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Post by OldFred on Oct 16, 2010 15:59:54 GMT -5
I got into an interesting discussion on the Hoffman board about the 'Double Fantasy-Stripped' CD and in particular about Yoko's song 'I'm You're Angel'. I recalled that there was a lawsuit filed by the estate of song writers Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn (or the current publishing owners) over the similarities between Yoko's song and the song 'Makin' Whoopee', made famous by Eddie Cantor. The suit was eventually settled out of court. Listen to the following links and judge for yourself: Granted, it's not a case like 'My Sweet Lord'/'He's So Fine', but still fascinating. Here's an interesting addition by wayneklein to my post in the Hoffman board thread on the 'Stripped Double Fantasy'. (I won't put up the link, but you guys should be able to find the Hoffman thread yourselves, you're all such smarty brains! ;D ) Yes, she was sued and yes they settled out of court. It wasn't in the public domain at the time it was released. Music and lyrics published in 1922 or earlier are in the Public Domain in the United States. No one can claim ownership of a song in the public domain, therefore public domain songs may be used by anyone. Music recordings, however, are copyright protected separately from musical compositions. It was thought by Yoko at the time that the song WAS published before 1922.
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Post by winstonoboogie on Oct 16, 2010 17:11:47 GMT -5
Yes, I would say the Donaldson/Kahn estate would have had a case. -
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Post by vectisfabber on Oct 17, 2010 3:40:41 GMT -5
Unconscious plagiarism is so easy to do, it's no surprise that prolific songwriters, especially those who take on baord influences from all quarters, occasionally come out with something which reveals its "inspiration". As Paul once said, you tweak it so as to disguise it, although you have to be aware that it's there in order to do that.
I'm Your Angel is such an obvious lift from Makin' Whoopee that I'm not surprised the owners of the latter had words.
I often wonder whether the publishers of People Get Ready have had a word with Paul.
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Post by Joe Karlosi on Oct 17, 2010 5:00:18 GMT -5
Yes, I think they had a case too.
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Post by ReturnToPepperland on Oct 17, 2010 6:24:35 GMT -5
Yes, I think they had a case too. There has been no legal action on that song. Its just a piano vamp before the actual song begins. Its not the main structure of the song. Anyway had its own melody which was the main melody of the song that had nothing to do with Get Ready. I'm Your Angel is a direct lift.
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Post by sayne on Oct 17, 2010 11:10:54 GMT -5
. . . Its just a piano vamp before the actual song begins. Its not the main structure of the song. Anyway had its own melody which was the main melody of the song that had nothing to do with Get Ready . . . . Are you kidding? You are actually going to say that when you sing the beginning of Anyway you don't hear People Get Ready? It's not just the piano intro. It's the beginning of the verse, too. I dare you to sing People Get Ready along with the beginning of the verse of Anyway and then say it's not a lift. Do it, man! Yes, the rest of the song is unique, but NOT the beginning. If you do not admit to the similarity, then you CANNOT say that John holding the pig's ear was NOT a play on Ram.
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Post by Joe Karlosi on Oct 17, 2010 12:33:43 GMT -5
. . . Its just a piano vamp before the actual song begins. Its not the main structure of the song. Anyway had its own melody which was the main melody of the song that had nothing to do with Get Ready . . . . Are you kidding? You are actually going to say that when you sing the beginning of Anyway you don't hear People Get Ready? It's not just the piano intro. It's the beginning of the verse, too. I dare you to sing People Get Ready along with the beginning of the verse of Anyway and then say it's not a lift. Do it, man! Yes, the rest of the song is unique, but NOT the beginning. It may not have been conscious (or maybe it was) but that is most certainly a 'lift'.
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Post by John S. Damm on Oct 17, 2010 12:39:03 GMT -5
Yes, I think they had a case too. There has been no legal action on that song. Its just a piano vamp before the actual song begins. Its not the main structure of the song. Anyway had its own melody which was the main melody of the song that had nothing to do with Get Ready. I'm Your Angel is a direct lift. LMAO! I knew this was coming the moment that rascal vectisfabber wrote his final sentence above! I must agree with sayne. I love the BBC radio program plugging the just released Chaos And Creation when the very staid DJ points that out right to Paul and despite Paul's use of one of his funny voices, it is clear that he is seething mad and I've always wondered if that poor DJ was blackballed by Paul and drummed out of the BBC for daring to point out that blatant similarity. By the way, that "Making Whoopie" video totally creeps me out. The singer must have been a demonic zombie. It reminds me of the great clip OldFred gave us last year from the circus freak thriller Freaks!
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Post by OldFred on Oct 17, 2010 13:28:10 GMT -5
By the way, that "Making Whoopie" video totally creeps me out. The singer must have been a demonic zombie. It reminds me of the great clip OldFred gave us last year from the circus freak thriller Freaks! Shame on you, Johnny. You're talking about Eddie Cantor, one the greatest entertainers of his time in musical comedy. He was a contemporary of Al Jolson, Charlie Chaplin, the Marx Brothers and the other great entertainers who came out of Vaudeville and early Broadway. His big, saucer like eyes were part of his act, and he used them to great comic effect. His image was even used in theatrical cartoons. You may have even seen some early Warner Brothers and Disney cartoons that featured a character based on Cantor. By today's standards he may seem ancient and prehistoric, but he was a huge star back in the day in stage, radio and early recordings. He was so popular he even had his own balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. Again, by today's standards he'd be considered 'quaint'. But, Eddie Cantor was still one of the greatest stars of his day.
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Post by vectisfabber on Oct 17, 2010 19:24:08 GMT -5
LMAO! I knew this was coming the moment that rascal vectisfabber wrote his final sentence above! I must agree with sayne. I wasn't being rascally, honest guv! [not on this occasion, anyhow...<sly grin>]
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Post by ReturnToPepperland on Oct 20, 2010 11:54:05 GMT -5
. . . Its just a piano vamp before the actual song begins. Its not the main structure of the song. Anyway had its own melody which was the main melody of the song that had nothing to do with Get Ready . . . . Are you kidding? You are actually going to say that when you sing the beginning of Anyway you don't hear People Get Ready? It's not just the piano intro. It's the beginning of the verse, too. I dare you to sing People Get Ready along with the beginning of the verse of Anyway and then say it's not a lift. Do it, man! Yes, the rest of the song is unique, but NOT the beginning. If you do not admit to the similarity, then you CANNOT say that John holding the pig's ear was NOT a play on Ram. Yes Paul does sing some of the melody, but he immediately switches to the main melody of the song which is completely different.
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Post by John S. Damm on Oct 20, 2010 13:46:20 GMT -5
By the way, that "Making Whoopie" video totally creeps me out. The singer must have been a demonic zombie. It reminds me of the great clip OldFred gave us last year from the circus freak thriller Freaks! Shame on you, Johnny. You're talking about Eddie Cantor, one the greatest entertainers of his time in musical comedy. He was a contemporary of Al Jolson, Charlie Chaplin, the Marx Brothers and the other great entertainers who came out of Vaudeville and early Broadway. His big, saucer like eyes were part of his act, and he used them to great comic effect. His image was even used in theatrical cartoons. You may have even seen some early Warner Brothers and Disney cartoons that featured a character based on Cantor. By today's standards he may seem ancient and prehistoric, but he was a huge star back in the day in stage, radio and early recordings. He was so popular he even had his own balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. Again, by today's standards he'd be considered 'quaint'. But, Eddie Cantor was still one of the greatest stars of his day. Okay, okay, but it seemed kind of creepy to me. That guy with all of those women! ;D Fred, since it is close to Halloween, can you find the "Freaks" clip you posted last year, the really scary movie about the pretty woman who cheats with the muscle guy and the circus freaks arise!
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Post by Joe Karlosi on Oct 20, 2010 14:05:30 GMT -5
Yes Paul does sing some of the melody, but he immediately switches to the main melody of the song which is completely different. Too bad. The only part I liked was the ripped-off portion.
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Post by ReturnToPepperland on Oct 20, 2010 16:53:14 GMT -5
Yes Paul does sing some of the melody, but he immediately switches to the main melody of the song which is completely different. Too bad. The only part I liked was the ripped-off portion. I don't think it was intentional.
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Post by Joe Karlosi on Oct 21, 2010 6:11:21 GMT -5
Too bad. The only part I liked was the ripped-off portion. I don't think it was intentional. Of course you wouldn't. It's Paul.
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Post by OldFred on Oct 21, 2010 8:31:12 GMT -5
Fred, since it is close to Halloween, can you find the "Freaks" clip you posted last year, the really scary movie about the pretty woman who cheats with the muscle guy and the circus freaks arise! Of course, Johnny. Pleasant dreams! ;D
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Post by ReturnToPepperland on Oct 21, 2010 14:26:24 GMT -5
I don't think it was intentional. Of course you wouldn't. It's Paul. Do you think it was intentional? Paul seemed quite surprised when he was told on live radio.
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