funny, but it makes me smile every time. Also, he wrote the song based entirely off of internet spoilers. He did it so he could get the song out in time with the film, so that's why it doesn't mock the film. He hadn't even seen it when he wrote it.
#120
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Lady Gaga says NO to Weird Al parody... for charity!
I was a bit disappointed this time around. A solid Polka and I dug Skipper Dan, CNR and to a lesser extent Preform this way and Party In The CIA. But overall it seemed like kind of a tame/bland album.
Defiantly a step down from Lynwood.
Defiantly a step down from Lynwood.
#122
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