Comments on: Jonathan Coulton responds to Fox/Glee's plagiarism of his song by "covering" it and making rival version available for sale http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 22 May 2013 12:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Sparrow http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1640297 Sparrow Tue, 29 Jan 2013 19:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1640297 I know who Johnathan Coulton is; he is also well known as the author of the song 'Still Alive' used in the video game Portal. I have yet to see an episode of Glee, and have no intention of breaking the streak. If it were up to Fox, no-one would know who they ripped off, because they have a policy of not crediting the musicians they rip off, or even the ones they licence songs from. Get back under your bridge. I know who Johnathan Coulton is; he is also well known as the author of the song ‘Still Alive’ used in the video game Portal. I have yet to see an episode of Glee, and have no intention of breaking the streak. If it were up to Fox, no-one would know who they ripped off, because they have a policy of not crediting the musicians they rip off, or even the ones they licence songs from. Get back under your bridge.

]]> By: $19428857 http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1640227 $19428857 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1640227 You keep saying that and it's still not true. Music licensing does not split the music from the lyrics. Coulton relied on a compulsory mechanical license to use the Sir Mix-A-Lot lyrics which specifically does not allow a change in melody.  http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/115 "A compulsory license includes the privilege of making a musical arrangement of the work to the extent necessary to conform it to the style or manner of interpretation of the performance involved, but the arrangement SHALL NOT CHANGE THE MELODY or fundamental character of the work, AND SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO PROTECTION AS A DERIVATIVE WORK under this title, EXCEPT WITH THE EXPRESS CONSENT of the copyright owner. - 17 USC § 115 (subsection A2) - Scope of exclusive rights in nondramatic musical works: Compulsory license for making and distributing phonorecords You keep saying that and it’s still not true. Music licensing does not split the music from the lyrics. Coulton relied on a compulsory mechanical license to use the Sir Mix-A-Lot lyrics which specifically does not allow a change in melody.

 http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/115

“A compulsory license includes the privilege of making a musical arrangement of the work to the extent necessary to conform it to the style or manner of interpretation of the performance involved, but the arrangement SHALL NOT CHANGE THE MELODY or fundamental character of the work, AND SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO PROTECTION AS A DERIVATIVE WORK under this title, EXCEPT WITH THE EXPRESS CONSENT of the copyright owner.

- 17 USC § 115 (subsection A2) – Scope of exclusive rights in nondramatic musical works: Compulsory license for making and distributing phonorecords

]]> By: Baldhead http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1640196 Baldhead Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:29:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1640196 Would love to hear what Mixalot thinks of all this. Probably just loves the extra royalty cheques. Well i hope he's getting something anyway. Would love to hear what Mixalot thinks of all this. Probably just loves the extra royalty cheques. Well i hope he’s getting something anyway.

]]> By: Edd Potts http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1640153 Edd Potts Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1640153 Actually a lot of people heard about him years ago, either because they listen to geek rock or played Portal, and most Glee watchers won't have heard of him due to Fox not giving him credit for his music. And the file sharing comment is a ridiculous comparison. This is about an independent artist being ripped off by a large company that can easily afford to pay him, not a large company complaining about lost profits that don't exist in the first place. Actually a lot of people heard about him years ago, either because they listen to geek rock or played Portal, and most Glee watchers won’t have heard of him due to Fox not giving him credit for his music.

And the file sharing comment is a ridiculous comparison. This is about an independent artist being ripped off by a large company that can easily afford to pay him, not a large company complaining about lost profits that don’t exist in the first place.

]]> By: Steve Stein http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1640104 Steve Stein Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1640104 Looks like that Fox person just materialized down the thread a bit. Looks like that Fox person just materialized down the thread a bit.

]]> By: Steve Stein http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1640094 Steve Stein Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1640094 Still waiting for Glee to cover "First of May". Still waiting for Glee to cover “First of May”.

]]> By: Luther Blissett http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639994 Luther Blissett Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639994 Oh, I smell someone at Fox coming up with "Hey, see what I mean, he should have been thankful in the first place. Now, he's got a lot more attention!" Oh, I smell someone at Fox coming up with “Hey, see what I mean, he should have been thankful in the first place. Now, he’s got a lot more attention!”

]]> By: Jonathan Roberts http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639865 Jonathan Roberts Tue, 29 Jan 2013 05:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639865 Why stop there? Why not make covers of some of their other covers too and release an album? Why stop there? Why not make covers of some of their other covers too and release an album?

]]> By: John Fenton http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639810 John Fenton Tue, 29 Jan 2013 03:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639810 Coulton got a license and paid/is paying royalties to Sir Mix-A-Lot for his cover of Mix's song. Fox gave no royalties and no credit. Coulton got a license and paid/is paying royalties to Sir Mix-A-Lot for his cover of Mix’s song.

Fox gave no royalties and no credit.

]]> By: skeletoncityrepeater http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639804 skeletoncityrepeater Tue, 29 Jan 2013 03:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639804 Nitpicking: Cory, it's 'Baby Got Back', not 'Baby's Got Back'. It's in both this post and the 1/19 post on the same story. Nitpicking:
Cory, it’s ‘Baby Got Back’, not ‘Baby’s Got Back’.
It’s in both this post and the 1/19 post on the same story.

]]> By: pjcamp http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639777 pjcamp Tue, 29 Jan 2013 02:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639777 Too bad John Denver passed away or he could do the same thing to Coulton. Too bad John Denver passed away or he could do the same thing to Coulton.

]]> By: Eddie Perkins http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639769 Eddie Perkins Tue, 29 Jan 2013 02:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639769 Yeah. Wish the BB article mentioned this, because it really is the best part. He didn't release a cover of their cover. He just re-released his original version with a new Glee-mocking name. Which is just awesome.  Yeah. Wish the BB article mentioned this, because it really is the best part. He didn’t release a cover of their cover. He just re-released his original version with a new Glee-mocking name. Which is just awesome. 

]]> By: Eddie Perkins http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639767 Eddie Perkins Tue, 29 Jan 2013 02:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639767 Agreed. I wish he'd named it something else. "In the style of Glee" sounds like an admission that Glee's version is the original. But...not sure what else he could have named it.  Agreed. I wish he’d named it something else. “In the style of Glee” sounds like an admission that Glee’s version is the original. But…not sure what else he could have named it. 

]]> By: Eddie Perkins http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639764 Eddie Perkins Tue, 29 Jan 2013 02:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639764 Glee needs to apologize, if not for still being on the air then for this, at least. I'm broke as hell but I bought my copy.  Glee needs to apologize, if not for still being on the air then for this, at least. I’m broke as hell but I bought my copy. 

]]> By: Kerouac http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639761 Kerouac Tue, 29 Jan 2013 02:03:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639761 Already had it, but bought it again. Best 99 cents I've spent on anything that isn't made of latex. Already had it, but bought it again. Best 99 cents I’ve spent on anything that isn’t made of latex.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639722 Antinous / Moderator Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639722 He wrote original music for the piece. And they didn't cover it; they used his recording of his original music. He wrote original music for the piece. And they didn’t cover it; they used his recording of his original music.

]]> By: Hanglyman http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639716 Hanglyman Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639716 Hilarious, though I wonder if this will eventually end up confusing people who aren't already familiar with Coulton and with Glee's plagiarism. Simply naming it "in the style of Glee" is practically guaranteed to make those people assume that Glee was first. Hilarious, though I wonder if this will eventually end up confusing people who aren’t already familiar with Coulton and with Glee’s plagiarism. Simply naming it “in the style of Glee” is practically guaranteed to make those people assume that Glee was first.

]]> By: Coal Miki-Restall http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639688 Coal Miki-Restall Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639688 If a cover of the original is OK, why is a cover of a cover not OK? If a cover of the original is OK, why is a cover of a cover not OK?

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639636 Antinous / Moderator Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639636 Should have gone with the campier <i>In the Key of Glee</i>. Should have gone with the campier In the Key of Glee.

]]> By: robot_makes_music http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639632 robot_makes_music Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:14:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639632 *ahem* Citizen, I think you mean corpyright.  *ahem* Citizen, I think you mean corpyright. 

]]> By: Larry Kuperman http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639608 Larry Kuperman Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639608 When I first read that Glee had been so lazy that they had even left the changed lyric of "Johnny C" in, I knew that they were not just thieves, but lazy thieves. Important to note that Coulton is giving Mix-a-Lot his fair share and donating the balance to charities. When I first read that Glee had been so lazy that they had even left the changed lyric of “Johnny C” in, I knew that they were not just thieves, but lazy thieves.
Important to note that Coulton is giving Mix-a-Lot his fair share and donating the balance to charities.

]]> By: That_Anonymous_Coward http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639587 That_Anonymous_Coward Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639587 Because in their minds only corporations can hold copyrights. Copyright is only meant for them to make money, it has no other function. Because in their minds only corporations can hold copyrights.
Copyright is only meant for them to make money, it has no other function.

]]> By: Paul Potts http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639585 Paul Potts Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639585 This is not quite what he did. The "in the style of Glee" is just a name change. It's the same track that Coulton released years ago. He's just mocking them by claiming to be imitating their imitation (well, pretty much complete rip-off) of him. See his post: http://www.jonathancoulton.com/2013/01/26/baby-got-back-glee-style/ Although copping Glee's version would have been kinda awesome in its own way! This is not quite what he did. The “in the style of Glee” is just a name change. It’s the same track that Coulton released years ago. He’s just mocking them by claiming to be imitating their imitation (well, pretty much complete rip-off) of him.
See his post: http://www.jonathancoulton.com/2013/01/26/baby-got-back-glee-style/

Although copping Glee’s version would have been kinda awesome in its own way!

]]> By: Guysmiley http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639586 Guysmiley Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639586 All he did was "re-release" the exact same song he made back in 2005. It would be hilarious to see Fox try and sue for that. All he did was “re-release” the exact same song he made back in 2005. It would be hilarious to see Fox try and sue for that.

]]> By: BillGlover http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639528 BillGlover Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639528 JoCo is the Wind Beneath My Wings(tm) JoCo is the Wind Beneath My Wings(tm)

]]> By: FreakCitySF http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639518 FreakCitySF Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639518 Awesome idea! Awesome idea!

]]> By: Bashtarle http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639512 Bashtarle Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639512 I'll be sticking with the original (Sir Mix Alot), still good on him for doing this. Its disgustingly hypocritical how a "content provider" like Fox freaks out when someone messes with their content but they seem to feel perfectly entitled to blatantly lift someone else's work. Even if said work was just a cover version of a classic. I’ll be sticking with the original (Sir Mix Alot), still good on him for doing this. Its disgustingly hypocritical how a “content provider” like Fox freaks out when someone messes with their content but they seem to feel perfectly entitled to blatantly lift someone else’s work. Even if said work was just a cover version of a classic.

]]> By: Kwolfbrooks http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639511 Kwolfbrooks Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:37:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639511 This is what I like to see! We should start collecting money for his legal defense, though. This is what I like to see! We should start collecting money for his legal defense, though.

]]> By: bardfinn http://boingboing.net/2013/01/28/jonathan-coulton-responds-to-f.html#comment-1639504 bardfinn Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:29:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=208644#comment-1639504 And it is beating the pants off Glee's version in sales. And it is beating the pants off Glee’s version in sales.

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